Wifi connection on nrf9160dk with nrf7002ek

[willdrowley]

Hello,

We have the nrf9160dk with nrf7002ek shield attachment. We have successfully been able to build and run examples with the scan only overlay (e.g. asset tracker v2).

I know that the SDK does not yet officially support LTE-M and wifi coexistence. Is it possible to form wifi connections using the nrf9160 as the host board? Even if this means turning off the LTE-M modem for the time being until coexistence is supported? Additionally, is there an approximate timeline as to when we can expect LTE-M and wifi coexistence?

Thanks,

Will

[willdrowley]

Hi Elfving,

Thanks for your reply. I've been trying to build the wifi shell example for the nrf9160dk with nrf7002ek but am coming up against issues. The WPA supplicant is initialised but returns timeout when I try to add the wlan0 interface? Do you have any idea why this may be and how I could get around it?

[00:00:00.529,205] <dbg> wpa_supp: wpa_printf_impl: Calling wpa_cli: interface_add, argc: 5

[00:00:00.529,296] <dbg> wpa_suppwp: a_printf_impl: argv[0]: interface_add

[00:00:00.529,357] <dbg> wpa_supp: wpa_printf_impl: argv[1]: wlan0

[00:00:00.529,418] <dbg> wpa_supp: wpa_printf_impl: argv[2]:phyr ze

[00:005:00.29,479] <dbg> wpa_supp: wpa_printf_impl: argv[3]: zephyr

[00:00:00.529,541] <dbg> wpa_supp: wpa_printf_impl: argv[4]: zephyr

[00:00:10.529,937] <err> wpa_supp: 'INTERFACE_ADD wlan0 zephyr  zephyr  zephyr  (null)                  ' command timed out.

[00:00:10.529,998] <err> wpa_supp: Failed to add interface: wlan0

Thanks again,

Will

[Elfving]

Hello Will,

It seems that I might have misinformed you. You can use the nRF7002 with the 91, but only for wifi scanning. This limitation is mainly due to RAM and Flash space. You can see an overview over what is supported here. I am sorry about this.

When it comes to your error then, have you tried building it with the scan only overlay for 9160 mentioned in the documentation?

Regards,

Elfving

[ax_shepherd]

Hi Elfving, does this mean that it is not possible to transfer data over the internet with the nrf7002 and nrf9160? For example a https post request to send sensor data to a  cloud server. Are there any way the 9160 could use Wi-Fi for data transfer?

Regards,

[Achim Kraus]

Maybe you tell, why a cellular modem is considered to use Wi-Fi?

Beside the cellular modem, the nRF9160 has a 1 MB Flash for code and 256k RAM. Some parts of that will be used by the modem part of the application. If the rest works for you using the Wi-Fi, then the question will be, if zephyr is able to host the two ip-stacks, one for cellular, and one for Wi-Fi. Or maybe even two "external/offloaded" ip-stacks.

Anyway, why do you want to use both stacks?

Did you consider to use a larger micro-controller and the nRF9160 only as COM Module?

[ax_shepherd]

Fair enough, I will most likely use nRF5340 as HTTPS requests do seem to work here the nrf9160 can only use limited Wi-Fi functionalities (scan only, no sta mode) when paired with nrf7002 which I didn't realize while working on my project. Maybe esp32 host might be an option. 

[Elfving]

Hello Axel,

So having an 9160 alongside a 5340 & 7002 is not an option for you?

Regards,

Elfving