Commission device to existing border router using CLI sample

[GPereira]

Hello,

I am trying to commission a device running the CLI sample to an OTBR I configured following https://openthread.io/guides/border-router (the OpenThread official guide). I am using a Raspberry Pi 3 as recommended and the OTBR is fully functional since I successfully commissioned a device running openthread built directly from source (https://github.com/openthread/openthread).

When I flash the device with the CLI sample it automatically creates a ot_zephyr openthread netowork. I have tried "ot thread stop" and then join the OTBR network but it fails to find it (prints "NotFound"). I have changed the channel number to 15 (channel of the OTBR) but still with no luck.

[GPereira]

I got it working by executing on the joiner CLI:

ot dataset init new

Is it possible to avoid this manual step with a Kconfig option?

[Kenneth]

Sorry no, also see here:
https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/1.3.1/nrf/ug_thread_commissioning_configuring.html 

[GPereira]

Ok, but besides the CLI sample I need to flash devices and make them ready to be commissioned to the customer's Thread network. How can I do that?

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

You can use the Kconfig CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_JOINER_AUTOSTART to achieve that. 

If CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_MANUAL_START is not set, the application will then start the joiner automatically if there is no valid dataset.

It is also possible to set the CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_MANUAL_START Kconfig, and control everything in your application.

[GPereira]

Thank you for your response, that is brings me closer to what I need. However while using CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_JOINER_AUTOSTART the device upon flash starts with a valid dataset (ot_zephyr network) and thus I cannot commission the joiner device. Is there a way to clear the dataset from the application configuration (Kconfig)?

Future question: If that's possible how can I define the joiner password from the application configuration as well?

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

Did you erase the full chip before flashing the new application? If you have previously run a sample with precommissioned dataset, this will be stored in OpenThread persistent data section in flash.

I recommend that you try with "west flash --erase" or do a "nrfjprog --eraseall" before flashing the application.

You can configure the default pre shared key using CONFIG_OPENTHREAD_JOINER_PSKD.