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Best way to link up 3 Sonos amps, 12 Sonos Speakers?

D

Hi, everyone.  I am new to Sonos Amps and in-ceiling speakers, so please forgive my ignorance.  We are currently working on turning our carriage house (separate structure, garage) into a home office.  Inside the carriage house, we will have:

  1. 4 Sonos in ceiling speakers running from:
  2. 1 Sonos amp (planned location: inside the carriage house)

Also, we have a sport court outside of the carriage house where we are going to have:

  1. 4 Sonos outdoor speakers wired to:
  2. 1 separate Sonos Amp (location could be inside our house or inside the carriage house)

In the future we are planning to add the following to the inside our house:

  1. 4 Sonos in ceiling speakers wired to:
  2. Another separate Sonos amp (planned location: inside our house)

We will have two separate internet services through Comcast:

  1. One 200 mbps router in our home
  2. One 200 mbps router in the carriage separate 

We have underground low Voltage conduit running from our carriage house to our home.  
 

Our needs specifically will be to:

  1. Play music on just the 4 speakers in the carriage house
  2. Play music on just the 4 speakers on the sport court
  3. Play music on just the 4 speakers in our house want
  4. Play the same music simultaneously on all 12 speakers at the same 

So our questions are:

  1. In order to accomplish the 4 objectives above,  do we have to run all of the Sonos amps through one of the two internet services?
  2. If so, is this best done wirelessly, with Ethernet connections between amps, or a combination of both?

Any other input you may have would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you!

 

Best answer by AjTrek1

Hi

The best solution IMO is to setup your own Mesh Network with an “Ethernet Backhaul”. Let me explain…

I too have Comcast/Xfinity as my ISP.  The only Comcast/Xfinity equipment used in my network is their provided Router/Modem.  The unit is set to “Bridge Mode” meaning the unit does not send a WIFI signal.

My Mesh network consists of three (3) Asus Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6e routers connected via Ethernet cable which is the Ethernet Backhaul:

  • Main Node: ZenWiFi Pro ET12 connected to Comcast/Xfinity router/modem
  • Satellite Node 1:  ZenWiFi Pro ET12
  • Satellite Node 2:  GT-AXE11000

Each router will receive the full throughput based upon your plan. Below is a picture of how my Mesh network looks. If the Backhaul were Wi-Fi the green lines would be dotted. The clients will vary based upon use/connection status:

The Ethernet Backhaul allows each router in the Mesh to broadcast 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and 6Ghz to full potential. Typically one of the bands 5Ghz or 6Ghz would be used to connect the three (3) routers which is called a Wi-Fi Backhaul and by its nature is less efficient (but nevertheless works).

In your scenario you would place a router in the carriage house connected to your main router via Ethernet cable shielded for outdoor use. I live in the Midwest with the full gambit of temperature ranges using Ethernet cable shielded for outdoor use. I acquired the cable from my local Home Depot. I contracted BestBuy Geek Squad to run the Ethernet cable with appropriate wall connectors. *

Once the routers are in place your Sonos speakers and/or Sonos Amps will connect to the nearest node; as well as any other Wi-Fi device. You also have the option to wire an Amp to each node or purchase a Sonos Boost to connect to each node an establish the SonosNet for the strongest connection possible.  The main node will assign ALL IP Addresses. You should experience zero (0) latency unless the carriage house is 100 yards away 😂

You’ll be able to achieve the results/connections you desire; plus one more (see #5)

  1. Play music on just the 4 speakers in the carriage house
  2. Play music on just the 4 speakers on the sport court
  3. Play music on just the 4 speakers in our house want
  4. Play the same music simultaneously on all 12 speakers at the same 
  5. Play a different genre of music in each of the three (3) zones simultaneously 

Note: You’ll want to set each Amp to send a Mono signal. By doing so the music will sound the same no matter one’s location in the room. Stereo may cause the listener to lose content when an instrument and/or vocals are localized to a left or right speaker.

I hope this information proves useful; as it will save you $$$ reference your ISP. 😊

 * You may able to run a single cable. I could not as my routers are on 3 levels and must connect via an Ethernet wall port/jack.

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6 replies

buzz
  • buzz
  • 23926 replies
  • June 11, 2023

Why do you have two separate Comcast services?

D
1 person likes this
  • D
    double.o.7
D
  • double.o.7
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 2 replies
  • June 11, 2023

Hi, Buzz.  The Comcast router inside of our house has a weak signal on our sport court and inside of our carriage house.  So, we were planning on adding a secondary internet service to the carriage house for 3 or 4 computers, printers, etc.  Other options might be:

  1. Wi-fi booster pods to increase signal in these areas.
     
  2. maybe running Ethernet cable from our router inside the home out to the carriage house?  But if we did this then could we connect things wirelessly in the carriage house (I.e. computers, printers, etc.)?  If so how would that be done? 

Hope this clarifies my reasoning and any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

AjTrek1
  • AjTrek1
  • 6567 replies
  • Answer
  • June 11, 2023

Hi

The best solution IMO is to setup your own Mesh Network with an “Ethernet Backhaul”. Let me explain…

I too have Comcast/Xfinity as my ISP.  The only Comcast/Xfinity equipment used in my network is their provided Router/Modem.  The unit is set to “Bridge Mode” meaning the unit does not send a WIFI signal.

My Mesh network consists of three (3) Asus Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6e routers connected via Ethernet cable which is the Ethernet Backhaul:

  • Main Node: ZenWiFi Pro ET12 connected to Comcast/Xfinity router/modem
  • Satellite Node 1:  ZenWiFi Pro ET12
  • Satellite Node 2:  GT-AXE11000

Each router will receive the full throughput based upon your plan. Below is a picture of how my Mesh network looks. If the Backhaul were Wi-Fi the green lines would be dotted. The clients will vary based upon use/connection status:

The Ethernet Backhaul allows each router in the Mesh to broadcast 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz and 6Ghz to full potential. Typically one of the bands 5Ghz or 6Ghz would be used to connect the three (3) routers which is called a Wi-Fi Backhaul and by its nature is less efficient (but nevertheless works).

In your scenario you would place a router in the carriage house connected to your main router via Ethernet cable shielded for outdoor use. I live in the Midwest with the full gambit of temperature ranges using Ethernet cable shielded for outdoor use. I acquired the cable from my local Home Depot. I contracted BestBuy Geek Squad to run the Ethernet cable with appropriate wall connectors. *

Once the routers are in place your Sonos speakers and/or Sonos Amps will connect to the nearest node; as well as any other Wi-Fi device. You also have the option to wire an Amp to each node or purchase a Sonos Boost to connect to each node an establish the SonosNet for the strongest connection possible.  The main node will assign ALL IP Addresses. You should experience zero (0) latency unless the carriage house is 100 yards away 😂

You’ll be able to achieve the results/connections you desire; plus one more (see #5)

  1. Play music on just the 4 speakers in the carriage house
  2. Play music on just the 4 speakers on the sport court
  3. Play music on just the 4 speakers in our house want
  4. Play the same music simultaneously on all 12 speakers at the same 
  5. Play a different genre of music in each of the three (3) zones simultaneously 

Note: You’ll want to set each Amp to send a Mono signal. By doing so the music will sound the same no matter one’s location in the room. Stereo may cause the listener to lose content when an instrument and/or vocals are localized to a left or right speaker.

I hope this information proves useful; as it will save you $$$ reference your ISP. 😊

 * You may able to run a single cable. I could not as my routers are on 3 levels and must connect via an Ethernet wall port/jack.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
AjTrek1
  • AjTrek1
  • 6567 replies
  • June 12, 2023

@double.o.7 

Edit

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
D
  • double.o.7
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • 2 replies
  • June 12, 2023

Thank you AjTrek1.  I knew there had to be a way to split the service into different locations while maintaining high bandwidth and a good Wi-Fi signal.  Best to you!

 

 

AjTrek1
  • AjTrek1
  • 6567 replies
  • June 13, 2023
double.o.7 wrote:

Thank you AjTrek1.  I knew there had to be a way to split the service into different locations while maintaining high bandwidth and a good Wi-Fi signal.  Best to you!

 

 

You’re welcome. Glad I could help. Please keep us posted on the final setup/results.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.
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