When your code runs mqttClient.poll your code does not check for a valid WiFi connection or a Valid MQTT connection before calling the poll.
Here is how I run a client.loop(), the same thing as a mqttClient.poll.
void MQTTkeepalive( void *pvParameters )
{
sema_MQTT_KeepAlive = xSemaphoreCreateBinary();
xSemaphoreGive( sema_MQTT_KeepAlive ); // found keep alive can mess with a publish, stop keep alive during publish
// setting must be set before a mqtt connection is made
MQTTclient.setKeepAlive( 90 ); // setting keep alive to 90 seconds makes for a very reliable connection, must be set before the 1st connection is made.
for (;;)
{
//check for a is-connected and if the WiFi 'thinks' its connected, found checking on both is more realible than just a single check
if ( (wifiClient.connected()) && (WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) )
{
xSemaphoreTake( sema_MQTT_KeepAlive, portMAX_DELAY ); // whiles MQTTlient.loop() is running no other mqtt operations should be in process
MQTTclient.loop();
xSemaphoreGive( sema_MQTT_KeepAlive );
}
else {
log_i( "MQTT keep alive found MQTT status %s WiFi status %s", String(wifiClient.connected()), String(WiFi.status()) );
if ( !(wifiClient.connected()) || !(WiFi.status() == WL_CONNECTED) )
{
connectToWiFi();
}
connectToMQTT();
}
vTaskDelay( 250 ); //task runs approx every 250 mS
}
vTaskDelete ( NULL );
}
I check if there is a valid WiFi connection. If not then connect to WiFi. If do then check to see if connected to MQTT, if not connect.