Detect an ESP Mesh Network

[philipp021]

Hello,

is it possible to detect if a ESP mesh network is present without trying to join?

I use multiple ESP32 that are in deep sleep most of the time.
Based on ADC readings, an ESP wakes up and starts building a self-organized mesh network similar to the "ESP-WIFI-MESH Programming Guide". So far this setup works and i am able to transmit data using TCP (ip_internal_network example from GitHub).

Now i need other ESPs, which regulary wake up based on a timer, to check if a mesh network is present. If no network is present, then this ESP can go back into deep sleep. Otherwise it should join the mesh network.

I already tried to find an existing mesh network using the examples/wifi/scan example from GitHub. But it seems that i can not find an operating mesh network.
The alternative is to try join a mesh and check if it connects with other nodes. But this approach would also require to check if the other nodes woke up because of the ADC reading or because of the timer.