Wifi only config with Arc, Ones, and Sub Mini?

Subs and surrounds are connected via an ad-hoc, one way, private 5 GHZ direct connection to the soundbar.  This is to achieve the low latency needed for synching with the video signal.  Depending on your router, this may or may not show up in the devices table. 

This connection has nothing to do with Sonosnet. 

Oh, I thought that WAS SonosNet. How does SonosNet differ? If I were to hardwire the Arc to ethernet, how is it different?

I see I can change the “SonosNet” channel in the app, can I change this channel? Does it even use a Wifi frequency?

My goal is to reduce the number of wireless networks in my house that may interfere with each other. 

No, you can't change the channel for the Home Theater connection. It'll use a 5GHz channel. To check which one it's using:

1. Start playing music or video on your Arc
2. On the app, go to “About Your System” and take note of one of your speakers's IP address;
3. Go to a web browser and go to an address like http://192.168.1.40:1400/support/review, replacing 192.168.1.40 by the IP address of the previous step
4. Select one of the Ones or the Sub
5. Select /proc/ath_rincon/status
6. The “Operating on channel” is the frequency being used and IEEE is the channel# for this frequency. This frequency can change at any time.
7. The “Home channel” is the frequency for the SonosNet channel you selected on the app. Again, the IEEE is the channel for this frequency.
8. If you stop playing on the ARC, wait some minutes and refresh the page, the “Operating on” should change for your WiFi channel frequency.

Hi.  Do you have any other Sonos speakers apart from the HT setup? My impression is that you don’t.  If I am correct then SonosNet is irrelevant to you.  SonosNet, where it is triggered, is a separate segment of your home network.  It is triggered by wiring a Sonos device to the network, and when operating it is used by Sonos devices to communicate with each other.

But as @jgatie described, it is NOT used for the connections between a HT device and its Sub and surrounds.  That is true whether or not the Arc is wired, and whether or not SonosNet is operating.

So if you wire the Arc and don’t have any Sonos devices other than the HT then SonosNet is technicaly operating but not being used for anything.

I have a Roam floating around. It’s on 5GHz wifi and I see it in my router’s client list. It’s not grouped with anything.

So the purpose of SonosNet is simply to provide a network to other Sonos devices like if incase you don’t have wifi at home or something, right? You hardwire one in and they can all talk. But it has nothing to do with home theater grouping? is SonosNet 5Ghz?

So despite whether or not SonosNet is in play, Home Theater devices connect via a 5Ghz wireless network anyway? That’s how the speakers are accurately sync’ed?

Are the Sonosnet and home theater grouping networks different/separate networks?

Thanks!

You need WiFi to run Sonos.  That is the only option for controller devices.  When Sonos launched most domestic networks were incapable of meeting the requirements of Sonos.  Mesh networks in domestic settings were unheard of.  That is why SonosNet exists.

SonosNet is not strictly a separate network.  It can be thought of as a segment of your LAN.  WiFi is another segment and there may also be Ethernet connections.

SonosNet operates on 2.4GHz.  

The Roam, like other recent Sonos products, cannot connect to SonosNet.  I think Sonos are allowing it to eventually become irrelevant.

 My surround speakers ( Sub - 300s ) do show on the router connected devices list.  They all have reserved IP Addresses.  If you have multiple WiFi networks you need to make sure all your speakers are on the same network.  Whether the Arc is hard wired or not the Arc WiFi needs to be ON.

 Sounds like the reason you did not see the Ones & Sub on the router list was because they were on SonosNet.  The Arc would show on the router list because it was hard wired and when you disconnect it the Arc connected to the same network it was on with Ethernet.

 I’m not sure on this so maybe others can chime in.  Sounds like you may have to try to remove the sub & surrounds from the HT.  If that fails because the speakers can’t be seen by the app you may have to activate SonosNet again then see if you can then break up the HT.  Once all the individual speakers are on the WiFi network you want them on you can create the HT again.

Sorry, I disagree.  Everything in the setup is normal, it is working fine.  No action is needed.

They are not separate networks.  The speakers are synch’ed with each other by Sonos’ software.  Using a 5GHz connection within a HT setup allows this to be done with minimal latency, so as to avoid noticeable audio-visual synch issues.

@txbdan 

Maybe this explanation will help.

Anytime you wire a Sonos speaker/component (there are exceptions) to your router the SonosNet is created. In the early days Sonos sold a device called a Bridge and later the Boost to create the SonosNet when wiring a Sonos speaker/component was not practical. 

As has been mentioned the SonosNet today given the improved Wi-Fi gear (routers and Mesh networks)  is rarely necessary.

The SonosNet is a hidden network that only a Sonos product can see. No other Wi-Fi enabled product can join. Think of the SonosNet as a supercharged 2.4Ghz band dedicated to Sonos.

The SonosNet (for this conversation) only comes into play for autonomous Sonos products. Speakers used as surrounds and subs are tethered to a Sonos soundbar or speaker (you might call the Host) by a process called Bonding. They (surrounds/subs) are not autonomous as all information received comes from the Host Sonos speaker sent over a Sonos proprietary 5Ghz band.

All said if you have removed the Ethernet connection between your Arc and router and everything is working properly (i.e. sub and surrounds) your HT is working over your Home Wi_Fi. The SonosNet is no longer active.

As has also been said you may not see your sub and surrounds in your routers client list. However, that is router specific. 

Below are Sonos speakers that cannot create the SonosNet:

• Speakers used as surrounds
• Subs
• Era 100 *
• Era 300 *
• Move (Gen 1/2) *
• Roam (Gen 1/2) *

 * Additionally these speakers will not create nor join the SonosNet