AP mode for GalaxyRVR no longer works after updating firmware

General
1

After updating to the 1.4.1 firmware on the ESP according to the instructions at https://docs.sunfounder.com/projects/galaxy-rvr/en/latest/faq.html#how-to-update-firmware-for-esp32-cam the GalaxyRVR will no longer sustain a WiFi connection in AP mode. With firmware 1.4.1 and later (the behavior is the same with 1.4.2), devices running the controller app will connect, but then are immediately disconnected. Switching the GalaxyRVR from AP to a local WiFi network works as expected, but obviously requires that the rover be used only indoors where such WiFi network are available. I noticed there are several other posts in this forum by people who are experiencing the same issue. Is there a fix for this, or does the firmware just need to be reverted to 1.4.0 for the GalaxyRVR to work in AP mode?

3

  1. Check WiFi Connection
    If the GalaxyRVR app disconnects, please first check if your phone is still connected to the GalaxyRVR’s WiFi. It’s possible that your phone may have automatically switched to another WiFi network, preventing reconnection. Please try changing the WiFi channel a few times and see if the connection improves.

  2. Test Video Stream Stability
    After changing the WiFi channel, you can test the signal stability by accessing the video stream on a computer. Observe the smoothness of the video feed to determine the best channel. For testing, keep your phone within 1-2 meters of the device.
    FAQ — SunFounder GalaxyRVR Kit for Arduino 1.0 documentation

  3. Rollback Firmware & Next Steps
    You can try rolling back the firmware to version 1.4.0 to see if the connection becomes stable and disconnects less frequently. Please ensure the battery is sufficiently charged during testing.

If frequent disconnections persist even after these steps, we can send you a replacement ESP32 CAM module.

4

Thank you for your assistance, but the WiFi connection is the problem. Since updating past v1.4.0 as described in the instructions, no device attempting to connect to the GalaxyRVR WiFi will stay connected. It is a constant series of connection (to the GalaxyRVR WiFi AP) followed by immediate disconnection; it simply won’t stay connected . This behavior (unsuccessful WiFi connection to the GalaxyRVR AP) has been observed with two different iPhones phones, two iPad tablets, a macOS computer, and a Windows computer. And except for the notably lower than expected video frame rate, (which was notable less than other FPV experiences and why I tried updating the firmware in the first place), it seemed to work reliably before upgrading the firmware as described in the website instructions. Thank you.

5

Please contact service@sunfounder.com