BRIDGE_STATUS_SELF_REGISTRATION_FIX

Bridge Status Self-Registration Fix

Issue Reported by @woodlist

Problem: After successfully promoting to bridge via election, the node reports:

I am bridge: YES
Internet available: NO
Known bridges: 0
No primary bridge available! ❌

Root Cause

When a node becomes a bridge (either via initAsBridge() or election promotion), it broadcasts bridge status messages to the mesh network, but it does not add itself to its own knownBridges list.

Why This Happens

1. Node wins election and promotes to bridge ✅
2. Node calls initBridgeStatusBroadcast() ✅
3. Node sends bridge status broadcasts ✅
4. Other nodes receive broadcasts and update their knownBridges ✅
5. Bridge node itself never receives its own broadcast ❌
6. Bridge node's knownBridges remains empty ❌
7. getPrimaryBridge() returns nullptr because list is empty ❌

Code Flow

// When bridge promotes
promoteToBridge() 
  → initAsBridge()
    → initBridgeStatusBroadcast()
      → sendBridgeStatus() // Broadcasts to network
        → sendBroadcast(msg) // Bridge doesn't receive its own broadcasts

The Fix

Changes to src/arduino/wifi.hpp

1. Modified initBridgeStatusBroadcast()

Added self-registration during bridge initialization:

void initBridgeStatusBroadcast() {
    using namespace logger;
    
    if (!this->isBridge() || !this->bridgeStatusBroadcastEnabled) {
      return;
    }
    
    Log(STARTUP, "initBridgeStatusBroadcast(): Setting up bridge status broadcast\n");
    
    // NEW: Register ourselves as a bridge in the knownBridges list
    // This ensures the bridge knows about itself and reports correct status
    this->addTask([this]() {
      bool hasInternet = (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) && 
                         (WiFi.localIP() != IPAddress(0, 0, 0, 0));
      
      this->updateBridgeStatus(
        this->nodeId,               // bridgeNodeId
        hasInternet,                // internetConnected
        WiFi.RSSI(),                // routerRSSI
        WiFi.channel(),             // routerChannel
        millis(),                   // uptime
        WiFi.gatewayIP().toString(),// gatewayIP
        this->getNodeTime()         // timestamp
      );
      
      Log(STARTUP, "initBridgeStatusBroadcast(): Registered self as bridge (nodeId: %u)\n", 
          this->nodeId);
    });
    
    // ... rest of method unchanged
}

2. Modified sendBridgeStatus()

Added self-update before broadcasting:

void sendBridgeStatus() {
    using namespace logger;
    
    if (!this->bridgeStatusBroadcastEnabled) {
      return;
    }
    
    // ... create JSON message ...
    
    bool hasInternet = (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) && 
                       (WiFi.localIP() != IPAddress(0, 0, 0, 0));
    
    int8_t rssi = WiFi.RSSI();
    uint8_t channel = WiFi.channel();
    uint32_t uptime = millis();
    TSTRING gatewayIP = WiFi.gatewayIP().toString();
    
    // ... add to JSON ...
    
    Log(GENERAL, "sendBridgeStatus(): Broadcasting status (Internet: %s)\n",
        hasInternet ? "Connected" : "Disconnected");
    Log(GENERAL, "sendBridgeStatus(): WiFi status=%d, localIP=%s, gatewayIP=%s\n",
        WiFi.status(), WiFi.localIP().toString().c_str(), WiFi.gatewayIP().toString().c_str());
    
    // NEW: Update our own bridge status in knownBridges list
    // This ensures the bridge reports itself correctly when queried
    this->updateBridgeStatus(this->nodeId, hasInternet, rssi, channel, 
                            uptime, gatewayIP, this->getNodeTime());
    
    this->sendBroadcast(msg);
}

Expected Behavior After Fix

Before Fix

--- Bridge Status ---
I am bridge: YES
Internet available: NO
Known bridges: 0
No primary bridge available! ❌
--------------------

After Fix

--- Bridge Status ---
I am bridge: YES
Internet available: NO ⚠️ (May be YES if router has internet)
Known bridges: 1
Primary bridge: 3394043125 (RSSI: -36 dBm) ✅
--------------------

Technical Details

Why Two Registration Points?

1. initBridgeStatusBroadcast() - Initial registration when bridge first starts

   • Ensures bridge is in knownBridges immediately after promotion
   • Provides accurate status for early queries

2. sendBridgeStatus() - Periodic updates

   • Keeps bridge info current in knownBridges
   • Updates RSSI, uptime, internet connectivity dynamically
   • Ensures consistency between broadcast and local state

Internet Connectivity

The "Internet available: NO" in @woodlist's log may be accurate depending on:

• Router has active internet connection
• DHCP has assigned valid IP address (not 0.0.0.0)
• WiFi.localIP() returns valid address

Check with:

Log(GENERAL, "sendBridgeStatus(): WiFi status=%d, localIP=%s, gatewayIP=%s\n",
    WiFi.status(), WiFi.localIP().toString().c_str(), WiFi.gatewayIP().toString().c_str());

This log line was present in the code but not visible in the serial output @woodlist provided.

Impact

Fixed Issues

✅ Bridge nodes now correctly report themselves in knownBridges
✅ getPrimaryBridge() returns valid bridge pointer for bridge nodes
✅ Bridge status displays accurately show "Known bridges: 1" minimum
✅ Regular nodes can immediately discover newly promoted bridges

Backward Compatibility

✅ No breaking changes to existing API
✅ Compatible with existing bridge setups
✅ Works with both manual initAsBridge() and election-based promotion
✅ Multi-bridge configurations continue to function normally

Testing

Manual Test Procedure

1. Flash bridge_failover example to ESP32/ESP8266
2. Start all nodes without pre-configured bridge
3. Wait for 60-second grace period
4. Observe election and promotion
5. Check bridge status output

Expected to see:

• "Known bridges: 1" or more
• Valid primary bridge with node ID and RSSI
• No "No primary bridge available!" error

Unit Tests

Existing tests in test/catch/catch_diagnostics_api.cpp verify:

• updateBridgeStatus() adds bridges correctly
• getPrimaryBridge() returns correct bridge based on RSSI/health
• Bridge tracking and health monitoring work as expected

Files Modified

• src/arduino/wifi.hpp
  • initBridgeStatusBroadcast() - Added self-registration
  • sendBridgeStatus() - Added periodic self-update

Related Issues

• Fixes "No primary bridge available" on bridge nodes
• Related to bridge election feature (v1.8.6)
• Complements bridge failover implementation

Credits

Reported by: @woodlist
Analysis: GitHub Copilot
Fix: Self-registration pattern for bridge tracking

---

Version: To be included in v1.8.7+
Date: November 12, 2025
Status: Implementation complete, pending testing