How to avoid the use of OTP memory in the nrf7002

[jrt]

Hi,

I have a custom board with the nrf5340 and the nrf7002. I build it with the same connections between the two chips as the nrf7002 DK.

I try a basic sample with wifi and I have this error:

[00:00:00.422,363] <inf> wifi_nrf: qspi_init: QSPI freq = 24 MHz

[00:00:00.422,729] <inf> wifi_nrf: qspi_init: QSPI latency = 1

[00:00:00.430,755] <inf> wifi_nrf: zep_shim_pr_info: wifi_nrf_fmac_fw_load: LMAC patches loaded

[00:00:00.442,138] <inf> wifi_nrf: zep_shim_pr_info: wifi_nrf_fmac_fw_load: LMAC boot check passed

[00:00:00.445,648] <inf> wifi_nrf: zep_shim_pr_info: wifi_nrf_fmac_fw_load: UMAC patches loaded

[00:00:00.456,970] <inf> wifi_nrf: zep_shim_pr_info: wifi_nrf_fmac_fw_load: UMAC boot check passed

[00:00:00.483,703] <inf> wifi_nrf: zep_shim_pr_info: RPU LPM type: HW

[00:00:00.487,640] <inf> wifi_nrf: zep_shim_pr_info: wifi_nrf_fmac_otp_mac_addr_get:  Invalid OTP MAC addr: 000000000000

[00:00:00.488,433] <err> wifi_nrf: wifi_nrf_if_start_zep: wifi_nrf_if_start_zep: Invalid MAC address: 00:00:00:00:00:00

It seems that the read of the mac address return 0.

Do I have to program the OTP memory before to use the chip ? (and How?? if I must).

Is it possible to by pass this read and use another mac address from the flash memory of the MCU ?

[Simonr]

Yes, you need to program the nRF7002 with a valid MAC address before it will be able to function as a Wi-Fi device. Please check out our Device Commissioning and Characterization application note here. Chapter 4 is on how to do OTP memory programming of the device. Please be careful though, first you need to "open it" to enable read/write access, before writing valid MAC address(es) to it before locking it again.

Best regards,

Simon

[jrt]

Thx,

In your   Device Commissioning and Characterization application note I can read this:     If the MAC address is not programmed in the OTP memory, a MAC address needs to be provided through
the NET_REQUEST_ETHERNET_SET_MAC_ADDRESS net_mgmt command before the Wi-Fi interface
is activated.

But you said that for the nrf7002, this possibility does not exist, does not it ?

[Simonr]

Hi

You can either program a MAC address onto the OTP memory, or you can provide a MAC address through the NET_REQUEST_ETHERNET_SET_MAC_ADDRESS command in your application, that is a possibility, yes. Sorry about any confusion.

Best regards,

Simon