From 85cb92362caaf7985a4e6d6a556b4c4dea2b7581 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: permissionBRICK <40219477+permissionBRICK@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:59:45 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix: direct-connect-first for hidden SSIDs to avoid 50-120
 min reconnects
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When isHidden is set, try WiFi.begin(ssid, pwd) without a BSSID up to
3 times (20 s timeout each) before falling back to the existing blind-
scan BSSID carousel.  The SDK's directed probe picks the strongest
matching AP automatically.

Clear stale mBSSIDList before each direct attempt so a CONNECTING
timeout returns to DISCONNECTED (not stale SCAN_READY).  Gate on
!mScanActive to avoid overlapping WiFi.begin with an active scan.
Reset mDirectAttempts on GOT_IP and on disconnect-from-connected.

Worst case (all 3 direct attempts fail) = 60 s overhead before the
existing scan path runs — functionally identical to current behavior.

Measured: reconnect drops from 50-120+ minutes to ~5-8 seconds on a
hidden-SSID network with two APs at RSSI -78..-91 dBm.
---
 src/network/AhoyWifiEsp8266.h | 16 +++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/network/AhoyWifiEsp8266.h b/src/network/AhoyWifiEsp8266.h
index 03cd54b1..648b7aad 100644
--- a/src/network/AhoyWifiEsp8266.h
+++ b/src/network/AhoyWifiEsp8266.h
@@ -37,13 +37,24 @@ class AhoyWifi : public AhoyNetwork {
                         mOnNetworkCB(false);
                         mAp.enable();
                         MDNS.end();
+                        mDirectAttempts = 0;
                     }
 
                     if (WiFi.softAPgetStationNum() > 0) {
                         DBGPRINTLN(F("AP client connected"));
                     }
                     #if !defined(AP_ONLY)
-                    else if (!mScanActive) {
+                    else if (mConfig->sys.isHidden && (mDirectAttempts < MAX_DIRECT_ATTEMPTS) && !mScanActive) {
+                        DBGPRINT(F("hidden SSID direct connect attempt "));
+                        DBGPRINTLN(String(mDirectAttempts + 1));
+                        mBSSIDList.clear();
+                        setStaticIp();
+                        WiFi.begin(mConfig->sys.stationSsid, mConfig->sys.stationPwd);
+                        mDirectAttempts++;
+                        mWifiConnecting = true;
+                        mCnt = 0;
+                        mStatus = NetworkState::CONNECTING;
+                    } else if (!mScanActive) {
                         DBGPRINT(F("scanning APs with SSID "));
                         DBGPRINTLN(String(mConfig->sys.stationSsid));
                         mScanCnt = 0;
@@ -92,6 +103,7 @@ class AhoyWifi : public AhoyNetwork {
                     if(!mConnected) {
                         mAp.disable();
                         mConnected = true;
+                        mDirectAttempts = 0;
                         ah::welcome(WiFi.localIP().toString(), F("Station"));
                         MDNS.begin(mConfig->sys.deviceName);
                         MDNSResponder::hMDNSService hRes = MDNS.addService(NULL, "http", "tcp", 80);
@@ -161,10 +173,12 @@ class AhoyWifi : public AhoyNetwork {
     private:
         uint8_t mCnt = 0;
         uint8_t mScanCnt = 0;
+        uint8_t mDirectAttempts = 0;
         std::list<uint8_t> mBSSIDList;
         bool mWasInCh12to14 = false;
         static constexpr uint8_t TIMEOUT = 20;
         static constexpr uint8_t SCAN_TIMEOUT = 10;
+        static constexpr uint8_t MAX_DIRECT_ATTEMPTS = 3;
 };
 
 #endif /*ESP8266*/