Surround Speakers (Play 3 x 2) drop intermittently
+3I have a Bar, Sub and 2 Play 3s configured together. I've tried using the Sonos network ("WM:0") as well as my wi-fi network. I've tried changing the wireless channel. All to no avail, so at this point, I'm not sure what to try next. The drops happen intermittently with no real pattern and last about 10 seconds. The surround speakers re-join without any action from me. Thank you in advance for any feedback or suggestions!
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+3Additional note - this happens when playing music from streaming services (Spotify) as well as music in my local library.
Let me list the potential solutions (in order of effort) that seem to fit most situations like this, which may be a duplicate IP address, wifi interference, or a potential lost IP address.
1) For a lost IP address in router: Try power cycling your router, and then power cycling each speaker.
2) For wifi interference: Try changing the channel your wifi is on. If your router has an "auto channel" setting, make sure it is turned off, and instead select your own specific channel. If one of your Sonos devices is connected to the router with a ethernet cable, then go in to the Sonos app and change the channel that SonosNet is using. Also, check around the area near your router and speakers for any other devices that might be causing potential interference. Commonly referenced items are things like web cams, baby monitors, wifi printers, and DECT phones.
3) For potential duplicate IP address issues: Turn off/unplug all devices connected to your router, and your router as well. Then plug back in/boot up your router, giving it enough time to complete its boot up process, then move to each device and speaker and power it back up, allowing enough time for it to boot up fully before moving on to the next device.
Many people suggest reserving IP addresses for the Sonos devices, since the update process does a reboot of each speaker and often exposes any issues you might have in your local Wifi network. Unfortunately, each router does this in a different fashion, so you would need to look at the manual for your router. You can find the current IP address assigned to each speaker in Settings > About my Sonos System, but unfortunately neither that place, or your router's webpage will tell you if you do have a duplicate IP address, as they only show what is assigned at the moment the task is run, and doesn't show historical data.
Finally, if none of that helps, try submitting a system diagnostic and posting the number here. Be sure to do it within 10 minutes or so of the problem occurring, so that the folks from Sonos can see the event in the log files that are submitted by that process
Hope that helps.
1) For a lost IP address in router: Try power cycling your router, and then power cycling each speaker.
2) For wifi interference: Try changing the channel your wifi is on. If your router has an "auto channel" setting, make sure it is turned off, and instead select your own specific channel. If one of your Sonos devices is connected to the router with a ethernet cable, then go in to the Sonos app and change the channel that SonosNet is using. Also, check around the area near your router and speakers for any other devices that might be causing potential interference. Commonly referenced items are things like web cams, baby monitors, wifi printers, and DECT phones.
3) For potential duplicate IP address issues: Turn off/unplug all devices connected to your router, and your router as well. Then plug back in/boot up your router, giving it enough time to complete its boot up process, then move to each device and speaker and power it back up, allowing enough time for it to boot up fully before moving on to the next device.
Many people suggest reserving IP addresses for the Sonos devices, since the update process does a reboot of each speaker and often exposes any issues you might have in your local Wifi network. Unfortunately, each router does this in a different fashion, so you would need to look at the manual for your router. You can find the current IP address assigned to each speaker in Settings > About my Sonos System, but unfortunately neither that place, or your router's webpage will tell you if you do have a duplicate IP address, as they only show what is assigned at the moment the task is run, and doesn't show historical data.
Finally, if none of that helps, try submitting a system diagnostic and posting the number here. Be sure to do it within 10 minutes or so of the problem occurring, so that the folks from Sonos can see the event in the log files that are submitted by that process
Hope that helps.
+3Thank you very much, Bruce. I'll work through your suggestions and, in the meantime, will submit a diagnostic if/when the issue occurs again.
A couple of notes - I'm actually using a fairly new router that has a very strong signal (Asus GT-AC5300), but the issue existed with my prior router as well. The affected Play 3's are within about 10 feet of the unobstructed router. Nevertheless, I'll work through the suggestions and post any updates. Thank you again for the quick response.
A couple of notes - I'm actually using a fairly new router that has a very strong signal (Asus GT-AC5300), but the issue existed with my prior router as well. The affected Play 3's are within about 10 feet of the unobstructed router. Nevertheless, I'll work through the suggestions and post any updates. Thank you again for the quick response.
You're most welcome. That's a fairly standard answer for this kind of issue, but it covers probably 90% of all of the posts that are similar to yours. It's possible that my suggestions aren't useful in fixing it, which is why I always conclude with the request for posting of the diagnostic, which will provide the folks at Sonos a much more accurate way of seeing what might be going on, since it gives them about 10 minutes of your log files.
That being said, if you've switched routers in the middle, I'd doubt that it would be duplicate IP addresses, although I'd still encourage you to reserve IP address allocations to them, it'll forestall any future potential issues.
Based on what you've said, I'm betting on wifi interference, potentially not from your own stuff, but from a neighbors. If I had a nickel for every time someone said "my network hasn't changed" I'd be a couple of dollars richer. People often forget that there are other devices around that broadcast on the same network frequencies, and some devices, especially older ones, that bleed across multiple network frequencies. It would be nice if our wifi networks were in an electronic bubble, and unaffected by other sources, but unfortunately, it's not been my experience.
Best of luck!
That being said, if you've switched routers in the middle, I'd doubt that it would be duplicate IP addresses, although I'd still encourage you to reserve IP address allocations to them, it'll forestall any future potential issues.
Based on what you've said, I'm betting on wifi interference, potentially not from your own stuff, but from a neighbors. If I had a nickel for every time someone said "my network hasn't changed" I'd be a couple of dollars richer. People often forget that there are other devices around that broadcast on the same network frequencies, and some devices, especially older ones, that bleed across multiple network frequencies. It would be nice if our wifi networks were in an electronic bubble, and unaffected by other sources, but unfortunately, it's not been my experience.
Best of luck!
+3Makes perfect sense. I've just done some channel analysis and made an update to the channel the router uses for 2.4GHz (it was previously set to Auto). Based on the 'Wifi Radar' that the Asus router management tool provides, I chose a channel that looks the cleanest. We shall see.
Great. "Auto channel" is the bane of Sonos, I suspect. The speakers are looking for a constant band, I'd bet, and the occasional switching of the channel by the router must be a challenge for the speakers.
+3Unfortunately, nothing has worked. I've changed to static IP's for all the Sonos devices, recycled the router/modem, moved 2.4 GHz channels, etc. I submitted a diagnostic - 7529177.
+20Hi ChadB,
In your diagnostic report I see a bunch of wireless communication errors between your PLAYBAR and rear speakers. The Sonos system uses its 5 ghz antenna for surround setup communication. Please check around and in between your Sonos home theater for any third party electronics which could send out some 5 ghz wireless interference. Common sources of this type of interference include cordless phones, wireless baby monitors, wireless cameras, third party wireless speakers, and wireless printers.
+3Thanks Jeff. There isn't anything that meets that description in the room. There are electronics that are receiving signals, of course, - a printer (but on 2.4), the TV above the PLAYBAR (also 2.4), an XBox (hasn't been on in months) and an Apple TV (also hasn't been on), aside from the desktop PC, laptop and cell phone. No cordless land line, no baby monitors, no other wireless speakers, no wireless cameras, etc.
+20Would it be possible to relocate any of your speakers? If there is furniture or other obstacles in the way it may explain the issue.
+3I'll try, but there really aren't many options (while still having a BAR+L+R surround setup in the room. Both speakers have a clear line of site to the PLAYBAR.
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