Advertising startup fails with status 0x03

[GRBaset]

Hello, I've tried the "smp_svr" sample from the nRF Connect SDK on my new nRF52832 boards because I wanted to test Bluetooth advertising and DFU capability. They compile and flash successfully, but unfortunately, the board doesn't start the advertiser, giving me the following error in the serial console:

[00:00:00.524,047] <dbg> bt_hci_core.bt_buf_get_cmd_complete: sent_cmd 0x200059e0
[00:00:00.524,078] <dbg> bt_ctlr_hci_driver.cmd_handle: Replying with event of 6 bytes
[00:00:00.524,078] <dbg> bt_hci_core.hci_cmd_complete: opcode 0x200a
[00:00:00.524,078] <dbg> bt_hci_core.hci_cmd_done: opcode 0x200a status 0x03 buf 0x200059e0
[00:00:00.524,108] <dbg> bt_ctlr_hci_driver.hci_driver_send: exit: 0
[00:00:00.524,108] <dbg> bt_hci_core.process_events: ev->state 0
[00:00:00.524,108] <dbg> bt_conn.bt_conn_prepare_events:
[00:00:00.524,139] <dbg> bt_hci_core.hci_tx_thread: Calling k_poll with 2 events
[00:00:00.524,139] <wrn> bt_hci_core: opcode 0x200a status 0x03
[00:00:00.524,169] <err> bt_hci_core: Failed to start advertiser

I've also tried the "scan_adv" sample, which seems to be working correctly as I can see the board on the nRF Connect app, so I tried the "peripheral" sample, but alas, it gives me the same error. I also tried the same on an identical, unopened board, to no avail. 

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

Which nRF Connect SDK (NCS) version do you use? And how do you build and flash the example?

[GRBaset]

I'm using v1.3.0 on macOS 10.15.6, and I built and flashed the examples using west, using the nrfjprog runner (the board is attached to a J-Link).

[Einar Thorsrud]

Hi,

I am not able to reproduce this using the smp_svr sample (zephyr\samples\subsys\mgmt\mcumgr\smp_svr) from NCS 1.3 and testing on a DK. I build and flash like this, and the device advertises without any problems:

west build -b nrf52dk_nrf52832 --pristine
west flash

Can you explain in detail how you build and flash the sample? Do you test on a DK or custom board? If a custom board, does it work if you test on a DK instead (to narrow down the issue)?

[GRBaset]

EDIT: I solved the problem. See the solution in another comment.

Hello, I'm testing on a custom board, the last time I used the following commands (nrf52832_brd is my custom board definition, which I based on the DK):

nrfjprog -e
west build -b nrf52832 -p
west flash

Unfortunately, I do not have access to a DK currently, but I've been able to successfully start advertising by calling bt_le_adv_start twice, like this (I used the "peripheral" sample because it's easier to compile and debug, as it doesn't require MCUboot):

bt_le_adv_start(BT_LE_ADV_CONN_NAME, ad, ARRAY_SIZE(ad), NULL, 0);
err = bt_le_adv_start(BT_LE_ADV_CONN_NAME, ad, ARRAY_SIZE(ad), NULL, 0);
if (err) {
    printk("Advertising failed to start (err %d)\n", err);
    return;
}

The second time, it starts advertising and I can see the device in nRF Connect. Unfortunately, when I try to connect to the device, it quickly disconnects with the error "Disconnected (reason 0x08)", and it keeps trying to connect until I manually cancel it, as shown in the log:

*** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.3.0-rc1-ncs1  ***
Bluetooth initialized
[00:00:00.006,286] <inf> fs_nvs: 6 Sectors of 4096 bytes
[00:00:00.006,286] <inf> fs_nvs: alloc wra: 0, fc0
[00:00:00.006,286] <inf> fs_nvs: data wra: 0, 4c
[00:00:00.007,720] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Platform: Nordic Semiconductor (0x0002)
[00:00:00.007,720] <inf> bt_hci_core: HW Variant: nRF52x (0x0002)
[00:00:00.007,720] <inf> bt_hci_core: Firmware: Standard Bluetooth controller (0x00) Version 2.3 Build 0
[00:00:00.007,995] <inf> bt_hci_core: No ID address. App must call settings_load()
[00:00:00.010,559] <inf> bt_hci_core: Identity: df:36:63:1e:83:34 (random)
[00:00:00.010,589] <inf> bt_hci_core: HCI: version 5.2 (0x0b) revision 0x0000, manufacturer 0x05f1
[00:00:00.010,589] <inf> bt_hci_core: LMP: version 5.2 (0x0b) subver 0xffff
Advertising successfully started
[00:00:00.515,716] <wrn> bt_hci_core: opcode 0x200a status 0x03
[00:00:00.515,747] <err> bt_hci_core: Failed to start advertiser
Connected
Disconnected (reason 0x08)
Connected
Disconnected (reason 0x08)
Connected
Disconnected (reason 0x08)
Connected
Disconnected (reason 0x08)