[Bug]: Heltec V4 - Switching CLIENT → ROUTER causes unstable behaviour (loop reboots / deep sleep) – Firmware 2.7.15

[LaResilienceFr]

Category

Other

Hardware

Other

Is this bug report about any UI component firmware like InkHUD or Meshtatic UI (MUI)?

• Meshtastic UI aka MUI colorTFT
• InkHUD ePaper
• OLED slide UI on any display

Firmware Version

2.7.15.567b8ea

Description

On Heltec V4, switching device role from CLIENT to ROUTER leads to unstable behaviour (27dBm).
The node becomes unreachable (serial + remote admin), appears to “reboot”, and/or enters long-sleep immediately.

This has been reproduced multiple times.

Firmware tested: 2.7.15.567b8ea

Relevant log output

DEBUG | ??:??:?? 10 [PowerFSM] State: ON
INFO  | ??:??:?? 13 [PowerFSM] lsEnter begin, ls_secs=86400
INFO  | ??:??:?? 14 [PowerFSM] setup LORA_DIO1 (GPIO14) with wakeup by gpio interrupt
...
Timed out waiting for connection completion

Critical Behavior (Deep Sleep)

When switching device.role from CLIENT to ROUTER, the Heltec V4 immediately enters deep sleep (ls_secs=86400), which cuts all USB/serial connections.
It is impossible to send any CLI commands until the node wakes up (via LoRa event or reboot).
The current workaround — manually setting power.is_power_saving=false and power.ls_secs=0 — requires reconnecting the USB/serial port before the first command, which is non-intuitive and inconvenient.

meshtastic --set power.is_power_saving false
meshtastic --set power.ls_secs 0
meshtastic --set power.sds_secs 0
meshtastic --set power.min_wake_secs 60

Suggested Firmware Improvements

Do not automatically enable long sleep when switching CLIENT → ROUTER.
Ensure USB/serial remains active for a short period after reboot to allow configuration.
Optionally, add a “router safe mode” for Heltec V4 (and similar USB-powered nodes) to allow configuration without immediately entering deep sleep.

[github-actions[bot]]

@LaResilienceFr, Welcome to Meshtastic! 👋

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[b8b8]

This is as intended. Router roles are not supposed to be directly configurable.
The designed method is to set all appropriate settings in while in CLIENT role, then using remote admin, switch to Router role on location in the mountians/radio-tower.

meshtastic/meshtastic#2169

[spfmoby]

Hi

b8b8: ok for the "no serial" part, but it does not explain what the OP is saying about "remote admin), appears to “reboot”, and/or enters long-sleep immediately."

There probably is something weird with the power saving if the router doesn't answer to remote admin messages.