B2 won't see Sonos

[Shawn Rosvold]

Hello. My B2 has lost all connections to my Sonos speakers. I believe the problem is caused by my new TP-Link Deco Whole Home Mesh WiFi System. When I unplugged the TPs, the B2 saw the speakers again on the original network. When I plugged the TPs back in, the B2 lost the Sonos connection. So, now what?

[JFBUK]

Hi,

can you expand on how your network is configured ?

What are you replacing with the Deco system ?

As its a network issue you may be better served by posting on a TPLink support forum where you are more likely to find someone with knowledge of how the Deco works and can be configured.

Unless someone on here has a similar system installed it will be very tricky to diagnose and help.

That being said if you do find a solution please post it here to help increase the knowledgebase  and help others.

Thanks

John

[Shawn Rosvold]

Hi John. My provider, Eastlink in Nova Scotia, supplies a Hitron CODA 4582 modem/router. I added the  TP-Link Deco Whole Home Mesh WiFi System to fill in the coverage. Now I have two networks. I will try your suggestion and post back here when I get it figured out.

[JFBUK]

Hi,

just checking that when you installed the Deco did you put the Hitron into modem mode only ?

If not you may have two routers on the same network which can cause a lot of issues if not configured correctly.

Eastlink may be able to advise of any specific configuration setting you may need to make when adding a mesh system such as a Deco.

John

[Shawn Rosvold]

Hi John. When I connected the TPs that created a new network which I named newrosie. The Hitron (the original network) is still there, named rosie. I have disconnected all three TPs after deleting all the Sonos speakers that were showing up on the Deco app. Now, the Sonos app is showing all speakers, but the B2 is showing any Sonos speakers. I have tried scanning for Sonos, forgetting Sonos, the scanning for Sonos again and I can't get the B2 and Sonos to see each other. I hope I'm explaining this properly.

[JFBUK]

Hi,

it sounds like you just connected the main Deco to your existing router ?

From what I have read the Deco is meant to put it itself in access point mode if it detects that there is already a router on the network.

I suspect that this may not have happened and that means you will have two routers handing out IP addresses amongst other things.

You really need to speak with Eastlink and get their advice.

This a thread from the support forum of my ISP, Virgin, in the UK, re a similar issue

Its a bit technical in places but may help.

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Networking-and-WiFi/Virgin-Hub-3-0-and-Deco-M5-Mesh/td-p/4321124

John

[Steve Woolaway]

I think you just need to reinstall the SONOS speakers (on the new network) like you did when you first set them up, which only takes a couple of minutes per speaker. SONOS surely only knows them on the old network not the new one. So it's not the Brennan that can't see them it's SONOS that can't.

[Shawn Rosvold]

I did a factory reset on the Hitron modem/router with the TP-Link mesh disconnected. The B2 found all the Sonos speakers and I was able to play music from the B2 using the Sonos app. Then I powered up the TP and switched it off the 2.4 and left the 5G setting on. I also switched it to an access point. None of the Sonos speakers are showing up on the TP Deco app, so that's a good thing. Then I fired up the B2 UI. The Sonos button is showing (it had disappeared before). When I click on it, it shows Sonos speakers but I can't select any of them. I get a black circle with a slash through it. Obviously, it is not able to connect to the Sonos speakers even though it knows they're there. Everything works fine on the Sonos app. I unplugged the TP, but the Sonos speakers still can't be selected on the B2. 

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

It is my understanding that the B2 does not send music to the Sonos speakers, it 'reflects' the presence of the speakers defined by the Sonos app and sends the music to the Sonos 'system'.

The Sonos system must therefore be on the same network/LAN as the B2.

Are you sure that your new house system is indeed behaving as a single LAN?

Fred

[Shawn Rosvold]

Hi Fred. The old, original modem/router network still exists along with the new network created by the TP Deco mesh system. As far as I can tell, the Sonos and the B2 are connected to the same (the old original) network. At least the B2 definitely is. I don't know how to tell if Sonos is connected to the old original, but when I look at the Deco mesh app, nothing is connected to it after I removed everything that did connect to it. Short of doing a factory reset on the old original modem/router, I don't know what else to do. I need the mesh network to improve the coverage. But there is definitely a problem with the B2 working properly with both networks.

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi Sros,

Networking topology is a black art. As I keep saying on this forum, the B2 is a server on your house LAN, most time householders purchasing kit to extend coverage are doing so to connect from the LAN to the internet. In your case you are trying to link up to local rather than external (internet) services. This will take some work to configure, it is not the default setup.

Fred.

[PMB]

Hi Sros,

I see you turned off the 2.4GHz on the Deco, presumably to stop the B2 connecting to it but Sonos, depending on the age of the units, can work on 5GHz - the Sonos 'Boost' creates a dedicated Sonos network operating on 5GHz. So it's possible that the Sonos's are connecting to Deco.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[JFBUK]

Hi Shawn,

You need to have both 2.4 and 5Ghz running on the Deco otherwise your meshing will not be working to its full potential and the B2 will not see a Wi-Fi signal it can connect to on the Deco. 

By all means turn both frequencies off on the Hitron but that's most easily done by putting the Hitron in modem only mode.

You can then leave your Deco in router mode and connect all your devices to the Deco Network (SSID).

They will then all be getting their IP addresses from the DECO DHCP server and be on the same network subnet

Another thought....

From what I have read, the Sonos network information and the Sonos proprietary device topology is stored under a Sonos account and (I assume) the information is mirrored to all Sonos devices  known to that  account.

I also assume that the Brennan software uses an API to read that information and uses it to make its Sonos functionality work, including the the display listing of Sonos destinations.

As Fred said, the Brennan software is talking to the Sonos system not to the individual devices.

As Steve said, if you have a new Wi-Fi network (SSID) its necessary to add all the Sonos devices to that new network.

The Sonos configuration documentation also talks about removing Wi-Fi networks.

I wonder whether if you do not remove the old Wi-Fi network from your Sonos system, then in an environment where there are two different SSID's being broadcast, each with a DHCP server offering different subnet IP address ranges, and both of which are known to the Sonos devices there is an opportunity for network misconnection ?

If you are still having problems telling your Sonos system to forget your original network might help ?

John

[rbsar...@gmail.com]

I have just purchased a second sonos one sl to create a surround system with a beam speaker. My system would not recognise the older speaker to add to the new one without doing a factory reset on the older sonos speaker, I hope that makes sense, so I second the 'forget the original setup' comment. 

Rob. 

[Shawn Rosvold]

Hi John. I'm not sure how to put   the Hitron in modem only mode. Any suggestions? 

[Jeff. M.]

This may help Shawn...   
Hitron - Dynamic ‘Modem only Mode' User Guide (force.com)

[Shawn Rosvold]

Hey everyone!

Thank you for all your help and the many suggestions. It is working now. 

I used the Deco app to delete the new network it created and started the mesh network install from scratch. Once I got through that the B2 now sees all the correct speaker setups.

I hope that's it! If not, I know where to look for help. This group is the best. Thanks again.

[JFBUK]

Well done Shawn :)