Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Simonr — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 07:32:40 GMT

Hi Oliver

From the sniffer traces the disconnection seems to be caused from the transmitter here, as the central only reports that the "remote user terminated connection", so we would need logging from the peripheral devices to see why the disconnect occurs.

I tested this quickly on my end as well with one central, one BLE 4.2 peripheral and one BLE 5.0 peripheral with nRF52 DKs, and did not see this issue on my end. I used the BLE app in nRF Connect for Desktop as the central application here, so you can try that on your end as well with the gen 1 and gen 2 peripherals and see if it's able to connect to both generations if you have a DK available.

Best regards,

Simon

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 04:59:41 GMT

Hi Simon,
thats correct. nRF52833 is only the Master device

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Simonr — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:24:09 GMT

So the nRF52833 here is only the Master device, correct? I haven't had time to look at your sniffer traces yet. I'll do so tomorrow. Thank you for your patience!

Best regards,
Simon

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 07:54:54 GMT

Gen1 and Gen2 devices do not use the Nordic platform. They are using the TI ble chip.

Gen1 are using the TI chip cc2541.

Gen2 are using the CC2640R2 chip.

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 07:24:05 GMT

the chip for s98 is 52833

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 07:12:26 GMT

Here the link to the sniffer software if needed

https://www.ellisys.com/better_analysis/bta_latest.htm

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 07:08:58 GMT

Hi,
here the sniffer protocol i got from lierda. Th datasheet im still waiting for, hope lierda send it to me soon.

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../Untitled00.btt devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../Untitled01.btt

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Simonr — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 10:45:19 GMT

Do you have a link to the S98B datasheet as I'm not able to find this module on Lierda's pages.

What SoftDevice and SDK version does the gen 1 devices use (SDK version would be good to know for gen 2 as well so we can try reproducing this on our end)? Are they also based on the nRF52840, or on nRF51 series devices?

Best regards,

Simon

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:56:07 GMT

Hi Simon,
lierda found the problem by using the sniffer. I will ask lierda for a responsible person so maybe you can directly contact with lierda.

I am usunf SoftDevice s140 7.2.0

min_conn_interval = 6
max_conn_interval = 24
slave_latency = 0
conn_sup_timeout = 400

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Simonr — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 07:36:43 GMT

Sorry about the delayed reply, but Hieu has been on sick leave for the last week.

Is there any chance you could upload the full sniffer trace so we can take a closer look at it? For example, how much time does the discovery process take? The SoftDevice returning BLE event 0x11 points to the SoftDevice being busy with something else when you're calling the ble_db_discovery_start() function. It might be that the application tries to connect to the next device before discovery is complete, and that is what's causing trouble. What is your connection interval set to? Can you try setting a faster one so that service discovery is finished quicker. What connection intervals are you currently using in the Gen 1 and Gen 2 devices?

Also, what SDK and SoftDevice version are you using for development in your project? Do you have a link to the S98B datasheet as I'm not able to find this module on Lierda's pages.

Best regards,

Simon

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Hieu — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:26:08 GMT

It seems the pictures are still corrupted 😞

Maybe the website is not very stable these days. Could you please check that the image can be viewed in Preview first? I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Alternatively, you can also upload the sniffer log and tell me what you would like to highlight.

Sorry, it seems the picture is only corrupted in our Support page. I see the pictures in the public page just fine. I will get to it once I return to office.

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:14:27 GMT

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 07:13:14 GMT

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Hieu — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 06:53:02 GMT

It seems the picture was corrupted. Could you please retry?

I am on sick leave now, but I will check it when I return.

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 12:22:02 GMT

FE63

12 is the handle of FE63

fff1

fff2

the first picture is about connection to g1 probe first and then connect to g2 probe

the second picture is only connection to g2 probe

you can see on the first picture the handle change to 12

so the data write from fff1 to fe63

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Hieu — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 11:02:07 GMT

Hi Oliver71,

You can insert the picture in a reply. I usually just copy and paste it, but you can also use the editor's Insert feature.

Hieu

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Oliver71 — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 08:04:59 GMT

Hello Hieu,

here more details
We have 2 types of devices. We call them Gen1 and Gen2. Gen1 is with bluetooth 4.x and Gen 2 with bluetooth 5.0

I was in contact with lierda and they used a bluetooth sniffer to get more information.

If connect an Gen1 device first and then connect a Gen2 device the Attribute Handle change from 6 to 12.
I have 2 pictures with screenshots from the sniffer. The pictures seems to be to big to upload into this chat. Can i send the pictures directly to u ?

RE: Problem when connecting BLE 4.x device and BLE 5.0 device at same time

Hieu — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 10:16:31 GMT

Hi Oliver71,

This is a very strange issue. I don't think anything like this has been reported before.

BLE_BAS_CONFIG_LOG_LEVEL only increases the log level for the BAS module. Could you please increase NRF_LOG_DEFAULT_LEVEL to 4, and also any modules involved in the process of scan, connect, and service discovery?

If you are not sure what modules we should log from, please give me an overview of what modules you are using and how the connection process is setup in your code.

Finally, could you please give an overview of what peripheral devices you are using?

Hieu