I use a Squeezebox Touch (SBT) for a Roon endpoint in a headphone setup. Currently, the SBT is connected to the network via wifi. The SBT periodically loses connection to the network and must be rebooted to re-estabilsh a connection, so I’m thinking of running ethernet to it in hopes of resolving this issue (dropping wifi seems to be a somewhat common issue with Squeezeboxes).
I’m not well versed on network setup, so I’d like to know if this connection setup will work;
Router > unmanaged switch #1 > unmanaged switch #2 > SBT (as well as a TV and Roku device at the same location)
Can you link one switch after another like this? Will switching from wifi to ethernet likely solve my connection issue with the SBT?
I hope to get an idea how well this would worked before spending $200 to run ethernet to the SBT location.
Btw, I figured if I’m going through the trouble of running ethernet to the SBT location, I might as well also connect the TV and Roku, both currently on wifi, that are located at the same location, hence the second switch.
Are you also of the opinion using ethernet instead would resolved the connection issue? Other than the SBT losing network connection periodically, it works well and sounds great. Interestingly, it’s never lost connection during a listening session; perhaps just a coincidence.
Most probably. I only used my touch when I had one using Ethernet worked fine all the time. As it’s on old tech it’s more susceptible to interference from all your neighbours WiFi and WiFi devices on the 2.4ghz band which is overcrowded in most cases.
Though not impossible, a direct connection to the router would complicate running ethernet to the SBT location, hence my question about adding a second switch.
You will just be reliant on the other switch for it to get network so as Menzies pointed out it’s more a redundancy thing to have a switch with its own direct feed from the router. I have 5 switch’s in my setup one master switch off the router that then feeds and powers all the others and all my wireless access points. But if this main switch went down I am without network everywhere. But if the othe switched go down it only affects that room.
That’s my understanding from the research I did on the issue. It probably also explains why the issue seems somewhat random. It may go a week or more without losing connection, or it may only go a day.
Chaining one switch after another is done all the time. No adverse affects done’ worry about it. For decades, I have 1 internet feed that goes into a switch that then feeds multiple other switches in all the other rooms of the house.
A most definite YES it will work. Speaking from first hand experience since I have two Squeezebox Touches connected exactly in this fashion (even down to the headphone setup, TV and Roku at one of the two locations ):
Router > unmanaged switch #1 > unmanaged switch #2 > SBT (as well as a TV and Roku device at the same location)
Great! Once you get everything up and working correctly it will be time to talk about installing the EDO (enhanced digital output) plugin on the Squeezebox Touch.
I remember that subject coming up when I was discussing using my SBT in a new headphone setup (I was shopping for headphones and a headphone amp). At the time I decided the analog output performance of the SBT was fine and bought a headphone amp with just analog inputs, a JDS Labs Atom+. I also bought Drop - Dan Clark Aeon X closed headphones. So far I’ve been thrilled with the SQ of this setup.
If later I decide to get a new headphone amp or add an external DAC, I’ll certainly revisit the EDO option on the SBT.
The Squeezebox Touch and the Transporter were both praised for the sound quality of their analog output. At the time of their introduction and throughout most of their lifecycle stand alone DACs were just beginning to become widely available so the analog output of a given digital device was very useful and important.
I still have 4 Squeezebox Touches in use, 3 use digital output and 1 uses the analog output. All four have the EDO plugin installed and all four work and sound great.
The SBT is a great device that was priced well. My only real complaint is the glitchy display; sometimes the clock works, sometimes not. Same with the Now Playing screen; sometimes it displays, sometimes not. Since I don’t usually interact with the screen, this isn’t a big issue for me. Fortunately, this doesn’t affect actual playing of music.
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