Connecting Sonos to Meraki

[MarekG]

Hi Meraki Community 

I recently changed my router to MX65 and also added Meraki MR45 to boost my WiFi capability. 
Unfortunately after that change Sonos system and Google Chromecast Ultra stopped working. 
I tried reconnecting and looked for answers on the net but no luck. I’m not network engineer but it appears that I should be able to adjust settings on Dashboard to make it all work. I’m looking for guide how to successfully connect Sonos Boost and Chromecast Ultra using Cisco hardware. 
Any help would be great. Thanks in advance. 

[AnythingHosted]

Hi, 

When you switched to the MR45, did you choose the same SSID and PSK?

I have also found that for certain hardware (Nest Protect, Ring Camera), I had to white list the clients on the dashboard for them to work. 

Chris

[GaryShainberg]

Hi there,

I made a post about this issue some months ago, I had the same problem and it appears that it was something to do with a combination of two things:

Layer 3 Roaming

Dual band operation with Band Steering

But the issue was not constant with networks or devices, in the end I created a separate SSID for IoT devices (which is good practice anyway) set to bridge mode (or NAT) and Dual band operation.

Also make sure you have theMinimum bitrate set to no greater that 11

This fixed both issues for me

[colinster]

I agree with @GaryShainberg - Sonos does not like L3 roaming or VPN tunneling with split tunnel. I've also got Band steering enabled. I'll try with band steering off for a while and report back.

Important fact: Sonos has a special protocol it uses to broadcast it's bonjour like service. Meraki does a lot of "testing" to make sure they work (they play music at work a lot).

[RJordan-CCS]

This was a fortuitously timed post; one of our customers has had periodic Sonos problems and just called in again with them; their devices are on a separate SSID but it was in L3 roaming mode; we're going to switch it and see how they do.  There's no reason for the roaming capabilities on that particular SSID

Thanks

Rich

[MarekG]

Many thanks Gary!

All changed and working well. 

Really appreciate your suggestions.

I tried the same Rick with Chromecast Ultra but no luck. 
min getting the following message. 
Any suggestions?

 

[PhilipDAth]

Make sure you are using bridge mode on the SSID.

[ConnorL]

Firstly (from many hours of setting mine up), the Sonos system needs to be on the same subnet as the controller, i.e. if you're using your iPhone to connect, make sure the SSID is on the same VLAN as your Sonos system also (just use the same SSID).

I've found the best solution (and I know it's not ideal for every scenario) is just wired one of the Sonos' to the MX (or MS), and if you've got other Sonos devices, they'll form their own SonosNet mesh. This means you don't need to faff around with settings on the MR if there are incompatibilities.

If you've got a pretty simple network, I really wouldn't recommend using L3 roaming for any reason. The only reason to use L3 roaming I find is if you've got a campus-style network and need to use different VLANs in different 'buildings' that broadcast the same SSID. Bridge mode is usually fine if it's a simple network.

My current set up has a Sonos Beam wired to my MX, and all other Sonos speakers (mostly Play:1 and One's) are dotted around the house without a hard wire. 

Fun fact if you're using SonosNet, you can browse to sonosipaddr:1400/support/review (replace with the actual IP address of one of your Sonos speakers, you can find this in Network-Wide > Clients) and view the STP and network matrix info, this helps pinpoint issues with STP and meshing issues for example.

As you can see in this diagram, all speakers mesh to the Living Room Beam, you can see the relative signal strength and STP states here too. Make sure you don't wire more than one Sonos if possible, else you'll likely get an loop, so long as your core switch has the highest STP priority you should be okay - you really don't want user traffic being sent over your SonosNet mesh.

---------

As much as I wanted to have Sonos and other IoT/Media devices (like Chromecast) on their own VLAN, it just doesn't work most of the time and is more work than it's worth. Keep the end-client and Sonos on the same VLAN and you'll be fine

Kind regards,

--

Connor Loughlin
Network Support Engineer

.:|:.:|:. Cisco Meraki EMEAR 🇬🇧

For reference, many questions can be easily answered by searching our online documentation: http://documentation.meraki.com

[ConnorL]

Tl;dr, Sonos is meant for a home environment, so they don't like working interVLAN. Keep your network simple, i.e bridge mode and allow Wireless> LAN traffic (Wireless > Firewall and Traffic Shaping) and you should be good to go 🙂

[RJordan-CCS]

Thanks for the info!

[ConnorL]

Just a quick update to state: remember to set Wireless > Firewall & Traffic Shaping Layer 3 "Wireless Clients accessing LAN" to Allow. By default, the first SSID of every Meraki network has this set to Deny, which will cause issues when setting up & operating your Sonos Equipment. It's such a tiny dropdown menu that is easily missed, but gosh it can cause some headaches!

When I was new to Team Meraki and got an MR42, I shamefully spent hours setting it up with no luck, this lil' dropdown saved my Play:1s from being tossed out the third story window.

Stay safe everyone

--

Connor Loughlin
Network Support Engineer

.:|:.:|:. Cisco Meraki EMEAR 🇬🇧

For reference, many questions can be easily answered by searching our online documentation: http://documentation.meraki.com

[Chris7]

Thanks for all of the detailed replies.  I just got off the phone with Sonos support, and bonjour was the first thing they changed.  However, I want to confirm that 9-54 is okay for my bitrate.  Also, are you saying to disable traffic shaping, or allow traffic shaping?  Thanks!

[MarekG]

Thanks Connor 

I succeed with Sonos but setting separate SSID and using bridge mode. 
Unfortunately Chromecast Ultra fails to maintain WiFi connection being used on the same SSID. 
Any suggestions? 

[ConnorL]

Hmm, I've never really had an issue with my Chromecast Ultra, so long as you've got it in Bridge mode with the firewall rule allowing Wireless > LAN traffic (Wireless > Firewall & Traffic Shaping) set to Allow, you should be fine.

Gotta admit, Google Stadia is flippin' awesome if you're on a decent broadband connection. 

I had a brief outage last night with my Ultra however, just wouldn't connect and asked me to use the Google Home app to reconfigure it, I had to make it connect to the guest network, then back to my main SSID for it to finally come online, it was 11pm so I wasn't willing to take a monitor mode capture, but a quick Google suggests it's a bug on their end (perhaps). Other than that, it's been fine.

--

Connor Loughlin
Network Support Engineer

.:|:.:|:. Cisco Meraki EMEAR 🇬🇧

For reference, many questions can be easily answered by searching our online documentation: http://documentation.meraki.com

[Cookie_Dan]

Hi Connor 

Could I ask what settings you have in the MX for the sonos to work? I have no issues with connecting sonos to my Meraki APs, now I've introduced an MX and switch I can no longer connect.

Tried connecting in the switch and MX.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Dan

[ConnorL]

Hey @Cookie_Dan ,

So long as your Sonos is on the same VLAN as your other device(s), you should be fine.

In my set up, all client devices are on VLAN20, so both my iPhone and Sonos are on the same subnet.

Other than that, so long as you're not blocking any required ports, you should be fine.

Kind regards,

--

Connor Loughlin

.:|:.:|:. Cisco Meraki EMEAR 🇬🇧

For reference, many questions can be easily answered by searching our online documentation: http://documentation.meraki.com

[Cookie_Dan]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have a management VLAN for the Meraki kit and separate VLAN for all home devices so phone and all home devices getting an IP address but sonos not playing ball.

It's currently in the switch can see the VLAN but not getting an IP...if I connect back to the home router removing the MX and switch it works again. Def a setting within the MX or switch just not sure what when everything else works..🙈

[ConnorL]

It's on an access port on the correct VLAN? I haven't changed anything on my switch or MX to get it working.

[GaryShainberg]

Dan,

check if you have either L3 roaming turned on for that SSID or duel band with beam steering, both of these, for some reason, some of the time have an effect.

I have a global client with 20 locations all with full Meraki stacks and all have at least 2 Sonos Play 1's and on some sites, they work no problem and on other sites, I have had to create a separate SSID with both of these turned off to make the Sonos's work - out of interest, I have had the same issue with Google Chromecast.

I did some "unscientific " tests and could not come to a conclusive reason as the firmware of the Sono's and the firmware on the Meraki Stack were consistent on a working site and a non-working site - so totally inconclusive.

Hope this helps

[Cookie_Dan]

Hi Gary

L3 roaming is off and so is band steering.

My sonos was hard wired into the MX then switch as recommended by sonos app once theres a change in the network...no joy.

Ended up factory resetting the Sonos and reinstalling connecting to the new network and all seems fine now.

Thanks for the reply and info!!

[GaryShainberg]

OK, if this worked, it could have been a sticky record in the ARP table of the Sonas that was not clearing and although the radio was connecting the IP was not routing correctly, hence why the factory reset worked.

I had it on good authority that the Sono's store a lot of data in their pRAM to make reconnecting quicker after a power off and by doing a total clear-out this could have been the solution.

glad to help

[JCM95404]

Just a quick FYI - I just purchased a Sonos Move - it's wireless only.  I made all the changes on my MR45 that were suggested in this thread with no luck - all except one.  I created a separate SSID specifically for the Sonos, and went through the setup, and it now works flawlessly.  I have no idea why - all settings between both SSIDs are identical....

[GaryShainberg]

I have found this in the past with other devices and I managed to put it down to hidden characters in the SSID name that for some reason, some wifi clients are more sensitive (or tolerant) to than others.

This should not be the case as "space" is still a character, even if its invisible at the end of a line, also paragraph returns can be in the SSID or password, especially if they were "cut" and "pasted" into the field.

[notworkingsonos]

Hello,

I have also same issues., we are using meraki switch and connected to sonos music systems, but sosnis is not working, i have made as bridge mode.after that also same issue

[Karl]

Just like to give my take on Meraki and Sonos co-operation.

First of all great thread!

I bought my self a couple of IKEA Symfonisk/Sonos speakers this Xmas and almost immediately experienced issues when trying to do multi-room audio. 

At first i had the speakers connected to my "home" SSID where i have most of the home clients but that resulted in the issues above. The "home" SSID was configured to use Bridge mode, so no Layer 3 roaming etc.

After that test i configured an specific SSID for the speakers, also using Bridge mode. This did a some what better experience with much less dropouts.
Finally i ran an Ethernet directly from ONE(1) speaker to my MS220 letting the Speakers mesh between them selves. For me this was and still is the best experience with no dropout at all. 

So in conclusion for anyone that have issues:

I highly recommend an ethernet from ONE Ikea/sonos to your MX or MS or whatever other Router/Switch you might have 🙂

[ConnorL]

Hey @Karl, I love my IKEA Symfonisk speakers. Using one as a bedside table / alarm / TV speaker!

I ended up using the same set up as you mentioned, Sonos' mesh link works a treat when ONE of your Sonos speakers is Ethernet'd in. You can only connect one via Ethernet though, if you connect multiple you'll run into some horrid STP issues. Important to note that the newer Sonos One now supports 5 GHz WiFi too, the previous speakers all are 2.4 only.