Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

Martin Lesund — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:53:30 GMT

Hi Giuliano,

I am sorry for the delay.

This sounds strange it should not take so long if the network configurations have been stored into the modem flash correctly.

Remember that after sending AT+CFUN=0 after a successful connection, you need to wait a bit for the modem to do a graceful shutdown from the network so it can store the network information into the modem flash before you power cycle the kit.

If you still have issues a modem trace log would be very interesting to look at.

Best Regards,

Martin L.

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:02:33 GMT

Hi Martin,

I try to do it, and I connect from 3 to 6 seconds faster. 1 minute and a half is a bit long.

Do you have any other tick that we could use to make it faster (let's say, 30 sec?)

Regards

Giuliano

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

Martin Lesund — Fri, 07 Jun 2019 11:19:58 GMT

Hi Giuliano,

It depends on several factors how much time it takes to get a connection, but what you can do to get a faster connection is to save the network settings in the modem flash.

This will make the connection process much faster.

You can do this by sending the AT-command: AT+CFUN=0

after you have received a connection with the network.

This will turn OFF the modem and save the settings to the modem flash.

Now, you can restart your board and it should connect faster than before.

Best regards,
Martin L.

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 14:57:58 GMT

Hi again,

Same thing with LTE link monitor, just a little shorter (94 seconds)

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 14:47:29 GMT

Hi Martin,

With the new firmware, the board can connect to the Orange network. So it seems that the new version has fixed something.

However, I have a very strange behaviour. When using the asset tracker application, and either with a Sierra or an iBasis SIM card, the board ALWAYS take 100 secondes before getting connected (it's very repeatable).

Is it an applicative constraint, or is it normal behavior for LTE?

Is there any way to reduce the connection time?

Regards

Giuliano

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

Martin Lesund — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 12:20:20 GMT

Hi Giuliano,
OK great, looking forward to the log.

Best Regards

Martin L.

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 14:09:37 GMT

Hi Martin,

The culprit was indeed the JLinkARM.dll which was not up to date.

The DFU is now working properly.

I'll do more Link monitor tests right now, and I'll send you the logs

Regards

Giuliano

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

Martin Lesund — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 13:36:07 GMT

Hi Giuliano,
So the issue here may most likely be fixed by a modem update so let us focus on that now.
Please make sure that you have the following versions.

nrfjprog --> download

jlink --> download

Make sure that the micro USB that you are using is actually supporting data transfers.

Please share a screenshot of the device manager in windows on how the nrf91DK is shown.

Are you able to flash applications to the nrf91 DK?

This is how it should look like when doing the modem dfu:

Best Regards,

Martin L.

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Fri, 31 May 2019 13:38:47 GMT

Hi Martin,

Here are the log from Link monitor. From I can see on the GUI, I can connect to the network, but I disconnect very often and start scanning again (LTE button from green to orange/red).

I was not able to update the firmware, so this is the original firmware originally flashed on the board.

Regards

Giuliano

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../0410.log_5F00_1_5F00_31_5F00_05_5F00_2019.log

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Fri, 31 May 2019 09:46:35 GMT

Hello Martin,

On my Ubuntu, calling nrf9160_mdm_dfu --update returns NRFJPROG DLL: -13 NO_EMULATOR_CONNECTED. All the switches are in position.

When I connect it to my windows, the board is shown in "Other peripherals" as "BULK interface".

I can't update the firmware neither on my windows nor on my ubuntu.

Regards

Giuliano

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

Martin Lesund — Wed, 29 May 2019 08:49:23 GMT

Hi Giuliano,

Please make sure you have powered on the kit and have the switch select nrf91:

Also if you have been doing current measurements please put a jumper on the two upper pins marked with the question mark.

Please make sure the check your 'device manager' that you are seeing your nrf91 DKs VCOMs.

(as you can see I have two nRF91 DKs connected to my computer)

If you are not seeing this, please make sure that you are using a micro-USB that actually can transfer data.

(many times the reason for no data being sent can be because of the cable only supports power)

How to upgrade the modem firmware:

If this is your first time you need to install the modem dfu tool.

- Extract the "nrf9160_mdm_dfu.zip"

- make sure you have installed python 3.6 or newer

- In command prompt, run: pip install nrf9160_mdm_dfu-0.10.1+dev-py3-none-any.whl

Then go to the folder where the 'firmware.update.image.hex' is and run '`nrf9160_mdm_dfu --update` in the command prompt.

Please note that the Getting started with the nRF91 DK page has been updated.

Best Regards,

Martin L.

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Tue, 28 May 2019 08:18:25 GMT

Hi,

I can't get the update to work. I tried using conecting the board in USB, but the nrf9160_mdm_dfu does not detect the board.

I also tries a SEGGER J-LINK connected to P15, but I have the error -102 JLINKARM_DLL_ERROR

Is there a detailled explaination to follow to flash the modem firmware?

Regards

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

Martin Lesund — Thu, 23 May 2019 13:57:43 GMT

Hi Giuliano,

It would be very helpful if you could share the serial output when running the application.
You can for example use LTE Link Monitor (in nRF Connect for desktop) for that purpose, just remember to turn off "Automatic requests":

Please make sure you have the latest modem firmware:https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Low-power-cellular-IoT/nRF9160/Download#infotabs

Please flash the AT client sample as described here: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/tutorials/b/getting-started/posts/getting-started-with-nrf9160-dk#h69sjqflk6om1o8mdrn1vfnph47lq1r7
and use the LTE Link monitor to more easily see what is actually happening with the connection.

Then please share the log.

Best Regards,

Martin L.

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

GiulianoFranchetto — Thu, 23 May 2019 07:43:03 GMT

The SIM is indeed enabled and provisionned.

When I added the new device on nrf cloud, I was expecting the board to have both LED3 and LED4 blinking to start the paring process. However, after a few minutes, the LED3 turned off and the LED4 was ON, meanning that the board was connected, but the pairing process never happened.

I don't know if this can be the cause of messages not reaching nrf cloud, or there is a limitation in the nrf cloud program to only accept iBasis SIM card.

Maybe a nordic guy can advise.

Regards

Giuliano

RE: Communication using Sierra wireless smartSIM

awneil — Thu, 23 May 2019 07:39:57 GMT

Are you sure the SIM is correctly and fully configured / enabled / provisioned for whatever you're trying to do?

Does the SIM work in another device?