Can I test the T34 before soldering it back to the main board?

Hey fellas,

I’ve tried searching the forum for the answer to this question, but no luck (I tried "t34 & without & soldering" and "t34 AND without AND soldering").

I desoldered the T34 chip, soldered all the pins needed (RX/TX, GND, 3.3v), made a backup, flashed it, powered it down.

Then I desoldered the TX/RX pins (leaving 3.3V and GND connected), powered it back up, but I don’t see a Wi‑Fi AP (if I remember correctly, it should be something like OpenBeken_.... or OpenBK.....).

Did I flash it incorrectly, or is this expected behavior?
I’d like to check whether it’s flashed successfully before soldering it back.

Thanks!

AP should normally appear after a successful first boot, so no Wi-Fi network usually means the chip is not booting correctly or the wrong image was flashed. T34 is BK7231N-based, so make sure you used the Open BK7231N UART/QIO binary, not the BK7231T image. Also verify a stable 3.3 V supply and common ground. You can reconnect TX/RX temporarily and check the serial boot log before soldering the module back in.

>>21939484
Thanks!
Do I need to solder a wire to the antenna pad, or will the signal be strong enough without it?

Not necessarily. If you're just testing it on the bench at close range, it will often work without an external antenna. If you don't see the AP, try scanning from very close to the module first. If it still doesn't appear, then connect a temporary antenna or wire to rule that out.