WiFi.macAddress() returns all zeros

Troubleshooting
1

I found this thread while looking to see if anyone else has recently encountered complete WiFi dropout from their Photons.

In the past I have seen that after being up for a couple of days my photons may lose the ability to connect to WiFi at all. In the past simply resetting the photon by calling System.reset() would fix the immediate problem.

However I now have 2 photons that simply cannot connect to WiFi no matter what I do. What is most odd is that WiFi.macAddress() returns all zeros. If I call WiFi.off() and then WiFi.on() , WiFi.macAddress() will return my proper MAC but if I do it again a few seconds later it will be back to all zeros. Also, it is not as if my WiFi is completely dead. I can scan and find 10 different access points available even though I only have credentials loaded for one.

Note, this is not a single unit. One started doing this and then the other did the same within a few hours. I’ve tried turning off the power for an hour and restarting without making any difference. I was assuming that there had been some firmware update that caused this sudden problem but I’m not seeing a general outcry. I was already having concerns about launching a product with intermittent WiFi issues but this has really put the brakes on. I’ll be watching this thread for updates.

2

Seeing that it’s very unlikely for two Photons to go haywire at the same time (or at all), I’d be inclined to look into environmental issues. Try kicking your router around a bit (check its settings, restart it, etc.). It could be that that’s causing issues as well.
Furthermore, are the Photons also acting problematic when running either Tinker or Blink An LED?

1 Like
3

The units are off-site so I won’t have physical access to them for at least a week. Also, since their networks won’t work I can’t remote flash them with any firmware to try. My access is remotely via a blue-tooth to serial connection.

I honestly don’t see how a router would cause the MAC address to return all zeros but then again I haven’t looked at the system firmware. In all other respects the units are functioning flawlessly. Luckily their main purpose in this implementation does not require a functioning network.

4

@mfallavol, what version firmware do you have on those Photons. I recall a fix in one firmware version that returned a valid MAC even if WiFi is not connected and valid IP obtained. In the version previous to that one, the MAC returned was all zeros as you are seeing.

5

I’m pretty sure they have system firmware version 0.6.1.