Hi there,
Here is some code I used a while back to help figure what I was doing.
It’s from Liam over at Arduino Forum.
It is a demo-code that has three useful additional functions,
// Demo-Code connect an ESP32 to a WiFi-network using stationmode STA
// stationmode is simply join the WiFi-network as your computer or smartphone does it
// the code has three useful functions one for easy identifiying the code in the flash
// one for non-blocking timing
// a heartbeat-blinker function for indicating the state the code is in
// the code is written with two programming rules:
// 1. put EACH functionality into its OWN function
// 2. give EACH function a SELF-explaining name what the function does
// you should follow these programming rules
#include <WiFi.h>
const char *ssid = "Your SSID";
const char *password = "your password";
void PrintFileNameDateTime() {
Serial.println( F("Code running comes from file ") );
Serial.println( F(__FILE__));
Serial.print( F(" compiled ") );
Serial.print(F(__DATE__));
Serial.print( F(" ") );
Serial.println(F(__TIME__));
}
boolean TimePeriodIsOver (unsigned long &periodStartTime, unsigned long TimePeriod) {
unsigned long currentMillis = millis();
if ( currentMillis - periodStartTime >= TimePeriod )
{
periodStartTime = currentMillis; // set new expireTime
return true; // more time than TimePeriod) has elapsed since last time if-condition was true
}
else return false; // not expired
}
unsigned long MyTestTimer = 0; // variables MUST be of type unsigned long
const byte OnBoard_LED = 2;
void BlinkHeartBeatLED(int IO_Pin, int BlinkPeriod) {
static unsigned long MyBlinkTimer;
pinMode(IO_Pin, OUTPUT);
if ( TimePeriodIsOver(MyBlinkTimer,BlinkPeriod) ) {
digitalWrite(IO_Pin,!digitalRead(IO_Pin) );
}
}
void ConnectToWiFi() {
WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
Serial.println("WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA)");
int myCount = 0;
Serial.print("trying to connect to #");
Serial.print(ssid);
Serial.println("#");
WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
// Wait for connection
while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && myCount < 31) {
BlinkHeartBeatLED(OnBoard_LED, 50); // blink LED fast during attempt to connect
if ( TimePeriodIsOver(MyTestTimer, 500) ) { // once every 500 miliseconds
Serial.print("."); // print a dot
myCount++;
if (myCount > 30) { // after 30 dots = 15 seconds restart
Serial.println();
Serial.print("not yet connected executing ESP.restart();");
ESP.restart();
}
}
}
if (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED ) {
Serial.println("");
Serial.print("Connected to #");
Serial.print(ssid);
Serial.print("# IP address: ");
Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
}
}
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200);
Serial.println( F("Setup-Start") );
PrintFileNameDateTime();
ConnectToWiFi();
}
void PrintHelloMsg() {
Serial.print( F("Hi there I'm the demo-code my IP address is: ") );
Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
}
void loop() {
BlinkHeartBeatLED(OnBoard_LED,500); // change blinking to a lower frequency indicating beeing connected
if ( TimePeriodIsOver(MyTestTimer,1000) ) {
PrintHelloMsg();
}
}
/*
most ESP32 boards have a blue LED connected to GPIO-pin 2
This blue LED is used to indicate state connecting to WiFi by blinking fast
state beeing connected to Wifi by blinking with 1 Hz
If the WiFi-connection is successfully established the serial monitor shows
08:44:02.915 -> Setup-Start
08:44:02.915 -> Code running comes from file
08:44:02.915 -> your-path\ESP32-connect-to-Wifi-Demo-001\ESP32-connect-to-Wifi-Demo-001.ino
08:44:02.915 -> compiled date/time of compiling
08:44:02.971 -> WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA)
08:44:02.971 -> trying to connect to #Your SSID#
08:44:03.362 -> ....
08:44:04.215 -> Connected to #Your SSID# IP address: given IP-adress NNN.NNN.NNN.NNN
08:44:04.865 -> Hi there I'm the demo-code my IP address is: NNN.NNN.NNN.NNN
if there is something wrong with your WiFi, SSID or password
you will see this in the serial monitor
08:32:36.598 -> Setup-Start
08:32:36.598 -> Code running comes from file
08:32:36.598 -> F:\MyPortable-PRgs\arduino-1.8.16-newb\portable\sketchbook\ESP32-connect-to-Wifi-Demo-001\ESP32-connect-to-Wifi-Demo-001.ino
08:32:36.598 -> compiled Dec 1 2021 08:32:18
08:32:36.684 -> WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA)
08:32:36.684 -> trying to connect to #your SSID#
08:32:37.036 -> ...............................
08:32:52.035 -> not yet connected executing ESP.restart();ets Jun 8 2016 00:22:57
08:32:52.035 ->
08:32:52.035 -> rst:0xc (SW_CPU_RESET),boot:0x13 (SPI_FAST_FLASH_BOOT)
08:32:52.035 -> configsip: 0, SPIWP:0xee
08:32:52.035 -> clk_drv:0x00,q_drv:0x00,d_drv:0x00,cs0_drv:0x00,hd_drv:0x00,wp_drv:0x00
08:32:52.073 -> mode:DIO, clock div:1
08:32:52.073 -> load:0x3fff0018,len:4
08:32:52.073 -> load:0x3fff001c,len:1216
08:32:52.073 -> ho 0 tail 12 room 4
08:32:52.073 -> load:0x40078000,len:9720
08:32:52.073 -> ho 0 tail 12 room 4
08:32:52.073 -> load:0x40080400,len:6352
08:32:52.073 -> entry 0x400806b8
08:32:52.309 -> Setup-Start
08:32:52.309 -> Code running comes from file
08:32:52.309 -> F:\MyPortable-PRgs\arduino-1.8.16-newb\portable\sketchbook\ESP32-connect-to-Wifi-Demo-001\ESP32-connect-to-Wifi-Demo-001.ino
08:32:52.309 -> compiled Dec 1 2021 08:32:18
08:32:52.405 -> WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA)
08:32:52.405 -> trying to connect to #Your SSID#
08:32:52.758 -> ...............................
08:33:07.788 -> not yet connected executing ESP.restart();ets Jun 8 2016 00:22:57
*/
Be sure antenna is attached properly , what kind of RSSI 's are you seeing. Near and Far?
HTH
GL 
PJ