update to my own post. Got it to work. IO error. when putting in the password for my wifi network my phone put a space at the end of the password that i did not remove. (stupid autocorrect). works like a charm now.
I got mine to work in the past and cannot now. Tried inkbird app and BBQ. No luck following multiple tricks I found in a bunch of forums. Mine is for sale if I can’t get it going.