TX/RX Communication with NodeMCU - wifi

Question

I am trying to set up a transmitter-receiver-style relationship between two NodeMCUs (ESP-12e) using WiFi. I have one NodeMCU (the "transmitter") configured as a server and the other ("receiver") as a client. The transmitter reads in an analog value and sends it to the receiver, which outputs it in digital format via 8 LEDs. The transmitter says that the network is active, but the client cannot connect, and when I look in my laptop WiFi manager the network isn't there either. Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Is it something in my code or is it how the board is configured?
Transmitter/Server Code:
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#define PORT 8555
#define LED0 13
#define LED1 14
#define ADC 0
const char* NETWORK = "NodeMCU";
const char* PASSKEY = "asdf1234";
WiFiServer host(PORT);
WiFiClient node;
IPAddress IP(192,168,4,1);
IPAddress gateway(192,168,4,1);
IPAddress subnet(255,255,255,0);
void setup() {
pinMode(LED0, OUTPUT);
pinMode(LED1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(ADC, INPUT);
digitalWrite(LED0, LOW);
digitalWrite(LED1, LOW);
WiFi.disconnect();
WiFi.mode(WIFI_AP);
WiFi.softAP(NETWORK, PASSKEY);
WiFi.softAPConfig(IP, gateway, subnet);
delay(100);
WiFi.begin(NETWORK, PASSKEY);
delay(100);
host.begin();
delay(100);
digitalWrite(LED1, HIGH);
}
void loop() {
if (node.connected()) digitalWrite(LED0, HIGH);
else digitalWrite(LED0, LOW);
host.write(analogRead(ADC) / 4);
}
Receiver/Client Code:
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#define PORT 8555
#define DAC0 16
#define DAC1 5
#define DAC2 4
#define DAC3 2
#define DAC4 14
#define DAC5 12
#define DAC6 13
#define DAC7 15
const char* NETWORK = "NodeMCU";
const char* PASSKEY = "asdf1234";
IPAddress hostIP(192,168,4,1);
WiFiClient node;
void setup() {
pinMode(DAC0, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC3, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC4, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC5, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC6, OUTPUT);
pinMode(DAC7, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(DAC7, HIGH);
WiFi.disconnect();
WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
WiFi.begin(NETWORK, PASSKEY);
while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) { // <-- gets stuck here
digitalWrite(DAC7, LOW);
delay(200);
digitalWrite(DAC7, HIGH);
delay(200);
}
if(node.connect(hostIP, PORT)) digitalWrite(DAC7, LOW);
}
void loop() {
if (node.available()) adcWrite(node.read());
}
void adcWrite(byte level) {
bool vals[8];
for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
vals[i] = level % 2;
level /= 2;
}
digitalWrite(DAC0, vals[0]);
digitalWrite(DAC1, vals[1]);
digitalWrite(DAC2, vals[2]);
digitalWrite(DAC3, vals[3]);
digitalWrite(DAC4, vals[4]);
digitalWrite(DAC5, vals[5]);
digitalWrite(DAC6, vals[6]);
digitalWrite(DAC7, vals[7]);
}
Ports LED0 and LED1 on the TX and DAC0-7 on the RX are connected to LEDs, the ADC on the TX is connected to a 10k potentiometer. When I run the code, LED0 is off, LED1 is on, and DAC7 blinks indefinitely.