SonosNet taugt nicht zur Heimvernetzung

by Volker Weber

Arno Kral von Tom's Networking hat sich das Sonos Mesh-Netzwerk in einem Black-Box-Test genauer angeschaut und kommt zu ernüchternden Ergebnissen. Niedrige Übertragungsraten im Bereich von 10 MBit/s und das Fehlen von QoS führen dazu, dass paralleler Traffic die Musik zum Stocken bringt.

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Comments

The SonosNet mesh intentionally has a cap on the data throughput. No matter what you do, it won't exceed the fixed limit on a point to point link. The bandwidth Sonos made available is enough to stream lossless audio files to 32 players concurrently.

Doing a data throughput test on wireless kit that has an upper limit on throughput seems a bit of a waste of time. Even on the newer SonosNet 2.0 kit, that limit was not raised.

Ben Rose, 2009-03-05

Ben, this is not a waste of time, even if you say so. SonosNet works fine, unless you send other data over it. And this has now been documented.

I was always under the impression you could safely use the switches in the Sonos Players to create a wireless backbone in your house. And I was clearly misled. You can't, or better, you can but you shouldn't. If SonosNet had QoS for the music it streams, then you could safely use the rest of the bandwidth.

You said, that the throughput intentionally has a cap. Is there any piece of marketing collateral which advises the user about that?

Volker Weber, 2009-03-05

The bandwidth Sonos made available is enough to stream lossless audio files to 32 players concurrently.

No, unfortunately it does not. Otherwise, I'm totally happy with my Sonos.

(I bought Powerlan adapters to resolve this issue, but would have preferred to use the Sonos Mesh.)

Hanno Zulla, 2009-03-05

SonosNet is truly proprietary and Sonos have always been careful to explain that these are not standard 802.11 certified devices and no wireless speeds have ever been quoted. People draw comparison to 11g and 11n but these protocols are not in use.

Sonos have never once suggested that SonosNet creates a wireless backbone in your household. The only thing that's ever been mentioned is a small entry on the product page that has always read something like:

"Easy Internet connectivity for other products in your house - The ZP120 has a two-port Ethernet switch to bring standard Internet connectivity to your set-top box, DVR, PC, game console or NAS drive."

It's true and works well for the stated purpose. Only very few people have internet connectivity speeds above that of SonosNet and any internet services should work just fine over the speeds that SonosNet provides. Think of SonosNet as an internet access point, not a LAN wifi bridge.

Ben Rose, 2009-03-05

@Hanno - Your problem pertains to transferring additional data above the bandwidth requirements of the audio. I'll say it again:

The bandwidth Sonos made available is enough to stream lossless audio files to 32 players concurrently.

It works, it's been done.

Ben Rose, 2009-03-05

Ben, I don't want high bandwidth on the Sonos Mesh. All I want is Quality of Service and I'd be happy.

Only very few people have internet connectivity speeds above that of SonosNet

My internet connection isn't exactly fast, yet I was able to squelch the Sonos music transfer by a simple download. That shouldn't happen. IIRC, Sonos uses a Linux kernel in their boxes. If that's true, QoS should be simple to implement.

Hanno Zulla, 2009-03-05

Easy Internet connectivity for other products in your house - The ZP120 has a two-port Ethernet switch to bring standard Internet connectivity to your set-top box, DVR, PC, game console or NAS drive.

And the article I refer to debunks exactly that. SonosNet is not fit for that purpose. Period.

Volker Weber, 2009-03-05

"SonosNet is not fit for that purpose. Period."

I use my SonosNet mesh to connect a blu-ray player, a media player, a games console and a PC.

Do they have internet connectivity? Yes

Do they work as I need them to? Yes

Obviously this clearly doesn't work for everybody's purposes but for basic web browsing, youtube, IM chat etc. I have never had a single issue with the available bandwidth on SonosNet.

Obviously Hanno, for whatever reason, has an issue but he's the only owner from over 16,000 Sonos forum members I have seen report a problem and request any kind of fix and I suggest that the majority of owners would feel it's entirely fit for purpose.

YMMV

Ben Rose, 2009-03-05

A fanboy never gives up, right?

Volker Weber, 2009-03-05

Ben, again, I'm not talking about bandwidth, I'm talking about Quality of Service and prioritizing the music traffic.

I don't mind having a download as slow as a snail. But the music should never, ever stop because of simple non-music network activity on the Sonos Mesh.

he's the only owner from over 16,000 Sonos forum members

Thanks for marginalizing my problem. But that doesn't make the problem go away.

Hanno Zulla, 2009-03-05

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