Skip update_connected_state_() when no events and already connected

wifi_sta_connect_status_() is a non-inlined function call that reads
3 static globals through literal pool indirections on every loop
iteration. Since those globals are only modified during event
processing, skip the call entirely when wifi_loop_() found no
events and we're already in STA_CONNECTED state.

wifi_loop_() now returns bool (true if events were processed) on
all platforms. ESP8266 and Pico W always return true since they
poll state directly rather than using an event queue.

esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp

@@ -730,9 +730,14 @@ void WiFiComponent::restart_adapter() {
 }
 
 void WiFiComponent::loop() {
-  this->wifi_loop_();
+  bool events_processed = this->wifi_loop_();
   const uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
-  this->update_connected_state_();
+  // Connection state can only change when events are processed (ESP-IDF/LibreTiny)
+  // or polled (ESP8266/Pico W). Skip the expensive wifi_sta_connect_status_() call
+  // when no events arrived and we're already in steady state.
+  if (events_processed || this->state_ != WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_STA_CONNECTED) {
+    this->update_connected_state_();
+  }
 
   if (this->has_sta()) {
 #if defined(USE_WIFI_CONNECT_TRIGGER) || defined(USE_WIFI_DISCONNECT_TRIGGER)

esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h

@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ class WiFiComponent final : public Component {
 
   void connect_soon_();
 
-  void wifi_loop_();
+  bool wifi_loop_();
 #ifdef USE_ESP8266
   void process_pending_callbacks_();
 #endif

esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp8266.cpp

@@ -938,7 +938,10 @@ network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_gateway_ip_() {
   return network::IPAddress(&ip.gw);
 }
 network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_dns_ip_(int num) { return network::IPAddress(dns_getserver(num)); }
-void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() { this->process_pending_callbacks_(); }
+bool WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
+  this->process_pending_callbacks_();
+  return true;
+}
 
 void WiFiComponent::process_pending_callbacks_() {
   // Process callbacks deferred from ESP8266 SDK system context (~2KB stack)

esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp

@@ -715,10 +715,10 @@ const char *get_disconnect_reason_str(uint8_t reason) {
   }
 }
 
-void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
+bool WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
   // Fast path: skip dropped count check and pop loop when queue is empty
   if (this->event_queue_.empty())
-    return;
+    return false;
 
   uint16_t dropped = this->event_queue_.get_and_reset_dropped_count();
   if (dropped > 0) {
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
     wifi_process_event_(data);
     delete data;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
   }
+  return true;
 }
 // Events are processed from queue in main loop context, but listener notifications
 // must be deferred until after the state machine transitions (in check_connecting_finished)

esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_libretiny.cpp

@@ -777,10 +777,10 @@ int32_t WiFiComponent::get_wifi_channel() { return WiFi.channel(); }
 network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_subnet_mask_() { return {WiFi.subnetMask()}; }
 network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_gateway_ip_() { return {WiFi.gatewayIP()}; }
 network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_dns_ip_(int num) { return {WiFi.dnsIP(num)}; }
-void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
+bool WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
   // Fast path: skip dropped count check and pop loop when queue is empty
   if (this->event_queue_.empty())
-    return;
+    return false;
 
   uint16_t dropped = this->event_queue_.get_and_reset_dropped_count();
   if (dropped > 0) {
@@ -792,6 +792,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
     wifi_process_event_(event);
     delete event;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
   }
+  return true;
 }
 
 }  // namespace esphome::wifi

esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_pico_w.cpp

@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ network::IPAddress WiFiComponent::wifi_dns_ip_(int num) {
 // Connect state listener notifications are deferred until after the state machine
 // transitions (in check_connecting_finished) so that conditions like wifi.connected
 // return correct values in automations.
-void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
+bool WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
   // Handle scan completion
   if (this->state_ == WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_STA_SCANNING && !cyw43_wifi_scan_active(&cyw43_state)) {
     this->scan_done_ = true;
@@ -365,6 +365,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_loop_() {
 #endif
     }
   }
+  return true;
 }
 
 void WiFiComponent::wifi_pre_setup_() {}