Luckfox Forums

1. Scenario:
A Luckfox Pico Ultra W is connected via Wi-Fi using /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf. The device initially operates normally, but after approximately 0–15 minutes, it becomes unreachable via both SSH and ICMP (ping).

2. Steps to Reproduce
2.1 Configure Wi-Fi connection via /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
2.2 Disable Wi-Fi power saving:
2.2.1 iw dev wlan0 set power_save off
2.3 Operate the device normally
2.4 Within 0–15 minutes:
2.4.1 SSH connection drops
2.4.2 Ping stops responding

3. Observed Behavior
3.1 The board remains powered on (no reboot or shutdown symptoms)
3.2 Network connectivity is completely lost (Wi-Fi and later Ethernet)
3.3 Even after plugging in Ethernet, SSH/ping cannot be restored
3.4 Recovery requires a manual power cycle

4. Key Finding
4.1 The issue appears specific to Wi-Fi environments using a single SSID with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (band steering / dual-band SSID)
4.2 When connected to a 2.4 GHz-only SSID, the device:
4.2.1 Remains stable
4.2.2 Does not lose connectivity over time

Is it possible to restrict the device to 2.4 GHz only via /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf to avoid instability?

I've tried the following

network={
ssid="YOUR_SSID"
psk="YOUR_PASSWORD"
scan_freq=2412 2437 2462
}
network={
ssid="YOUR_SSID"
psk="YOUR_PASSWORD"
freq_list=2412
}

The network environment is complex and diverse. Based on your description, it is impossible to determine the problem. Please explain whether the SSH connection or the ping to the IP address can still be successful after the disconnection, and whether any special prompts were printed during the disconnection process.

Crocodile wrote: ↑2026-04-16 2:48 The network environment is complex and diverse. Based on your description, it is impossible to determine the problem. Please explain whether the SSH connection or the ping to the IP address can still be successful after the disconnection, and whether any special prompts were printed during the disconnection process.

Here are the steps to reproduce the issue.
1. Connect the Luckfox via Wi-Fi only (/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf)
2. Disable power saving (iw dev wlan0 set power_save off 2>/dev/null)
3. Wait between 0 and 15 minutes.
4. Loss of SSH and ping connection

After this loss, even when connecting via Ethernet, it is not possible to restore the SSH or ping connection. The Luckfox remains powered on; the only way to regain access is to power it off.

However, if we connect only via Ethernet, it works...

Hello! We're having some Wi-Fi connection issues with my Luckfox Pico Ultra W board, specifically with routers that broadcast an SSID on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies.

1. Scenario:
A Luckfox Pico Ultra W is connected via Wi-Fi using /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf. The device initially operates normally, but after approximately 0–15 minutes, it becomes unreachable via both SSH and ICMP (ping).

2. Steps to Reproduce
2.1 Configure Wi-Fi connection via /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
2.2 Disable Wi-Fi power saving:
2.2.1 iw dev wlan0 set power_save off
2.3 Operate the device normally
2.4 Within 0–15 minutes:
2.4.1 SSH connection drops
2.4.2 Ping stops responding

3. Observed Behavior
3.1 The board remains powered on (no reboot or shutdown symptoms)
3.2 Network connectivity is completely lost (Wi-Fi and later Ethernet)
3.3 Even after plugging in Ethernet, SSH/ping cannot be restored
3.4 Recovery requires a manual power cycle

4. Key Finding
4.1 The issue appears specific to Wi-Fi environments using a single SSID with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands (band steering / dual-band SSID)
4.2 When connected to a 2.4 GHz-only SSID, the device:
4.2.1 Remains stable
4.2.2 Does not lose connectivity over time

Is it possible to configure Luckfox to operate exclusively at 2.4 GHz for this specific dual-band router setup?

We have tried the following configurations (/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf), but without success…

network={
ssid="YOUR_SSID"
psk="YOUR_PASSWORD"
scan_freq=2412 2437 2462
}
network={
ssid="YOUR_SSID"
psk="YOUR_PASSWORD"
freq_list=2412
}

When Wi-Fi uses wpa_supplicant for connection, it connects based on the SSID, encryption protocol, and password, with the main control residing on the router side. Currently, I am not aware of any method that allows a Wi-Fi client device to forcibly connect to the router's 2.4 GHz band. One approach on the router side is to disable dual-band steering (or band steering) and split the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands into two separate SSIDs. The client device can then connect to the SSID corresponding to the desired band.