diff --git a/plip_voice/main/net.c b/plip_voice/main/net.c
index 2d7414d..c7e8eba 100644
--- a/plip_voice/main/net.c
+++ b/plip_voice/main/net.c
@@ -83,10 +83,13 @@ static void wifi_event_handler(void *arg, esp_event_base_t base,
     if (base == WIFI_EVENT && event_id == WIFI_EVENT_STA_START) {
         esp_wifi_connect();
     } else if (base == WIFI_EVENT && event_id == WIFI_EVENT_STA_DISCONNECTED) {
-        if (!s_connected) return;   /* still in initial connect loop */
-        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "WiFi disconnected, reconnecting...");
+        /* Retry on EVERY disconnect, including failures during the initial boot
+         * attempt: on a mesh the first association frequently fails (wrong node
+         * picked / channel roam) and must be retried, otherwise the boot connect
+         * just times out. Previously the initial loop gave up on first failure. */
         s_connected = false;
-        vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(2000));
+        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "WiFi disconnected/assoc failed, reconnecting...");
+        vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(1500));
         esp_wifi_connect();
     } else if (base == IP_EVENT && event_id == IP_EVENT_STA_GOT_IP) {
         ip_event_got_ip_t *ev = (ip_event_got_ip_t *)data;
@@ -684,7 +687,16 @@ esp_err_t net_init(void)
         .sta = {
             .threshold.authmode = (strlen(pwd) == 0)
                                       ? WIFI_AUTH_OPEN : WIFI_AUTH_WPA2_PSK,
-            .channel = CONFIG_PLIP_WIFI_CHANNEL,
+            /* Mesh-friendly association. A fixed .channel breaks on mesh APs
+             * (Freebox/Orange "Les cils") that roam channels via band-steering
+             * and DFS: if the node isn't on that channel at boot, association
+             * silently fails. So scan ALL channels (channel=0) and connect to
+             * the STRONGEST node broadcasting our SSID. The PLIP talks HTTP to
+             * the gateway, not ESP-NOW, so there is no co-channel constraint. */
+            .channel = 0,
+            .scan_method = WIFI_ALL_CHANNEL_SCAN,
+            .sort_method = WIFI_CONNECT_AP_BY_SIGNAL,
+            .failure_retry_cnt = 5,
         },
     };
     strncpy((char *)wcfg.sta.ssid,     ssid, sizeof(wcfg.sta.ssid) - 1);