Using Move with WiFi extender

Hi @Sonosmark, thank you for reaching us out and welcome to the Sonos Community. I appreciate your detailed post describing the issue and all your effort in checking for the resolution. Let me help you with this.

I'd like to suggest the following steps to see if this would work for you.

1. Disconnect WiFi extenders from the power to ensure that your Sonos will connect to your main router.
2. Change the SSID or WiFi name of the extender. Sonos will only connect to the recognized network. If your main router and WiFi extenders have the same SSID, Sonos will connect to it.
3. SonosNet is recommended to broadcast the same wireless signal to your other speakers. You can wire one of your speakers to your router via ethernet cable.

Let us know how you get on with the advice above and submit a diagnostic report for us to check. Just include the confirmation number in your response so that we can look up the information.

If you have any questions about this. We and the community are always here to help.

Diagnostic report: 629085830

Thanks for the response, I have followed your advice as follows

1. WiFi extender removed, system appears to work, all speakers recognised
2. Wifi details are cloned from the router and are identical, Move speaker gets “lost”
3. SonosNet does not connect to Move?

Also, when moving the Move speaker outdoors and then back in Alexa disappears? The app indicates it is still there but it does not work. The smart voice has to be uninstalled and reinstalled to work again.

The extender was removed (unplugged), Playbar which was hard wired to router was disconnected. App was reset and reconfigured using WiFi (no SonosNet). System worked in all instances I.e. Move speaker remained visible on App, Move speaker could be moved outdoors and back in and Alexa ‘remained’. Speakers could be grouped and music streamed. After approx 4 hours the extender was plugged back in. Approx 1 hour late the Move speaker had ‘disappeared’ from the App, presumably after picking up the stronger signal from the extender?

There are other items in the same room as the Move speaker which all work perfectly well via the extender, radiator valve, electrical socket. The extender is required to improve the signal into the area and needs to be set up as the router to maintain these connections.

 How do I get the Move speaker to remain visible in the App? My set up is as you describe in your point 2. I have sent a diagnostic report as requested.

Diagnostic report: 249943723

Further to the previous reply I have sent an additional diagnostic report.

It would appear that when in the same room and presumably connected to the WiFi via the extender that the Move speaker becomes visible in the App?

i.e.

Ipad connected to router WiFi, Move speaker connected to router WiFi = Move visible in App

Ipad connected to router WiFi, Move speaker connected to extender WiFi = Move NOT visible in App

Ipad connected to extender WiFi, Move speaker connected to extender WiFi = Move visible in App

I reiterate, the extender details are cloned and identical to the router. (WiFi extender is TP Link, AV 200 power line)

Does the Move speaker have to be within Bluetooth range to be visible in the App?

Hi @Sonosmark, thank you for providing a detailed response and for submitting the diagnostic reports.

Your Sonos Move should be connected to your WiFi network to appear on the Sonos app. 

Upon checking the reports, your Sonos speakers are connecting to your WiFi extenders. Your observation is correct, since your WiFi extenders information is cloned from your router, your speakers will be able to connect to it. 

To address your concern here our recommendations:

1. Switch to SonosNet. Hardwire one of your speakers to your router.
2. Change SSID or the WiFi name of your extenders. Sonos will only connect to the recognized network.

To further assist you with this, you may continue working with us over the phone. You can contact our Sonos Customer Care support with your full network setup including the make and model of each device.

If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.

The Sonos Community is always here to help.

Hi Rowena

Thanks for your replies. With regard your recommendations:

1. SonosNet does not connect to Move so is not an option
2. As explained, changing the SSID of the extender is NOT an option due to other items connected to the network via the extender.

It appears that the Move is unable to recognise that the extender is the same WiFi network as the router, unlike every other device I have. This is therefore obviously an issue with the Sonos Move software. The issue did not exist with the Play 5 that the Move has replaced.

As explained in my previous message, the Move speaker does appear in the App when the ‘controller’ is connected to WiFi via the extender, I.e. when in the conservatory. I will continue to use the system in this configuration and monitor for now to see how this works out. If this fails to be satisfactory then I will return the Move and reuse the Play 5 which operated perfectly well but was not portable.

Hi @Sonosmark, thank you for your response and we appreciate your feedback. I understand what you're feeling about this.

As per Sonos system requirements, If you need to extend your home WiFi to use Sonos in a wireless setup, we recommend using a WiFi mesh router to do so.

If you need further assistance on this, please reach out to our Sonos Customer Care support for more in-depth troubleshooting steps to provide you the best option.

We and the community are always here to help.

Hi Rowena

If I understand, I need to create a ‘mesh’ WiFi system in order to get the Move speaker to be recognised by the App?

I’m quite confident that there is nothing up with my current set up, in fact, all my wireless items work perfectly well on both the main router WiFi and the extender WiFi.

There is obviously an issue with either the S2 App or the Move software. One, or both of which are not recognising the extender WiFi with the same SSID & password as the same network. Somehow, the extender network is being treated as separate network. Again, I stress this is not an issue with any other wireless items including the Play 5 that the Move has replaced in the exact same location.

I have been a customer of Sonos since 2012 and am both disappointed and insulted that Sonos feel that the best advice to give is to buy additional hardware to overcome what is obviously a Sonos software issue. As previously stated, I will monitor the operation under my current set up and if not fully satisfied will return the speaker and reinstall the Play 5.

Hi @Sonosmark 

Try this...

1. Unplug all Sonos
2. Unplug the extender
3. Reboot your router
4. Plug in the extender
5. Disable the extenders DHCP capability in settings.
6. As was indicated by @Rowena B. give the extender the same SSID and Passphrase as the main router
7. Plug in your Sonos one by one and let each come back before moving to the next
8. Setup the Move as the last speaker according to instructions 

Let us know how things sort out.

Hi @AjTrek1 

Thanks for reaching out. The extender is a Powerline AV200 WiFi extender, I am not sure if it is possible to make the adjustment you describe in point 5? With regard to point 6, the SSID & password are the same as the main router (this is necessary and cannot be changed in order that other wireless accessories connected via the extender continue to correctly operate). The extender was setup using WPS.

With regard your additional suggestions, my original setup (Playbar, Play 3 & Play 5) have all worked satisfactorily on my existing network. The problem has only occurred since ‘upgrading!’ the Play 5 to a Move. Initially I updated the App to S2 and added the Move after removing the Play 5. I noticed the Move would appear in the App then disappear. The Playbar & Play 3 were connected using SonosNet, the Move was on WiFi (it will not detect SonosNet). So, I disconnected the Playbar (wired to the router) and reset the system using WiFi. I now have the system operating as described previously. When in the conservatory with my IPad connected via the extender all speakers are visible, when the IPad is connected via the main router then the Move disappears.

Hi @Sonosmark 

What you’re describing clearly shows that your router and the extender are generating there own IP address. The only way to cure the problem is to turn off DHCP for the extender or purchase a new router with greater range and remove the extender.