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Hi all — hoping for some insights or a solid fix.

 

I’m running a large Sonos setup (7x Sonos AMP, 1x Arc, 1x Sub Gen 3 unused currently) on a UniFi network with the following gear:

 

  • UDM-SE
  • USW Pro 24 PoE
  • Multiple U6 Pro access points (Garage, Kitchen, Hallway, Master Bath)
  • iOS devices with latest Sonos app

 

 

The SSID is unified (“LifeIsGood”) across all APs (2.4 + 5 GHz, same VLAN), and most of the Sonos AMPs are wired into the switch (see attached screenshot of MACs labeled SonosZP).

 

 

 

 

❗️Problem:

 

 

The Sonos app fails to find the system on my iPhone unless I am physically near the Kitchen AP. As soon as I roam to the office or other APs, the app shows:

 

“No products found on LifeIsGood”

 

Once I return to the Kitchen AP — it all comes back and works perfectly.

 

 

 

 

✅ What I’ve checked so far:

 

 

  • Client Device Isolation = OFF
  • Fast Roaming = OFF
  • Multicast Enhancement = OFF (but willing to test ON)
  • Multicast/Broadcast filtering = OFF
  • Proxy ARP = OFF
  • Same SSID for all APs (non-hidden)
  • No VLAN separation between devices
  • Sonos devices are visible under “Wired” in UniFi clients

 

 

🧠 Suspected cause:

 

 

Multicast or SSDP packets getting dropped due to AP switching or inter-AP routing.

I assume Sonos relies heavily on local discovery (UDP 1900/SSDP) and doesn’t handle Wi-Fi hops well if the APs aren’t optimized.

 

 

 

 

🔧 Goal:

 

 

  • Make the Sonos system visible regardless of AP
  • Get stable control even when roaming between UniFi APs
  • Bonus: Best practice for large wired Sonos systems on UniFi

 

 

 

 

 

💬 Any input appreciated. Logs, screenshots, and camera walk-throughs available if needed.

 

 

Thanks in advance 🙏

There are some good but old topics on Ubiquity gear,I'd start there.

Only other idea is a careful comparison of the working AP and the non-working ones, to include any upstream configuration in switch or router.

Just as a good reference, I’ll link this, as it may be helpful: https://github.com/IngmarStein/unifi-sonos-doc

 

If you are using 5Ghz, make sure you are using the lower bands (nothing more than Chanel 64) on the WAPs, so no “Auto” 

As per above link posted by Bruce, best not to have mixture of wired and wireless, either all wired or all wireless. My suggestion, unplug all the Sonos devices from ethernet.

If you go all wireless, you free up a 2.4GHz band that is used by SonosNet, that you can use on your UniFi.

You don’t need ethernet anymore, if you have a modern reliable WiFi network. When was the last time you plugged your mobile phone/tablet/laptop into the network to make a call, watch a video, stream music?

I would also enable IGMP snooping, to optimise multicast traffic.

I assume Sonos relies heavily on local discovery (UDP 1900/SSDP) and doesn’t handle Wi-Fi hops well if the APs aren’t optimized.

I’m assuming all the APs are wired back to the switch?

 

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