Before I go back tomorrow and call Sonos Tech Support, I figured I would post something here.

We installed Sonos in the cusotmer's house about 2 years ago. One ZP90, one BR100 and one ZP120. It was all installed using the Apple Airport Exrpess and Extremes with nor problems.

The customer is going to me running a business out of his house, and he wanted to upgrade to a more robust networking solution. He had his IT guy put in four POE Cisco Aironet Access Points using POE, One Cisco Wireless Controller, one Cisco ASA Router, and one Cisco Managed Switch. I didn't spec it, and I didn't have time to grab the model numbers off the units....sorry.

Basically any computer hardwired into the network can control the Sonos, and the Sonos can grab the music from that computer. Any computer wirelessly cannot control the Sonos, and any iPad, iPhone or iPod touch will not even find any of the Sonos components. Currently I have the ZP120 plugged directly into the Cisco Switch. As long as my laptop is plugged into the switch, i can change what Sonos is doing, and stream music. If I unplug my laptop from the switch, connect to their wireless network, my computer will never see the Sonos. I am going to take back a Sonos Controller tomorrow to see if that works....my guess is that it will.

I tried unplugging the zone-player to get a new IP address, factory restore, and restting the desktop controller and never got it to connect. I also tried bypassing the switch and plugging the ZP120 directly into the Cisco wireless controller and it still didn't work.

With as popular as Sonos and the Cisco Aironet are, I would assume some has ran accros this before? If so, any ideas....

Thanks,

Mike

I've only watched a couple of Sonos installs, but... don't you have to install the Sonos items to the wireless network in order for wireless to have any effect on them?

If someone installed new wireless equipment, access to that network is likely not going to use the same codes as the previous system, so Sonos won't see it. Just my guess. I'd love to know if I'm on the right track because I'm so behind on networking.

Yep, I reset the sonos pieces to factory, so it shouldn't be looking for the old network. My guess is that because it is plugged into a switch and not a Wifi router, it wont work. Their is a router that assigns IP address, then a switch that plugs into the router. My guess is that the ZP120 needs to be plugged into the wireless controller in order to build its own network.

Mike

Sounds right.

Also, resetting the Sonos units to factory resets them to no network, not to the network you're using with the password that secures it.

It sounds like the WiFi is on a different subnet or network. If you correct for this, then the wired PC's will not be able to control.

Ask him to ask his IT guy to clarify it. It may be don on purpose.

The SONOS control will work because it talks on the SONOS net not the WiFi.

+1
This was my first impression/guess also. Sonos creates its own wireless network/mesh, independent of the existing Wi-Fi, so mu initial reaction is that the WiFi is on a different subnet or maybe a guest network?

Unlike most residential/SOHO access points, Cisco APs lock down some protocols by default so my guess is you need to find out what Sonos requires and ask the IT guy to enable it through the access points.

My first guess would be multicast.  Check with Sonos to see if multicast is required, and if so, ask for this to be enabled on the APs (it's disabled by default).

This sounds like the AP's are blocking MULTICAST transmissions. I do not have any experience with those AP's but this is a more common problem occurring with many of the home cable gateways from Cisco too (EPC/DPC/DPQ range).
[Link: sonos.custhelp.com]
You may be out of luck, but it may be configurable on the higher end equipment.

Wow! That's it. I would have guessed separate subnet or managed access restrictions but according to this, that's the problem:

Cisco

- All EPC/DPC/DPQ models

The Sonos Controller for iPhone, iPad, or the Sonos Controller for PC or Mac when attached wirelessly to these routers will not associate or connect to any ZonePlayers. These model routers/residential gateways discard all broadcast and multicast packets to the SSDP destination port (UDP Port 1900). During the association process, the Controller for Mac or PC and the ZonePlayer must communicate over this port per UPnP standard implementation

I tried using Airplay with the customers iPad and his AppleTV...it didn't work. I assume it is an issue with multi-casting, and I have an email into the IT company.

Also, none of the gear is listed as incompatible on Sonos's website.

Mike

Hi Mike,

The fact that Airplay isn't working either backs up my theory that multicast is disabled in the Cisco AP.

The Cisco Aironet APs are much more sophisticated than the consumer routers & access points and have lots of configuration options.  Im my experience, multicast is always disabled by default so once the IT guy gets it turned on Sonos & Airplay should come to life.

Paul

Hey Mike, Did the IT guy get Multicast enaled for you on the Aironet APs yet?

Here's the Deal...The IT guy said that Multi-casting was turned on on each WAP. Still couldn't get Sonos or Airplay to work. After several calls into Cisco, the IT guy finally figured out that the Wireless Controller has an Option to turn on and Off multi-casting for the WLAN. Even though the access points had multi-casting turned on, the controller had multi-casting turn off. The IT guy said this is something new with the latest OS for the controller. Glad I got it running and thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Mike

That's good news... thanks for the update.