[Bug] Network: no connection if the SSID is hidden and data is manually entered.

[mmattel]

Platform

ESP8266

Assembly

I did the assebly by myself

nRF24L01+ Module

nRF24L01+ plus

Antenna

external antenna

Power Stabilization

Elko (~100uF)

Connection picture

• I will attach/upload an Image of my wiring

Version

0.6.9 (stable) and 0.7.2 (dev)

Github Hash

abc

Build & Flash Method

AhoyDTU Webinstaller

Setup

Not relevant as it is a Network / SSID issue.

Debug Serial Log output

scanning APs with SSID xyz
reconnect in 3 seconds
reconnect in 2 seconds
reconnect in 1 seconds
scanning APs with SSID xyz
...

Error description

The SW runs fine, I get data from the HM-800, BUT

When setting up the network, it will not connect to it. Using both versions which show the same behaviour, I found out the following:

• When the SSID is open (not hidden), you can scan and select it + pwd or manually add the data and the connection is set up. I tested this via my iPhone via providing a hotspot and got a connection.
• When manually defining the SSID + pwd because the network is hidden, no connection can be established. This is also shown in the console.

Possible solution

• Either connect the configured NW if hidden and not found when configured manually anyway, or
• add a checkmark to configure that the NW is hidden to pass scanning before connecting.

[lumapu]

can you try the latest version which was uploaded some seconds ago

[mmattel]

I did, this comes from the log:

try to connect to AP with BSSID: b4 14 89 83 5b 90
reconnect in 19 seconds
reconnect in 18 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 17 seconds
reconnect in 16 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 15 seconds
reconnect in 14 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 13 seconds
reconnect in 12 seconds
reconnect in 11 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 10 seconds
reconnect in 9 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 8 seconds
reconnect in 7 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 6 seconds
reconnect in 5 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 4 seconds
reconnect in 3 seconds
reconnect in 2 seconds
I: connectionEvent
reconnect in 1 seconds
reconnect in 0 seconds
try to connect to AP with BSSID: f0 51 36 42 87 13
reconnect in 19 seconds

[mmattel]

Note that the following:

• The WLAN pwd used is working because I fully removed another client from the network and added it back manually typing all the required data. (just to be sure not to mistype the pwd...)
• The first MAC addresses printed in BSSID (b4 14 89 83 5b 90) is the correct one of the access point. The others printed like (f0 51 36 42 87 13) are not.

From my Windows notebook, maybe this holds additional valuable info:

netsh wlan show interfaces

There is 1 interface on the system:

    Name                   : WLAN
    Description            : Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
    GUID                   : 2a0fb744-cfc2-4a23-b939-cd449f74b344
    Physical address       : 48:f1:7f:74:1f:8f
    State                  : connected
    SSID                   : xyz
    BSSID                  : b4:14:89:83:5b:90
    Network type           : Infrastructure
    Radio type             : 802.11n
    Authentication         : WPA2-Personal
    Cipher                 : CCMP
    Connection mode        : Auto Connect
    Channel                : 13
    Receive rate (Mbps)    : 144.4
    Transmit rate (Mbps)   : 144.4
    Signal                 : 97%
    Profile                : xyz

Whats wondering me is, that the try to connect to AP with BSSID is not locked to the correct BSSID but seems to rotate including the non hidden networks.

[lumapu]

so I've to dig deeper into this. First I need to setup a hidden WiFi on my side 😅. I hope to fix this soon.

[stefan123t]

@lumapu this may have to do with the 802.11 k/r/v Standards. You know I like the s in Standards 😉

Here are the links to the documentation for roaming 802.11k and management 802.11v collectively known as "Mesh Steering"
tbnobody/OpenDTU#2202 (comment)

Actually both 802.11k and 802.11r are necessary for seamless Basic Service Set (BSS) transitions aka roaming:

802.11k Basic Service Set (BSS) transitions: IEEE 802.11k-2008
802.11r Fast BSS Transition (FT): IEEE 802.11r-2008 or fast BSS transition (FT)
802.11v Wireless Network Management: IEEE 802.11v-2011