I75W fails to activate wireless interface using MicroPython v1.24.0, picow v1.24.0-beta1

[MikeB5027]

I have two recently-purchased Interstate 75 W boards, which both fail to activate their wireless network interface when using the latest Pimoroni picow Micropython release:

MicroPython v1.24.0, picow v1.24.0-beta1 on 2024-10-31; Raspberry Pi Pico W with RP2040
Type "help()" for more information.
>>> import network
>>> wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
>>> wlan.active(True)
[CYW43] Failed to start CYW43
>>> print(wlan.active())
False
>>> 

Whereas the network interface was successfully activated with vanilla Micropython:

MicroPython v1.24.1 on 2024-11-29; Raspberry Pi Pico W with RP2040
Type "help()" for more information.
>>> import network
>>> wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
>>> wlan.active(True)
>>> print(wlan.active())
True
>>> 

I raised this on the Pimoroni forum and tried all of Hel's suggestions, without success.

After nuking the I75W flash and reloading the latest Pimoroni picow MP image, it didn't produce the error message, but still failed to activate the wireless interface.

[MikeB5027]

It seems that wlan.active() returns False even when the network interface is active.

It returns True once the network is connected, mimicking the behaviour of wlan.isconnected():

MicroPython v1.24.0, picow v1.24.0-beta1 on 2024-10-31; Raspberry Pi Pico W with RP2040
Type "help()" for more information.
>>> import network
>>> wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
>>> wlan.active(True)
>>> print('wlan.active():', wlan.active())
wlan.active(): False
>>> from secrets import WIFI_SSID, WIFI_PASSWORD
>>> wlan.connect(WIFI_SSID, WIFI_PASSWORD)
>>> print('wlan.status():', wlan.status())
wlan.status(): 3
>>> print('wlan.active():', wlan.active())
wlan.active(): True
>>> print('wlan.isconnected():', wlan.isconnected())
wlan.isconnected(): True
>>> wlan.disconnect()
>>> print('wlan.active():', wlan.active())
wlan.active(): False
>>> print('wlan.isconnected():', wlan.isconnected())
wlan.isconnected(): False
>>>