Pico W WiFi Connection & Internet Test Suite by Mario The Maker

A comprehensive MicroPython script for Raspberry Pi Pico W that connects to WiFi and performs thorough internet connectivity testing with bandwidth estimation.

🚀 Features

• Hardware Detection: Automatically detects if you're using a Pico W or standard Pico
• WiFi Connection: Robust WiFi connection with detailed status reporting
• Internet Testing: Multi-layered connectivity tests including DNS, HTTP, and server reachability
• Speed Testing: Bandwidth estimation and latency measurements
• Network Scanning: Scan and display available WiFi networks with signal strength
• System Information: Display hardware and memory information
• Comprehensive Reporting: Detailed test results with performance ratings

📋 Requirements

Hardware

• Raspberry Pi Pico W (WiFi-enabled version)
• USB cable for programming
• Access to a WiFi network

Software

• MicroPython v1.19+ (tested on v1.25.0)
• Any MicroPython-compatible IDE (Thonny, VS Code with Pico extension, etc.)

🔧 Installation

1. Flash MicroPython to Pico W

1. Download the latest MicroPython firmware for Pico W from micropython.org
2. Hold the BOOTSEL button while connecting Pico W to USB
3. Copy the .uf2 file to the RPI-RP2 drive
4. Pico W will reboot with MicroPython

2. Upload the Script

1. Connect to your Pico W using your preferred IDE
2. Copy the entire script to your Pico W
3. Save as main.py for auto-run on boot, or any .py filename

⚙️ Configuration

Edit the WiFi credentials in the script:

# WiFi credentials
WIFI_SSID = 'YourNetworkName'
WIFI_PASSWORD = 'YourPassword'

🎯 Usage

Basic Usage

# Simply run the script
python main.py

Running Individual Tests

# Test only WiFi connection
success, wlan = connect_wifi()

# Test only internet connectivity
simple_connectivity_test()

# Test only speed
quick_speed_test()

# Scan networks only
network_scan_test()

📊 Test Results Explanation

Connection Quality Ratings

Test Result	Description
🎉 PERFECT	All 5 tests passed - excellent connection
🌟 EXCELLENT	4/5 tests passed - nearly perfect
✅ GOOD	3/5 tests passed - reliable internet
⚠️ FAIR	2/5 tests passed - basic functionality
❌ POOR	<2 tests passed - significant issues

Speed Ratings

Latency	Rating	Description
<50ms	🚀 EXCELLENT	Very fast connection
50-150ms	✅ GOOD	Normal broadband speed
150-300ms	⚠️ MODERATE	Acceptable for basic use
>300ms	🐌 SLOW	May affect real-time applications

Signal Strength

RSSI	Indicator	Quality
>-50dBm	📶 Excellent	Maximum performance
-50 to -60dBm	📶 Good	Reliable connection
-60 to -70dBm	📶 Fair	May have occasional issues
<-70dBm	📶 Weak	Unstable connection

🧪 Test Suite Details

1. Hardware Detection

• Verifies Pico W WiFi capability
• Prevents errors on standard Pico boards

2. WiFi Connection Test

• Connects to specified network
• Reports IP configuration
• Shows connection status and timing

3. Internet Connectivity Test

• DNS Resolution: Tests domain name resolution
• Google DNS: Tests connection to 8.8.8.8
• Cloudflare DNS: Tests connection to 1.1.1.1
• Multiple Servers: Redundant connectivity verification

4. Speed & Latency Test

• Tests connection time to multiple servers
• Calculates average latency
• Provides speed estimates based on response times

5. HTTP Functionality Test

• Performs actual HTTP requests
• Tests web service connectivity
• Validates response data

6. Bandwidth Estimation

• Times data transfer operations
• Estimates connection throughput
• Provides performance ratings

7. Network Environment Scan

• Scans for available WiFi networks
• Shows signal strength and security
• Identifies current network

🔍 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"OSError: [Errno 1] EPERM"

Cause: Using standard Pico instead of Pico W
Solution: This script requires a Pico W with WiFi capability

"Connection timeout"

Causes & Solutions:

• Wrong WiFi credentials → Check SSID and password
• Network not available → Verify network is broadcasting
• Weak signal → Move closer to router
• Network congestion → Try again later

"DNS Resolution Failed"

Causes & Solutions:

• Router DNS issues → Try restarting router
• ISP DNS problems → Wait and retry
• Firewall blocking → Check network security settings

"HTTP Test Failed"

Causes & Solutions:

• Internet filtering → Some networks block external HTTP
• Temporary service issues → Retry later
• Firewall restrictions → Check network policies

Debug Mode

Add debug prints by modifying timeout values:

# Increase timeouts for debugging
s.settimeout(30)  # Instead of 5
max_wait = 30     # Instead of 15

📈 Performance Optimization

Memory Management

# Add between tests to free memory
gc.collect()

Faster Connection

# Reduce scan time for known networks
wlan.connect(SSID, PASSWORD)
# Skip network scan if not needed

Custom Test Selection

# Run only essential tests
def quick_test():
    connect_wifi()
    simple_connectivity_test()
    return True

🔧 Customization

Adding Custom Servers

servers = [
    ('your-server.com', 80, 'Custom Server'),
    ('8.8.8.8', 53, 'Google DNS'),
    # Add more servers
]

Custom HTTP Endpoints

# Test your own web services
def test_custom_api():
    # Your custom HTTP test code
    pass

Modified Output Format

# JSON output for logging
def output_json_results(results):
    import json
    return json.dumps(results)

📝 Example Output

============================================================
🚀 PICO W WIFI CONNECTION AND INTERNET TEST SUITE
============================================================

=== System Information ===
MicroPython: 3.4.0; MicroPython v1.25.0 on 2025-04-15
Platform: rp2
CPU Frequency: 125.0 MHz
Free Memory: 156032 bytes
WiFi Status: Connected
SSID: AceDrummer
IP: 192.168.7.242

============================================================
Starting WiFi connection...
Checking WiFi hardware...
✓ WiFi hardware detected
Already connected to WiFi
IP Address: 192.168.7.242
Subnet: 255.255.252.0
Gateway: 192.168.4.1
DNS: 192.168.4.5

✅ WiFi connection successful!

==================================================
🌐 COMPLETE INTERNET CONNECTIVITY TEST SUITE
==================================================

[1/5] Basic Connectivity Test

=== Internet Connectivity Test ===
Testing DNS...
✓ DNS: Working
Testing Google connection...
✓ Google DNS: Connected (87ms)
Testing Cloudflare connection...
✓ Cloudflare DNS: Connected

📊 Results: 3/3 tests passed
🎉 EXCELLENT: Full internet connectivity

[2/5] Speed Test

=== Quick Speed Test ===
✓ Google: 89ms
✓ Cloudflare: 92ms  
✓ OpenDNS: 156ms

📈 Average latency: 112.3ms
✅ GOOD speed

📊 FINAL RESULTS: 5/5 tests passed
🎉 PERFECT: All tests passed! Excellent connection!
==================================================

🎉 SUCCESS: AceDrummer connection is working perfectly!
🌐 Internet access confirmed and tested

📶 Final Status: Connected to 'AceDrummer'
🔧 You can now use internet-based features!

📄 License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests or open issues for:

• Additional test types
• Performance improvements
• Bug fixes
• Documentation improvements

📞 Support

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the troubleshooting section
2. Verify you're using a Pico W (not standard Pico)
3. Confirm MicroPython version compatibility
4. Test with a different WiFi network

🔗 Related Projects

• MicroPython Official Documentation
• Raspberry Pi Pico W Documentation
• Pico W WiFi Examples

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Made for Raspberry Pi Pico W with ❤️