I captured /var/log/messages (FreeBSD) and /var/log/syslog (PureOS) of the relevant time window and attached them to the issue. The interesting parts are:
FreeBSD:
$ grep 'Trying to associate with 88:da:1a:7c:30:1c' messages.1
May 18 20:29:38 c720-1400094 wpa_supplicant[329]: wlan0: Trying to associate with 88:da:1a:7c:30:1c (SSID='pureos' freq=2412 MHz)
May 18 20:29:53 c720-1400094 wpa_supplicant[329]: wlan0: Trying to associate with 88:da:1a:7c:30:1c (SSID='pureos' freq=2412 MHz)
May 18 20:30:38 c720-1400094 wpa_supplicant[329]: wlan0: Trying to associate with 88:da:1a:7c:30:1c (SSID='pureos' freq=2412 MHz)
PureOS:
$ grep 'Started Wi-Fi' syslog
May 18 20:28:37 pureos NetworkManager[600]: <info> [1716056917.7965] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Started Wi-Fi Hotspot "pureos"
May 18 20:29:06 pureos NetworkManager[600]: <info> [1716056946.7785] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Started Wi-Fi Hotspot "pureos"
May 18 20:30:20 pureos NetworkManager[600]: <info> [1716057020.5766] device (wlan0): Activation: (wifi) Stage 2 of 5 (Device Configure) successful. Started Wi-Fi Hotspot "pureos"
I.e. PureOS’ NetworkManager started three times the hotspot and only with the 3rd time FreeBSD could associate succsessful.