Is there a sniffer that can just be run over SPI without a USB host controller

[GerryB]

I need a module that I can poll over SPI from my host MCU an output of a FIFO buffer of incoming packets (MAC address and RSSI) on channel 37 Bluetooth. Or a module where I can set the channel via SPI. Should be a surface mount device with no thru-hole pins. Or I can build around a chip.

[Edvin]

If you want to use the nRF51, you would need to use SDK12.3.0, but I recommend that you look into the nRF52 series. The nRF52810 is the new replacement for the nRF51, but the nRF52810 has a bit better performance, and it is cheaper.

I would recommend that you look into the latest SDK, SDK15.0.0, the one with S112/132/140 v6.0.0, if you decide to explore the nRF52 series.

The SPI example is located in nRF5_SDK_15.0.0_a53641a\examples\peripheral\spi    // it is the same path in SDK12.3.0 (for nRF51), but starting from the SDK12.3.0 folder.

You can download the SDK from here.

 

Regarding the proprietary radio scanning, that would be the same for the nRF52810 (or 52832 or 52840). You will find the same register table on page 101 in this document.

 

If you want to use the softdevice (BLE) to scan on the channels, it is unfortunately not possible to scan on only one channel. You will set a scanning interval and a scanning window, and it will scan on ch. 37 for the first interval (for the duration of the scanning window), and change to the next channel before the next interval.

I guess it would be possible to sync up three devices, so that they will scan on one channel each by starting the scanning with a delay, but it is not really intended to do that. You should know that most BLE devices advertises on all channels, so it should be enough to scan on one of them, but that depends on your specification for the product.

 

Best regards,

Edvin