Sonos ZoneBridge BR100 makes appearance in FCC

Sonos fans, there's a new box in the FCC for you. Well, not really FOR you, it's got confidentiality agreements all plastered all over any truly useful information, but we do have the above image, and know it's called the ZoneBridge BR100. Since we don't yet know for sure what exactly it does, we're going to take a wild guess and peg this as some kind of low cost box with no audio hardware which is intended to plug into your network, thus bridging to the Sonos's proprietary mesh wireless network so you don't have to keep a more expensive ZonePlayer box close to your router or nearest Ethernet connection. If indeed that's what it is, we'll take it!

[ChrisM @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:14AM]

I could use this. All of my zone players are in the basement, while the speakers are on the first floor. All of the ductwork and whatnot blocks the wireless signal to the controller. Until now, Sonos' solution was to wire an additional Zone Player ($350) to your router to extend the wireless network. This is the perfect solution, as long as it's priced right.

[TrikinCurt @ Oct 3rd 2007 9:56AM]

That is exactly what it is. $99, shipping 10/23.

[Olivier MARIAN @ Oct 3rd 2007 11:28AM]

Yes it's probably (hope so) what has been asked for so long by many users: a wifi signal repeater.
The idea is for instance if you have a centralised installation in you rhome, with multiple rooms speakers wired to one room in your basement, you currectnly need to use a zoneplayer somewhere in your house to receive and transmit information to the controller (which would probably not reach the wifi signal of the Zoneplayers in the basement). It means paying for a Zoneplayer that is only used as a signal repeater.
With this new item, you will hopefully pay less for something that is only a wifi access point dedicated to the sonos network.
Can't wait to have one ! (yes it's for lucky ones that have big houses and big audio installation, sorry I'm lucky to face these problems !)

[SuperQ @ Oct 3rd 2007 11:33AM]

Nice, or you could just get a SqueezeBox that uses normal 11g for $300, and has a display on it.

[aktif8 @ Oct 3rd 2007 11:44AM]

the other solution (what i've been doing) is to use an airport express (or the like,) as a bridge, and then you're able to put the "hardwired" zoneplayer where you actually wanted it in the firstplace. In terms of usability, the end result is exactly the same, plus, you then have extended wireless range in that area, not just extended mesh network range. Only downside is that sonos doesn't officially "support" this solution - meaning, no tech support calls. since i've never needed to call them, don't see much of a downside.

[Jeffrey @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:30PM]

Forget using an Airport Express, use Meraki. You can get three repeaters for the price of one AE.

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[TrikinCurt @ Oct 3rd 2007 1:20PM]

Perhaps I spoke too soon on the details, there isn't an official price/release date yet, but it certainly sounds like it will make a lot of installs easier.

[Richard @ Oct 5th 2007 6:53AM]

What annoys me with sonos, is that there is no information on the network, Its known that they use standard wifi chipsets, so chances are there is an easy exploit for it unless everything is using some fancy private keys or similar.

The lack of ability for the remotes to use an existing house wide WPA-PSK network and wanting me to deploy their own proprietary one with no good reason other then "its a mesh" is really inexcusable to me.

if this is just a bridge to their wireless network and nothing more, then call me disappointed.