Question

Sonos affected by Wireless Access Point hardware change

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I recently swapped out my 2011 access point in my bedroom used for WiFi there, and I am seeing some Sonos anomalies.

In the bedroom I have a Boost that is also root bridge, wired back to the main router in the common area, that has a Connect Amp also wired back to the same main router. I was using Airport Express in the bedroom, ethernet wire connected to the other ethernet jack on the Boost using the switch feature on Boost, to successfully obtain high speed WiFi in the bedroom - with the single band AEX set to work in access point mode, creating a 5 GHz network there. No issues with Sonos then, using either the phone or the Mac in the bedroom for control.

I replaced said AEX using a dual band TP Link access point as a drop in replacement. Now, at times, the Connect Amp disappears from the Controller as well as from the Matrix. Getting it to reappear needs a Connect Amp reboot, that works for some time.

I can’t see any logical reason for this - and when I brought the AEX back for a test, the problem disappeared.

Any reason why Sonos/TP Link are not playing nice all the time? The bedroom Sonos is supplied wirelessly from Boost, and there is no issue with that unit. Nor are other bedroom units like Firestick/Echo Show affected by the change.

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ratty

it means that the TP Link, whose simultaneous dual band feature was useful to my son with his PS4 that has no 5 GHz - while his Firestick needs 5 - cannot be used and only AEX units will serve.

Firesticks don’t ‘need’ 5GHz. They can be connected to either band.

It also means that even what should be simple devices like access points can fox Sonos. Even where Sonos is wired to the core network.

Well, at least two of us here have reported misgivings about some of the RE2xx devices. On the other hand I’ve used the simpler WA850RE in several locations for years with Sonos and never had any problems.

K

KumarAuthor

HD video streams are more solid/stable with 5 GHz.

Let me see if the simpler device is available here, and does simultaneous dual band.

ratty

WiFi bandwidth at 2.4GHz must be pretty compromised then. HD video only requires about 4-5Mbps.

The WA850RE is 2.4GHz only. I’ve also had generally good results from Asus and Netgear APs/extenders.

K

KumarAuthor

I live in an apartment complex as is common here and that is probably why Firestick works better on 5 GHz at my place. Which also must be why Netflix India suggest 5 GHz for best results.

I noticed that the WA won't serve - we will find a way to soldier on with the AEX in 5 Ghz mode - fortunately the PS4 needs Internet only for game updates and it can be relocated for the times that has to be done.

But this means that when any of my 2011 AEX access points die, I will have to search for what is available at the time that won't bugger up Sonos. Or run Sonos via line in jacks and rely on source unit grouping for multi room.

K

KumarAuthor

Sonos seems back to its old self, but on investigating WA 850 RE I found this:

suggesting it won't work for me, per T5 above.

On the other hand, I also found this, for another model:

Which will work for me if it lets HD videos stream properly, although the form factor is clumsy. But will this leave Sonos trouble free? How does one know in advance?

Seems to me that installing a wired AP should not be something that is rare, so does everyone that installs one and runs Sonos have to go through hoops?

K

KumarAuthor

This for sure works as a wired to main router 2.4 GHz WiFi access point; will it work fine as such without upsetting Sonos as the RE205 is almost certainly doing?

Much more convenient to locate than the WA830.

Asus/Netgear are not easily available online here.

ratty

Sonos seems back to its old self, but on investigating WA 850 RE I found this:

suggesting it won't work for me, per T5 above.

That probably refers to when the device is in extender mode.

It’s always been sold as an extender or access point. You’d have to work hard to convince my three TL-WA850RE access points that they’re not so. In fact the user guide has a section “4. 2. 1. To Set Up the Extender as an Access Point”.

C

craigski

Local Superstar

WiFi bandwidth at 2.4GHz must be pretty compromised then.

I live in an apartment complex as is common here

Just a thought, is the channel set to auto on APs? If so, it could be changing and/or forcing channel change on other devices (that you have no control over) that are in the apartment complex that could interfere with Sonos.

K

KumarAuthor

@craigski The TP was set to Auto Off once it was assigned a reserved IP address in the router, but as a dynamic IP. The TP does not have any way to turn Auto Off to just off. And once ratty suggested earlier in this thread that the IP be made static in the TP network menu, one hopes that this issue was addressed, but who knows for sure?!

And the channel was set to 1 on 2.4 and auto on 5. Sonos is on 11.

K

KumarAuthor

That probably refers to when the device is in extender mode.

It’s always been sold as an extender or access point. You’d have to work hard to convince my three TL-WA850RE access points that they’re not so. In fact the user guide has a section “4. 2. 1. To Set Up the Extender as an Access Point”.

In more than one place, I am seeing that the ethernet port on the 850 works to wire an end device like a computer to a 850 wirelessly connected back to a router. Perhaps there has been a version change that has brought this about. The available user guides online no longer have the section you have quoted in them.

In any case, if I was to try another TP product it would be the 855 RE, picture posted above, that is definitely an access point and also more convenient to install directly into a mains socket.

But would it leave Sonos undisturbed? That is what I don't know.

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