Hello all,
and thank you very much for your many answers!
Based on your many feedbacks I would suggest I divide the problem into four areas:
1) Which radio technology?
2) Test setup
3) If ESP-WiFi, then how configured?
4) Other
1) Which radio technology?
It MUST be WiFi because - and this is not an exaggeration - there are 24 WiFi networks in the neighborhood beaming on ALL channels. In addition, every other radio signal (a mess of proprietary frequencies, Zigbee, BT, etc.) unfortunately also transmits in the same 2.4 GHz frequency range.
By the way: I discussed this before here too ā¦
Now nearly everything other than WiFi transmits (just because it is more energy efficient!) with far less energy. So with the interference, I had to fight YEARS with failures. So about 1.5 years ago I switched completely to ESPHOME via WiFi and there are now about 78 ESPHome devices (mainly ESP32 athom lamps, coffee machine, door locks and so on) all of which have OBVIOUSLY NO reception problems. Even if this setup be battery powered: I think 3000mAh and an appropriate setup as you suggest (ESP32 deepsleep & only transmit 3-4 times per day) would work.
So this is certainly just more energy consuming but also a strong enough signal and just a few times a day. Especially when you consider that I have installed and optimized 8 APs (connected via Ethernet/ no MESH) throughout the house and garden so that I hardly have to āfightā the neighboring WiFis anymore.
Now that being said: letās get to the test setup. Because regardless of the reception strength at the final deployment site, the test conditions are optimal becauseā¦
2) Test setup
In the test setup, the device is DIRECTLY next to one AP and, when plugged in via the 5V cable, ALWAYS has a connection immediately. Only with battery just none. So I doubt that signal strength is the problem.
3) If ESP-WiFi, then how configured?
So now in the context of ESPHome configuration: Possibly there are WiFi-specific configurations in ESPHome that would have to be optimized in battery mode to simplify, for example, the WiFi-handshake. So like the suggestion with the fixed IP. I will try that. Are there any other ideas?
4) Other
@all
Would a 5V battery voltage maybe solve the problem? Maybe with an additional 5V-step-up-converter and then connected to ESP32s VIN? So maybe more power to WiFi could help connecting?
@finity
Of course it is: the box can be completely modified. Look here!
@brooksben11
Sometimes (about 2 times a year) the neighboring WiFis randomly change all at the same time at night completely automated the WiFi channels on the unsuccessful desperate search for free channels that do not exist. With 78 WiFi ESPs in my house, fallback APs then pop up by the dozen and make the situation worse. So I make them wait a long time until they actually form their own APs.