Target stops responding after variable time when using Firefox on Windows 10

[revell1]

Describe the bug

While testing the Async_AdvancedWebServer.ino example,
it has been seen that while accessing the target using Firefox 104.0.2 (64-bit) from a Windows 10 laptop, that the program responds every 5 seconds with an update.
But after some random time, the last request fails to get a reply.

The SERIAL debug output shows that the heartbeat DOTS are still occuring.

But trying to refresh the browser or connect to the target using a different browser (EGDE), or trying to attach using Firefox from an Android device all fail to connect.

If first connect to target using EDGE rather than Firefox, then have not yet seen target stop responding.
Have also had THREE connections (Firefox + Edge on PC, and Firefox on Android) at same time, for over 20 minutes, without issue.

Problem only appears to occur when using Firefox as first/only connection from power up.
Unclear if this is a Firefox induced issue, a target program issue, or a network/router issue.

Steps to Reproduce

As above, connect to the target address (just the IP, no HTTP:// or HTTPS://) using Firefox, and watch the regular updates, wait till the browser reports

"
The connection has timed out
The server at 192.168.1.xxx is taking too long to respond.
"

Expected behavior

Would expect the target device to continue returning replies without issue.

Actual behavior

After random time, target stops responding, but heartbeat debug output shows still alive.

Debug and AT-command log (if applicable)

N/a

Screenshots

N/a

Information

Arduino IDE version 1.8.19
RP2040 Core Version RP2040 core v2.5.2
RP2040 Board type RASPBERRY_PI_PICO_W
Contextual information - Just trying out the library to see if it fits with my needs.
Simplest possible steps to reproduce - build and run Async_AdvancedWebServer example program.
Anything that might be relevant in your opinion, such as:
    Operating system code built on Windows 10 laptop
    Network configuration - Firefox 104.0.2 (64-bit) browsing to Pico-W IP address.

[khoih-prog]

Hi @revell1

Thanks for the detailed investigation.

If first connect to target using EDGE rather than Firefox, then have not yet seen target stop responding.
...
Unclear if this is a Firefox induced issue, a target program issue, or a network/router issue.

As you've already tested found out, there must be something weird with the combination of Firefox 104.0.2 (64-bit) from a Windows 10 laptop and your network ???

Try to use different browsers, such as Chrome, Vivaldi, or even different Firefox versions / router to see if OK.

If the issue happens only when using Firefox, you can post the issue on Firefox Forum as the issue is possibly so complex that I don't have interests (and never use Firefox) as well as know where or how to start.

I'm closing the issue anyway, and won't reopen until the bug of this library is proven.

Good Luck with your investigation,

[revell1]

I have been repeating tests using Microsoft Edge, and the Async_AdvancedWebServer.ino example code, with:
RP2040W_AWS_LOGLEVEL 1

I have encountered similar issues as before.

Below is the serial/USB log output of the heartbeat output, while EDGE was left with single TAB opened on target address 192.168.1.105

Page was updating for about 37 minutes before finally stalling and being unrecoverable.

What was seen on browser was the full webpage with the UPTIME (37:02 was the final time) and random data SVG graphs.

But at times when the page was updating, the GRAPH was replaced with a SMALL ICON, this appeared to line up with the error output in the serial log where the setCloseError() is displayed.

A text comment in the code (in check_status() function) suggests that the "." logging is updated every 60 seconds, but I think that is an error and should be 10seconds, in which case each dot in the log below is a 10 second interval. From the log, it does not look like a regular error/event/fault, but is quite frequent.

I am guessing that this effect is what I was seeing with Firefox, but with Firefox it appeared to be fatal, and once the error occured, Firefox was unable to recover or even reconnect.
EDGE however appears to manage to recover on most occasions, though the end of this log trace was when even EDGE was unable to reconnect.

I am not sure where the "[ATCP] setCloseError()" output is comming from, but did find a similar log report from one of your other projects in the "readme" file for:

github.com/khoih-prog/AsyncMQTT_Generic#debug-terminal-output-samples

I am still unclear where the issue is, but appears that both Firefox and Edge are being affected in different ways.

Suggesting that the problem is either WiFi driver or program code, or some Wireless router issue that has been observed by other users with other libraries.

The Serial (USB) Log Output

Local IP Address: 192.168.1.105
HTTP EthernetWebServer is @ IP : 192.168.1.105
....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
...... [ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
....... [ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
........ [ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.......... .........[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
. ....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
...... [ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..... ..........
.[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..... .[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
......... ....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
...... .....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..... ...[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
...[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.... ..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
......[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.. ..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
... ..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
......
.[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
..... ....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
...... .........[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
. .........[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
. .....[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
.... ..[ATCP] setCloseError() to: Connection closed => -15
........ .......... ..........
....

[khoih-prog]

HI @revell1

There can be some problem with your board, network, etc. as I have been running the same example more than 4 and 1/2 hours and still running. My browser is latest Chrome running on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

---

7++ hrs and still running

[khoih-prog]

14++ hrs and still running

[khoih-prog]

Even on Vivaldi browser

[khoih-prog]

Both Chrome and Vivaldi running simultaneously

[revell1]

Thanks for your further testing.

I have been trying to do further testing, but still get the frequent/random failures with no clue why.

As an further experiment, I took a side step to the example in:
Webserver - AdvancedWebServer
From the "earlephilhower" code port.

The Sketch code looks similar to yours, just using the NON Async server, so I was assuming that much of the underlying network driver code would be the same.

This also is having the same stability issues.
Have also tried a NEW Pico-W with no improvements.

Also tried various other test code with not real conclusions.

I have a number of Pi Zero-W and PI 3B's running Volumio, all connecting to 2.4GHz network, and have been fine for several years, can always connect to them from Laptop or Android on 5GHz, with router providing the link between 2.4 and 5GHz networks, but they use different hardware etc, so not really a useful comparison.

So I am still at a loss on how to track down what is causing the random issues.
Could be Wifi hardware issue with Pico-W on my 2.4GHz network that causes problems.
But even when Firefox is unable to connect to the server, I can still PING the target Pico-W, so the Wifi link is still there, but something has blocked any HTTP type access from either my PC or any other devices (Android).

Powercycle of the Pico always clears the block, but still does not help to track the source.

=====

As a side note, I read that the use of the META - REFRESH method of periodic updates is considered bad web design, due to taking control from the user.
So I have been looking at other possible scripting methods, I think the terms AJAX and XMLHttp appear to get mentioned at times, but that is all new to me, and have not found any obvious example code in the libraries for this yet, but will have to look into that.
But was thinking about trying to write a simple test sketch that uses a scripted timer event to request specific data items, as that was closer to my original intentions when I started out with Python, but rapidly hit too many walls from lack of usable libraries, and CircuitPython not yet supporting the Pico-W.
I am thinking that the way the graph image is obtained is close to what I am wanting to achieve in a scripting method, where a GET is posted requesting the data (image file), and would need to use the various ITEM tag/names to modify the content, which I guess is what the current test code is doing when the SVG file is received, which is why at times when things fail, I see a small ICON in place of the graph, because the SVG file was either lost or corrupted during the transfer.

I guess you do not have any test code examples of such "GET" post requests from a script perspective?

[khoih-prog]

Both Chrome and Vivaldi running simultaneously, 20+hrs

Sorry I have no more time to spend on this. You're on your own, unless you can prove this is a bug of the library.

Good Luck,

[khoih-prog]

Both Chrome and Vivaldi running simultaneously, 38+hrs . Final test

[khoih-prog]

Saw your post at Pi PICO-W WifiServer example code failure #860

Check this issue PICO W and tp-link wifi harware issues in RPi Forum to see anything useful to you.

Also test and see if the shared 2.4GHz WiFi is so crowded there in UK, creating channel competing situation, periodic (37 minutes) interference, etc.

Try also to use other routers (such as Cisco, Linksys, Netgear, etc., not the notorious TP-Link) and see if better. I bought a TP-Link to test quite some time ago, got very bad experience and never buy / use TP-Link again.

[khoih-prog]

HI @revell1

I don't know if this will work for you in UK, but try to modify as follows to test

1. before

AsyncWebServer_RP2040W/examples/Async_AdvancedWebServer/Async_AdvancedWebServer.ino

Line 47 in 6b4f24e

#include <AsyncWebServer_RP2040W.h>

this line

#include <pico/cyw43_arch.h>

3. before

AsyncWebServer_RP2040W/examples/Async_AdvancedWebServer/Async_AdvancedWebServer.ino

Line 185 in 6b4f24e

status = WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);

this line

if (cyw43_arch_init_with_country(CYW43_COUNTRY_UK))
{
  Serial.println("Error setting country code!");
  // don't continue
  while (true);
}

For example

#if !( defined(ARDUINO_RASPBERRY_PI_PICO_W) )
  #error For RASPBERRY_PI_PICO_W only
#endif

#define _RP2040W_AWS_LOGLEVEL_     1

#include <pico/cyw43_arch.h>

#include <AsyncWebServer_RP2040W.h>

...

void setup()
{
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LED_OFF);

  Serial.begin(115200);
  while (!Serial);

  delay(200);

  Serial.print("\nStart Async_AdvancedWebServer on "); Serial.print(BOARD_NAME);
  Serial.print(" with "); Serial.println(SHIELD_TYPE);
  Serial.println(ASYNCTCP_RP2040W_VERSION);
  Serial.println(ASYNC_WEBSERVER_RP2040W_VERSION);

  ///////////////////////////////////

  // check for the WiFi module:
  if (WiFi.status() == WL_NO_MODULE)
  {
    Serial.println("Communication with WiFi module failed!");
    // don't continue
    while (true);
  }

  Serial.print(F("Connecting to SSID: "));
  Serial.println(ssid);
 
  if (cyw43_arch_init_with_country(CYW43_COUNTRY_UK))
  {
    Serial.println("Error setting country code!");
    // don't continue
    while (true);
  }

  status = WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);

  delay(1000);
  ...

If working OK for you, I'll make some PR for the arduino-pico core, or at least for all RP2040W-related libraries to permit country configuration.

---

List of countries you can use is in cyw43_country.h of pico-sdk

#define CYW43_COUNTRY_WORLDWIDE         CYW43_COUNTRY('X', 'X', 0)


#define CYW43_COUNTRY_AUSTRALIA         CYW43_COUNTRY('A', 'U', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_AUSTRIA           CYW43_COUNTRY('A', 'T', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_BELGIUM           CYW43_COUNTRY('B', 'E', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_BRAZIL            CYW43_COUNTRY('B', 'R', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_CANADA            CYW43_COUNTRY('C', 'A', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_CHILE             CYW43_COUNTRY('C', 'L', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_CHINA             CYW43_COUNTRY('C', 'N', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_COLOMBIA          CYW43_COUNTRY('C', 'O', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_CZECH_REPUBLIC    CYW43_COUNTRY('C', 'Z', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_DENMARK           CYW43_COUNTRY('D', 'K', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_ESTONIA           CYW43_COUNTRY('E', 'E', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_FINLAND           CYW43_COUNTRY('F', 'I', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_FRANCE            CYW43_COUNTRY('F', 'R', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_GERMANY           CYW43_COUNTRY('D', 'E', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_GREECE            CYW43_COUNTRY('G', 'R', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_HONG_KONG         CYW43_COUNTRY('H', 'K', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_HUNGARY           CYW43_COUNTRY('H', 'U', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_ICELAND           CYW43_COUNTRY('I', 'S', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_INDIA             CYW43_COUNTRY('I', 'N', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_ISRAEL            CYW43_COUNTRY('I', 'L', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_ITALY             CYW43_COUNTRY('I', 'T', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_JAPAN             CYW43_COUNTRY('J', 'P', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_KENYA             CYW43_COUNTRY('K', 'E', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_LATVIA            CYW43_COUNTRY('L', 'V', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_LIECHTENSTEIN     CYW43_COUNTRY('L', 'I', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_LITHUANIA         CYW43_COUNTRY('L', 'T', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_LUXEMBOURG        CYW43_COUNTRY('L', 'U', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_MALAYSIA          CYW43_COUNTRY('M', 'Y', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_MALTA             CYW43_COUNTRY('M', 'T', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_MEXICO            CYW43_COUNTRY('M', 'X', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_NETHERLANDS       CYW43_COUNTRY('N', 'L', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_NEW_ZEALAND       CYW43_COUNTRY('N', 'Z', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_NIGERIA           CYW43_COUNTRY('N', 'G', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_NORWAY            CYW43_COUNTRY('N', 'O', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_PERU              CYW43_COUNTRY('P', 'E', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_PHILIPPINES       CYW43_COUNTRY('P', 'H', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_POLAND            CYW43_COUNTRY('P', 'L', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_PORTUGAL          CYW43_COUNTRY('P', 'T', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SINGAPORE         CYW43_COUNTRY('S', 'G', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SLOVAKIA          CYW43_COUNTRY('S', 'K', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SLOVENIA          CYW43_COUNTRY('S', 'I', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SOUTH_AFRICA      CYW43_COUNTRY('Z', 'A', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SOUTH_KOREA       CYW43_COUNTRY('K', 'R', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SPAIN             CYW43_COUNTRY('E', 'S', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SWEDEN            CYW43_COUNTRY('S', 'E', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_SWITZERLAND       CYW43_COUNTRY('C', 'H', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_TAIWAN            CYW43_COUNTRY('T', 'W', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_THAILAND          CYW43_COUNTRY('T', 'H', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_TURKEY            CYW43_COUNTRY('T', 'R', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_UK                CYW43_COUNTRY('G', 'B', 0)
#define CYW43_COUNTRY_USA               CYW43_COUNTRY('U', 'S', 0)

[khoih-prog]

I also add new example Async_AdvancedWebServer_Country for you to try.

Just modify to the correct code here

AsyncWebServer_RP2040W/examples/Async_AdvancedWebServer_Country/Async_AdvancedWebServer_Country.ino

Line 193 in a647b54

if (cyw43_arch_init_with_country(CYW43_COUNTRY_CANADA))