Thingy91 cannot connect to network

[DarioF]

Hi,

I managed to download the latest firmware on my thingy91 and it looks working properly on the LinkMonitor. Anyway, it stays always in searching LTE and never goes to "green" as shown below:

Any hint?

Moreover, on the nRFCloud, I can't add a new device, SIM is registered and active but I got always the same error when I try to add a new LTE device:

Thank you,

Dario

[Martin Lesund]

Hi Dario,

Where are you located?
It does not seem like you can connect to the network in your area.
It could be that iBasis SIM does not have coverage in your area.

Check the GSMA coverage map and get a SIM card from the specific carrier with either LTE-M or NB-IoT support in your area.
(you cannot connect to nrf cloud without a network connection, so that would be the first step now.)

BR,
Martin L.

[DarioF]

Hi Martin,

I'm connecting through NB-IoT and I'm based in Italy. According to GSMA there should be nationwide coverage, but maybe it could be in my specific area that there isn't much network presence.

According to what you see in this ticket, do you think the software flashed on my thingy is working properly?

What kind of test can I do?

And why I can't add a new LTE device to the nRFCloud?

Thanks,

Dario

[Martin Lesund]

Hi Dario,

I recommend you to run the nbiot legacy pco version of asset tracker:
thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_dfu_2020-04-29_bc7ade8b.bin

Also it could happen that there is bad coverage at your area.
This can be checked by running the AT Client sample.

Send command:
AT%XSYSTEMMODE=0,1,0,0

AT%XEPCO=0

AT+CFUN=1

and then

AT+CFUN? (while automatic requests setting is checked in the LTE link monitor)

then you should get information about the modem/network.

After a while you should be able to see if it connects or not etc. and you can also search for networks --> 

AT%COPS=?
(this can take some minutes)

[DarioF]

Hi!

I managed to get the device connected to the nrfCloud and started receiving messages from it.

Anyway, the embedded antenna cannot catch the signal very strongly. Can you help improve it or recommend a compatible external LTE antenna that I can connect to the antenna plug on my thingy?

Thank you,

Dario

[DarioF]

Hi Martin,

the firmware you mentioned (legacy pco) is working fine, but I tried the regular last version and it's also working good. I have updated the modem firmware too.

What is the difference between the pco FW and the "normal" one? I noticed that the sending rate is higher (1 sec vs 30 sec) anything else?

Do you have a firmware ready that sends also IMU data? ie rotations and accelerations on the 3 axis.

Thank you,

Dario

[Martin Lesund]

Hi Dario,
1. The only thing that should be different between the nb-iot (normal version) and nb-iot with legacy PCO is just that ePCO or PCO is used.
2. Unfortunately we do not have a default sample that does that.
Please check out the NCS tutorial series https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/nrf-connect-sdk-guides/b/getting-started/posts/nrf-connect-sdk-tutorial
That should be helpful to understand how to work with NCS and possibly help you out implement the needed functionality you seek.