nRF9160 DK Connecting problems with nRF Cloud

[Bergmann]

Hello, I tried to set up my nRF9160 with this tutorial and there is a problem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZQcmU3KIMY&t=216s

According to the tutorial, LED 3 and the LED 4 should be blinking after 3 minutes, what means that the board is connected to the nRF Cloud.
However on my nRF9160, the LED 4  never starts blinking, even if I wait 10 minutes longer than required.
I tried to push the reset button a few times, I turned the nRF9160 on and off a few times and I also started the "Add LTE Device" on nRF Cloud a few times.

But LED 4 still remains dark.

There were 2 things different compared to the tutorial video:

1) The Sim Card Registration worked fine, but when I came to the window in the picture below, I had an IMEI, but I found no PIN. So, I tried the option without a pin (Red mark in the picture).

Maybe I need a PIN, but where do I get it? I tried to insert every possible number I found on my nRF9160, but none of them worked. 

I have already installed the latest firmware update for the nRF9160 successfully. So what did I do wrong? Or how can I finally connect the nRF9160 to the nRF Cloud?

- Thanks for your answers

- Bergmann

[bjorn-spockeli]

Hi Bergmann, 

Bergmann said:

I have already installed the latest firmware update for the nRF9160 successfully

You have updated the modem firmware to the latest version that is found here?

I assume that you are using a iBasis SIM, since you activated it through the nRF Cloud site. Where are you based? Have you verified that you have LTE-M coverage in your area(see this page)?

Best regards

Bjørn

[Bergmann]

Ok, the country where I am based isn't in that list.
So I might need a Sim Card of local provider. :)

Thanks for your answer!

[Bergmann]

I flashed the nRF9160 with the at_client application with the Segger Embedded Studio Software and then I entered the 3 Command-Lines in the LTE Monitor and after a short amount of time it seems like there is finally a signal (At least there are 2 columns in the signal strength): 

However, it says that on the beginning of the blue text:

nrf_cloud_connect failed: 22

Does this mean, that it found an NB-Iot Tower? 
Or does this mean something else?

Thanks for your answers.

[Heidi]

Error 22 means invalid argument but I'm not sure why you're getting it. Could you try running

AT%XEPCO=0

Thanks!

[Bergmann]

No, that didn't work. Do you have any other ideas?

Maybe should I update the firmware, like it is suggested in this article:

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/47665/nrf_cloud_connect-failed-22

I also tried to run 

AT%XEPCO=0,

AT%XBANDLOCK=1, "10010101"

But that didn't work either.

Thanks for your answers.

[Heidi]

Yes, you should absolutely update the firmware to see if that is the issue.

[Bergmann]

I also tried to run the commands on the Thingy91. The Thingy91 also has the error with the cloud_connect failed: 22.

It said:

The Thingy91 tries to connect to the cloud. At the end it says it "Connecting to LTE Network. This might take several minutes". But it doesn't connect, it stayed in this state when i let it run for more than an hour.

Do you have any ideas what could cause this problem? 

Thanks for your answers!

[Heidi]

It looks like neither of your devices are actually getting a signal. The yellow LTE bar in your first picture carries less weight than the +CESQ response one can see at the top, where the RSRP value is 255. So I don't think the Thingy:91 is getting a signal either.

I suggest contacting your telecom provider and making sure your SIM card supports the protocol you are using and that there is service at your location. 

You could also try flashing the attached .hex file to your Thingy:91 and checking the response to AT+CESQ = 1 in LTE Link Monitor to see if it finds a signal now.

thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_v0.2.2.hex

[Bergmann]

Ok, now i got a breaktrough.

I updated the firmware with the nRF Programmer again and then I managed to upload your nrf91dk_at_client.hex and then I opened the LTE Monitor and within seconds, it connected to the T-mobile Network: 

Now I should be able to flash it with the asset tracker and connect it finally to the nrf Cloud!

[Bergmann]

Ok, I tried to flash the nrf with the asset tracker, but it couldn't connected, there were again the 

nrf_cloud_connect failed: 22

error and in the LTE Monitor it looked like the previous pictures.

Only if I flash the nRF9160 with the at_client.hex, I get a nice result like this:

The only problem is, that when I flash the nRF with the at_client.hex, LED 3 doesn't start to blink and so it doesn't connect to the cloud. Should this be possible with the at_client anyway?

Or how can I connect to the nRF Cloud now?

Thanks for your answers!

[Heidi]

You should use asset_tracker to connect to nRF Cloud, yes. Error code 22 is an invalid argument.

Could you add the following line to the prj.conf file of the asset_tracker example, flash the example to the DK and provide the terminal output.

CONFIG_NRF_CLOUD_LOG=y

[Bergmann]

I insterted the line like this in the editor:

and I got an error message while opening the asset_tracker program like this:

Do you know how to solve this? Or maybe could you provide a asset_tracker hex file with this line?

Thanks for your answers