From 51852b167fd388536d6f81dd115a9ea69dd3a42d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Patric Aeberhard <55001046+Simplycissmus@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:20:31 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] fix(rp2040): run the blocking CYW43 WiFi join in a task
 and retry failed joins

---
 src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp | 37 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 35 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
index 8bb80cd96a9..78c9a9d06c1 100644
--- a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
@@ -29,11 +29,13 @@
 #include <esp_wifi.h>
 static void WiFiEvent(WiFiEvent_t event);
 #elif defined(ARCH_RP2040)
+#include <FreeRTOS.h>
 #include <SimpleMDNS.h>
+#include <task.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifndef DISABLE_NTP
 #include "Throttle.h"
+#ifndef DISABLE_NTP
 #include <NTPClient.h>
 #endif
 
@@ -61,6 +63,31 @@ unsigned long lastrun_ntp = 0;
 
 bool needReconnect = true;   // If we create our reconnector, run it once at the beginning
 bool isReconnecting = false; // If we are currently reconnecting
+
+#ifdef ARCH_RP2040
+// On the CYW43 under FreeRTOS even WiFi.beginNoBlock() holds the caller for several seconds (up to the WiFi timeout,
+// 15 s); from the main loop that trips the 8 s hardware watchdog. Join from a short-lived task and poll for the link.
+static TaskHandle_t wifiJoinTask = nullptr;
+
+static void wifiJoinTaskFn(void *)
+{
+    const char *psk = config.network.wifi_psk[0] ? config.network.wifi_psk : NULL;
+    WiFi.beginNoBlock(config.network.wifi_ssid, psk);
+    wifiJoinTask = nullptr;
+    vTaskDelete(NULL);
+}
+
+static bool startWifiJoin()
+{
+    if (wifiJoinTask)
+        return true; // previous join still in progress
+    if (xTaskCreate(wifiJoinTaskFn, "wifijoin", 1536, NULL, uxTaskPriorityGet(NULL), &wifiJoinTask) != pdPASS) {
+        LOG_ERROR("Could not start WiFi join task");
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+#endif
 #if defined(USE_WS5500) || defined(USE_CH390D)
 static volatile bool ethNetworkConnectedPending = false;
 #endif
@@ -281,7 +308,11 @@ static int32_t reconnectWiFi()
                 WiFi.useStaticBuffers(true);
                 WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
 #endif
+#ifdef ARCH_RP2040
+                startWifiJoin();
+#else
                 WiFi.begin(wifiName, wifiPsw);
+#endif
             }
             isReconnecting = false;
             wifiReconnectPending = false;
@@ -311,7 +342,9 @@ static int32_t reconnectWiFi()
 
     if (config.network.wifi_enabled && !WiFi.isConnected()) {
 #ifdef ARCH_RP2040 // (ESP32 handles this in WiFiEvent)
-        needReconnect = APStartupComplete;
+        // Lost the link, or a join that has not come up within 30 s: start the join over once the join task is done.
+        needReconnect = !wifiJoinTask && (APStartupComplete || (!isReconnecting && !Throttle::isWithinTimespanMs(
+                                                                                     wifiReconnectStartMillis, 30000)));
 #endif
         return 1000; // check once per second
     } else {

From 6735d354fe6128a2b574c811231d6a8b8447f29d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Patric Aeberhard <55001046+Simplycissmus@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:12:10 +0200
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] refactor: use Throttle::hasElapsed for the WiFi join
 retry deadline

---
 src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
index 78c9a9d06c1..1d08d9bebad 100644
--- a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
@@ -343,8 +343,8 @@ static int32_t reconnectWiFi()
     if (config.network.wifi_enabled && !WiFi.isConnected()) {
 #ifdef ARCH_RP2040 // (ESP32 handles this in WiFiEvent)
         // Lost the link, or a join that has not come up within 30 s: start the join over once the join task is done.
-        needReconnect = !wifiJoinTask && (APStartupComplete || (!isReconnecting && !Throttle::isWithinTimespanMs(
-                                                                                     wifiReconnectStartMillis, 30000)));
+        needReconnect =
+            !wifiJoinTask && (APStartupComplete || (!isReconnecting && Throttle::hasElapsed(wifiReconnectStartMillis, 30000)));
 #endif
         return 1000; // check once per second
     } else {