WLED-AP Network Won't Show Up - NodeMCU

[uxigene]

What happened?

I’m trying to flash the WLED firmware to a NodeMCU. Although the firmware uploads successfully, I cannot see the WLED-AP network. I have an 8×32 WS2812B LED matrix connected to D4 (GPIO2) with an external power supply. After flashing, only a single white LED lights up. I've also tried to upload it to my second (same) NodeMCU without anything connected to it with same results.

I’ve attempted erasing the chip using esptool and have also tried flashing with esptool, WLED web installer, and ESP Flasher. Flashing a simple sketch with AP mode works correctly, so the board itself seems functional.

I have tried flashing the following WLED versions:
WLED_0.15.0_ESP8266.bin
WLED_0.15.1.beta1_ESP8266.bin
WLED_0.15.1_ESP8266.bin
WLED_0.16.0-alpha_ESP8266.bin

Chip details:
Chip type: ESP8266EX
Features: Wi-Fi, 160 MHz
Crystal frequency: 26 MHz

UPDATE

Same results when compiled from source.

To Reproduce Bug

Connect an 8×32 WS2812B LED matrix to D4 (GPIO2) of a NodeMCU, with an external power supply.
Flash the NodeMCU with WLED firmware.
Attempt to connect to the WLED-AP network on a phone or computer.

Expected Behavior

The NodeMCU should broadcast a Wi-Fi network named WLED-AP.

Install Method

Binary from WLED.me

What version of WLED?

WLED_0.15.0_ESP8266.bin

Which microcontroller/board are you seeing the problem on?

ESP8266

Relevant log/trace output

Anything else?

No response

Code of Conduct

• I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct

[softhack007]

@uxigene did you try a "8266 compat" bin, like WLED_0.15.1_ESP8266_compat.bin ?

These binaries are build with an older network stack, and less demanding flash speed requirements.

[uxigene]

@softhack007 thanks for replying. Unfortunately it didn't work either.

[uxigene]

Compiled from source with same result.

[DedeHai]

Compiled from source with same result.

compile width debug enabled and check serial output for some insight

[uxigene]

compile width debug enabled and check serial output for some insight

Enabled debug in wled.h file and run Upload and Monitor.

// to toggle usb serial debug (un)comment the following line
#define WLED_DEBUG

// filesystem specific debugging
#define WLED_DEBUG_FS

But there is no output. I can only see this message:

Please build project in debug configuration to get more details about an exception.
See https://docs.platformio.org/page/projectconf/build_configurations.html


--- Terminal on /dev/cu.usbserial-1410 | 115200 8-N-1
--- Available filters and text transformations: colorize, debug, default, direct, esp8266_exception_decoder, hexlify, log2file, nocontrol, printable, send_on_enter, time
--- More details at https://bit.ly/pio-monitor-filters
--- Quit: Ctrl+C | Menu: Ctrl+T | Help: Ctrl+T followed by Ctrl+H

Same if I run pio device monitor -p /dev/cu.usbserial-1410 -b 115200
Am I doing something wrong?

[srt4328-ui]

Hi there - I'm having same issue as @uxigene.

I'm trying to start a fresh esp8266ex module (as I have several slack to use) while diving into the fascinating world of WLED. My modules are 8266ex, 160 with 4M flash. After installing current or compiling my own binaries in PIO, I will not see the WLED_AP on my phone, and if it should happen to show up (intermittent) I can't log in using the default pass. I've tried compiling using WiFi credentials in myconfig.h, but no luck, but this may be related to the fact that I'm using source from 0_16.

If I use WLED_08.5.0, I can reliably see and access the MCU GUI via the WLED_AP, but couldn't get the Wifi station credentials to work(AP was only access)- didn't fully vet this since I was looking for proof of good module. An older version of Tasmota works excellently (can scan Wifi networks and join from web installer) - chatter on Tasmota suggest Wifi issues in newer code were related to SDK and AP/STA mode running concurrently on the 8266.

I tried erasing the flash and using the WLED_0.15.1_ESP8266_compat.bin as suggested by @softhack007 with no change (don't see the WLED_AP and using web installer to add station credentials doesn't work either). I erased the flash (esptool via M$ command line) and applied WLED_0.15.1_esp8266_debug.bin.

Initial_esp-webtools-log is a ~ five minute log post flash and reset. I then used the WLED web installer to set the local WiFi credentials (manually, no networks were discovered during scan). I let this run for a few minutes and download the log file. I reset the MCU using the hardware button and let the log run for a few more minutes before downloading that log as well. Those last two logs appear to have been captured in Chinese/Japanese characters, so I did not include them.

File esp-webtools-logs (1) was captured some 40 minutes after the firmware flash only because the other log files were unreadable (to me). This log will show the MCU trying to attach the the local network access point (SSID The_Garage). While typing this note and letting that log collect, I did finally see the WLED_AP, but when I tried to join it with the default password, my phone gave me a response of "Unable to join the network."

FWIW, the local WiFi access point I'm using is operating in mixed b/g/n mode (2.4G only) if that is relevant (there was some chatter on Tasmota about STA mode preferring one in the newer SDK).

esp-web-tools-logs (1).txt

Initial_esp-web-tools-log.txt

[DedeHai]

Network event 8 according to the event list means "ARDUINO_EVENT_WIFI_STA_GOT_IP6" i.e. IPv6 address. you need IPV4, set your router accordingly.

[uxigene]

@srt4328-ui I was able to flash v0.8.5 and it starts WLED-AP. I could enter WIFI credentials. So, v0.8.5 looks functional for me. It looks that there are some troubles with AP in latest versions. I'll try to find which version exacly is faulty. Setting WIFI credentials in myconfig.h seams to not work either.

[softhack007]

Setting WIFI credentials in myconfig.h seams to not work either.

It does work, however these credentials will only be used if you erase your board completely before flashing.
In case of wsec.json already existing, the "credentials" from the file will be used instead of myconfig.h. Even when wsec.json only has "empty" credentials.

[uxigene]

Setting WIFI credentials in myconfig.h seams to not work either.

@softhack007 I'm building v0.15.1 from source:

1. Updated config.
2. nodemcuv2/Platform/Erase Flash (also tryied esptool erase-flash).
3. nodemcuv2/General/Upload.

Updated my_config.h

#define CLIENT_SSID "My double verified SSID"
#define CLIENT_PASS "My double verified PASS "
#define MDNS_NAME   "wled"
#define MAX_LEDS    256 

So, looks like for newer versions higher then v0.8.6 WLED AP doesn't show up and updating my_config.h as a workaround also seams to not help.

[uxigene]

After flashing multiple binaries, I discovered the following:
– Versions newer than 0.8.6 fail to start the access point, although the NodeMCU still boots with the default orange LEDs.
– Versions newer than 0.9.1 also fail to start the access point, but in this case, a single LED lights up white.

[softhack007]

updating my_config.h as a workaround also seams to not help.

I can say that updating my_config.h does still work, at least in version 0.14.0 and later. I use it frequently for my development boards, and never had a problem that my credentials from my_config.h were not used after a clean install.

Maybe there is a problem with the Wi-Fi code on 8266, or even an electrical issue with your device that causes Wi-Fi startup to fail.

Actually its very unlikely that generic Wifi problems on 8266 existed since version 0.9 . 0.9 is many years old, so lots of users would have noticed it in the last ~5 years.

"8266ex" is the normal processor model that's present in almost every NodeMCU and other 8266 boards.