feat(wifi): Enable bss max idle support on all chips

- Fix issues in Max Idle period negotiation and protected keep alive
- Add BSS Max Idle config in SoftAP config and create a feature flag
- Add a unit test case to test both STA and SoftAP implementation

Author: Sajia96

components/esp_rom/esp32c2/ld/esp32c2.rom.eco4.ld

@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ ieee80211_deauth_construct = 0x40002040;
 ieee80211_disassoc_construct = 0x40002044;
 //ieee80211_add_xrates = 0x40002058;
 //ieee80211_assoc_req_construct = 0x40002060;
-ieee80211_assoc_resp_construct = 0x40002064;
+//ieee80211_assoc_resp_construct = 0x40002064;
 //ieee80211_timer_process = 0x4000208c;
 cnx_coexist_timeout = 0x40002090;
 //sta_recv_mgmt = 0x40002094;

components/esp_rom/esp32c5/ld/esp32c5.rom.pp.ld

@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ ppDisableQueue = 0x40000ed4;
 ppCalVHTDeliNum = 0x40000ed8;
 ppCalTxVHTSMPDULength = 0x40000edc;
 ppCheckTxRTS = 0x40000ee0;
-ppProcessLifeTime = 0x40000ee4;
+/*ppProcessLifeTime = 0x40000ee4;*/
 ppProcTxCallback = 0x40000ee8;
 ppCalPreFecPaddingFactor = 0x40000eec;
 ppCalDeliNum = 0x40000ef0;

components/esp_rom/esp32c61/ld/esp32c61.rom.pp.ld

@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ ppMapWaitTxq = 0x40000e44;
 ppProcessWaitingQueue = 0x40000e48;
 ppDisableQueue = 0x40000e4c;
 ppCheckTxRTS = 0x40000e50;
-ppProcessLifeTime = 0x40000e54;
+/*ppProcessLifeTime = 0x40000e54;*/
 ppProcTxCallback = 0x40000e58;
 ppCalPreFecPaddingFactor = 0x40000e5c;
 ppCalDeliNum = 0x40000e60;

components/esp_wifi/Kconfig

@@ -363,14 +363,24 @@ menu "Wi-Fi"
                 during this period, the time will be refreshed. If the time is up, but the station still has packets
                 to receive or send, the time will also be refreshed. unit: milliseconds.
 
+        config ESP_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT
+            bool "Enable bss max idle support"
+            default y if (SOC_WIFI_HE_SUPPORT || ESP_WIFI_WNM_SUPPORT)
+            help
+                Enables bss max idle support for Station and SoftAP. BSS max idle period enables an SoftAP to indicate
+                a time period during which the AP does not disassociate a STA due to nonreceipt of frames from the STA.
+                For station, max idle period is default 10 (1000TUs) and can be set through
+                ESP_WIFI_SLP_DEFAULT_MAX_ACTIVE_TIME. For softap, bss max idle parameters will be set through
+                bss_max_idle_cfg in wifi_ap_config_t.
+
         config ESP_WIFI_SLP_DEFAULT_MAX_ACTIVE_TIME
             int "Maximum keep alive time"
             range 10 60
             default 10
             help
-                Only for station in WIFI_PS_MIN_MODEM or WIFI_PS_MAX_MODEM. If no packet has been
-                sent within ESP_WIFI_SLP_DEFAULT_MAX_ACTIVE_TIME, a null data packet will be sent
-                to maintain the connection with the AP. unit: seconds.
+                Only for station. If no packet has been sent within ESP_WIFI_SLP_DEFAULT_MAX_ACTIVE_TIME, a null data
+                packet will be sent to maintain the connection with the AP. If ESP_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT is set,
+                it will be sent as bss max idle period in association request. unit: seconds.
 
         config ESP_WIFI_SLP_DEFAULT_WAIT_BROADCAST_DATA_TIME
             int "Minimum wait broadcast data time"

components/esp_wifi/include/esp_private/esp_wifi_he_private.h

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2024 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -165,21 +165,6 @@ esp_err_t esp_wifi_get_tx_tb_statistics(esp_wifi_aci_t aci, esp_test_tx_tb_stati
 */
 esp_err_t esp_wifi_softap_add_color_change_announcement(uint8_t color);
 
-/**
-* @brief Add bss max idle ie
-*
-* @attention This API should be called after esp_wifi_start().
-*
-* @param[in] bss_max_idle_enable enable bss max idle
-* @param[in] bss_max_idle_period_secs bss max idle period, unit seconds
-* @param[in] protected_keep_alive using protected/unprotected frame to keep alive
-*
-* @return
-*  - ESP_OK: succeed
-*  - others: failed
-*/
-esp_err_t esp_wifi_softap_set_bss_max_idle(bool bss_max_idle_enable, uint16_t bss_max_idle_period_secs, bool protected_keep_alive);
-
 /**
 * @brief Reset MU EDCA Timer
 *

components/esp_wifi/include/esp_wifi.h

@@ -278,6 +278,12 @@ extern wifi_osi_funcs_t g_wifi_osi_funcs;
 #define WIFI_TX_HETB_QUEUE_NUM 1
 #endif
 
+#if CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT
+#define WIFI_ENABLE_BSS_MAX_IDLE (1<<8)
+#else
+#define WIFI_ENABLE_BSS_MAX_IDLE 0
+#endif
+
 #define CONFIG_FEATURE_WPA3_SAE_BIT     (1<<0)
 #define CONFIG_FEATURE_CACHE_TX_BUF_BIT (1<<1)
 #define CONFIG_FEATURE_FTM_INITIATOR_BIT (1<<2)
@@ -286,6 +292,7 @@ extern wifi_osi_funcs_t g_wifi_osi_funcs;
 #define CONFIG_FEATURE_GMAC_BIT (1<<5)
 #define CONFIG_FEATURE_11R_BIT (1<<6)
 #define CONFIG_FEATURE_WIFI_ENT_BIT (1<<7)
+#define CONFIG_FEATURE_BSS_MAX_IDLE_BIT (1<<8)
 
 /* Set additional WiFi features and capabilities */
 #define WIFI_FEATURE_CAPS (WIFI_ENABLE_WPA3_SAE | \
@@ -295,7 +302,8 @@ extern wifi_osi_funcs_t g_wifi_osi_funcs;
                            WIFI_ENABLE_GCMP | \
                            WIFI_ENABLE_GMAC | \
                            WIFI_ENABLE_11R  | \
-                           WIFI_ENABLE_ENTERPRISE)
+                           WIFI_ENABLE_ENTERPRISE | \
+                           WIFI_ENABLE_BSS_MAX_IDLE)
 
 #define WIFI_INIT_CONFIG_DEFAULT() { \
     .osi_funcs = &g_wifi_osi_funcs, \

components/esp_wifi/include/esp_wifi_types_generic.h

@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+#define WIFI_AP_DEFAULT_MAX_IDLE_PERIOD  292 /**< Default timeout for SoftAP BSS Max Idle. Unit: 1000TUs >**/
+
 /**
   * @brief Wi-Fi mode type
   */
@@ -507,6 +509,14 @@ typedef enum {
     WPA3_SAE_PK_MODE_DISABLED = 2,
 } wifi_sae_pk_mode_t;
 
+/**
+  * @brief Configuration structure for BSS max idle
+  */
+typedef struct {
+    uint16_t period;                /**< Sets BSS Max idle period (1 Unit = 1000TUs OR 1.024 Seconds). If there are no frames for this period from a STA, SoftAP will disassociate due to inactivity. Setting it to 0 disables the feature */
+    bool protected_keep_alive;      /**< Requires clients to use protected keep alive frames for BSS Max Idle period */
+} wifi_bss_max_idle_config_t;
+
 /**
   * @brief Soft-AP configuration settings for the device
   */
@@ -527,6 +537,7 @@ typedef struct {
     wifi_sae_pwe_method_t sae_pwe_h2e;        /**< Configuration for SAE PWE derivation method */
     uint8_t transition_disable;               /**< Whether to enable transition disable feature */
     uint8_t sae_ext;                          /**< Enable SAE EXT feature. SOC_GCMP_SUPPORT is required for this feature. */
+    wifi_bss_max_idle_config_t bss_max_idle_cfg;  /**< Configuration for bss max idle, effective if CONFIG_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT is enabled */
 } wifi_ap_config_t;
 
 #define SAE_H2E_IDENTIFIER_LEN 32    /**< Length of the password identifier for H2E */

components/esp_wifi/lib

@@ -0,0 +1,242 @@
+/*
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense OR CC0-1.0
+ */
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT
+
+#include <string.h>
+#include "unity.h"
+#include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h"
+#include "freertos/task.h"
+#include "esp_wifi.h"
+#include "esp_event.h"
+#include "esp_log.h"
+#include "test_utils.h"
+#include "freertos/event_groups.h"
+#include "unity_test_utils.h"
+#include "esp_private/wifi.h"
+
+#ifdef __CHECKER__
+#define __force __attribute__((force))
+#define __bitwise __attribute__((bitwise))
+#else
+#define __force
+#define __bitwise
+#endif
+
+#if defined(__linux__) || defined(__GLIBC__)
+#include <endian.h>
+#include <byteswap.h>
+#else
+#include <machine/endian.h>
+#define __BYTE_ORDER     BYTE_ORDER
+#define __LITTLE_ENDIAN  LITTLE_ENDIAN
+#endif /* __linux__ */
+#ifndef __BYTE_ORDER
+#ifndef __LITTLE_ENDIAN
+#define __LITTLE_ENDIAN 1234
+#endif
+#endif
+
+typedef uint16_t u16;
+typedef uint8_t u8;
+typedef u16 __bitwise be16;
+
+#define host_to_be16(n) ((__force be16) __builtin_bswap16((n)))
+
+#ifndef TEST_SUFFIX_STR
+#define TEST_SUFFIX_STR "_0000"
+#endif
+
+#define TEST_DEFAULT_SSID "SSID_" CONFIG_IDF_TARGET TEST_SUFFIX_STR
+#define TEST_DEFAULT_PWD "PASS_" CONFIG_IDF_TARGET TEST_SUFFIX_STR
+#define TEST_DEFAULT_CHANNEL (6)
+#define CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS   (8000)
+#define MAXIMUM_RETRY (5)
+
+#define WIFI_DISCONNECT_EVENT    (1)
+#define WIFI_STA_CONNECTED       (1<<1)
+#define WIFI_AP_STA_CONNECTED    (1<<2)
+#define WIFI_FAIL                (1<<3)
+#define EMPH_STR(s) "****** "s" ******"
+
+#define MAX_IDLE_PERIOD      (5)
+#define ETHTYPE_IP            0x0800
+
+static const char* TAG = "test_bss_max_idle";
+
+static bool s_sta_conn_first = false;
+static bool s_keep_alive_received = false;
+static int s_retry_num = 0;
+static EventGroupHandle_t wifi_events;
+
+struct eth_header {
+    u8 dest_mac[6];
+    u8 src_mac[6];
+    be16 ethertype;
+};
+
+static esp_err_t wifi_ap_receive_test(void *buffer, uint16_t len, void *eb)
+{
+    struct eth_header *pac = (struct eth_header *)buffer;
+    if ((host_to_be16(pac->ethertype) == ETHTYPE_IP) && (len < 48)) {
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "KEEP ALIVE RECEIVED");
+        s_keep_alive_received = true;
+        esp_wifi_deauth_sta(0);
+    }
+    esp_wifi_internal_free_rx_buffer(eb);
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
+static void wifi_event_handler(void* arg, esp_event_base_t event_base, int32_t event_id, void* event_data)
+{
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "wifi event handler: %"PRIi32, event_id);
+    switch (event_id) {
+    case WIFI_EVENT_AP_START:
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "WIFI_EVENT_AP_START");
+        esp_wifi_internal_reg_rxcb(WIFI_IF_AP, wifi_ap_receive_test);
+        break;
+    case WIFI_EVENT_STA_START:
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "WIFI_EVENT_STA_START");
+        break;
+    case WIFI_EVENT_AP_STACONNECTED:
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Wi-Fi AP got a station connected");
+        break;
+    case WIFI_EVENT_STA_CONNECTED:
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "WIFI_EVENT_STA_CONNECTED");
+        if (wifi_events) {
+            xEventGroupSetBits(wifi_events, WIFI_STA_CONNECTED);
+            s_sta_conn_first = true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case WIFI_EVENT_STA_DISCONNECTED:
+        if ((s_retry_num < MAXIMUM_RETRY) && !s_sta_conn_first) {
+            esp_wifi_connect();
+            s_retry_num++;
+            ESP_LOGI(TAG, "retry to connect to AP");
+        } else {
+            xEventGroupSetBits(wifi_events, WIFI_DISCONNECT_EVENT);
+            ESP_LOGI(TAG, "WIFI_EVENT_STA_DISCONNECTED");
+            wifi_event_sta_disconnected_t *event = (wifi_event_sta_disconnected_t *)event_data;
+            ESP_LOGI(TAG, "disconnect reason: %u", event->reason);
+        }
+        break;
+    default:
+        break;
+    }
+    return;
+}
+
+static esp_err_t event_init(void)
+{
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_event_loop_create_default());
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_event_handler_register(WIFI_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &wifi_event_handler, NULL));
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
+static esp_err_t event_deinit(void)
+{
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_event_handler_unregister(WIFI_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &wifi_event_handler));
+    ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_event_loop_delete_default());
+    return ESP_OK;
+}
+
+static void start_wifi_as_softap(void)
+{
+    wifi_config_t w_config = {
+        .ap.ssid = TEST_DEFAULT_SSID,
+        .ap.password = TEST_DEFAULT_PWD,
+        .ap.ssid_len = strlen(TEST_DEFAULT_SSID),
+           .ap.channel = TEST_DEFAULT_CHANNEL,
+           .ap.authmode = WIFI_AUTH_WPA3_PSK,
+           .ap.ssid_hidden = false,
+           .ap.max_connection = 4,
+           .ap.beacon_interval = 100,
+        .ap.bss_max_idle_cfg = {
+            .period = MAX_IDLE_PERIOD,
+            .protected_keep_alive = true,
+        },
+    };
+    event_init();
+    if (wifi_events == NULL) {
+        wifi_events = xEventGroupCreate();
+    }
+    xEventGroupClearBits(wifi_events, 0x00ffffff);
+
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_set_mode(WIFI_MODE_AP));
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_set_config(WIFI_IF_AP, &w_config));
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_start());
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "start wifi softap: %s", TEST_DEFAULT_SSID);
+}
+
+static void start_wifi_as_sta(void)
+{
+    event_init();
+    if (wifi_events == NULL) {
+        wifi_events = xEventGroupCreate();
+    }
+    xEventGroupClearBits(wifi_events, 0x00ffffff);
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_set_mode(WIFI_MODE_STA));
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_start());
+}
+
+static void stop_wifi(void)
+{
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_stop());
+    event_deinit();
+    if (wifi_events) {
+        vEventGroupDelete(wifi_events);
+        wifi_events = NULL;
+    }
+    vTaskDelay(500 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
+}
+
+static void wifi_connect(void)
+{
+    wifi_config_t w_config = {
+        .sta.ssid = TEST_DEFAULT_SSID,
+        .sta.password = TEST_DEFAULT_PWD,
+        .sta.channel = TEST_DEFAULT_CHANNEL,
+    };
+
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_set_config(WIFI_IF_STA, &w_config));
+    TEST_ESP_OK(esp_wifi_connect());
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "start esp_wifi_connect: %s", TEST_DEFAULT_SSID);
+}
+
+static void test_bss_max_idle_sta(void)
+{
+    start_wifi_as_sta();
+    wifi_connect();
+    // Waiting untill connection est or failed
+    EventBits_t bits = xEventGroupWaitBits(wifi_events,
+                                           WIFI_STA_CONNECTED | WIFI_FAIL,
+                                           pdFALSE,
+                                           pdFALSE,
+                                           portMAX_DELAY);
+    TEST_ASSERT(bits & WIFI_STA_CONNECTED);
+    if (bits != WIFI_FAIL) {
+        bits = xEventGroupWaitBits(wifi_events,
+                                   WIFI_DISCONNECT_EVENT,
+                                   pdFALSE,
+                                   pdFALSE,
+                                   portMAX_DELAY);
+    }
+    stop_wifi();
+}
+
+static void test_bss_max_idle_softap(void)
+{
+    start_wifi_as_softap();
+
+    vTaskDelay((CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS + MAX_IDLE_PERIOD * 1000) / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
+
+    TEST_ASSERT(s_keep_alive_received);
+    stop_wifi();
+}
+
+TEST_CASE_MULTIPLE_DEVICES("Connection with bss max idle enabled", "[wifi][bss max idle]",  test_bss_max_idle_sta, test_bss_max_idle_softap);
+
+#endif /* CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT */

components/esp_wifi/test_apps/wifi_connect/main/test_bss_max_idle.c

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 
 # ignore task watchdog triggered by unity_run_menu
-CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT=n
+CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT_EN=n
+CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_BSS_MAX_IDLE_SUPPORT=y