Hey @GalaxyGlider,
Thanks for the update! Here’s what we’re seeing from a fresh Roon Server report:
1. ROCK’s ethernet interface (eth0) has no IPv4 address at boot — intermittently
This is the most significant finding. In multiple log sessions (including today’s), eth0 shows SKIPPED eth0: no ipv4 at startup, meaning ROCK has no network interface when it first starts up. It then appears to acquire 192.168.1.224 via DHCP shortly after, but the boot-time failure cascades into a storm of NetworkUnreachable errors against Roon Labs servers, Qobuz, and Dropbox within the first ~25 seconds. This can leave internal state partially initialized, which likely contributes to the degrading performance over time.
2. Recurring Sonos device instability
Multiple Sonos devices are repeatedly appearing in and out of the VanishedDevices list with Reason=“UNKNOWN” throughout the day. At 09:00 UTC, nearly the entire Sonos fleet (Wohnzimmer, Arbeitszimmer, Junior-Zimmer, Sub) vanished simultaneously — all reporting UNKNOWN reason, which indicates a Wi-Fi dropout or mesh network instability event rather than normal device sleep. The Sonos Play (Move 2’s companion device) also cycles between sleeping and powered-off states.
3. Mixed Sonos firmware versions
Your Sonos fleet is running two different firmware generations simultaneously: 94.1 (Arbeitszimmer, Wohnzimmer, Play/Move 2) and the significantly older 86.6 (Junior-Zimmer ×2, Sub). The 86.6 units have a MinCompatibleVersion of 85.0, while the 94.1 units require 93.0 minimum — these generations cannot be grouped together, which may also be causing coordination issues.
With this in mind, here are some next steps in troubleshooting:
Fix the ROCK DHCP/IP address instability
- Assign ROCK a static IP (or a DHCP reservation by MAC address) in your Swisscom Internet-Box router. ROCK's MAC is on the
eth0 interface — you can find it in the ROCK web UI at http://rock.local under Network. This will also eliminate any chance of ROCK's IP changing between sessions.
- After setting a reservation, reboot ROCK
Update all Sonos devices to the same firmware generation
In the Sonos app, go to Settings → System → System Updates and force-update all speakers. The 86.6 → 94.1 jump is significant and may resolve coordination and buffering issues with those specific zones.
Investigate the 09:00 mass-vanish event
Every day around 09:00 local time, your Sonos mesh collapses (all devices go to VanishedDevices with Reason=UNKNOWN simultaneously). This is not normal sleep behavior — it suggests a mesh Wi-Fi channel change, DHCP renewal event, or router reboot happening on a schedule. Check your Swisscom Internet-Box settings for any scheduled maintenance windows, automatic channel optimization, or DHCP lease renewal timers that fire around that time.
Isolate the Sonos Play zone as the primary offender
Battery-powered Sonos devices on Wi-Fi are known to have more aggressive sleep/wake behavior that can cause buffering issues in Roon. Try:
- Setting the Sonos Play to never sleep automatically while docked or in use (in Sonos app settings)
- As a test, remove the Sonos Play zone from any active Roon groups and check if the buffering issues persist on other zones
Lastly,
Check the two-cable network topology
The description mentions ROCK is connected with two cables — one to the mesh router and one to a network switch to the main router. This dual-connection setup risks a network loop or asymmetric routing. Confirm that only one cable is active at a time, or that the switch is properly configured to avoid a bridging loop, as this could cause intermittent packet loss that worsens over time.
Thank you! 
