nRF52840: "Device has no serial port" Getting the "Bluetooth Low Energy Standalone 4.0.4" app, in nRF Connect for desktop v.4.4.0, up and running on Windows 10 using the nRF52840, previously setup as BLE sniffer.

[ClkVictim]

Hello forum and support. I have previously used my nrf dongle as a bluetooth sniffer using wireshark and this worked just fine - now i need to use it as a "nRF Connect for Bluetooth Low Energy Standalone v4.0.4" device.

Sniffer mode
When i i select the device, in the app, with the sniffer firmware loaded, i get the following

2024-03-06T08:21:03.660Z DEBUG Application data folder: C:\Users\-\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\bundle
2024-03-06T08:21:03.701Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.4.4
2024-03-06T08:21:03.701Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.10.3
2024-03-06T08:21:03.701Z INFO Using nrfjprog DLL version: 10.15.1
2024-03-06T08:21:03.701Z INFO Using JLink version: JLink_V7.94l
2024-03-06T08:21:03.716Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-ble v4.0.4 official
2024-03-06T08:21:03.716Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\resources\app.asar\resources/bundle/
2024-03-06T08:21:03.716Z DEBUG nRFConnect 4.0.4, required by the app is (^3.8.0)
2024-03-06T08:21:03.717Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\resources\app.asar
2024-03-06T08:21:03.717Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\-
2024-03-06T08:21:03.717Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Temp
2024-03-06T08:21:03.717Z INFO Installed JLink version does not match the provided version (V7.66a)
2024-03-06T08:21:03.974Z INFO Updated list of uuids with data from github.com/.../v1
2024-03-06T08:21:06.904Z INFO Selected device with s/n 721ED9635046DFCA
2024-03-06T08:21:06.910Z INFO Device setup completed
2024-03-06T08:21:06.910Z ERROR Device has no serial port. Cannot open device.

Bootloader mode
when i instead set it into bootloader mode i get the following message:


If i choose No
I get:

2024-03-06T08:41:38.090Z DEBUG Application data folder: C:\Users\-\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\bundle
2024-03-06T08:41:38.136Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.4.4
2024-03-06T08:41:38.136Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.10.3
2024-03-06T08:41:38.136Z INFO Using nrfjprog DLL version: 10.15.1
2024-03-06T08:41:38.136Z INFO Using JLink version: JLink_V7.94l
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-ble v4.0.4 official
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\resources\app.asar\resources/bundle/
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z DEBUG nRFConnect 4.0.4, required by the app is (^3.8.0)
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\TP10\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\resources\app.asar
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\-
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Temp
2024-03-06T08:41:38.154Z INFO Installed JLink version does not match the provided version (V7.66a)
2024-03-06T08:41:38.314Z INFO Updated list of uuids with data from github.com/.../v1
2024-03-06T08:41:40.193Z INFO Selected device with s/n E301277EF291
2024-03-06T08:41:40.197Z DEBUG Device is in DFU-Bootloader, DFU is defined
2024-03-06T08:41:47.767Z INFO Device setup completed
2024-03-06T08:41:47.767Z ERROR Device has no serial port. Cannot open device.

If i choose Yes
It loads forever:

And ouputs the following in the terminal: 

As it is loading/frozen, the best i can do is to snip it. no buttons work in the app.

- I am convinced that there's something i have missed but skimming the documentation didn't ping my radar. Are any of you familiar with these error messages? I have seen that there's multiple posts regarding "Device has no serial port" but i didn't recognise them as applicable to my issue.

Be aware that i am very new to this and lack general sensibilities when it comes to the nordic semi ecosystem.

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

If the dongle has the sniffer firmware you need to manually put it in DFU mode by pressing the sideways reset button (you should see the LED pulsating with red light when it is in DFU mode. Are you able to program it from the Bluetooth app then?

[ClkVictim]

DFU Mode=Bootloader mode
DFU mode is what i called Bootloader mode in the post. the LED acts as expected and the device name changes as expected in the standalone Bluetooth app. when connecting to the dongle in DFU mode i am presented with a textbox about choosing whether to program it or not. i have tried both, resulting in the logs in the OP.

Softlock
The program softlocks as shown in the OP.
I suspect i need some kind of firmware for the dongle but i fail at installing it through the bluetooth app...

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

Can you upload the full log of the failed update attempt? (The one you have a screenshot of)? The question is why this fails (not doing this will not work, as based on what you write the dongle has the sniffer firmware, and that is not compatible with the Bluetooth LE app).

[ClkVictim]

I've found the folder with the logs.
C:\Users\-\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\bundle\logs
Here's one of the tries where i choose Yes in the text box:
__________________________________________________________________________

2024-03-06T08:00:21.905Z DEBUG Application data folder: C:\Users\TP10\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\bundle
2024-03-06T08:00:21.946Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.4.4
2024-03-06T08:00:21.946Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.10.3
2024-03-06T08:00:21.946Z INFO Using nrfjprog DLL version: 10.15.1
2024-03-06T08:00:21.946Z INFO Using JLink version: JLink_V7.94l
2024-03-06T08:00:21.960Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-ble v4.0.4 official
2024-03-06T08:00:21.960Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\resources\app.asar\resources/bundle/
2024-03-06T08:00:21.960Z DEBUG nRFConnect 4.0.4, required by the app is (^3.8.0)
2024-03-06T08:00:21.961Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\TP10\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect-bluetooth-low-energy\resources\app.asar
2024-03-06T08:00:21.961Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\-
2024-03-06T08:00:21.961Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\-\AppData\Local\Temp
2024-03-06T08:00:21.961Z INFO Installed JLink version does not match the provided version (V7.66a)
2024-03-06T08:00:22.328Z INFO Updated list of uuids with data from github.com/.../v1
2024-03-06T08:00:23.866Z INFO Selected device with s/n E301277EF291
2024-03-06T08:00:23.871Z DEBUG Device is in DFU-Bootloader, DFU is defined
2024-03-06T08:00:25.889Z INFO Device setup completed
2024-03-06T08:00:25.889Z ERROR Device has no serial port. Cannot open device.
2024-03-06T08:00:27.731Z INFO Device closed.
2024-03-06T08:00:31.779Z INFO Selected device with s/n E301277EF291
2024-03-06T08:00:31.783Z DEBUG Device is in DFU-Bootloader, DFU is defined
2024-03-06T08:00:36.257Z DEBUG Device is in bootloader mode
2024-03-06T08:00:36.257Z DEBUG Device is in bootloader mode
2024-03-06T08:00:36.257Z DEBUG E301277EF291 on undefined is now in DFU-Bootloader...
2024-03-06T08:00:36.315Z DEBUG Starting DFU
2024-03-06T08:00:36.319Z ERROR Failed to write to the target device: async task failure for id: 5693281965 msg: serialport is needed for nordic dfu over usb

__________________________________________________________________________
Good to know i can access the logs outside of the softlocking program.

Maybe i need to upload a specific firmware with a different software?

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

I a not able to find any references to a similar issue. As you get the prompt, I assume the device sows up as "Open DFU Bootloader" in the Bluetooth Low Energy Standalone app? Do you also see it listed under COM ports in the Device manager (as you should)? If not, do you have another computer you can test with for reference?

[ClkVictim]

Yes - it shows up as DFU bootloader.


I'll find another computer to test it on and will return with an update,
- makes sense to do this so we can infer if the problem is the computer or the software/dongle.
Why i havent tried this already illudes me.

Here's how it looks in the device manager when it is in DFU Bootloader mode: