Embodiments described herein involve facilitating playback in a media playback system that includes a first media device and a second media device. An example implementation involves comparing one or more first network performance metrics corresponding to a network interface of the first media device to one or more second network performance metrics corresponding to a network interface of the second media device, wherein the comparison indicates that the first media device has a better network connection than the second media device. Based on the comparison, the first media device is configured to forward data indicating audio content from a network source to the second media device to facilitate playback of the audio content by the second media device. The second media device plays back particular audio content via one or more speakers by receiving data indicating the particular audio content from the first media device.