1 files changed, 27 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/transport.js b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/transport.js
index 1a63e23..853ae75 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/transport.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-hub/src/meshbay_hub/static/transport.js
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ const UPLOAD_BUFFER_HIGH = 1024 * 1024;
 
 // Segments of 256 KB: 24 in flight is 6 MB, enough to keep playback fed over a
 // slow link and small enough that nothing accumulates.
+// How long to collect ICE candidates before sending the offer anyway. Long
+// enough for a STUN round trip on a slow link, short enough that a STUN server
+// that never answers costs a pause rather than the whole attempt.
+const ICE_GATHER_TIMEOUT_MS = 4000;
+
 const STREAM_CREDITS = 24;
 
 function _aborted() {
@@ -155,10 +160,31 @@ class MeshBayTransport {
     const offer = await this._pc.createOffer();
     await this._pc.setLocalDescription(offer);
 
+    // Wait for candidates, but not indefinitely.
+    //
+    // This is non-trickle signaling: the offer carries its candidates, so the
+    // SDP is only sent once gathering is done. When gathering *never* finishes
+    // — a STUN server that is slow, filtered, or being resolved through a DNS
+    // that is not answering — this promise never settles, and joining a group
+    // hangs with no error and nothing on screen. Reported after exactly that,
+    // and it succeeded on a later attempt, which is the shape of a network
+    // wait rather than a refusal.
+    //
+    // Past the deadline the offer goes out with whatever has been gathered.
+    // Host candidates are already there, which is enough on a LAN — the case
+    // this project cares most about — and the reflexive ones normally arrive
+    // in well under a second when STUN is reachable at all. A partial offer
+    // that usually connects beats a promise that never returns.
     await new Promise((resolve) => {
       if (this._pc.iceGatheringState === 'complete') return resolve();
+      const done = () => { clearTimeout(timer); resolve(); };
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+        console.warn('[MeshBay] ICE gathering did not finish in',
+                     ICE_GATHER_TIMEOUT_MS, 'ms — offering what we have');
+        done();
+      }, ICE_GATHER_TIMEOUT_MS);
       this._pc.onicegatheringstatechange = () => {
-        if (this._pc.iceGatheringState === 'complete') resolve();
+        if (this._pc.iceGatheringState === 'complete') done();
       };
     });