ESP32/ESP8266 WiFi setup - what are the rules?

[davefes]

I have making making STA_active before doing any configuration. Just on the off-chance that all my work-arounds to achieve reliable WiFi have been to no benefit ... should one do any configuration, ie setting a static IP before or after making the interface ACTIVE.

Hopefully, the preferred approach is valid for all ESP32 variants AND for the ESP8266, but if not please state the difference(s).

Thanks heaps,
Dave

[peterhinch]

I use this script to connect on ESPx, Pyboard D, Pico W...

def do_connect():
    import network
    sta_if = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
    ap = network.WLAN(network.AP_IF) # create access-point interface
    ap.active(False)         # deactivate the interface
    if not sta_if.isconnected():
        print('connecting to network...')
        sta_if.active(True)
        sta_if.connect('SSID', 'PASSWORD')  # EDIT here
        while not sta_if.isconnected():
            pass
    print('network config:', sta_if.ifconfig())
    a = sta_if.config('mac')
    print('MAC {:02x}:{:02x}:{:02x}:{:02x}:{:02x}'.format(a[0],a[1],a[2],a[3],a[4]))

[davefes]

Thanks Peter. I am more concerned about when one should do any configuration:

if not sta_if.isconnected():
        print('connecting to hotspot...')
        sta_if.active(True)
        utime.sleep(.5)
        sta_if.ifconfig((config.WiFi_device, '255.255.255.0', config.gateway, '8.8.8.8'))

        try:
            sta_if.connect(config.hotspot, config.password)
        except OSError as error:
            try:
                with open('errors.txt', 'a') as outfile:
                    outfile.write(error + '\n')
            except OSError:
                pass

ie, setting a static IP. I had to put that 0.5 second sleep in there to stop crashes, but it has been suggested that maybe configuration should be done before making it active. There must be a proper sequence for doing these operations.

[Leo5126]

Hi,

Maybe this helps you a bit. I have written a short class to handle the connection with a wifi. Im working with this class on an esp32. It first connects through dhcp and then you can reset the IP-Address you've got to the address you want to have:

import network

class Esp32_wifi:
    
    # Constructor
    def __init__(self, ssid: str, ssid_password: str):
        # handover arguments to atributes
        self.__ssid = ssid
        self.__password = ssid_password

        #create instance of wifi
        self.station = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)

        # initialize instance atributes
        self.__ipAddress = ""
        self.__netmask = ""
        self.__gateway = ""
        self.__dns = ""

    # Connect to an existing WIFI
    def connect(self,_IP='0', _netmask='0', _gateway='0', _dns='0'):

        #switch wifi on and handover ssid & password
        self.station.active(True)
        self.station.connect(self.__ssid, self.__password)
        
        # Wait until connection is made
        while self.station.isconnected() == False:
          print('Wait WIFI Connection...')
          pass
          
        #succesfully connected
        print('Connection successful')

        self.setNetworkParam(_IP,_netmask,_gateway,_dns)

        #return connection status
        return self.station.isconnected()

    def _getParam(self):
        """Method returns current wifi parameters"""
        self.__ipAddress, self.__netmask, self.__gateway, self.__dns = self.station.ifconfig()
        return self.station.isconnected()
        
    
    def setNetworkParam(self, _IP ='0', _netmask='0', _gateway='0', _dns='0'):
        """Through this method you can set new parameters after connected to wifi"""
        self._getParam()
        
        if _IP == '0':
            _IP = self.__ipAddress
        
        if _netmask == '0':
            _netmask = self.__netmask

        if _gateway == '0':
            _gateway = self.__gateway

        if _dns == '0':
            _dns = self.__dns

        self.station.ifconfig((_IP,_netmask,_gateway,_dns))

        self._getParam()

    #function to switch wifi off
    def disconnect(self):
        return self.station.active(False)

    @property
    def ipAddress(self):
        return self.__ipAddress
    
    @property
    def netmask(self):
        return self.__netmask

    @property
    def gateway(self):
        return self.__gateway

    @property
    def dns(self):
        return self.__dns

[davefes]

Leo5126,
Unfortunately, I don't see any configuration of the interface happening. During the development of this code did you run across any errors during the connection process?

https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/esp32/quickref.html
and

ap = network.WLAN(network.AP_IF) # create access-point interface
ap.config(ssid='ESP-AP') # set the SSID of the access point
ap.config(max_clients=10) # set how many clients can connect to the network
ap.active(True)         # activate the interface

shows configuration happening before making the interface active. A comment on the old forum stated: "make active before configuration", which guided my actions.

I will play with the example in the docs and see what new errors I can generate :)

[Leo5126]

hi @davefes

Sorry I've got you wrong, i thought you just wan't to connect to a wifi and not that you want to make an access point.

Best of luck with the example ;)