network.WLAN - how to read docs?

[shorted-neuron]

I'm getting started with micropython on a Raspi rp2 Pico W. I'm a noob and having trouble understanding the documentation, and have been unsuccessful in finding "how to read the documentation" documentation.

Specifically, this document is at the heart of my issues: https://docs.micropython.org/en/latest/library/network.WLAN.html. I am having trouble getting my wifi going, following https://datasheets.raspberrypi.com/picow/connecting-to-the-internet-with-pico-w.pdf esp section 3.6 "Connecting to a wireless network"

issue 1 - Where do i find how to translate the constants there to their values? network.WLAN.status() in that doc shows constants. I am getting several values, 2, -2, -3, but never "3" which in examples seems to be the value indicating a successful connection.

Similarly, i thought to try the WLAN.connect() method. In many examples, you invoke it with
WLAN.connect(ssid, psk)

I thought as part of troubleshooting, that i would specify the access point. The documentation says:
WLAN.connect(ssid=None, key=None, *, bssid=None)

Issue 2 - what is the third argument, * ? I do not know how to interpret that, and it seems that I'm "supposed to know" what that means. I cannot invoke the method without it... coming from C, i thought it might be a pointer, string, etc. nothing i try passes the interpreter.

Issue 3 - most important, i'd like to know how I might have found these answers myself if i were more experienced!

thanks a pile!

[peterhinch]

To connect to WiFi use something like this (changing network name and password):

def do_connect():
    import network
    sta_if = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
    ap = network.WLAN(network.AP_IF) # create access-point interface
    ap.active(False)         # deactivate the interface
    if not sta_if.isconnected():
        print('connecting to network...')
        sta_if.active(True)
        sta_if.connect("NETWORK_NAME", "PASSWORD")
        while not sta_if.isconnected():
            pass
    print('network config:', sta_if.ifconfig())
    a = sta_if.config('mac')
    print('MAC {:02x}:{:02x}:{:02x}:{:02x}:{:02x}'.format(a[0],a[1],a[2],a[3],a[4]))

In general you don't need to worry about the numeric values of the constants.

The * in the calling convention is part of the Python language. The compiler takes it to mean that subsequent parameters are named rather than positional. The function:

def foo(x, y, *, z):
    print(x, y, z)

must be called with z specified by name. Either of the following will work:

foo(1, 2, z=3)
foo(1, y=2, z=3)

but not

foo(1, 2, 3)

Language details are best learnt by following an online course on your PC.

[shorted-neuron]

Thank you very much sir, that helped. My code was similar enough to the documentation examples and your own answer that I started to suspect a bad pico unit. After much trial and error, and another pico W displaying same behavior, I started using a different access point. Then i suddenly was able to connect very reliably. I have not figured out what the difference is between the two, as both are openwrt with very similar configurations, but if i ever do, i will post here.

So... for anyone that happens to read this, if the default examples are giving you trouble with WiFi, you might consider trying a different access point (entirely different Wifi network).

Thanks again!