Well, I found a solution.
I'll post it just in case anyone runs into my same problem.

I started from scratch using Pi Imager again. This time tho, I've been using the super magic hidden shortcut Shit+Ctrl-X to bring up a hid option panel!
Here I setup the wifi and the country. Then I flashed the sd.

When you first run the system inserting the sd back on the Pi, you'll have no wifi again for some reason. The system suggests to set the country (again) in the rasp-config, just click ok, and lo and behold, this time it works.

I could change the country to my zone, setup my wifi and access the Pi over the network connecting to \retropie

bingo.

@windg that did it! Back online. Now to figure out the culprit, which narrows it down to the dolphin bar, since that was the only thing different. Thanks so much!

I decided to connect via ethernet, updated wifi settings, restarted and now I am connected. Thanks!

@sleve_mcdichael this worked perfectly. Thank you! Hopefully this makes its way up to imager soon.

Please add some more info about your setup, as detailed in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first.

You shouldn't have removed rfkill, I suggest you reinstall it. What's the output of the following commands:

rfkill list all iwconfig

Another method to configure the Wi-Fi is to create a complete wpa_supplicant.conf cofiguration file, including the country, as explained here.

@dankcushions, when I try to install the optional package in manage optional packages, Its saying not installed, install options disabled (unable to access Internet).

Hey @mitu thanks for getting back to me. It turns out the issue was not the wifi connection. I'll explain for anyone who might run into this stupid problem as well:

I'm working on a Mac (booooo) and when I opened the wifikeyfile.txt it opened by default in TextEdit.app. When I opened it and entered my credentials it looked a bit like this:

ssid="wifinetworkname"
psk="mypassword"

Unbeknownst to me, a non coder, it turns out there are two different types of quotation marks. WTF, right? See if you notice the difference between the two below.
Screen Shot 2020-11-04 at 10.17.37 PM.png

Yeah, unsurprisingly if you have quotation marks like those on the left like I did, when you try to <import wifi credentials boot/wifikeyfile.txt> it won't be able to read the text correctly.

The fix?
Go to the toolbar under edit > substitutions > smart quotes. Uncheck that option and you'll be able to type no nonsense vertical quotation marks that RetroPie will recognize.

Alternatively, if you open your wifikeyfile.txt in Sublime 2 instead you shouldn't have this bs problem. Seriously, I don't need fancy quotation marks here! I'm not writing a novel and if I was I wouldn't be using TextEdit.

Make sure you don't have a return below your second line. It'll be invisible if you don't have your text cursor on it so delete space until you only have two lines.

Sorry for the text dump but I figured this may save newbie like me a headache if they try making their own Gameboy Null 2 and run into the same issues.

To answer your question about the old version of RetroPie, it was part of a pre-made image that was recommended for the project, likely to save me the trouble of button config etc.

The only thing that would have a say in this are the kernel/firmware updates. What kind of Wi-Fi setup do you have (2.5ghz, 5ghz) ?

As a diagnostic, run dmesg | sudo tee /boot/dmesg.txt and post the dmesg.txt - you can read it from the PC if you put the sdcard in.

@sad_muso said in Pi 4 Retropie issues:

Hi,

I've just upgraded to a Pi 4 and performed a fresh install of the latest Pi 4 install file (md5: 9154d998cba5219ddf23de46d8845f6c). I know this is still a beta, but I've experienced a couple of quite big issues. Is it the build or something I'm doing?

WiFi search initially found about 8 of my SSID name (for some reason). I couldn't connect to any, but now it can't find any SSIDs at all Retropie has crashed on a few occasions (with 'Retropie has crashed' message) Can't change resolution from 4k to 1080p because I can't get into the resolution menu - it just stays at the same menu level

Have I somehow got the wrong image or copied it to the SD card incorrectly?

I had similar issues

WiFi - I created the file pre setup so didn't have this, however did notice a lot of repeats in Bluetooth when setting up my sixaxis for PS3.

Didn't get crashing

Raspi-config resolution... I couldn't get into this either although I did get a workaround which helped.

@BuZz
I write the solution for my case. Maybe it could help someone

Pi4 model b
access point: TP-LINK RE450

Retropie, any version for some strange reason does not connect to the access point.

SOLUTION: I had to install an OPEN-WRT custom firmware on the access point.

Once rebooted and configured, everything works.

The strange thing, that the first time, with the firmware stock was connected perfectly, then you can not.

@mitu The Bluetooth is down. I could not get my controllers to connect. They would with the usb cable, but not Bluetooth. I think the module might be done.

@Clyde @mitu thank you for the help i really appreciate the feedback and found a solution that seems to be working. For my computer i use a small booster and so i tried putting it on the 2gb_EXT as a test last night, i just woke up and started using and having my phone as a wifi monitor and so far no disconnects.

@MortenHB the 3B model supports only 2.4Ghz Wifi networks, make sure you don't share a 5Ghz SSID on the router. Also, if the Wifi networks aren't separated/isolated through a firewall. Your problem seems purely related to the routersettings/restrictions.

@FlashFlood2864 That's good news. Your welcome. If you get any problems with your wifi connection in the near future, you can try changing the wifi channel in your Router's administration.

Being on a wifi channel chosen by your Router is not always feasible and could decrease the wifi's signal if there are too many wifi network's using the same wifi channel. The Router might have a built-in wifi channel tester. :-)

@Otter22 The Wifi is not setup from Emulationstation, but via the RetroPie-Setup. You should have a WiFi menu entry in the RetroPie system in Emulationstation - just like it's described in the Docs.

Hi, did you get my email reply?

something seems off aobut Williamsmith007's reply, should it be flagged as spam?