Set data rate with nRF Connect for Desktop

[Dayrene]

Hi, I am using the nRF52840 dongle + nRF Connect for Desktop App, and I would like to configure the data rate for packet advertising. Is this possible? Which one is set by default? Thank you very much in advance!

[Simonr]

Hi

What do you mean by "data rate for packet advertising" exactly? The only thing affecting the data rate of advertising devices will be the advertising parameters (chiefly the advertising interval, setting how often the advertisement will be transmitted). You should get parameters to do so by going into the settings on nRF Connect for Desktop -> Bluetooth Low Energy -> Advertiser, and press the little "settings cog wheel" in the application to change the advertising parameters of your device.

Best regards,

Simon

[Dayrene]

Hi Simon

Thank you very much for your reply. By data rate, I mean that the nRF5284 can work with different configuration for the PHY layer, and each of them has different data rates: 

- 1M PHY: Standard BLE data rate of 1 Mbps.
- 2M PHY: Higher data rate of 2 Mbps (available in BLE 5.0).
- Coded PHY: Lower data rates for extended range (500 kbps or 125 kbps).

I want to do my tests (advertising, sending data, etc.), using the lowest data rate of 125 kbps. What I was wondering is how can I configure this for the nRF52840 dongle using the nRF Connect for Desktop App.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Dayrene

[Simonr]

Hi Dayrene

I'm afraid the nRF Connect for Desktop BLE app doesn't support setting which PHY you're advertising on, and it will only advertise on the standard 1MBPS PHY. You will have to build and flash a project supporting extended advertising and Coded PHY onto your nRF52840 to use the Coded PHY. See the heart rate monitor with Coded PHY sample for reference.

Best regards,

Simon

[Dayrene]

Hi Simon.

Thank you very much! I have been working with the Peripheral Heart Rate Monitor with Coded PHY, and now I am able to modify the code, build the project, and flash the dongle with the new version of the firmware. Apparently, it is working fine because I can connect to the advertiser using the nRF Connect mobile App.

Now, I would like to test the application using the Central Heart Rate Monitor with Coded PHY sample. However, to do so, I need to connect the dongle to a terminal emulator to see the received data (the heart rate measurements sent by the advertiser). I was using nRF Connect Serial Terminal and PuTTY, and I can actually establish a serial connection to the dongle when it is ready to receive the firmware (LED light is green), but once I program it with the Central HR Monitor firmware the serial connection is lost, and the dongle is no longer recognized by nRF Connect Serial Terminal or PuTTY. This is an issue because I cannot see on the terminal the received data, so I cannot test the app. Can you please suggest some solution to this issue?

Thank you very much in advance.

Best regards,

Dayrene

 

 

[Simonr]

Hi

That is because the Heart Rate Monitor sample does not by default use the USB which the Dongle generally uses for serial communication. The nRF52 DKs for example uses UART and the J-Link which has a serial interface to VCOM ports to communicate with serial terminal. On the Dongle, you'll need to use the USB for this, since that's what is connected to the computer. Please check out the Console over USB CDC ACM sample for instance to see how you can do something like that.

Best regards,

Simon