Getting started with nRF91

[cmag]

I am testing a nRF9160DK board. I am located in Italy, so LTE-M SIMs would not work.

I have received some NB-IOT SIMs from TIM/Olivetti; I found a compiled sample "at_client.hex" on your site and it seems to be working, even if the programmer app said "Device type unknown" after programming.

I assume that LTE green means that NB-IOT goto connected. The connection information looks fine too.

"Telecom Italia" is the former name of TIM.

I installed the whole toolchain following instructions in the Getting Started Assistant (I had to update some references in the requirements.txt files) and compiled the Asset Tracker application but it seems unable to connect.

I verified that:

/* Set network mode to Narrowband-IoT */
static const char network_mode[] = "AT%XSYSTEMMODE=0,1,0,0";

is active in lte_lc.c

I suspect something is not fine in my setup because I am unable to load the other  project for the "nrf_desktop" application choosing either nrf9160_pca10090 or the ns version.

Do you have a compiled hex of the asset_tracker application that is expected to run with NB-IOT so that I can understand if the problem is with the SIM or the toolchain.

I have installed arm_segger_embedded_studio_v420a_win_x64_nordic from the link in getting started; It offers to upgrade to SEGGER Embedded Studio for ARM version 4.22; should I perform the upgrade?

[MJD093]

Hi,

Could you try adding CONFIG_LTE_NETWORK_MODE_NBIOT=y to the prj.conf file?

That should set the asset tracked to utilise NB-IoT.

[cmag]

I had already added:

# Added for NBIOT as suggested by
# devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../203734
CONFIG_LTE_LEGACY_PCO_MODE=y
CONFIG_LTE_NETWORK_MODE_NBIOT=y

Which activated the line:

static const char network_mode[] = "AT%XSYSTEMMODE=0,1,0,0";

[MJD093]

Can you provide some output from the LTE Link Monitor to show us what's going on with the device?

Question, does your SIM provider "TIM/Olivetti" offer dynamic IPs over their network. Connection to the nRF Cloud occurs through dynamic MQTT to AWS and this means the endpoint of the connection could be any of a huge list of IP addresses.

Vodafone NB-IoT Evaluation SIMs do not provide this and require whitelisted IPs so it's good to check as this has caught me out in early development but as it was only for this sample application, it was easy to get around.

The fact that the Asset Tracker is using: static const char network_mode[] = "AT%XSYSTEMMODE=0,1,0,0"; is a good sign that everything should be set to the NB-IoT version.

[cmag]

Fullscreen at_client.txt Download

2019-10-01T16:48:01.376Z INFO Application data folder: C:\Users\CMAG\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-linkmonitor
2019-10-01T16:48:01.424Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-linkmonitor v1.1.1 official
2019-10-01T16:48:01.424Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\CMAG\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-linkmonitor
2019-10-01T16:48:01.424Z DEBUG nRFConnect 3.2.0 is supported by the app (^3.2.0)
2019-10-01T16:48:01.424Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\CMAG\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\resources\app.asar
2019-10-01T16:48:01.424Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\CMAG
2019-10-01T16:48:01.424Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\CMAG\AppData\Local\Temp
2019-10-01T16:48:01.426Z VERBOSE Could not fetch serial number for serial port at COM1
2019-10-01T16:48:04.700Z INFO Modem port is opened
2019-10-01T16:48:04.706Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CFUN?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:04.718Z DEBUG modem << +CFUN: 4\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:04.720Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:04.740Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CFUN=1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:04.779Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:07.458Z DEBUG modem >> AT\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:07.462Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.538Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CFUN?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.543Z DEBUG modem << +CFUN: 1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.553Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.555Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGSN=1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.561Z DEBUG modem << +CGSN: "352656100044349"\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.562Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.565Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGMI\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.571Z DEBUG modem << Nordic Semiconductor ASA\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.572Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.577Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGMM\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.581Z DEBUG modem << nRF9160-SICA\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.584Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.586Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGMR\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.591Z DEBUG modem << mfw_nrf9160_1.0.1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.592Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.593Z INFO Nordic Semiconductor ASA nRF9160-SICA [mfw_nrf9160_1.0.1] SerNr: 352656100044349
2019-10-01T16:48:10.594Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CEMODE?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.600Z DEBUG modem << +CEMODE: 0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.600Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.609Z DEBUG modem >> AT%XCBAND=?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.617Z DEBUG modem << %XCBAND: (1,2,3,4,5,8,12,13,17,19,20,25,26,28,66)\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.621Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.628Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CMEE?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.631Z DEBUG modem << +CMEE: 0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.633Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.635Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CMEE=1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.643Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.647Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CNEC?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.652Z DEBUG modem << +CNEC: 0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.655Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.660Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CNEC=24\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.664Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.672Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGEREP?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.680Z DEBUG modem << +CGEREP: 0,0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.682Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.687Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGDCONT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.693Z DEBUG modem << +CGDCONT: 0,"IP","","",0,0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.695Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.702Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGACT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.707Z DEBUG modem << +CGACT: 0,0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.708Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.713Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGEREP=1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.717Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D
2019-10-01T16:48:10.721Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CIND=1,1,1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.727Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.730Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CEREG=2\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.734Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.742Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CEREG?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.749Z DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 2,2,"88F9","07A38752",9\x0D
2019-10-01T16:48:10.752Z DEBUG modem << \x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.753Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.761Z DEBUG modem >> AT%CESQ=1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.765Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.769Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.774Z DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,37\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.776Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.780Z DEBUG modem >> AT%XSIM=1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.783Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.793Z DEBUG modem >> AT%XSIM?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.798Z DEBUG modem << %XSIM: 1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.799Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.808Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CPIN?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.813Z DEBUG modem << +CPIN: READY\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.814Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.822Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CPINR="SIM PIN"\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.842Z DEBUG modem << +CPINR: "SIM PIN",3\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.844Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.850Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CIMI\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.857Z DEBUG modem << 222013206523243\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:10.858Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:10.859Z INFO IMSIdentity: 222013206523243
2019-10-01T16:48:13.400Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:13.416Z DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,37\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:13.419Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:17.401Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:17.415Z DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,37\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:17.418Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.541Z DEBUG modem << +CGEV: ME PDN ACT 0,0\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.553Z DEBUG modem << +CNEC_ESM: 50,0\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.559Z DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 1,"88F9","07A38752",9\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.564Z DEBUG modem << +CIND: "service",1\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.574Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGDCONT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.582Z DEBUG modem << +CGDCONT: 0,"IP","nbiot.tids.tim.it","10.16.31.197",0,0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.583Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.589Z DEBUG modem >> AT+COPS=3,2\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.593Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.595Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGACT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.599Z DEBUG modem << +CGACT: 0,1\x0D
2019-10-01T16:48:19.600Z DEBUG modem << \x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.600Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.602Z DEBUG modem >> AT+COPS?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.607Z DEBUG modem << +COPS: 0,2,"22201",9\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.610Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.613Z DEBUG modem >> AT%XCBAND\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.617Z DEBUG modem << %XCBAND: 20\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.618Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.625Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGDCONT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.633Z DEBUG modem << +CGDCONT: 0,"IP","nbiot.tids.tim.it","10.16.31.197",0,0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.634Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:19.640Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGACT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.644Z DEBUG modem << +CGACT: 0,1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:19.645Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:21.400Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:21.416Z DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,37\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:21.418Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:25.399Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:25.406Z DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,37\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:25.407Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:29.400Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:29.414Z DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,37\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:29.414Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D
2019-10-01T16:48:30.606Z DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 1,"88FA","07A7FC52",9\x0D
2019-10-01T16:48:30.616Z DEBUG modem >> AT+COPS=3,2\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.619Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.623Z DEBUG modem >> AT+COPS?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.628Z DEBUG modem << +COPS: 0,2,"22201",9\x0D
2019-10-01T16:48:30.629Z DEBUG modem << \x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.630Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:30.633Z DEBUG modem >> AT%XCBAND\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.641Z DEBUG modem << %XCBAND: 20\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.642Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:30.645Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGDCONT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.657Z DEBUG modem << +CGDCONT: 0,"IP","nbiot.tids.tim.it","10.16.31.197",0,0\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.658Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00
2019-10-01T16:48:30.661Z DEBUG modem >> AT+CGACT?\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.675Z DEBUG modem << +CGACT: 0,1\x0D\x0A
2019-10-01T16:48:30.676Z DEBUG modem << OK\x0D\x0A\x00

asset_tracker.txt

at_client ended in a correct connection (at least to TIM base station).

I uploaded both files using the Programmer app of nRF Connect.

The asset tracker file is the merged.hex file found in C:\Projects\ncs\nrf\applications\asset_tracker\build_nrf9160_pca10090ns\zephyr after compiling

TIM SIMs should not be restricted as Vodafone are. Anyway, if you have a working hex file for NB-IOT I would like to check it out to exclude the problem is with the SIM.

[cmag]

Maybe I am making a mistake in building the application: I am just building the NS version; on Zephyr site (docs.zephyrproject.org/.../index.html) the options are:

1. Building Secure/Non-Secure Zephyr applications
2. Building a Secure only application

There is no option for building a NS application only.

Am I missing something?

[MJD093]

You do not need to build only a non-secure application. When erasing the nRF9160, you will erase both the secure and non-secure applications. The secure and non-secure applications are merged and flashed together as merged.hex.

If you wish to see the non-secure .hex file, this one will be found in at build/zephyr/zephyr.hex whereas the secure application .hex file is located at build/spm/zephyr/zephyr.hex.

I would not recommend flashing the non-secure on it's own as the secure application is the secure partition manager that configures the device from flash partitions to peripherals. I haven't tried to do this nor would I do this so I have no idea what that would do but most likely result in error.

[cmag]

If I select Board name: nrf9160_pca10090 (without NS) I get:

I can only generate the project for the NS version.

The error message seems to be:

Error: Aborting due to non-whitelisted Kconfig warning 'warning: the value '' is invalid for
FLIP_INPUT (defined at C:/Projects/ncs/nrf/applications/asset_tracker/Kconfig:116), which has type
int -- assignment ignored'. Note: If this warning doesn't point to an actual problem, you can add it
to the whitelist at the top of C:/Projects/ncs/zephyr/scripts/kconfig/kconfig.py.

If I whitelist the warning, the projects is generated, but does not compile.

Later today a new blank PC will arrive to us; I will try installing the toolchain there to check if there is some incompatible software on my PC (I already cleaned all Python libraries before installing).

[MJD093]

Yes, all applications will built for the non-secure region, I don't use the SES at all (I'm a command line user) but as the version of the SES IDE is a Nordic modded version, it will expect that you are building for non-secure versions of the nrf9160. You should not build this application for anything other than non-secure. The secure application will be built in the build folder along with the non-secure application before being merged into a single .hex file. All the user must do is specify that the application is being built for the non-secure region of flash and the secure region of flash will be made along side the non-secure application.

From the experience I have had with Zephyr, whitelisting is not advised when using someone else's firmware. However from that error it would appear that the custom configuration variable FLIP_INPUT isn't assigned. Looking at it's definition in the Kconfig file, it uses the board designation to assign a value to FLIP_INPUT. It needs the board to be configured as nrf9160_pca10090ns or nrf9160_pca20035ns (Thingy:91). It would appear that trying to use the secure board designation has caused this error.

[cmag]

I have tried install everything on my Linux PC at home; I can rebuild and get some life out of the unit:

Fullscreen ASSET_MANAGER_DUMP.txt Download

at+CFUN=4
OK
AT%XSYSTEMMODE=0,1,0,0
OK
AT+CFUN=1
OK
AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 1
OK
AT+CGSN=1
+CGSN: "352656100044349"
OK
AT+CGMI
Nordic Semiconductor ASA
OK
AT+CGMM
nRF9160-SICA
OK
AT+CGMR
mfw_nrf9160_1.0.1
OK
AT+CEMODE?
+CEMODE: 0
OK
AT%XCBAND=?
%XCBAND: (1,2,3,4,5,8,12,13,17,19,20,25,26,28,66)
OK
AT+CMEE?
+CMEE: 0
OK
AT+CMEE=1
OK
AT+CNEC?
+CNEC: 0
OK
AT+CNEC=24
OK
AT+CGEREP?
+CGEREP: 0,0
OK
AT+CGDCONT?
OK
AT+CGACT?
OK
AT+CGEREP=1
OK
AT+CIND=1,1,1
OK
AT+CEREG=2
OK
AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 2,0,"8901","07AA6E50",9OK
AT%CESQ=1
OK
AT+CESQ
+CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,50
OK
AT%XSIM=1
OK
AT%XSIM?
%XSIM: 0
OK

I am sure I recompiled, because I modified the start string "ASSET-TRACKER Application started"

Anyway I still fail to connect to the network after recompiling. Also the other sample application (/home/cmag/projects/ncs/nrf/applications/nrf_desktop/CMakeLists.txt) fails to load in the IDE:

CMake Error at /home/cmag/projects/ncs/nrf/cmake/boilerplate.cmake:17 (message):

board nrf9160_pca10090ns is not supported

Call Stack (most recent call first):

CMakeLists.txt:28 (include)