diff --git a/src/main.lua b/src/main.lua
index 49ddc8c..4cee85b 100644
--- a/src/main.lua
+++ b/src/main.lua
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ local function setupAutoWifiMode()
 		return nil, "autowifi: could not scan wifi networks (" .. msg .. ")"
 	end
 
-	log:info("current wifi name/mode: " .. (netName or "<nil>") .. "/" .. netMode .. ", ssid of self: " .. apSsid)
+	log:info("current wifi name: " .. (netName or "<nil>") .. ", mode: " .. netMode .. ", ssid of self: " .. apSsid)
 	local visNet, knownNet = {}, {}
 	for _,sn in ipairs(scanList) do
 		table.insert(visNet, sn.ssid)
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ local function setupAutoWifiMode()
 			return nil, "autowifi: could not associate with ssid '" .. connectWith .. "' (" .. msg .. ")"
 		end
 	elseif netMode ~= 'ap' or netName ~= apSsid then
+		log:info("falling back to access point mode")
 		local rv,msg = netconf.setupAccessPoint(apSsid)
 		if rv then
 			return true, "autowifi: configured as access point with ssid '" .. apSsid .. "'"
diff --git a/src/network/netconfig.lua b/src/network/netconfig.lua
index 08efd2a..5a1424c 100644
--- a/src/network/netconfig.lua
+++ b/src/network/netconfig.lua
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ function M.reloadComponent(c, silent, boot)
 		os.execute(cmd)
 	else
 		rv = utils.captureCommandOutput(cmd)
-		log:info("  result reloading component '" .. c .. "' (cmd: '"..cmd.."'): \n"..utils.dump(rv))
+		log:debug("  result reloading component '" .. c .. "' (cmd: '"..cmd.."'): \n"..utils.dump(rv))
 	end
 end
 
@@ -375,13 +375,6 @@ function M.associateSsid(ssid, passphrase, recreate, boot)
 		return nil,msg
 	end
 	
-	log:info("  waiting for network configuration to finish")
-	local waitTime = 1
-	local endTime = os.time() + waitTime
-	while os.time() <= endTime do
-		-- waiting...
-	end
-	
 	M.setStatus(M.CONNECTED,"Connected");
 	
 	-- signin to connect.doodle3d.com
diff --git a/src/network/signin.lua b/src/network/signin.lua
index 0b78d4e..8d0a808 100644
--- a/src/network/signin.lua
+++ b/src/network/signin.lua
@@ -42,24 +42,57 @@ function M.signin()
 	M.setStatus(SIGNING_IN_STATUS,"signing in")
 
 	local baseurl = "http://connect.doodle3d.com/api/signin.php"
-
-	local localip = wifi.getLocalIP();
-	if localip == nil then
-		log:error("signin failed no local ip found")
-		M.setStatus(IDLE_STATUS,"idle")
-		return false
+	
+	local attemptInterval = 1
+	local maxAttempts = 20
+	local attempt = 0
+	
+	local nextAttemptTime = os.time()
+	
+	local localip = ""
+	local signinResponse = ""
+	while true do
+		if os.time() > nextAttemptTime then
+			log:debug("signin attempt "..utils.dump(attempt).."/"..utils.dump(maxAttempts))
+			local signedin = false
+			local localip = wifi.getLocalIP();
+			log:debug("  localip: "..utils.dump(localip))
+			if localip ~= nil then
+				
+				local wifiboxid = wifi.getSubstitutedSsid(settings.get('network.cl.wifiboxid'))
+				wifiboxid = urlcode.escape(wifiboxid)
+			
+				local cmd = "wget -q -T 2 -t 1 -O - "..baseurl.."?wifiboxid="..wifiboxid.."\\&localip="..localip;
+				signinResponse = utils.captureCommandOutput(cmd);
+				log:debug("  signin response: \n"..utils.dump(signinResponse))
+				local success = signinResponse:match('"status":"success"')
+				log:debug("  success: "..utils.dump(success))
+				if success ~= nil then
+					signedin = true
+				else
+					log:warn("signin failed request failed (response: "..utils.dump(signinResponse)..")")
+				end
+			else 
+				log:warn("signin failed no local ip found (attempt: "..utils.dump(attempt).."/"..utils.dump(maxAttempts)..")")
+			end
+			
+			if signedin then
+				break
+			else
+				attempt = attempt+1
+				if attempt >= maxAttempts then
+					-- still no localIP; fail
+					M.setStatus(IDLE_STATUS,"idle")
+					return false
+				else
+					nextAttemptTime = os.time() + attemptInterval
+				end
+			end
+		end
 	end
-
-	local wifiboxid = wifi.getSubstitutedSsid(settings.get('network.cl.wifiboxid'))
-	wifiboxid = urlcode.escape(wifiboxid)
-
-	local cmd = "wget -q -T 2 -t 1 -O - "..baseurl.."?wifiboxid="..wifiboxid.."\\&localip="..localip;
-	local output = utils.captureCommandOutput(cmd);
-	log:info("signin: "..output)
-
+	
 	M.setStatus(IDLE_STATUS,"idle")
-
-	return string.len(output) > 0, output
+	return string.len(signinResponse) > 0, signinResponse
 end
 
 function M.getStatus()
diff --git a/src/network/wlanconfig.lua b/src/network/wlanconfig.lua
index f93564b..ab42bcd 100644
--- a/src/network/wlanconfig.lua
+++ b/src/network/wlanconfig.lua
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ end
 --returns the wireless local ip address
 function M.getLocalIP()
 	local ifconfig, rv = utils.captureCommandOutput("ifconfig wlan0");
+	--log:debug("  ifconfig: \n"..utils.dump(ifconfig));
 	local localip = ifconfig:match('inet addr:([%d\.]+)')
 	return localip;
 end
diff --git a/src/script/wifibox_init b/src/script/wifibox_init
index cde12ea..4eeac31 100644
--- a/src/script/wifibox_init
+++ b/src/script/wifibox_init
@@ -15,9 +15,6 @@ boot() {
 
 	$LOGGER "Invoking Doodle3D WiFi box network auto-initialization..."
 	/usr/share/lua/wifibox/script/d3dapi autowifi
-
-	$LOGGER "Start signing in..."
-	/usr/share/lua/wifibox/script/signin.sh > /dev/null 2> /dev/null &
 }
 
 start() {