Notecard Cell+WiFi - cannot connect to any 2.4Ghz APs, nor can I see it when I put it in softAP mode

josh77 · October 18, 2024, 11:07pm

The WiFi radio on my new Notecard Cell+WiFi doesn’t seem to be working properly. It’s setup in a Notecarrier X, with a USB connection to the browser terminal (no MCU connected to it yet). The card consistently connects to Notehub with no problems via the cellular modem, but it has never (not even once):

Connected to any 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi networks. I have tried multiple SSIDs on different AP hardware, all in 2.4Ghz-only mode. I have changed the credentials using card.wifi each time, and verified the SSID was changed by issuing a second card.wifi command.
Shown up in any Wi-Fi scans when I press the button to put it into ‘softAP’ mode. I have scanned for the ‘notecard’ SSID using multiple cell phones and laptops, but it’s never been seen, even after 2-3 minutes of waiting. I know that the card is going into softAP mode after I push the button because after several minutes it finally times out, automatically goes puts itself back into its normal operating mode, and syncs to Notehub via the cell modem and a new Notehub event appears that says: {“text”:“boot (wifi softAP timeout [16888] [4.0] G:Gp:W~)”,“voltage”:4.46875}

The most common error message I am seeing in the web terminal is: “Wifi init: poll for value timeout”. Also, something peculiar can be seen when sync-trace is enabled…during the WiFi init there is a “firmware error 4” and what looks like a hex dump (see below). This doesn’t seem like it should be normal behavior.

I have tried reinstalling the latest firmware (7.4.2), and doing a factory reset, however that had no effect on the issue.

Did I receive a faulty card? Thanks in advance.

Here is the card.version output…

> {"req":"card.version"}
{
 "version": "notecard-7.4.2.16888",
 "device": "dev:860322067705290",
 "name": "Blues Wireless Notecard",
 "sku": "NOTE-WBNAW",
 "ordering_code": "FA0YT1N0ACAM",
 "board": "5.13",
 "wifi": true,
 "cell": true,
 "gps": true,
 "api": 7,
 "body": {
  "org": "Blues Wireless",
  "product": "Notecard",
  "target": "u5",
  "version": "notecard-u5-7.4.2",
  "ver_major": 7,
  "ver_minor": 4,
  "ver_patch": 2,
  "ver_build": 16888,
  "built": "Aug 27 2024 19:08:01"
 }
}

And here is the hub.sync output…

> {"req":"hub.sync"}
{}
S10:36.69 sync: network: LWIP terminated (sent:0 rcvd:0) {socket-ip-term}
S10:36.70 transport: switched from modem: to wifi:
S10:36.71 sync: connect requested by explicit sync request (DATA)
S10:36.72 connect: 4.73V 24.69C before comms power-on (2024-10-18T20:55:29Z UTC)
S10:36.73 wifi: *************** ON ***************
S10:36.83 lwip: tcp task activated
S10:38.69 wifi: FMAC Driver version 3.3.0
--Initializing--
S10:38.69 wifi: power on
--Bus initialized--
--Chip initialized--
--Bootloader running--
--Firmware downloaded--
--Message mode set--
W10:40.32 firmware error 4
hif: 00000000: bc 04 e4 08 04 00 00 00 e3 05 c5 7b 40 1c 35 b3
hif: 00000010: 2b a0 8f b9 8b 71 87 fc 07 51 00 00 00 1e 08 00
hif: 00000020: 00 00 00 00 09 51 00 00 00 1e 02 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000030: 0b 51 00 00 00 1e 08 00 00 00 00 00 0d 51 00 00
hif: 00000040: 00 9e 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000050: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000060: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000070: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000080: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000090: c1 43 00 00 02 12 02 00 03 00 ff 00 f9 44 00 00
hif: 000000a0: 02 14 02 00 03 00 ff 00 fc 44 00 00 02 16 02 00
hif: 000000b0: 03 00 ff 00 fe 44 00 00 02 1c 02 00 03 00 00 00
hif: 000000c0: 7c 46 00 00 02 1c 02 00 00 00 00 00 83 46 00 00
hif: 000000d0: 02 90 02 00 ff 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
hif: 000000e0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000000f0: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000100: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
hif: 00000110: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000120: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000130: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
hif: 00000140: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000150: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000160: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
hif: 00000170: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000180: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000190: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
hif: 000001a0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000001b0: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000001c0: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00
hif: 000001d0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000001e0: 00 00 00 00 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000001f0: 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00
hif: 00000200: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000210: 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000220: 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00
hif: 00000230: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000240: 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000250: 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00
hif: 00000260: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000270: 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000280: 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00
hif: 00000290: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000002a0: 00 00 00 00 03 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000002b0: 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00
hif: 000002c0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000002d0: 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000002e0: 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00
hif: 000002f0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000300: 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000310: 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 00
hif: 00000320: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000330: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000340: 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00
hif: 00000350: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000360: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000370: 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00
hif: 00000380: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000390: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000003a0: 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00
hif: 000003b0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000003c0: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000003d0: 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00
hif: 000003e0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000003f0: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000400: 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00
hif: 00000410: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000420: 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000430: 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00
hif: 00000440: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000450: 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000460: 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00
hif: 00000470: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000480: 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 00000490: 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00
hif: 000004a0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
hif: 000004b0: 00 00 00 00 0b 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
S10:47.23 wifi: timeout waiting for host confirmation
S10:47.24 wifi: power off
S10:47.24 sync: wireless: wifi init: poll for value timeout {modem-off}
Send request error 3
Send request error 3
S10:48.25 lwip: tcp task deactivated (msgs:0 queues:1 sems:0 mutexes:1)
S10:49.25 sync: wireless: wifi now OFF {modem-off}
S10:49.26 wifi: *************** OFF **************
S10:49.26 penalty: retrying because 1 consecutive failures is still less than 5 allowed: wifi init: poll for value timeout
S10:49.26 sync: connect error: wifi init: poll for value timeout
S10:49.27 syncOnSchedule: wifi init: poll for value timeout
S10:49.27 sync: project: wifi init: poll for value timeout
S10:49.28 sync: next wake-up due in 20s to retry sync error
T10:58.50 lwip: IP deactivated to conserve energy
S11:08.09 env: updated _state_vars_net
S11:08.11 env: updated _state_vars_dfu
S11:08.11 env: dfu updated
S11:08.62 sync: network: LWIP terminated (sent:0 rcvd:0) {socket-ip-term}
S11:08.62 transport: wifi: failing over to modem: because of recent connection failure (will retry in 59 mins)

josh77 · October 19, 2024, 3:58am

As a follow-up, I have also tested multiple power sources to no avail. After reading that some USB power sources can be insufficient, I have tried powering the device from a Li-Po pack, as well as a Scoop capacitor. The results are the same: consistent cellular connection, but no detectable WiFi activity.

RobLauer · October 21, 2024, 3:55pm

Hi @josh77 and welcome to the Blues community!

Sorry to hear about your struggles with the Wi-Fi radio and this does sound very unusual. We may need to set up an RMA to get you a new Notecard. Will reach out separately over email

josh77 · October 25, 2024, 2:17am

@RobLauer Rob and team: We received the replacement Notecard today. It fired up and immediately connected to WiFi on the first attempt. Thanks for getting us taken care of so quickly. Cheers.

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Notecard Cell+WiFi - cannot connect to any 2.4Ghz APs, nor can I see it when I put it in softAP mode

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