D1 Mini Pro sees other WiFi, but not mine

ESPHome
1

Hello All:
I am new to ESPHome, but really like it so far. I have been building an app for monitoring a well system with pumps and tank. I have been doing development on a NodeMCU V3 card, but decided to go with a D1 Mini Pro for the external antenna. The version I got only has 4MB of memory, not 16.
I have been unable to connect WiFi. With the onboard ceramic ant, it sees nothing in the log. After moving the jumper, I connected the external ant, and I see a BUNCH of neighboring WiFi, but none of my 3 routers.
I simplified to ONLY the basic configuration built by the wizard, still no go. Finds a bunch, but not mine. I tried D1 Mini, D1 Mini Pro. I then tried the simplest config on the NodeMCU, and it finds/connects just fine. I even tried this compiled version on the D1, same result. So the NodeMCU sees things fine, the D1 Mini does not
I recompiled with every available Arduino framework, same result
I tried changing channels and other settings on one router, no improvement. I was set for B only, ch 6, 20 wide. Tried all protocols, wider channel, and different channels. I would suspect wifi issues if it saw nothing, but it is seeing neighbor wifi. What else can I try, or do I have to use the NodeMCU?
I also tried quick connect, but it could not connect.

It simply does not seem to see my network, but the NodeMCU sees it fine.

Simple Code:

esphome:
  name: trymini
  platform: ESP8266
  board: d1_mini
  arduino_version: latest
wifi:
  ssid: "Andraka"
  password: "MyPassword"
  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "Trymini Fallback Hotspot"
    password: "MyPassword"

captive_portal:

# Enable logging
logger:

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  password: "AnotherPassword"

ota:
  password: "AnotherPassword"

Thank You
Chuck

2

It is possibly a broken d1 mini pro.

I am pretty sure the pro should be 16MB, so you may not even have a genuine product.

How close to your AP are you? You mention a well, which could be some distance away?

3

It is likely a clone, got it off ebay. They had choice of 16 or 4 MB, I bought 4. I guess they called it a pro because it has external ant connection.

I am still doing development, so the Mini is on my desk, a few feet from my main router. I have two other AP’s in the house, which should be seen at lower power, but seen. None of them show up. However, with the ext ant, many other AP’s show up!

I last tried loading Konnected firmware on it. The Konnected firmware creates an AP that you log into to set up WiFi, figured that would test if a software issue. However, the AP never showed up, and looking at the log with Esplorer, it hung at the point it was opening the AP. So it thought it opened one but my Tablet never saw it.

The EBay supplier is sending me another copy. If that does not work, I’ll go back to the NodeMCU.

Chuck