Been starting to see more post about Mesh Wifi system. Google wifi, Netgear Orbi, Asus Lyra, Linksys Velop, TP Link Deco , Samsung Home Connect, and D Link Covr just name a few. They all make the home wifi work way better in most cases, by getting rid of dead zone. And greatly increase the coverage area, especially helpful to large homes.
But as I read more on sonos forums, that there are issue at times with the new systems and Sonos. And most of the Mesh wifi kits out there seem to have talking away a lot of useful feature found on a traditional router. Except for D-Link and Asus, you seem really limited to 1 ethernet port on the main puck/unit. And as I have been informed recently sonos works best if it is connected to the main unit with google wifi.
So the question is, minus the D-Link and Asus options. Is the lost of some router configuration option ie dual wan ability, lost of USB support and lost of multiple ethernet port in one location, a fair trade off for the increase coverage? Or is it a begrudging trade off?
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You could just install an 'Ethernet switch' at one or more of the hubs and then run local LAN cabled devices off those. I’m sure you will probably find a switch out there too, which may provide USB support, but any LAN device with USB ports will resolve that matter, such as a NAS Box or a local PC/TV etc.
Sonos devices can be plugged into any such hub, or compatible switch and the entire 'wireless' music system run on SonosNet .. just keep the usual WiFi channel separation between the channels used by the hubs and the one in use by SonosNet.
I don’t see any real disadvantages with a mesh WiFi system, like Google WiFi etc. I don’t see the issues with Sonos devices either, as long as the user chooses to run them on SonosNet, as recommended.
Sonos devices can be plugged into any such hub, or compatible switch and the entire 'wireless' music system run on SonosNet .. just keep the usual WiFi channel separation between the channels used by the hubs and the one in use by SonosNet.
I don’t see any real disadvantages with a mesh WiFi system, like Google WiFi etc. I don’t see the issues with Sonos devices either, as long as the user chooses to run them on SonosNet, as recommended.
An ethernet switch works. That just added the annoying issue of needing another powersocket to feed the switch and more cabling.
If you are quite concerned by the additional use of power sockets then the WiFi mesh hub devices, may not be the best choice for you, as you will need a power socket at each separate hub location. An extra 'double plug' socket for an ethernet 'switch' is not much of a downside here.
But obviously all the power socket locations around the home for the hubs themselves, is something a user would need to consider before purchase.
But obviously all the power socket locations around the home for the hubs themselves, is something a user would need to consider before purchase.
Almost all Mesh systems are a WiFi only provision. you really don't want to use external WiFi for your Sonos, it already has it's own Mesh system built in.
Basically
1 Most homes don't have an Ethernet network built into them (mine does, but I am a network designer)
2 We need an Ethernet Router to connect to the Internet, this will be constrained by where the Internet cable or ADSL comes into your home. typically this will be a 4 or 5 port ethernet switch with a router port or cable modem built into it.
3 Your Sonos has it's own WiFi Mesh, which for most will be more efficient than connecting to your home WiFi.
4 Tablets Phones TV's etc mean that we all need better WiFi networks in the home, that is where the new Mesh systems are targeted.
If by some chance your ADSL / Cable port is in the same vicinity as any Sonos speaker, great connect that with a cable and let that link your entire Sonos system to the Internet, that switch should also function as your DHCP server to allocate all the IP addresses in your home system (never have 2 DHCP servers unless you know specifically why)
If it's not possible to run an ethernet cable from a speaker direct to the Ethernet Switch then either you need the Sonos Bridge placed next to the router OR you can use a powerline to run Ethernet over your power cables to a speaker.
If you really must use WiFi to connect your Sonos to the internet, it will work but can be a problem, particularly in residential areas with a lot of nearby WiFi signal generation going on.
My system is unusual in that I wired my house for Ethernet with a patch panel and all incoming services (phone and cable Internet, as well as a star wired TV Antenna network) in the garage. I have Sonos in 4 rooms of the house running off it's inbuilt WiFi mesh, when I have parties I move the Sonos Speaker from the pool room to the deck outside the back door, and the one from the bedroom to the other end of the garden outside the workshop. it works well. My internet connection comes from the PlayBar into the cable Ethernet, with the second port on the playbar used to connect the Smart TV. On top of this but not connected to Sonos I use a BT Whole Home Mesh system (probably UK Only, but like the TP-Link one) 2 disks are in the house, and one is in the workshop at the end of the garden 2 of these are connected to the cable Ethernet, the workshop one over a TPLink Powerline. There are no more dead spots! because I am a bit of a control freak I have used reserved IP addresses on the DHCP server so I always know which devices are on which IP address, but as long as you only have one DHCP server this is not really required.
So in Summary... yeah WiFi Mesh is good in larger homes, but it should not really have anything to do with Sonos, you need to find a convenient way to connect your Sonos system to the Internet router with a bit of wire for best results.
Basically
1 Most homes don't have an Ethernet network built into them (mine does, but I am a network designer)
2 We need an Ethernet Router to connect to the Internet, this will be constrained by where the Internet cable or ADSL comes into your home. typically this will be a 4 or 5 port ethernet switch with a router port or cable modem built into it.
3 Your Sonos has it's own WiFi Mesh, which for most will be more efficient than connecting to your home WiFi.
4 Tablets Phones TV's etc mean that we all need better WiFi networks in the home, that is where the new Mesh systems are targeted.
If by some chance your ADSL / Cable port is in the same vicinity as any Sonos speaker, great connect that with a cable and let that link your entire Sonos system to the Internet, that switch should also function as your DHCP server to allocate all the IP addresses in your home system (never have 2 DHCP servers unless you know specifically why)
If it's not possible to run an ethernet cable from a speaker direct to the Ethernet Switch then either you need the Sonos Bridge placed next to the router OR you can use a powerline to run Ethernet over your power cables to a speaker.
If you really must use WiFi to connect your Sonos to the internet, it will work but can be a problem, particularly in residential areas with a lot of nearby WiFi signal generation going on.
My system is unusual in that I wired my house for Ethernet with a patch panel and all incoming services (phone and cable Internet, as well as a star wired TV Antenna network) in the garage. I have Sonos in 4 rooms of the house running off it's inbuilt WiFi mesh, when I have parties I move the Sonos Speaker from the pool room to the deck outside the back door, and the one from the bedroom to the other end of the garden outside the workshop. it works well. My internet connection comes from the PlayBar into the cable Ethernet, with the second port on the playbar used to connect the Smart TV. On top of this but not connected to Sonos I use a BT Whole Home Mesh system (probably UK Only, but like the TP-Link one) 2 disks are in the house, and one is in the workshop at the end of the garden 2 of these are connected to the cable Ethernet, the workshop one over a TPLink Powerline. There are no more dead spots! because I am a bit of a control freak I have used reserved IP addresses on the DHCP server so I always know which devices are on which IP address, but as long as you only have one DHCP server this is not really required.
So in Summary... yeah WiFi Mesh is good in larger homes, but it should not really have anything to do with Sonos, you need to find a convenient way to connect your Sonos system to the Internet router with a bit of wire for best results.
If you can run ethernet throughout your house a system with multiple access points (ubiquity) will work better then a mesh system as it will route data from wifi over ethernet instead of bouncing it through the air. Running ethernet to any of your Sonos speakers will put them into sonosnet mesh mode. They will set up a separate mesh network to connect to each other. Depending on you situation this might be a good or bad thing. If they can all connect to each other they will effectively take the load off your normal wifi network. If some sonos players are isolated from the ones connected through ethernet they will just stop working. If you have sonos in adjoining rooms sonosnet will probably work fine, if they are at other ends of the house you'll probably be better off using your wifi or ethernet on both.
My system is unusual in that I wired my house for Ethernet with a patch panel and all incoming services (phone and cable Internet, as well as a star wired TV Antenna network) in the garage. I have Sonos in 4 rooms of the house running off it's inbuilt WiFi mesh, when I have parties I move the Sonos Speaker from the pool room to the deck outside the back door, and the one from the bedroom to the other end of the garden outside the workshop. it works well. My internet connection comes from the PlayBar into the cable Ethernet, with the second port on the playbar used to connect the Smart TV. On top of this but not connected to Sonos I use a BT Whole Home Mesh system (probably UK Only, but like the TP-Link one) 2 disks are in the house, and one is in the workshop at the end of the garden 2 of these are connected to the cable Ethernet, the workshop one over a TPLink Powerline. There are no more dead spots! because I am a bit of a control freak I have used reserved IP addresses on the DHCP server so I always know which devices are on which IP address, but as long as you only have one DHCP server this is not really required.
So in Summary... yeah WiFi Mesh is good in larger homes, but it should not really have anything to do with Sonos, you need to find a convenient way to connect your Sonos system to the Internet router with a bit of wire for best results.
Hi Pete -- this might sound like a dumb question, but if you're using the BT Mesh system over the top of Sonos, do you get problems with your controllers (attached to the BT mesh) not registering the Sonos? Also, follow-up question, do you rate the BT Mesh? I'm trying to choose between them right now (5 bed 3 floor Victorian terrace).
Thanks,
Ian
Basically
1 Most homes don't have an Ethernet network built into them (mine does, but I am a network designer)
2 We need an Ethernet Router to connect to the Internet, this will be constrained by where the Internet cable or ADSL comes into your home. typically this will be a 4 or 5 port ethernet switch with a router port or cable modem built into it.
3 Your Sonos has it's own WiFi Mesh, which for most will be more efficient than connecting to your home WiFi.
4 Tablets Phones TV's etc mean that we all need better WiFi networks in the home, that is where the new Mesh systems are targeted.
If by some chance your ADSL / Cable port is in the same vicinity as any Sonos speaker, great connect that with a cable and let that link your entire Sonos system to the Internet, that switch should also function as your DHCP server to allocate all the IP addresses in your home system (never have 2 DHCP servers unless you know specifically why)
If it's not possible to run an ethernet cable from a speaker direct to the Ethernet Switch then either you need the Sonos Bridge placed next to the router OR you can use a powerline to run Ethernet over your power cables to a speaker.
If you really must use WiFi to connect your Sonos to the internet, it will work but can be a problem, particularly in residential areas with a lot of nearby WiFi signal generation going on.
My system is unusual in that I wired my house for Ethernet with a patch panel and all incoming services (phone and cable Internet, as well as a star wired TV Antenna network) in the garage. I have Sonos in 4 rooms of the house running off it's inbuilt WiFi mesh, when I have parties I move the Sonos Speaker from the pool room to the deck outside the back door, and the one from the bedroom to the other end of the garden outside the workshop. it works well. My internet connection comes from the PlayBar into the cable Ethernet, with the second port on the playbar used to connect the Smart TV. On top of this but not connected to Sonos I use a BT Whole Home Mesh system (probably UK Only, but like the TP-Link one) 2 disks are in the house, and one is in the workshop at the end of the garden 2 of these are connected to the cable Ethernet, the workshop one over a TPLink Powerline. There are no more dead spots! because I am a bit of a control freak I have used reserved IP addresses on the DHCP server so I always know which devices are on which IP address, but as long as you only have one DHCP server this is not really required.
So in Summary... yeah WiFi Mesh is good in larger homes, but it should not really have anything to do with Sonos, you need to find a convenient way to connect your Sonos system to the Internet router with a bit of wire for best results.
When you say your internet comes from the PlayBar, what do you mean? What's the status of you setup. I'm also looking into purchasing a mesh network, but looking to see what will work better with my setup. I have three Sonos (Beam, Play One, Play 3). The Beam is connected directly to the Apple Airport Extreme and the others are connected via Wifi. I have several wifi devices including Smart switches (8) and Google Home Nest and Nest thermostats. I've been having issues with my AAE and want to change it out to a mesh network, but want to see what works better with my Sonos. I've also configured my 2.4 channels on my AAF and Sonos to be separate (Sonos: 1 - AAE: 6 or 11).
Please see my answer in the other thread in which you posted this same question.
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