WiFi implementation of Powernode is broken

Answered
Nathaniel Street

I have a Powernode and two Pulse Flex 2i speakers and have had a horrible experience with the stability if this setup over WiFi. I have zero WiFi issues with any other products (including some Sonos speakers that work flawlessly). My Powernode constantly stops playing music, disappears from the app (I'm using Mac and iOS devices and it's the same for all of them) and drops from Airplay2. The only solution is a reboot of the Powernode. Restarting the Mac/iOS device or the router does nothing.

I have seen numerous other posts in this, and other, forum from people with similar problems - and the universally arrogant replies from Bluesound that always blame the user's network setup.

A week ago I bought a TP Link W802n wireless router and used this to connect my Powernode using the W802n ethernet port. Since then I have had zero issues and the system has been completely stable. Note - this wireless router connects to my WiFi network so the only difference in this setup is that the W802n handles the WiFi connection and not the Powernode.

What does this indicate to me? It shows that the numerous customers (note we are paying for the existence of Bluesound as a company) reporting that Bluesound's handling of WiFi is buggy and unstable are correct. A $30 WiFi router solves all of the problems but is an additional $30 that no customer should have to pay. 

This was my first Bluesound experience and I will not be repeating it. I have had flawless performance from my Sonos equipment and severely regret not sticking with that. The hours of wasted time reading about multicast etc and buying a new router to try and get the Bluesound working have driven me crazy. Bluesound need to listen and accept that they have an issue that they need to fix, not just generically always blame someone else. I expect an equally dismissive and arrogant reply (if any) to this post, which just reflects my now terrible opinion of the company.

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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • Official comment
    Mark T.
    Sr. Support Crew Member

    I've escalated your feedback to a support ticket. A member of our support team will reach out to you soon.

    Thanks for #LivingHiFi

  • Gertjan Withagen

    I have the same problem. Nothing changed in my network, but the Node and Pulsflex don't work anymore.

    0
  • Nathaniel Street

    Hello Nathaniel,
     
    Thank you for contacting the Bluesound Support Crew.
     
    We're sorry that you had this experience, however, as you stated the Player is working as expected. We appreciate your feedback.
     
    I will be marking this ticket as SOLVED.
     
    Thanks for #LivingHiFi.
     
    The Bluesound Support Crew

    Well yes and no. Replacing the Bluesound broken implementation of WiFi means that it now works - but the WiFi implementation remains broken.

    Anyway, the main reason for my post was to share how I managed to overcome the problem in the hope that this might to be useful for someone else.

    0
  • Danvil

    Nathaniel, I just ordered the very same router that you recommended and hope it fixes the pathetic performance of Qobuz on my Powernode. I hope it works for me. I'm not a super techie, so I hope I can get this to stop the horrendous interruptions of music on this Bluesound device. Bluesound support was, "you gotta upgrade to the highest level on Qubuz or it won't work". Yet I can stream 3 videos at the same time without dropping a frame. I have 5 weeks left before I have to return this hyped product. 

    Any ideas on getting it up and running on my Verizon 300 MBPS router is appreciated. 

    0
  • Nathaniel Street

    @Danvil

    I hope it works for you! To set it up I followed the instructions for setting up in client mode 

    As expected, Bluesound ignored my point and asked me to send a load of information about my WiFi network to help find the problem with my network. They did not acknowledge my point, or probably even properly think it through.

    Now some weeks later my setup is still working perfectly and I have had no dropout of the Node, no AirPlay problems etc.

    Bluesound - please think through my point again and make a comment only if it is something other than blaming my network.

    1. I am using the tp-link TL-WR802N router in client mode. This means that I am using the exact same WiFi network that the Node was setup to use. 
    2. The Node is connected using an ethernet cable to the tp-link router running in client mode. The router then acts as an adapter, giving the Node access to the wireless network. Again, that's the same WiFi network - nothing has changed about it.
    3. This works perfectly
    4. Therefore, it's the Node and how it connects to that WiFi network that is the problem.
    5. I do not need to change anything about my WiFi network because this (and all of the other devices I own) work perfectly with that network.
    6. Please DO NOT offer to help diagnose the issue with my network that does not exist. Please DO acknowledge that your product has a problem and escalate that so that a fix can be implemented.
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