ESP32 C3 S2 softap fails to start with no error condition

[tablatronix]

Board

esp32 c3 devkit

Device Description

espressif devkit tested
G3v01 tested
Possible also an ESP-Sx issue

Hardware Configuration

nothing special

Version

v2.0.4

IDE Name

pio

Operating System

macos

Flash frequency

40

PSRAM enabled

no

Upload speed

921600

Description

For some reason if you toggle sta on and off, softap fails to start an AP, but everything in code appears to start successfully..

I imagine there is some event missing in arduino or a state in IDF that is not returning properly.

I am not sure exactly how many times once or twice toggling sta back or the sta state when begin is called..

Sketch

// wifi_basic.ino

#include <arduino.h>
#include <WiFi.h>
#include <esp_wifi.h>  

void setup(){
	Serial.begin(115200);
	delay(2000);
	Serial.println("Startup....");
	Serial.setDebugOutput(true);

	WiFi.begin("hellowifi","noonehere");
	
    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && millis()<10000) {
        delay(500);
        Serial.print(".");
    }

	if(WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED){
		Serial.println("");
		Serial.println("WiFi connected.");
		Serial.println("IP address: ");
		Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
	}
	else {
		Serial.println("WiFi NOT CONNECTED, starting ap");
                 // WiFi.mode(WIFI_AP_STA); // <------- WORKAROUND SET AP MODE FIRST ?????
		WiFi.enableSTA(false);      // < ------  BUG BREAKS SOFTAP
		delay(2000);		
	    WiFi.softAP("espsoftap","12345678"); // no errors that I can see, but ap never shows up
	}
}

void loop(){

}

Debug Message

Startup....
[  2160][D][WiFiGeneric.cpp:929] _eventCallback(): Arduino Event: 0 - WIFI_READY
[  2189][V][WiFiGeneric.cpp:338] _arduino_event_cb(): STA Started
[  2190][D][WiFiGeneric.cpp:929] _eventCallback(): Arduino Event: 2 - STA_START
[  2192][V][WiFiGeneric.cpp:97] set_esp_interface_ip(): Configuring Station static IP: 0.0.0.0, MASK: 0.0.0.0, GW: 0.0.0.0
[  2194][E][WiFiSTA.cpp:317] begin(): connect failed! 0x300a
................WiFi NOT CONNECTED, starting ap
[ 10195][V][WiFiGeneric.cpp:341] _arduino_event_cb(): STA Stopped
[ 10196][D][WiFiGeneric.cpp:929] _eventCallback(): Arduino Event: 3 - STA_STOP
[ 12205][D][WiFiGeneric.cpp:929] _eventCallback(): Arduino Event: 0 - WIFI_READY
[ 12215][V][WiFiGeneric.cpp:390] _arduino_event_cb(): AP Started
[ 12216][D][WiFiGeneric.cpp:929] _eventCallback(): Arduino Event: 10 - AP_START

Other Steps to Reproduce

Cannot test in 2.0.3 due to bootloader crashes

I have checked existing issues, online documentation and the Troubleshooting Guide

• I confirm I have checked existing issues, online documentation and Troubleshooting guide.

[cniedzi]

AP doesn't fire up on my S2.

[tablatronix]

Minimalized test example even more

[cniedzi]

// wifi_basic.ino

#include <arduino.h>
#include <WiFi.h>
#include <esp_wifi.h>  

void setup(){
	Serial.begin(115200);
	delay(2000);
	Serial.println("Startup....");
	Serial.setDebugOutput(true);

	WiFi.begin();
	
    while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && millis()<10000) {
        delay(500);
        Serial.print(".");
    }

	if(WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED){
		Serial.println("");
		Serial.println("WiFi connected.");
		Serial.println("IP address: ");
		Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
	}
	else {
		Serial.println("WiFi NOT CONNECTED, starting ap");
		WiFi.enableSTA(false); // BREAKING
		delay(2000);		
	    WiFi.softAP("espsoftap","12345678");
	}
}

void loop(){

}

I had to increase the delay to 5s and decrease millis()<5000 because my S2 was always successfuly connecting to WiFi. After that no AP started...

[Miceuz]

I can't get AP on ESP32-C3

[tablatronix]

lol @cniedzi erase your credentials or put junk in there

[tablatronix]

Confirmed same issue on S2, I might escalate this to espressif. Its possible already fixed in IDF.. not tested yet

• arduino esp32 C3
• arduino esp32 S2
• IDF C3
• IDF S2
• * S3

[cniedzi]

I have been trying to fix this and nothing I do fixes it, no workaround yet other that the one mentioned before bool _disableSTAConn = false; // disable sta when starting ap, if sta is not connected ( stability ) seems to help avoid whatever gets stuck in the IDF

Did you report this issue to Espressif? Did they say something?

[tablatronix]

I will post this to IDF as an issue, as I do not think it is an arduino issue

[tablatronix]

UPDATE: added a workaround to the test sketch, no idea whats going on

If I had to guess,
[ 12205][D][WiFiGeneric.cpp:929] _eventCallback(): Arduino Event: 0 - WIFI_READY
is in error state and wifi is not in fact ready when starting ap

[Jason2866]

@tablatronix Try this. I get a working AP with your test sketch (without the workaround). Latest IDF and Arduino.

[env:esp32-c3-devkitm-1]
platform                = https://github.com/jason2866/platform-espressif32.git#Tasmota/205
platform_packages       = framework-arduinoespressif32 @ https://github.com/Jason2866/esp32-arduino-lib-builder/releases/download/996/framework-arduinoespressif32-IDF_Arduino-cd58a68f7.zip
board                   = esp32-c3-devkitm-1
framework               = arduino