Cannot associate WiFly in infrastructure mode (solved)

Wireless & IoT
1

I can have the Wifly module connect to my laptop in ad-hoc mode, but not to my router in infrastructure mode, as shown by the session below. I was wondering if the folks who could have it working in infrastructure compare the parameters below with their own? Or even better, can the one who had the same problem and solved it share the experience?

FYI, I use the Wifly shield with FEZ Domino. Here is a dump of the session under terminal which shows you all my Wifly parameters together with the error on joining my router (interestingly, the module returned READY first, before reporting an error):

<2.21> factory RESET
Set Factory Defaults
<2.21> set wlan ssid astra
AOK
<2.21> get everything
WiFly Ver 2.21, 07-11-2010
Beacon=100
Probe=60
OPEN=*OPEN*
CLOSE=*CLOS*
REMOTE=*HELLO*
FlushSize=64
MatchChar=0
FlushTimer=10
IdleTimer=0
CmdChar=$
IF=DOWN
DHCP=ON
IP=0.0.0.0:2000
NM=255.255.255.0
GW=0.0.0.0
HOST=0.0.0.0:2000
PROTO=TCP,
MTU=1460
FLAGS=0x7
BACKUP=0.0.0.0
DNS=0.0.0.0
Name=server1
Backup=backup2
FTP=208.109.78.34:21
File=wifly-GSX.img
User=roving
Pass=Pass123
SSID=astra
Chan=0
ExtAnt=0
Join=1
Auth=OPEN
Mask=0x1fff
Rate=12, 24 Mb
Linkmon=0
Passphrase=rubygirl
SleepTmr=0
WakeTmr=0
Trigger=0x1
Autoconn=0
IoFunc=0x0
IoMask=0x20f0
PrintLvl=0x1
TimeEna=0
TIMEADR=129.6.15.28:123
Zone=7
Baudrate=9600
Flow=0x0
Mode=0x0
JoinTmr=1000
Replace=0x24
DeviceId=WiFly-GSX
Password=
Format=0x0
Sensors=0x0
BCAST=255.255.255.255:55555
Interval=0x7
<2.21> save
Storing in config
<2.21> reboot
*Reboot*WiFly Ver 2.21, 07-11-2010
MAC Addr=00:12:b8:13:63:cc
Auto-Assoc astra chan=2 mode=OPEN SCAN OK
Joining astra now..
*READY*
Auto-Assoc astra chan=2 mode=OPEN SCAN OK
Joining astra now..
Disconn from astra,AUTH-ERR
Auto-Assoc astra chan=2 mode=OPEN SCAN OK
Joining astra now..
Auto-Assoc astra chan=2 mode=OPEN SCAN OK
Joining astra now..
CMD
<2.21> Disconn from astra,AUTH-ERR
<2.21> Auto-Assoc astra chan=0 mode=NONE FAILED
<2.21>

My router (SSID: astra) is indeed configured in open mode (no password, no encryption, no access list restriction). Why does it show an authentication error? Needeless to say, the router works perfectly as I used it to post this topic. Again, I need to stress the fact that the module works quite well as a web server in Ad-Hoc mode; so apparently the problem is related to the Infrastructure mode. Unfortunately my router did not log any error…

Thanks

JP

2

Problem solved!

I also contacted Roving Networks support and after a couple email exchanges, the support staff confirmed that my config was correct, but also said that “SparkFun boards are known to have bad grounding which causes issues with the RF signal”. This comment rang a bell!

I watched more carefully my FEZ Domino with its two shields stacked, and the WiFly was the one below. So I removed the top one, rebooted, and it worked! I also swapped the two shields, putting the WiFly on the top and here too, it worked. Finally I restored the WIFly shield to its initial position between the top shield and the FEZ Domino, and indeed, it failed again. This is a good lesson learned for me here. We are dealing with Radio Frequencies and those are much more sensitive to electrical and mechanical conditions than my poor C# code!

JP