Cannot connect Gen2 Sub to Amp since updating to S2

J
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  • jzm
  • Contributor I
  • 9 replies

Hello,

My Gen2 Sub is a room separate from the Amp, wifi is enabled on the Amp. Sub will occasionally connect but then no sound, and Room (+?) showing on controller. I’ve submitted a diagnostics report and chatted multiple times with Support without being able to fix the problem.

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20 replies

J

As a troubleshooting exercise, if you move the Sub closer to the Amp (in the same room)  is the connection solid?

I assume the speakers wired to the Amp are in the same room as the Sub?

J
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Good call on troubleshooting. So with the sub in the same room as the Amp, it works. This was never as issue with the S1 controller and Amp; only an issue since “upgrading” to S2.

The speakers wired to the Amp are in the same room as the Sub, but the Amp itself is on the floor below in a room with all of our AV equipment - direct wiring the sub or the Amp to the floor above is not tenable without drilling through floor etc. Even a Boost would require a LAN connection to floor above, correct? 

J

Hi. First, the Sonos app is just a remote control and the way the Sub connects to the Amp is identical in S2 and S1. So please put aside any thoughts that this has anything to do with changing to S2.

Sonos Subs connect to HT devices by direct routing over 5GHz. 5GHz signals are not great for wall penetration, and I have seen many examples of problems with Subs in different rooms from the main HT device.

Improving the signal to the Amp might help, and that might be achieved by wiring a Boost (or other Sonos device) to your router. No drilling required. But no way of being sure it would help. Is the system fully WiFi at the moment?

J
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Thanks John.

the speakers are in-wall wired to a few different amps, and I can get LAN to the Amps. But the speakers they power and sub is in a separate room on floor above. 
We used the system for years with S1 controller AND older version of Amp, and only with newer Amp hardware I never actually got the dub to work at all. Now 8 months ago or so.

J
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*sub

If I did add a Boost, where would it’s optimal location be, relative to the Amp and Sub?

J

If you can Ethernet to the Amp, that is better than using a Boost anyway, so I would try that instead.

I can’t say that I am optimistic that this or a Boost would help.

Is there any location in the room where the Sub is located that the Sub will connect to the Amp?

The Connect:Amp didn’t have a 5GHz radio so I presume connected to the Sub over 2.4GHz (which is better for wall penetration).  That is nothing to do with S1 vs S2.  But I admit doesn’t help you.

(The Amp is designed to work for AV applications as well as music, which the C:A wasn’t.  5GHz is used on Sonos HT systems to reduce latency for AV applications.)

 

J
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Thanks, John.

I actually had an ethernet connected to the Amp, with no luck. 

I assume that the new Gen3 Sub would face the same issues, as it sounds like the trouble is the 5GHz radio? 

I’ll try a Boost - it also operates only with a 5GHz radio which is why you are not optimistic about this solution? To give it the best shot, I assume I should have it as close as possible to the Sub in the floor below?

I wish Sonos would have made this issue clear for upgraders with components in different rooms, seems like this should not be an uncommon situation! I guess the other option is backtracking to Connect:Amp.

J

The Boost only operates on 2.4GHz. I suspect you aren't clear about the nature and purpose of the Boost. It is wired to the router in order to create SonosNet. If you can wire the Amp anyway then a Boost would be absolutely, totally, completely, 100% pointless. 

 

J
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OK, please clarify if you will. Is the primary issue in your opinion that the Amp can’t communicate with the Sub, since unlike the prior version Connect:Amp, the newer Amp does not have a 2.4GHz radio? Then, if the Boost functions to connect the Sonos components using 2.4GHz, why wouldn’t that work? 

Also, if someone from Sonos could let me know what should be done in cases like mine, or whether the only viable alternative is to regress to older Connect:Amp hardware, that would be great.

J

The Amp has a 2.4GGz radio. It uses it to connect to either SonosNet or your WiFi. 

Sonos HT devices (including the Amp) connect to surrounds and Sub directly over 5GHz. Note: I am 100% sure that 5GHz is used when the Amp is playing an HDMI source. I am 99% certain that 5GHz is also used for music sources from the Amp, but you may want to see if anyone else can confirm this 100%.

I have explained the purpose of the Boost. It cannot directly affect the connection between Sub and Amp.

J
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Thanks, John. Then in your opinion, what are my options moving forward?

J

(I am not saying these are necessarily appealing or practical, just possible)

Please also bear in mind that I am just making an intelligent(?) guess at what the problem is, so one option is to explore further with Sonos Support.  It does seem the most plausible explanation to me, though, and much more plausible than S2 being the cause.

You could just try again - you never know.

You could go back to a C:A, if it is a gen 2 (I am assuming you don’t want to go back to S1).  That would be a shame though.

You could drill holes and wire the Sub to the router.  If you do, you should also wire the Amp to the router, and disable the wireless radios on both devices (misleadingly described as ‘Disable WiFi’ in the product settings).  Before you drill holes, you might want to temporarily run Ethernet to both devices ‘overground’ to check that it works.

I hope that helps.  And remember, I could be wrong!

J
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Thanks, John. 

How do we get Sonos Support to opine here? Happy to submit a diagnostics. My previous chats have not been fruitful.

Xander P
Userlevel 6
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Hi @jzm, thanks for reaching out to the Sonos Community!

I’d have to agree with John B here - it seems most likely that the issue is one of range. As he has mentioned, the Sub will be connecting to the Amp via a 5GHz connection, while with the Connect:Amp it would have been using 2.4GHz (with a longer effective range).

From the sound of things, either reducing the distance between the two, or wiring both the Amp and the Sub to the network would be the answer here - of course you are more than welcome to submit a diagnostic and let us know the confirmation number, and we’ll be happy to take a look :)

J
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Hello Xander,

The diagnostics number is 2063670972.

Thanks much and let me know if you need any other info. 

I am surprised that Sonos would not have made more clear the risk of something like this happening with the Amp upgrade.

 

J

I am surprised that Sonos would not have made more clear the risk of something like this happening with the Amp upgrade.

 

I would be amazed if Sonos did mention this.  The Amp has to be marketed for what it is - a new product that stands or falls on its own merits, not as an upgrade to the Connect:Amp.  Highlighting the issue that you have encountered would be a baffling, irrelevant technical point that might put off many potential purchasers for whom it would be completely irrelevant.  No company is going to do this (if they want to stay in business).

I realise that that is no comfort to you, for whom it is a 100% real, practical issue.  I hope you manage to find a solution that works for you.

 

Xander P
Userlevel 6
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Thanks for sending that over @jzm, not seeing the Sub listed in the diagnostic at all I’m afraid.

As the Amp is a home theater device, it relies on a 5GHz connection for any surrounds/sub connected to it - I can certainly see your point regarding the difference not being made clear, and I’ll be happy to pass that on.

For a solution, it does look like you would need to either wire the Sub & Amp to the network, or move them physically closer.

Another option, if you had a standalone speaker, would be to bond the Sub to that standalone speaker (placed in the desired room), and leave that standalone speaker grouped to the Amp.

Hope this helps :)

J

One other possibility would be a powerline adapter with an Ethernet connection and wifi disabled, to connect to the Sub.  Powerline adapters are not supported by Sonos, but do sometimes work fine.  It would be a long shot, at your own risk, but might just work.  As mentioned previously, you would have to wire the Amp too, and ‘disable WiFi’ on Amp and Sub.

J
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Thank you both. 

To clarify: 

  1. When you say wire the Sub & Amp to the network, you mean to wire them both to the router (not to each other). 
  2. Moving the Amp closer to the Sub would work, but adding a Boost wired to router and closer to the Sub would not work.
  3. If #2 is correct, I will try the powerline adapter next.

 

J

Hi again. Yes I meant wire them both to the router. However, wiring the Amp to the router and the Sub to the Amp might also work. It seems it should but I'm not totally sure.  (Again,  "Disable WiFi" on both devices.)

2. Correct. 

3. OK. Please let us know how things go. 

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