Home network with Asus two routers plus Sonos - need advice on which channels, etc to use

[F1nchy]

Hi guys

I'm having a few drop outs with my Sonos system and I'm thinking it may be to do with having two routers, one as the main router and the other in AP mode, plus Sonos speakers, which I believe using their own network to communicate, and I'm just trying to understand how .

Both routers are Asus (RT-AC68U and N66U, both running Merlin's firmware), and are at the opposite end of our apartment and connected by ethernet, so the second isn't a wireless extender, although they probably just about clash on the edges of their ranges and devices will be in range of both in some places.

I currently have them both using the same SSID for both 2.4 and 5ghz networks, as I read that this way devices can move between the routers easier when I go from one end of the apartment to the other - is that correct?

Both routers are then set to auto select the channel, but with the Sonos I have to tell it which channel to use, with 1, 6 or 11 the options.

I've emailed Sonos support to clarify whether the Sonos does communicate on its own channel, but how is best to set up the two routers?

Should I leave them on auto? Would they be better both on the same channel? Or would that be causing a clash and they're better off on different channels?

There aren't too many other networks around so that's not so much an issue (I have scanned with wireless apps) but I'm trying to work out if, in an ideal environment, two routers acting as parent and child should be on the same channels or kept apart for best performance.

The Sonos is only 2.4ghz, but does the same theory apply to the 5Ghz range as well (ie on the same or separate)?

I hope that makes sense!

 

[L&LD]

Usually, you always want to use separate channels.

https://en.community.sonos.com/setting-up-sonos-228990/sonos-wireless-channel-15380

Make sure that the routers are in 20MHz channel width mode too.

 

[F1nchy]

Thanks, but do you mean just keep the Sonos separate to the routers? Should the two routers be on the same to work better, or should they also be separate from each other?

I had an email back from Sonos support and they suggested not using channel 6 for the Sonos as well, so set the Sonos to use 1 and then the routers to 11, or 6 and 11 if they need to be separate?

And why 20mhz and not 40?

 

[L&LD]

Thanks, but do you mean just keep the Sonos separate to the routers? Should the two routers be on the same to work better, or should they also be separate from each other?

I had an email back from Sonos support and they suggested not using channel 6 for the Sonos as well, so set the Sonos to use 1 and then the routers to 11, or 6 and 11 if they need to be separate?

And why 20mhz and not 40?

Ideally, each router should be using it's own channel(s) for optimum performance.

What channel works best for which device (Sonos, router 1, router 2) depends on your environment. Experimentation is necessary to find the best balance (make sure you change channels on all and do a reboot of the WiFi devices and the clients used for testing too before testing a different configuration).

For the 2.4GHz, 20MHz channel width is required so that each of the main control channels (1, 6 and 11) doesn't overlap (and interfere) with the other channels.

http://www.metageek.com/training/resources/why-channels-1-6-11.html


That is also why you don't want to use an in-between channel such as 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 either. Any of those channels will overlap and interfere with at least two of the main control channels. Even at 20MHz width.

Additionally, when WiFi routers are on the same control channel, they can coordinate and share the bandwidth available. When they're not, they simply see other RF as interference and throughput goes down dramatically, even if the signal shows strong otherwise.

I would recommend that you start from a known base by following the links below. Also, make sure you have the latest RMerlin firmware (or the forks off his work by john9527 or hggomes) flashed first before you begin testing.

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/no...l-and-manual-configuration.27115/#post-205573

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/asuswrt-merlin-378-55-3_hgg-final-mod.26524/page-2#post-199549

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/ne...ting-slow-internet-rt-n56u.27028/#post-204647

http://www.snbforums.com/threads/ch...rence-or-adjacent-channels.22881/#post-167398

 

[sfx2000]

I currently have them both using the same SSID for both 2.4 and 5ghz networks, as I read that this way devices can move between the routers easier when I go from one end of the apartment to the other - is that correct?

Both routers are then set to auto select the channel, but with the Sonos I have to tell it which channel to use, with 1, 6 or 11 the options.

I've emailed Sonos support to clarify whether the Sonos does communicate on its own channel, but how is best to set up the two routers?

Try to keep the Sonos on it's own channel from the base to the remotes - it's 2.4GHz, and generally gets along well with WiFi and Bluetooth (if present), but a close range AP can cause some interference with the Sonos platform.

Definitely recommend keep the 2.4GHz to 20MHz channel widths only, just to keep interference to a minimum, esp. if Bluetooth is in the mix of devices...

 

[F1nchy]

Thanks guys, that's really helpful, I'll have a read of those links L&LD and try a few tests, see how I get on.