Recommended settings for using Sonos on wireless networks

Sonos recommends a wireless setup for most home and small business users. This is typically the simplest way to set up and begin using your Sonos system. If you are planning to stream to more than five rooms simultaneously, especially streaming high bitrate audio, consider hardwiring as many Sonos products as possible.

If your WiFi devices often have low signal strength or slow network speeds, your Sonos products will likely encounter similar problems. If you plan on changing or upgrading your networking equipment to improve your WiFi performance, Sonos typically recommends a dedicated router or mesh networking system with WiFi 5 or higher.

Most routers do not require any special configuration for use with Sonos. However, there are some settings which can be important:

• Enable all modes and bands your router supports, up to and including WiFi 6. This will ensure backwards compatibility with older devices on your network, and newer devices will connect to the latest WiFi version supported by their hardware.
• For 2.4GHz, enable auto channel selection. Your router will select the best available channel for all connected devices. This is recommended for wireless setups only.
• Select 20MHz channel width for 2.4GHz. While 40MHz may offer more potential throughput, it is also more susceptible to interference and is typically not necessary.
• For 5GHz or 6GHz (WiFi 6E) select All or Auto.
• Review our system requirements article to ensure your wireless network is fully compatible with your Sonos system.

Devices running the Sonos app must be connected to the same WiFi network as Sonos in order to connect. Guest networks are not compatible with Sonos.

ISP-Provided Networking Equipment

Most internet service providers (ISPs) supply a combination modem and router. While this is typically fine for most users, a stand-alone router or mesh system will often improve range and performance, especially for homes with multiple users or larger footprints.

If you choose to use your own router or mesh system for performance reasons, it is recommended that you configure your ISP-supplied router to be in bridge mode, which disables its WiFi and router functionality and greatly reduces the chance of encountering a problem. Check with your ISP for instructions on how to do this with your particular device.