Debugging Mega+WiFi setup

[wongm]

Hi all,

I've had success with getting DCC-EX working on an Arduino Uno with a direct USB connection.

But I'm currently trying to get a Mega+WiFi setup working based on these steps:
https://dcc-ex.com/reference/hardware/microcontrollers/wifi-mega.html

And yes, I read the big "The DCC-EX team do not recommend the combined Mega2560 + WiFi due to the number of issues encountered in recent times" disclaimer on the top of the instructions, and my board also happens to have both "poorly soldered USB connectors" and "issues getting wireless working" issues - when I bought the board said disclaimers weren't there, so I'm pushing through anyway.

My current status - bootup console logs suggest Wifi is getting setup correctly:

<* License GPLv3 fsf.org (c) dcc-ex.com *>
<* LCD0:DCC++ EX v4.1.2 *>
<* LCD1:Lic GPLv3 *>
<* ++ Wifi Setup Try 1 ++ *>
<* Wifi Check: [+IPD\0] *>
<* TIMEOUT after 200ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
<* TIMEOUT after 200ms *>
<* ++ Wifi Setup NO AT ++ *>
<* ++ Wifi Setup Try 2 ++ *>
<* Wifi Check: [+IPD\0] *>
<* TIMEOUT after 200ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
<* TIMEOUT after 200ms *>
<* ++ Wifi Setup NO AT ++ *>
<* ++ Wifi Setup Try 3 ++ *>
<* Wifi Check: [+IPD\0] *>
<* TIMEOUT after 200ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 1ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
ATE1\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 4ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+GMR
AT version:1.7.4.0(May 11 2020 19:13:04)
SDK version:3.0.4(9532ceb)
compile time:May 27 2020 10:12:22
Bin version(Wroom 02):1.7.4
OK
<* Found in 16ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CWJAP_CUR?\r\nNo AP\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 6ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CWMODE_CUR=1\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 5ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [+CIFSR:STAIP\0] *>
AT+CIFSR
+CIFSR:STAIP<* Found in 3ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [0.0.0.0\0] *>
,"0.0.0.0<* Found in 1ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
"\r\n+CIFSR:STAMAC,"bc:ff:4d:4d:97:29"\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 7ms *>
AT+CWMODE_CUR=2\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Wifi Check: [+CIFSR:APMAC,"\0] *>
AT+CIFSR
+CIFSR:APIP,"192.168.4.1"
+CIFSR:APMAC,"<* Found in 7ms *>
be:ff:4d:4d:97:29<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
"

OK
<* Found in 3ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CWSAP_CUR="DCCEX_SNIP","PASS_SNIP",1,4\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 894ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CIPRECVMODE=0\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 4ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CIPSERVER=0\r\n\r\nERROR\r\n<* TIMEOUT after 1000ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CIPMUX=1\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 3ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+MDNS=1,"DCCEX","withrottle",2560\r\nopmode mismatch when mdns\r\n\r\nERROR\r\n<* TIMEOUT after 1000ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CIPSERVER=1,2560\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 4ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [IP,"\0] *>
AT+CIFSR
+CIFSR:APIP,"<* Found in 4ms *>
192.168.4.1"<* LCD4:192.168.4.1 *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>

+CIFSR:APMAC,"be:ff:4d:4d:97:29"

OK
<* Found in 6ms *>
<* LCD5:PORT=2560 *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
ATE0\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 4ms *>
<* ++ Wifi Setup CONNECTED ++ *>
<* MotorDriver currentPin=A1, senseOffset=469, rawCurrentTripValue(relative to offset)=668 *>
<* MotorDriver currentPin=A0, senseOffset=417, rawCurrentTripValue(relative to offset)=668 *>
<iDCC-EX V-4.1.2 / MEGA / STANDARD_MOTOR_SHIELD G-a26d988>
<* No I2C Devices found *>
<* MCP23017 I2C:x20 Device not detected *>
<* MCP23017 I2C:x21 Device not detected *>
<* Signal pin config: high accuracy waveform *>
<* SETUP("<1 JOIN>") *>
<* LCD2:Power On JOIN *>
<p1 JOIN>
PPA1
<* LCD3:Ready *>
<* LCD2:Power On JOIN *>
<p1 JOIN>
PPA1
<* LCD3:Free RAM= 3108b *>

However the WiFi network never appears to come online for my smartphone to connect to. I have tried multiple devices, with no success.

I have also gone through the debugging steps listed here, and the ESP8266 microcontroller appears to have been programmed successfully.
https://wakwak2popo.wordpress.com/2021/01/05/flashing-at-command-set-on-combined-mega-8266-board/

My only other though are these bits from the logs flagging errors.

AT+CIPSERVER=0\r\n\r\nERROR\r\n<* TIMEOUT after 1000ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CIPMUX=1\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 3ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+MDNS=1,"DCCEX","withrottle",2560\r\nopmode mismatch when mdns\r\n\r\nERROR\r\n<* TIMEOUT after 1000ms *>
<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT+CIPSERVER=1,2560\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 4ms *>

Does anyone have any ideas for commands to run to debug this further?

[wongm]

Also output from the <+GMR> command.

<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
AT version:1.7.4.0(May 11 2020 19:13:04)\r\nSDK version:3.0.4(9532ceb)\r\ncompile time:May 27 2020 10:12:22\r\nBin version(Wroom 02):1.7.4\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 12ms *>

[wongm]

Now checking whether the access point is configured using this command <+CWSAP_CUR?>

<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
+CWSAP_CUR:"DCCEX_SNIP","PASS_SNIP",11,4,4,0\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 7ms *>

So it says access point is configured, running on channel 11, WPA_WPA2_PSK, max 4 connections, and SSID broadcast on.

As for current IP address, using <+CIPAP?>

<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
+CIPAP:ip:"192.168.4.1"\r\n+CIPAP:gateway:"192.168.4.1"\r\n+CIPAP:netmask:"255.255.255.0"\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 9ms *>

Now for something interesting - network connection status with <+CIPSTATUS>:

<* Wifi Check: [\r\nOK\r\n\0] *>
STATUS:5\r\n\r\nOK\r\n<* Found in 3ms *>

That corresponds to 5 : Wi-Fi connection fail - maybe not an issue, since I'm in access point mode, not station mode connecting to another WiFi access point?

[wongm]

It looks like my issues with wi-fi lie in the ES8266 hardware side, and not DCC-EX - running raw AT commands against it via the serial interface to connect to an existing wireless network fails.

AT+CWMODE=1

OK
AT+CWJAP_CUR="SSIDSNIP","PASSWORDSNIP"
+CWJAP:3

FAIL

Status is this: <error code> 3 can not found target AP

Telling it to start up a new access point seems to succeed, but no network ever appears to other devices.

AT+CWMODE=2

OK
AT+CWSAP_CUR="DCCEX_NEWONE","PASS_NEWONE",11,4

OK

The weird thing is that it works once before, somehow - because I had the relevant Wi-Fi access point as a saved network on my phone.