Wireshark doesn't see nrf51 dongle sniffer

[Han Vertegaal]

The nRF sniffer is not listed in the Wireshark interface list.

Software versions: Windows 10 Pro 64 bit, Python 3.8, Wireshark 3.2.3, nRF Connect 3.3.3, Sniffer 3.0.0.

I programmed the dongle with hex image: sniffer_pca10031_129d2b3.hex. The toolbar shows up in Wireshark, but not the sniffer interface:

I tried the nrf_sniffer_ble.bat --extcap-interfaces command, and that seems to work fine.

Is there anything else I can try?

[Han Vertegaal]

In the mean time I installed nRF Connect BLE, and saw that it couldn't open the COM port on which the dongle operates. Because other software also has problems opening COM ports over USB, I conclude it is not so much an nRF software problem as a problem with my PC. So I re-installed everything on another PC and now it works fine, Wireshark and everything. Problem solved.

However, I can still program the dongle using nRF Connect, and I assume it uses the same USB attached COM port. What is the difference between nRF Connect Programmer and nRF Connect BLE? One of them works fine, while the other does not.

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

If you can program the nRF51 dongle with nRF Connect Programmer, you suppose to could use  nRF51 dongle with nRF Connect BLE.

Did you also press the reset button on nRF51 dongle before connecting with nRF Connect BLE  as using nRF Connect Programmer? 

If it still cannot work after pressing the reset button then connecting, could you provide the log of nRF Connect BLE?

 

-Amanda H.

[Han Vertegaal]

I erased the dongle using the programmer. Then started BLE, but I got the exact same log (error opening COM3). Next, I reprogrammed the device so I can user it as a sniffer again on my other PC. Reprogramming worked fine. Next, I started BLE again, and it prompted me that the dongle needed to be reprogrammed. Clicking Ok in the dialog resulted in the following log:

2020-05-18T11:43:49.575Z INFO Application data folder: C:\Users\han\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-ble
2020-05-18T11:43:49.648Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-ble v2.3.2 official
2020-05-18T11:43:49.648Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\han\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-ble
2020-05-18T11:43:49.648Z DEBUG nRFConnect 3.3.3 is supported by the app (^3.2.0)
2020-05-18T11:43:49.648Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\han\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\resources\app.asar
2020-05-18T11:43:49.648Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\han
2020-05-18T11:43:49.649Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\han\AppData\Local\Temp
2020-05-18T11:44:00.109Z INFO Validating connectivity firmware for device with serial number 000680450780...
2020-05-18T11:44:12.565Z INFO Connectivity firmware is valid.
2020-05-18T11:44:12.565Z INFO Getting information from J-Link debugger...
2020-05-18T11:44:13.251Z INFO Found device type: nRF51. J-Link firmware: J-Link OB-SAM3U128-V2-NordicSemi compiled Mar 17 2020 14:43:00.
2020-05-18T11:44:13.251Z INFO Connectivity firmware version: 4.1.1. SoftDevice API version: 2. Baud rate: 1000000.
2020-05-18T11:44:13.251Z INFO Opening adapter connected to COM3
2020-05-18T11:44:13.970Z ERROR Received status with code 5 IO_RESOURCES_UNAVAILABLE, message: 'Error setting up serial port COM3. open: Access is denied.: Access is denied.'
2020-05-18T11:44:13.971Z DEBUG State change: STATE_START -> STATE_FAILED
2020-05-18T11:44:16.996Z ERROR Error occured when opening port. Errorcode: Unknown value (0x8029)

Looking at the memory map using the programmer, it seem that the BLE app did indeed program a new image, but subsequently failed to connect.

Apparently, if the BLE app communicates through J-Link (as does the programmer) everything works, but when it accesses the COM3 port directly (?) it fails.

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi Han, 

Could you try other USB ports and do the Vidar's suggestion again?

-Amanda H. 

[Han Vertegaal]

Sorry for the delay. I tried, but the problem remains.

Do you have an idea about the difference between the BLE app and the programmer where it comes to communicating with the device. Could it be that the programmer bypasses the COM port emulator and talks directly to the USB?

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi,  

Han Vertegaal said:

Could it be that the programmer bypasses the COM port emulator and talks directly to the USB?

 As your thought, the programmer app communicates through the Jlink interface while the BLE app communicates through the VCOM. 

Han Vertegaal said:

2020-05-18T11:44:13.970Z ERROR Received status with code 5 IO_RESOURCES_UNAVAILABLE, message: 'Error setting up serial port COM3. open: Access is denied.: Access is denied.'

You could try to run nRF connect as admin since the error says "access denied", and also check if the JLink COM port is listed in the "Device manager".

-Amanda H.  

[Han Vertegaal]

The 'JLink CDC UART Port (COM3)' is listed in the Device Manger.

Running as Admin doesn't change the outcome.

It seems to me that there is a problem with the virtual COM port on this specific PC, as the software runs on other PCs. The same problem occurs with unrelated software, so I think it's fair to close this case.