WiFi Comprehensive Test Suite

Overview

The WiFi Comprehensive Test Suite is a thorough validation system for the ESP32-C6 WiFi implementation. It provides both interface testing and real hardware functionality testing to ensure complete WiFi operation validation.

Test Architecture

The test suite is organized into four main categories:

1. Core Tests (Interface-Only)

  • Data Structures Test - Validates WiFi configuration structures
  • Enums Test - Tests all WiFi enums and their values
  • Error Codes Test - Validates error code definitions

2. Interface Tests (Interface-Only)

  • Interface Validation Test - Tests class structure and method signatures
  • Integration Test - Tests interface integration and method chaining

3. Performance Tests (Interface-Only)

  • Performance Test - Measures operation speed (1000 operations in 2ms)
  • Stress Test - Rapid iteration testing for stability

4. Functional Tests (Real Hardware)

  • WiFi Initialization Test - Tests initialization and mode switching
  • Access Point Creation Test - Creates real AP for 15 seconds (visible on phones)
  • Network Scanning Test - Scans for real networks
  • Station Connection Test - Tests connection attempts
  • Power Management Test - Tests power save modes
  • Advanced Features Test - Tests TX power and bandwidth
  • Event Handling Test - Tests WiFi event callbacks

Test Configuration

Tests can be enabled/disabled by modifying the configuration flags at the top of WifiComprehensiveTest.cpp:

cpp // Core WiFi interface tests static constexpr bool ENABLE_CORE_TESTS = true; // Data structures, enums, error codes static constexpr bool ENABLE_INTERFACE_TESTS = true; // Interface validation, integration static constexpr bool ENABLE_PERFORMANCE_TESTS = true; // Performance, stress testing static constexpr bool ENABLE_FUNCTIONAL_TESTS = true; // Real WiFi functionality tests text

Running the Tests

Build and Flash

bash cd examples/esp32 ./scripts/build_app.sh wifi_test Release ./scripts/flash_app.sh flash_monitor wifi_test Release text

Expected Output

The test suite provides comprehensive logging with ASCII art banners and detailed progress information:

text ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ ESP32-C6 WIFI COMPREHENSIVE TEST SUITE ║ ║ HardFOC Internal Interface ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ text

Test Results Summary

Latest Test Run Results

  • Total Tests: 14
  • Passed: 14 ✅
  • Failed: 0 ❌
  • Success Rate: 100.00%
  • Test Duration: ~35 seconds
  • Hardware: ESP32-C6 DevKit-M-1
  • ESP-IDF Version: v5.5-468-g02c5f2dbb9

Individual Test Results

Core Tests

  1. ✅ Data Structures Test - 10.44 ms
  2. ✅ Enums Test - 72.68 ms
  3. ✅ Error Codes Test - 9.67 ms

Interface Tests

  1. ✅ Interface Validation Test - 11.29 ms
  2. ✅ Integration Test - 11.47 ms

Performance Tests

  1. ✅ Performance Test - 20.14 ms (1000 operations in 2ms)
  2. ✅ Stress Test - 10.61 ms

Functional Tests

  1. ✅ WiFi Initialization Test - 978.60 ms
  2. ✅ Access Point Creation Test - 17.75 seconds (15s AP duration)
  3. ✅ Network Scanning Test - 2.22 seconds
  4. ✅ Station Connection Test - 10.70 seconds
  5. ✅ Power Management Test - 715.11 ms
  6. ✅ Advanced Features Test - 735.06 ms
  7. ✅ Event Handling Test - 1.79 seconds

Real Hardware Validation

Access Point Test

The Access Point test creates a real WiFi network that can be seen and connected to:

  • Network Name: “ESP32-C6_TestAP”
  • MAC Address: :::::
  • IP Address: 192.168.4.1 (default AP subnet)
  • Security: WPA2-PSK
  • Duration: 15 seconds (optimized for test framework)
  • Visibility: ✅ Confirmed visible on phones/computers
  • Real Connection: Ready for external device connection

Network Scanning Test

The scanning test finds real networks in the environment:

  1. WifiName1 (RSSI: -74 dBm, Channel: 1, WPA2-PSK)
  2. WifiName2 (RSSI: -81 dBm, Channel: 11, WPA2-PSK)

Note: Network availability varies by environment and time of testing.

Performance Metrics

  • Initialization Time: ~979ms (includes proper network interface setup)
  • Mode Switching: Seamless Station ↔ Access Point transitions
  • Scan Duration: ~2.2 seconds for 2 networks
  • Memory Usage: 30.55% DIRAM, 0.15% LP SRAM
  • Binary Size: 881KB (43% free space)
  • Network Interface Management: ✅ Optimized - No duplicate interface creation

Test Framework Features

Task-Based Testing

Each test runs in its own FreeRTOS task with configurable stack size and priority.

Timeout Protection

Tests have timeout protection to prevent infinite loops.

Comprehensive Logging

Detailed logging with timestamps and progress indicators.

Error Handling

Robust error handling with specific error messages and recovery.

Memory Management

Proper memory allocation and cleanup for all test operations.

Network Interface Management

Problem Resolution

The WiFi implementation previously encountered esp_netif_lwip errors due to duplicate network interface creation. This has been completely resolved through:

  1. Global Interface Management: Default network interfaces (WIFI_STA_DEF, WIFI_AP_DEF) are created once and shared across all EspWifi instances
  2. Atomic Synchronization: Thread-safe flags prevent race conditions during interface creation
  3. Proper Resource Sharing: Multiple WiFi instances can coexist without conflicts
  4. Optimized Initialization: Network interfaces are referenced rather than recreated

Technical Implementation

cpp // Global function ensures default interfaces are created only once static hf_wifi_err_t ensureDefaultNetifs() { static std::atomic<bool> netifs_initialized{false}; // ... implementation details } text

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  1. Test Timeout: If tests timeout, check for hardware issues or increase timeout values
  2. WiFi Initialization Failure: Ensure ESP32-C6 is properly connected and powered
  3. Network Scanning Issues: Check for WiFi interference or antenna placement
  4. Access Point Not Visible: Verify the AP is running and check device WiFi settings

Debug Information

The test suite provides extensive debug information:

  • WiFi driver initialization logs
  • Event handling logs
  • Network scanning results
  • Connection attempt details
  • Power management status

Test Customization

Adding New Tests

  1. Create a new test function following the naming convention test_wifi**
  2. Add the test to the appropriate test section
  3. Update the test configuration flags if needed

Modifying Test Parameters

  • AP duration can be changed in the Access Point test
  • Scan timeout can be adjusted in the scanning test
  • Performance test iterations can be modified

Test Environment

  • Tests run in Release mode for optimal performance
  • Stack sizes are optimized for each test type
  • Memory usage is monitored and reported

Integration with CI/CD

The test suite is designed to be integrated into continuous integration pipelines:

  • Interface Tests: Safe for CI environments (no hardware required)
  • Functional Tests: Require ESP32-C6 hardware for full validation
  • Performance Tests: Provide baseline metrics for regression testing