WiFi Woes

Update to ROS 5.30 a doddle. WiFi however…

This is on a RPi 4B which has been used with WiFi successfully with RaspberryPi OS. With ROS the router (Fritz!Box 7530) shows a brief connection before disconnect but that’s all. No network access. I’ve tried both configuring via DHCP & manually. Checking the details;

WiFi menu bar menu
Security shown as WEP for each AP which is not available on the router et al. Only WPA2/WPA3. Signal is around 76%. Each AP (2 while testing) is displayed twice, selected one ticked.

Interfaces-SDIO Slot 2 BCM43 WIFI Status
IP address 169.254.111.187 – Should be; 162.168.1.208
Netmask 255.255.0.0 – Should be: 255.255.255.0
Hardware address is correct
Gateway Unset – Should be 192.168.1.1

Activity shows: Activity ticked, Active ticked, Full duplex X, Polarity ?. Slowly increasing transmit frames, receive frames ditto (over a very long period). No errors either way.

Hopefully I’ve done something stupid, easy to correct.

IP address 169.254.111.187 – Should be; 162.168.1.208

That 169.254.×.x is an APIPA address, which means your client device has not seen, or not properly processed the response from your DHCP server (in the router)

Netmask of 255.255.0.0 is consistent with APIPA settings, and the gateway isn’t set as APIPA addresses are expected to only be used in the local net

APIPA – had to look that up!

So that still leaves why & what to do.

Edit: Noticed my neighbour’s Wi-Fi pops up occasionally in the icon bar menu. Info looks sensible.

Frustrating! I managed to get the RPi connected via Wi-Fi. Unfortunately it was via my android phone, not the router.

Grrr!

So what’s different with the router???

I have managed to connect my Pi4B to my FritzBox 5730AX router, but…
- connecting from the list of APs always errors ‘Invalid Argument’ when Connect is clicked after entering the password.
- the AP list duplicates both my SSIDs … either because there is a mesh repeater, or 2.4+5Ghz (all with same names).
- Connecting using ‘Connect…’ on menu works, but have to enter SSID and p/w every time.
- connection shows as WEP in WiFiManager, but WPA2 in router.

But it does work!

@Frederick: is there no sign of it in the router event logs?
Do you have the router WiFi security set to allow new wireless devices?

the AP list duplicates both my SSIDs … either because there is a mesh repeater, or 2.4+5Ghx (all with same names).

Get the same here with my WiFi extenders.

It works as you say though.

is there no sign of it in the router event logs?

No, nothing.

Do you have the router WiFi security set to allow new wireless devices?

Yes. I’ve not had any issues connecting other devices on either the main or guest network.

… and what’s the WEP stuff about? The router doesn’t do that.

I disabled my powerline Wi-Fi extenders while testing.

Edit: Made false assumption.
Router event logs. In fact there is a report but it’s
‘Wireless device registered: Reactivating Wi-Fi at full power (5GHz)’
which is unusual as it would normally give device name, IP & MAC.

We have ignition…of sorts.

It appears to have been an encryption problem. The router has three options – WPA+WPA2, WPA2 (CCMP) and WPA2+WPA3. Whilst I normally use the last, ROS will only connect if one of the first two is set. Even then it depends on me selecting the router’s AP and not one of the extenders which is fun given that they bear the same name.

Ah, well. It’s progress.

Edit: The extenders are also set to WPA2/WPA3 so that’s consistent. Still don’t get the WEP bit.

Strange. My router is also set to use WPA2+WPA3, and it connects ok … though WiFi Manager claims it used WEP and the router WPA2. What it actually uses, I am not sure!

I am experiencing all of the above on both a Pi3B and Pi4B using a clean 5.30 image. For some reason WiFi Manager claims my router and my neighbours are all WEP whereas they are all WPA2. I get an invalid argument error when I try to connect using WiFi manager. I have connected using Connect on the menu but it does not connect automatically on next boot up so it is necessary to enter SSID and password every time. However, I have not experienced any difficulties in connecting and automatically reconnecting using Elesar’s WiFi hat or similar alternatives.

All that said, it is a tremendous achievement and well done to all involved.

PS Would it be possible for a show password option on the next release?

I have also any problems with Pi4B. No connection, double entrys in the netlist… It was a good idea to delete the old WifiMgr folder in Choices. Than I get a clean list but an unstable connection.
Then I install the ROD Inet Stack and use it with the ROOL WiFi driver … the problems are gone. I get a stable working connection.

Resolved for me with 16 May release. Now announces WPA2+WPA3 and connects.