Problem connecting smartphone to nRF52840 via nRF Connect

[JamesW]

I am using the nRF52840 Preview Development Kit in order to test bluetooth range. I have set up nRF Connect on my laptop and am using the Bluetooth Low Energy app. After connecting the nRF52840, I have attempted scanning for bluetooth devices to connect to, but for some reason my smartphone (a Oneplus 6) does not show up on the connectable device list. Many other devices show up, and when setting up the nRF52840 my smartphone was able to connect in the 'Heart Rate Monitor' and 'Proximity' demos.

I am unsure what to do here, and cannot see an obvious reason for why my device does not show up on the laptops nRF Connect, when it did connect via the nRF Toolbox app further. 

Laptop runs windows 10, nRF52840 is V0.9.0 and the Oneplus 6 smartphone runs on Android.

[Mttrinh]

Hi,

I'm a little bit confused about the question here. I'm not sure what you mean by "when setting up the nRF52840 my smartphone was able to connect in the 'Heart Rate Monitor' and 'Proximity' demos." Do you mean that when you have 'Heart Rate Monitor' and 'Proximity' demos running on nRF52840 PDK, you can see it on the phone?

Are you trying to scan your phone with nRF Connect on laptop using the nRF52840 PDK? 

[JamesW]

Yes, when following the set up procedure as per "Getting started with the nRF52840", (https://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/Getting-started-with-the-nRF52840-Development-Kit) I flashed the proximity and heart rate monitor demos. After doing so, my phone was able to find the nRF board via the nRF mobile apps, nRF Connect and nRF Toolbox. 

However I have now downloaded the nRF Connect desktop app. I am trying to follow the tutorial given here: http://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/pdf/nRFConnect_BLE_User_Guide_v2.0.pdf.

When I start up this app it reprograms the board and when searching for devices via 'Start Scan', it can never find my phone or tablet, despite being able to pick up other devices in the office. Below is a sample screenshot. I do not understand why my phone cannot be viewed via this program, while it clearly can connect to the board in other programs. 

[Mttrinh]

It is probably because both devices are centrals when you use nRF Connect for Desktop. They both will be scanning so you won't be able to see your phone. In the nRF Connect on your phone you can turn on advertising in the app, then you will be able to see your phone in nRF Connect for Desktop.