Custom non-nordic semiconductor host chip for nRF7002

[Chandrasekaran J]

Hi team,

              We tested the nRF7002 with the nRF5340 as the host. Now, our application needs to connect the nRF7002 Wi-Fi module with a custom microcontroller other than Nordic. However, we have no information on which microcontrollers support the nRF7002 Wi-Fi/thread module.

We are seeking the following information:

1. Microcontrollers that support the nRF7002
2. Driver files for handling the nRF7002 Wi-Fi & Thread
3. Whether any of the ESP32 microcontroller series support the nRF7002

[runsiv]

Hi Chandrasekaran

In general I would recommend contacting your RSM when you planning a project and considering which chip to use

Regarding your questions

1. There is experimental linux support for the 7002, you could in theory also use another device running Zephyr.However we have not tested the 7002 on other devices then Nordic devices. 

2. The 7002 do not support thread, to run thread you would need for example an nRF54L series,  nRF5340 or  nRF52840. As I mentioned we have not tested the 7002, I will just copy in a reply from a similar question below

The drivers are present in nrf space, and as you mention; the agnostic low-level code is in nrfxlib.

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/tree/main/drivers/wifi/nrf700x/src

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrfxlib/tree/main/nrf_wifi

OS agnostic, ie. nrfxlib, docs is present here:

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrfxlib/nrf_wifi/README.html

"Running 7002 on a non nordic host"

This is an untested scenario from our side, and it is hard to state exactly what issues/problems that will occur when porting.

The obvious one is the (Q)SPI transport that needs to be in-place, based on how the transport is described in our datasheet:

https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ps_nrf7002/chapters/functional/doc/qspi_command_description.html?cp=3_0_0_6_0

If their host controller runs zephyr, it will be easier for them, but we have not mapped any dependency tree (kconfig/dts wise) where this can potentially be problematic.

If you look into the CMakeLists.txt file in the driver path, you will see that this needs to be expanded and patched to support other MCUs:

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/blob/main/drivers/wifi/nrf700x/CMakeLists.txt

Where is supplicant? Is it also included / part of these files, or another directory that needs to be pulled?

That is here: https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-hostap

The drivers are present in nrf space, and as you mention; the agnostic low-level code is in nrfxlib.

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/tree/main/drivers/wifi/nrf700x/src

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrfxlib/tree/main/nrf_wifi

3. My general understand is that must ESP32 has wifi, why would you run a 7002 in addition? 

Regards

Runar