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ZonePlayer Z90 Connection

  • 13 February 2018
  • 12 replies
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I got a ZonePlayer, I guess this is an older version of what is now Connect, and hooked it up to a powerline adapter in the living room because my router is in a bedroom. I got it to work the first time, but after awhile, I couldn't connect to it with the app and numerous attempts to re-do it failed.

The app says "Looking for WiFi" even though the ZonePlayer apparently doesn't use WiFi, but must be wired. The buttons don't match what the wizard shows for the top button because it's a "Mute" button on the ZonePlayer. I had to select the "Connect" during setup because there is no specific "ZonePlayer" option.

I moved the unit into the bedroom and connected directly to the router and it went through the setup successfully and very quickly, so there must be an issue using powerline adapters. For anything else I've connected over about 8-9 years, the powerline adapters have been far superior to WiFi. I've never had an issue with one until now and they don't require software to set up.

So I'm guessing (and hoping) what I need to do is get a Sonos Bridge, connect this to the router, then it will connect wirelessly to the ZonePlayer in another room. Sound right?
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Best answer by Chris 13 February 2018, 01:48

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12 replies

Userlevel 7
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Why do you have to use Powerline adapter. You don't have strong wifi coverage in that room (I assume this is only Sonos unit you have as well).
Userlevel 7
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It will work wirelessly on your home wifi. If that is only Sonos unit you have just have it connect to your home wifi.

When you have it hooked to your router and working. Go to Sonos settings...advanced...wifi setup. Put in your home wifi credentials and follow directions.
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It will work wirelessly on your home wifi. If that is only Sonos unit you have just have it connect to your home wifi.

When you have it hooked to your router and working. Go to Sonos settings...advanced...wifi setup. Put in your home wifi credentials and follow directions.

It doesn't have WiFi. It has to be hardwired via Ethernet.

From other sources:

"For Sonos to function, at least one of the ZonePlayers needs to be plugged directly into your WiFi router. If you don't happen to have your router conveniently located to one of your sound systems, Sonos provides the ZoneBridge."

From my research, Sonos doesn't actually use WiFi (at least this model), but a proprietary wireless system called Sonosnet.
Userlevel 7
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Incorrect. It does have WiFi. Sonosnet is wifi. When the zp90 first came out yoindid have to have a bridge or device hooked to router to initiate Sonosnet. That hasn’t been the case last few years. Follow my instructions above and it will work on your home WiFi with no bridge.
Userlevel 7
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And as further FYI. Sonosnet is a hidden wireless G WiFi network initiated if one Sonos device is hooked to your router. But since you only have the one Sonos unit I wouldn’t use Sonosnet just use your home WiFi.

Again. With it connected via Ethernet to your router go to Sonos settings....advanced.... WiFi setup and follow instructions.
Userlevel 7
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Sonos has never made a device that didn’t have built in WiFi.
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Sonos has never made a device that didn’t have built in WiFi.
Thanks, Chris.

So I found advanced settings and you are right. It is working now. Seems odd because i found several sources that said you must have at least one Sonos device wired to the router, one I'm pretty sure was a post from you in these forums some years back. Is this a case that it used to be true, but changes were made and it is no longer the case and all the units were compatible with the change? If not, then what the heck is the reason to own a bridge, which unfortunately, I already ordered?

And now I'll voice my disdain for the poor programming of the app from Sonos. In the setup, it instructs you not to connect a cable unless told to do so, then scans for a WiFi network, doesn't find one, and then tells you to connect an Ethernet cable. Never does it display a list of discovered networks not advise you to look in the advanced settings, not even in the troubleshooting tips. Had this been there, I would have already solved it.

Anyway, I'll step down from my soapbox now and thank you again. Anyone want to buy a Sonos bridge cheap?
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And this is one of the reviews that led me astray:

ZoneBridge

"For Sonos to function, at least one of the ZonePlayers needs to be plugged directly into your WiFi router. If you don't happen to have your router conveniently located to one of your sound systems, Sonos provides the ZoneBridge. Just hook that up instead and then put your ZonePlayers wherever else you want them. An elegant enough solution until the ZonePlayers can lose that one-hardwire requirement and go pure WiFi, which given the speeds and range of 802.11N shouldn't be far off. (Right now Sonos prefers to create their own, exclusive Mesh sub-network off the hard-line)."

Question:

If I did decide to use the Bridge I've already ordered and hard-wired it to the router, would my ZonePlayer then use the Sonosnet instead of the normal WiFi and would this have advantages?
Yes, at one point in time, that was a correct statement. But it has been years since Sonos was able to update the software so that any Sonos device can act as a ZoneBridge, BRIDGE, or BOOST. Chris certainly may have posted that suggestion many years ago, when it was true. But it is no longer applicable.

Yes, if you decided to use the BRIDGE as the wired unit to your router, your ZonePlayer would then use SonosNet instead of your own wifi channel.
Userlevel 7
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Yes as airgetlam says. Old info.

Calling it a zineplauer first key to being old instructions. Sonos has updated it over years and it is really a Connect now.
Userlevel 7
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If you had searched how to handle ok up a Connect you would have found better info. Hard to criticize Sonos for bad zone player instructions when your hooking up an old unit that didn’t have these features at time of manufacture. Sonos has been good enough to keep active firmware updates to keep it in line with the newest models.
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If you had searched how to handle ok up a Connect you would have found better info. Hard to criticize Sonos for bad zone player instructions when your hooking up an old unit that didn’t have these features at time of manufacture. Sonos has been good enough to keep active firmware updates to keep it in line with the newest models.
I had no idea it was considered a Connect now, that's why I didn't look for instructions for a Connect. I got the Bridge in today, but the Connect doesn't seem to (connect) now. The Bridge installed fine, but then I couldn't connect the Connect. This may have been due to some temporary Internet issue I was having around that time so I'll try again later.

Thanks for the answers. I suspected it may have just been a change in the systems.