Unreliable AP connectivity when scanning/configuring STA

[pieceofsummer]

Hello.

Let's consider a scenario when there's a new (unconfigured) ESP-based device which provides an AP for configuration purposes. User connects to AP and opens a configuration web page, which shows a list of available networks (scan results) and gives ability to connect to one of them.

http://bbs.espressif.com/viewtopic.php?f=66&t=671 says that ESP will change channel of its AP when Station is scanning and/or connecting to another AP. This may cause client disconnect from AP, which doesn't seem to be reliable.
In my case, client (computer) usually (but not always) looses connection to ESP's AP and automatically connects to another wifi network available (my home wifi), so it is basically impossible for browser to know if connect request from web page succeeded at all. That said, I cannot display user a message if network was configured ok, or, say, network password was typed incorrectly.

Is there a way to keep AP connection when Station connects to another network (and changes channel)?

[ESP_Faye]

Hi,

Sorry that this is a limitation of ESP8266, even through ESP8266 can work in softAP + station mode, it actually has only one hardware channel. So the ESP8266 softAP will change its channel configuration to be the same as ESP8266 automatically.

Here is more information about it http://bbs.espressif.com/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=324.

Sorry for the inconvenience.