Wireless has taken a huge leap in usage thanks to a huge improvement in its usability over the years. That's good for many portable devices such as laptops, smart phones, etc. But for people using desktops, a wireless adapter may not be included. Or, you may want to have a more stable wireless connection than the one you currently have.
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Bridging an internet connection refers to making connections between different ports that will be used by your computer, such as ethernet and wireless.[1] Shown in this article are simple steps that you can use to create your own bridged connection.
Note: This tutorial applies to the MS Windows environment. These steps should only be used in context with a Windows 7 machine, as they are not guaranteed to work on previous versions, or on machines running another OS such as iOS, or Linux.
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You say youve connected the Bridge, but it sounds as if you may have only wired it to the router. Is it visible in your Sonos app, along with the other speakers? Look in Settings/System/About. If not then you havent gone through the key step of actually adding the Bridge to the system. In that case get back to us for further direction.
By the way, your Bridge was so cheap because theyre obsolete technology, and their power supplies (wall warts) have a habit of flaking out as they age. No harm in giving it a try though.
Might want to recheck the compatibility of your Play 1s, they should work with the Bridge, well if it is actually working properly.
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/?language=en_US
If you try a split S1 S2 setup here are some good reads:
https://support.sonos.com/s/global-search/s1%20s2?language=en_US
You say youve connected the Bridge, but it sounds as if you may have only wired it to the router. Is it visible in your Sonos app, along with the other speakers? Look in Settings/System/About. If not then you havent gone through the key step of actually adding the Bridge to the system. In that case get back to us for further direction.
By the way, your Bridge was so cheap because theyre obsolete technology, and their power supplies (wall warts) have a habit of flaking out as they age. No harm in giving it a try though.
Hi there and thanks for taking the time to respond.
The bridge is showing in the app. Later, I googled how to see if your products are connected via the bridge (WM0) or my wifi (WM1). It looks like the Play 5 and one of my Play 1s are on Sonosnet and the other play 1 on the wifi. I didnt think play 1s could use the bridge? But is this saying that the play 5 IS now connected via sonosnet (as I wanted to)??
I get that the bridge is old but I thought for £2 I would give it a shot! If the plug fails, I can always get a new one thats compatible.
Might want to recheck the compatibility of your Play 1s, they should work with the Bridge, well if it is actually working properly.
https://support.sonos.com/s/article/?language=en_US
If you try a split S1 S2 setup here are some good reads:
https://support.sonos.com/s/global-search/s1%20s2?language=en_US
Hi there and thanks for the reply
It seems that one of my Play 1s has connected to the bridge (checking in about my system - its showing as WM0). So I guess they are compatible! Does this mean that I dont have to do anything else - it has automatically swapped over from wifi? I need to stay on S1 for the play 5 - so as long as all my products work, maybe I dont have to do a S1/S2 split (which I read and it made my brain hurt.)
thanks again
If all your devices are showing WM:0 then youre all set. If some are still stuck on WM:1 then try (a) powering them off and on again and (b) changing the SonosNet wireless channel (in Settings/System/Network) to see if you can make them behave.
As for the Bridge power supply, it could start to lose output voltage with age. As the voltage gradually declines it will give rise to various intermittent connectivity problems that could infuriate. Assuming the SonosNet (WM:0) arrangement works better Id advise replacing the Bridge with a Boost. If the last owner of the Bridge hasnt claimed the upgrade voucher that would entitle you to 30% off the new Boost.
If all your devices are showing WM:0 then youre all set. If some are still stuck on WM:1 then try (a) powering them off and on again and (b) changing the SonosNet wireless channel (in Settings/System/Network) to see if you can make them behave.
As for the Bridge power supply, it could start to lose output voltage with age. As the voltage gradually declines it will give rise to various intermittent connectivity problems that could infuriate. Assuming the SonosNet (WM:0) arrangement works better Id advise replacing the Bridge with a Boost. If the last owner of the Bridge hasnt claimed the upgrade voucher that would entitle you to 30% off the new Boost.
Hi there
Thanks again for replying. Does it matter if 1 product is on WM1? Its working OK.
Thanks for the info on the power supply.
I got the bridge as I didnt think Boost was compatible with Play 5 (1st Gen) - or maybe thats changed? Anyway, I need to fully test if the bridge has solved the drop out issue on the Play 5. If it doesnt would Boost be the next step (ie is it better than the bridge - assuming compatibility).
Once again thanks for your helpful reply
Brucie
BOOST has more advanced WiFi capability and is compatible with S1 or S2 systems.
Does it matter if 1 product is on WM1? Its working OK.
If its a Play:1 thats paired with another which is WM:0 then it could matter. Anyway its not correct to have any on WM:1 (WiFi); they should all be WM:0 (on SonosNet).
I got the bridge as I didnt think Boost was compatible with Play 5 (1st Gen) - or maybe thats changed? Anyway, I need to fully test if the bridge has solved the drop out issue on the Play 5. If it doesnt would Boost be the next step (ie is it better than the bridge - assuming compatibility).
Nothings changed. The Boost has always been compatible with both S1 systems and S2 systems. Yes, its a better Bridge, with a more modern radio that has better range and interference rejection.
BOOST has more advanced WiFi capability and is compatible with S1 or S2 systems.
thanks - I didnt know that! At the moment the bridge seems to have improved things, so will stick with this for the time being
Does it matter if 1 product is on WM1? Its working OK.
If its a Play:1 thats paired with another which is WM:0 then it could matter. Anyway its not correct to have any on WM:1 (WiFi); they should all be WM:0 (on SonosNet).
I got the bridge as I didnt think Boost was compatible with Play 5 (1st Gen) - or maybe thats changed? Anyway, I need to fully test if the bridge has solved the drop out issue on the Play 5. If it doesnt would Boost be the next step (ie is it better than the bridge - assuming compatibility).
Nothings changed. The Boost has always been compatible with both S1 systems and S2 systems. Yes, its a better Bridge, with a more modern radio that has better range and interference rejection.
Theyre not paired, but will attempt to change it over.
Thanks I didnt know about the Boost, but am currently testing out my £2 Bridge and it has definitely improved the connection issues, so will stick with that for the time being!
Thanks so much for your help and taking time to reply - very much appreciated
Brucie
Hello again!
While the £2 bridge has improved connectivity, it is still dropping out at times. The bridge is currently hardwired and near my router. As Im using it to extend the signal to one speaker, I think I should I try and move it closer to that speaker? Thats going to be tricky while still having the ethernet cable plugged in. Can the bridge work without it? I just read the info about the Boost (which Im really trying to avoid buying...) which indicates to me that it CAN work as a booster without being hardwired.
Sorry for all the questions again!
Brucie
How close is the Bridge to the router? If its within 1 metre or less it could be experiencing interference. (Boost is more resilient in this regard.)
Have you tried changing your SonosNet wireless channel? It should be spaced at least 5 away from whatever channel the routers WiFi is using at 2.4GHz. Also the router should use a 20MHz bandwidth at 2.4GHz, not 40MHz, to avoid overlaps.
As to your other question, a Bridge -- or a Boost -- can operate as a wireless relay, but only if theres already some other Sonos component wired to the network.
However in many cases an unwired Bridge/Boost will be completely ignored, as SonosNet will optimise for cheaper wireless paths by minimising the number of wireless hops.
While its diagnostic capability is diminishing for S2 systems you can go to http://x.x.x.x:/support/review and open the Network Matrix at the bottom. x.x.x.x is the IP address of a player that you can find at Settings System About My System. Red cells highlight potential issues. Note that this is a static view. If you change something, wait a couple minutes, then refresh the page to view current conditions. Unfortunately, the latest crew of players does not post much data to the Network Matrix.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Connect Bridge.
How close is the Bridge to the router? If its within 1 metre or less it could be experiencing interference. (Boost is more resilient in this regard.)
Have you tried changing your SonosNet wireless channel? It should be spaced at least 5 away from whatever channel the routers WiFi is using at 2.4GHz. Also the router should use a 20MHz bandwidth at 2.4GHz, not 40MHz, to avoid overlaps.
As to your other question, a Bridge -- or a Boost -- can operate as a wireless relay, but only if theres already some other Sonos component wired to the network.
However in many cases an unwired Bridge/Boost will be completely ignored, as SonosNet will optimise for cheaper wireless paths by minimising the number of wireless hops.
Hi there
Thanks for the quick reply! Yes the bridge is less than 1 meter from the router - Ill see if I can move it a bit, but somewhat constrained by socket outlets/length of power cable and need to not have stuff trailing over the floor!
I did change the wireless channels - it seemed to work a bit better on 1 out of the 3, but still not perfect. The location of the router isnt really a good spot for another product (other than the bridge).
Ive checked and changed my router to be channel 11 and bridge on channel 1. Router is at 2.4Ghz but Im not sure how to make sure its on 20Mhz bandwidth, is it default?
thanks
Ive checked and changed my router to be channel 11 and bridge on channel 1. Router is at 2.4Ghz but Im not sure how to make sure its on 20Mhz bandwidth, is it default?
It depends, but probably. What router is it?
Ive checked and changed my router to be channel 11 and bridge on channel 1. Router is at 2.4Ghz but Im not sure how to make sure its on 20Mhz bandwidth, is it default?
It depends, but probably. What router is it?
its a BT Smart Hub Type A
Fine. BT hubs default to 20MHz at 2.4GHz.
Thank you - Im very impressed that you know when I failed to find out anywhere else!
Ive moved bridge as much as possible from the router and changed the channels. Will check out over the next few days and see if its liveable with. Otherwise I guess Ill get the boost in the hope that its better spec will make the difference. Looks like I can get a discount, but still £85!!!
Thanks again for all your help - I would never have got this far without it and have learnt lots about my system
BW
Brucie
While its diagnostic capability is diminishing for S2 systems you can go to http://x.x.x.x:/support/review and open the Network Matrix at the bottom. x.x.x.x is the IP address of a player that you can find at Settings System About My System. Red cells highlight potential issues. Note that this is a static view. If you change something, wait a couple minutes, then refresh the page to view current conditions. Unfortunately, the latest crew of players does not post much data to the Network Matrix.
Sorry I missed your post earlier. Thanks for this. I have some orange cells - but what is written in them might as well be greek to me! Can you take a look and advise? This is with all products on the sonosnet system. The one labelled Big One is the Play 5 which is given me problems. Im using S1
Thank you in advance
Noise Floor in the other rooms is very good, Big One is reasonable, not great. Bridge to Bedroom connection is a little weak.
Note again that this is static view. Refresh it from time to time because you may see some changes. If there are changes, take notes because you may find correlations with time of day or activities in or near your home.
Moving Bridge a few inches may make a difference.
thank you for deciphering it for me. Bedroom hasnt got connectivity problems (its a newer product) so Ill try as you suggest plus tinkering with the location of the bridge as much as I can.
Brucie
Hello again everyone!
Summary of my system: I have a small system (2x Play 1 and a Play 5 (1st Gen)) and use S1 controller all connected to wifi. Recently the Play 5 has been dropping out so I bought a second hand bridge for £2 to see if I could use this to boost the signal for the Play 5 - thanks for all your help (above) in connecting it.
However, Im back. The bridge wasnt cutting it, so I bit the bullet and forked out for a boost. I had to downgrade it to get it to work with the Play 5.
Boost is now connected to my router, but I was still getting drop out on the Play 5. Since I now have a spare Bridge I tried to set this up as wireless in between the Boost and Play 5 as I read somewhere that this could help with the signal. However, as soon as I disconnect the ethernet cable to the bridge to move it to be between Boost and Play 5, it is no longer showing on the system as connected (just as Bridge, with no info, and then this morning it had disappeared completely).
Im playing around with the sonos/wifi channel combinations..
Heres a screen shot of the Network Matrix with both wifi and sonos on channel 11 for example, it does seem to vary but what seems consistent is the matrix Boost: Big One (Play 5) is always green, whereas with the bridge it was yellow or orange.
The undefined column (grey) is I assume the bridge which isnt doing anything at present.
However, when I switched to Sonos channel 1 and wifi channel 11, the bridge appeared! However, I dont think its actually doing anything - would someone who knows more than me be able to confirm this? Is it going to be better to remove the bridge? * note, it now seems to be a feature on wifi channel 1 as well...odd?
Im going to keep playing around with the channel combos - is this worth doing since the matrix isnt static and it DOES indeed vary alot?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Brucie
You can remove the Bridge as its not doing anything.
You want your WiFi and SonosNet to be on different channels. You can also limit your routers 2.4GHz band to 20MHz
From the first matrix, Id keep SonosNet on channel 11, and try your router on channel 1 or 6.
Hi there Mr T.
Thanks for your quick response. I notice that the Bridge sometimes has a slightly better inbound signal strength to the Big One (Play 5) than the Boost - maybe by 5 or 7. Can you force the Play 5 to use the bridge? Or would that not really make any difference? Would removing the bridge help with the boosts signal (sorry for if these questions are dumb, Im not an expert clearly!)
As Im cycling though the channels Im seeing that the Bridge and Play 5 (Big One) are always on OFDM signal level 3 but the Boost does vary, but does cut out even when OFDM is 0 or 1.
Im on a BT Hub which Ive been told defaults to 20MHz at 2.4GHz.
Sonos 11 and wifi 1 seemed to give the best signal strength on the Boost although it was pretty variable and not as good as 11 and 11.
thanks again for your input
Brucie
Hi there Mr T.
Thanks for your quick response. I notice that the Bridge sometimes has a slightly better inbound signal strength to the Big One (Play 5) than the Boost - maybe by 5 or 7. Can you force the Play 5 to use the bridge? Or would that not really make any difference? Would removing the bridge help with the boosts signal (sorry for if these questions are dumb, Im not an expert clearly!)
As Im cycling though the channels Im seeing that the Bridge and Play 5 (Big One) are always on OFDM signal level 3 but the Boost does vary, but does cut out even when OFDM is 0 or 1.
Im on a BT Hub which Ive been told defaults to 20MHz at 2.4GHz.
Sonos 11 and wifi 1 seemed to give the best signal strength on the Boost although it was pretty variable and not as good as 11 and 11.
thanks again for your input
Brucie
Im not an expert either but from the matrix the Bridge is only connecting to your Boost. It is not doing anything to enhance the communication to your actual speakers. The only inbound/outbound matrix labels you should be concerned about are the coloured ones. The grey ones are not paths being used. Also Sonos will look to minimise wireless hops, so unlikely your speakers would connect to a wireless Bridge, unless there was a considerable distance between the speakers and the wired Boost, which is not the case.
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