"network connection speed insufficient to maintain playback buffer"

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I know this topic has been raised before but I am having problems with my Sonos set up.

I have a Cocktail X10 with all my old CDs loaded on it in WAV format and connected to my router through a pair of Line Feed Adapters (TP Link AV1200 3-port 1200Mbps). The other end of the line feed adapters is plugged directly into the router. I also have a Sonos Boost, again plugged directly into the router. When I try to play music from the Cocktail X10 I get the "network connection speed insufficient to maintain playback buffer" message on my phone.

Can anyone please explain how the network speed can be an issue, as to my mind I am not using the wireless network. The Sonos Boost is doing the job of carrying the signal from the router to the speakers and the line feed adapters are carrying the signal from the Cocktail X10 to the router.

I know that the line feed adapters are doing their job because I have the TV plugged into one of the ports and that works for streaming catch up TV over the internet at full HD.

Is there a setting that I need to adjust?

Rgds Ian

Sonos Boost

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Jeff SAnswer

Retired Sonos Staff

Many thanks for the suggestion Jeff.

I have set my Sonos Boost to Channel 6 and my router to channel 1 but I am still having problems although only intermittent. I have just had the system cut off a song mid tune and move onto to the next one. I have run a diagnostic, the report number is 1283561259.

Rgds Ian

Your diagnostic report shows SonosNet channel 11, and that there's quite a bit of wireless interference on that channel. Please also make sure none of your Sonos units are too close to any other wireless electronics.

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R

rspalmer

Contributor I

Hello Stanley_4 nd Airgetlam. I sincerely appreciate your input. I had intentionally omitted a detailed description of my system, not wanting to burden readers with so many details.

My iTunes music library lives on a 2011 iMac, with 16 GB of RAM running High Sierra (macOS 10.13.6) on a 2.7 GHz Intel processor. My router is an Arris TG862 supplied by my ISP (Spectrum TWC). I have three of the older Sonos Play: 1 speakers, two upstairs, one downstairs. I also have a Sonos Boost wired into my router.

I’m good with software, but network connections have never been my forte. I had to hire a technician to set up my Wi-fi network. Still, I think I have a logical mind, and it irritates me greatly that I can’t work out this problem on my own.

You’ve already given me very useful information, as even after several exchanges with the Sonos technicians, I had no idea WHERE the buffering took place. I do not have the inclination or the technical skill to try and solder additional RAM into the speakers.

I think I understand the issue of Wi-Fi interference. But even when I have manually changed my Wi-Fi to an unoccupied channel, the dropouts continue with the same “insufficient buffering speed” error message.

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Moving channels of your WiFi only helps if your WiFi is set to your SonosNet channel, if it is on the one of the open channels and you move it on top of the SonosNet channel you just made things worse.

The details of your computer don't matter much, my Sonos system is happily running using about 2% of the available CPU power of a Raspberry Pi. The router/modem isn't very important either unless you are on an incredibly slow Internet plan with speeds under 1 MBps and are loading it up with other traffic. Mom's Sonos is happy on the lowest/slowest Cox network offering and has no problems even when she is watching HD YouTube videos.

Knowing you have a Boost helps, as does knowing it is wired to your router. Something quick to check since that is the case is that the WiFi credentials were cleared from the system when the Boost was installed. Check under the WiFi setup and if no menu is offered to remove them then they have been removed already.

Finding the best channels for your WiFi and your SonosNet is the next step. Most tablets and phones can download a WiFi monitoring tool that will give you a useful (but far from perfect) look at your WiFi situation and let you decide which of the three (1, 6, 11) channels to use for each. I'd give Sonos the cleanest and your WiFi the next best at this point.

I'd eliminate the issue with IP addresses that was mentioned above, takes about a minute per Sonos device to do but is well worth it long term. Open your router's DHCP page and set a static/reserved IP address for each Sonos device. This is not rocket science and should not be a problem to accomplish. Your router's manual is a good place to start. Once done unplug all Sonos devices, reboot the router and any controllers. Plug in the Boost and wait a minute for it to wake up. Start plugging in your other Sonos devices about a minute apart until all are running.

The only realistic next step is to look at the Network Matrix, give it a few minutes from your last change to any other settings so it settles in to the current situation. Post a screenshot and folks will explain what you are seeing. Short answer red is bad, green is good, orange or yellow aren't great but aren't usually a problem.

Your goal is to get your system working around the WiFi interference and that isn't hard to do in most situations.

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