Re: BT840X as an USB Dongle

[Robert Cragie]

Hi Tomasz,

Using BOOTLOADER=USB relocates the image above where the dongle MBR usually sits so it will not work if there is no MBR there. I would guess you need to flash the MBR and Open Bootloader into the BT840X. Then you should be able to use the USB to program the flash in the future. https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/short-range-guides/b/getting-started/posts/nrf52840-dongle-programming-tutorial gives more information.

Robert

On Thu, 5 Dec 2019 at 11:36, Tomasz Żyjewski <tomasz....@3mdeb.com> wrote:

Hi,

we have a project where RPi3 works as a border router. Firstly we use nrf52840 dongel as a NCP and it was ok. We build fw (ot-ncp-ftd) for that dongle with those flags.

"make -f examples/Makefile-nrf52840 USB=1 BOOTLOADER=USB BORDER_ROUTER=1 BORDER_AGENT=1 COMMISSIONER=1 DHCP6_CLIENT=1 DHCP6_SERVER=1 JOINER=1 SERVICE=1 SNTP_CLIENT=1"

Now we want to switch to Fanstel BT840X. When we flash it with the same flags, neither RPi nor PC can recognize it when we plug it in USB port. There is nothing from ls /dev/ttyACM*. When we remove BOOTLOADER=USB flag then BT840X works as same as nrf52840 dongle. Is there any way to flash fw on BT840X with USB bootloader? Now we flash it with nRF52 DK but in the future, we want to have the possibility to do this through USB.

Regards,
Tomasz Żyjewski

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[Tomasz Żyjewski]

Hi Robert,

thanks for reply. We were able to flash our app on newly purchased dongle which has some app and secure bootloader.

Surely will check that link, because need to flash first dongle which is now empty, after eraseall. :)

Tomasz

W dniu czwartek, 5 grudnia 2019 15:43:46 UTC+1 użytkownik Robert Cragie napisał:

Hi Tomasz,

Using BOOTLOADER=USB relocates the image above where the dongle MBR usually sits so it will not work if there is no MBR there. I would guess you need to flash the MBR and Open Bootloader into the BT840X. Then you should be able to use the USB to program the flash in the future. https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/short-range-guides/b/getting-started/posts/nrf52840-dongle-programming-tutorial gives more information.

Robert

On Thu, 5 Dec 2019 at 11:36, Tomasz Żyjewski <tomasz....@3mdeb.com> wrote:

Hi,

we have a project where RPi3 works as a border router. Firstly we use nrf52840 dongel as a NCP and it was ok. We build fw (ot-ncp-ftd) for that dongle with those flags.

"make -f examples/Makefile-nrf52840 USB=1 BOOTLOADER=USB BORDER_ROUTER=1 BORDER_AGENT=1 COMMISSIONER=1 DHCP6_CLIENT=1 DHCP6_SERVER=1 JOINER=1 SERVICE=1 SNTP_CLIENT=1"

Now we want to switch to Fanstel BT840X. When we flash it with the same flags, neither RPi nor PC can recognize it when we plug it in USB port. There is nothing from ls /dev/ttyACM*. When we remove BOOTLOADER=USB flag then BT840X works as same as nrf52840 dongle. Is there any way to flash fw on BT840X with USB bootloader? Now we flash it with nRF52 DK but in the future, we want to have the possibility to do this through USB.

Regards,
Tomasz Żyjewski

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[Stuart Longland]

On 5/12/19 9:36 pm, Tomasz Żyjewski wrote:
> we have a project where RPi3 works as a border router. Firstly we use
> nrf52840 dongel as a NCP and it was ok. We build fw (ot-ncp-ftd) for that
> dongle with those flags.
>
> "make -f examples/Makefile-nrf52840 USB=1 BOOTLOADER=USB BORDER_ROUTER=1
> BORDER_AGENT=1 COMMISSIONER=1 DHCP6_CLIENT=1 DHCP6_SERVER=1 JOINER=1
> SERVICE=1 SNTP_CLIENT=1"
>
> Now we want to switch to Fanstel BT840X. When we flash it with the same
> flags, neither RPi nor PC can recognize it when we plug it in USB port.
> There is nothing from ls /dev/ttyACM*. When we remove BOOTLOADER=USB flag
> then BT840X works as same as nrf52840 dongle. Is there any way to flash fw
> on BT840X with USB bootloader? Now we flash it with nRF52 DK but in the
> future, we want to have the possibility to do this through USB.

We tried getting those Fanstel USB dongles working. There's a branch
where I was working on this stuff here:

https://github.com/vrtsystems/openthread/tree/feature/fanstel-bt840x

You could try it out by running the following in your git tree:
$ git remote add vrtsystems https://github.com/vrtsystems/openthread
$ git fetch vrtsystems
$ git checkout vrtsystems/feature/fanstel-bt840x

I never managed to successfully flash this via JTAG, tried with a Nordic
PCA10056 development board ("preview DK") and using a Black Magic Probe.
Fanstel will provide the private key they use for signing their test
images if you ask them directly. With that, you're able to produce
images that can flash them over USB.

https://github.com/vrtsystems/openthread/blob/feature/fanstel-bt840x/examples/platforms/nrf528xx/nrf52840/README.md#support-for-the-fanstel-usb840x
are my notes on the topic.

We did try getting the FEM going, and whilst I think it is working, we
observed a 12dB difference in signal strength compared to our own
devices (CC2538+CC2592). Whether that's due to the style of antenna on
the BT840X or whether I messed something up in the firmware, I'm not sure.

If someone spots an obvious screw up on my part, I'll happily fix it and
try again.
--
Stuart Longland (aka Redhatter, VK4MSL)

I haven't lost my mind...
...it's backed up on a tape somewhere.