Using CLI to communicate end device from BorderRouter

[UmaMaheswar]

 <install folder>\nRF5_SDK_for_Thread_and_Zigbee_v4.1.0_32ce5f8.zip\examples\thread\cli\ftd\usb\hex   

Need to get confirmation on if I follow the above path and flash the binary in nrf52840 dongle[Other than that I connected with RaspberryPi] and connect it to BorderRouter [Raspbery pi flashed with nordic alpha 4.1.0.1 image + nrf52840 dongle in NCP design]. 

Can I use CLI and communicate  with the end device that is connected in a network?

And also need to know if I flash the above mentioned binary in same dongle with OT stack, will that allow me to open CLI.

If not, need to know the all possible ways to communicate to end device from BorderRouter CLI.

[Charlie]

Hi Umamaheswarreddy,

Need to get confirmation on if I follow the above path and flash the binary in nrf52840 dongle[Other than that I connected with RaspberryPi] and connect it to BorderRouter [Raspbery pi flashed with nordic alpha 4.1.0.1 image + nrf52840 dongle in NCP design]. 

Can I use CLI and communicate  with the end device that is connected in a network?

 Yes. the device running CLI example itself is an end device that you can set up manually to connect another end device and created or join a Thread network. You can send a command through a serial terminal on Windows, Linux, or Mac. It of course can be your raspberry pi which is used as a BorderRounter, but your BorderRounter must have an NCP device running specific NCP firmware. The NCP device provides an 802,15.4 PHY and MAC layer hardware and OT stack needed by Thread protocol. 

And also need to know if I flash the above mentioned binary in same dongle with OT stack, will that allow me to open CLI.

 The CLI example already has an OT stack, if you flash the CLI example to the dongle, the former program in the same dongle will be erased or covered.

If not, need to know the all possible ways to communicate to end device from BorderRouter CLI.

 The first answer has explained the concepts. I also want to remind you that a BorderRouter is used to build the bridge for the internal Thread network and external Internet, it is not necessary if you only want to communicate with an end device in a Thread network.

Best regard,

Charlie

 

[UmaMaheswar]

Thanks for the reply Charlie,

Charlie said:

 Yes. the device running CLI example itself is an end device that you can set up manually to connect another end device and created or join a Thread network.

I don't need one more device to be connected as end device but, my main aim is to make BorderRouter up and a device to connect to the network and ensure that there's communication between them.

For that I have Raspbery pi flashed with nordic alpha 4.1.0.1 image + nrf52840 dongle in NCP design .

As an end device I have EFR32 MG12 WSTK flashed with OT-CLI-FTD code and connected to the BorderRouter as a child.

Now I need to communicate to EFR32 from BorderRouter, guess we can communicate using CLI from BorderRouter[raspberry Pi]. But in my case as I have flashed Alpha 4.1.0.1 image for BorderRouter and it doesn't have CLI within it, want to know how to communicate and for communication what all need to be done. 

I thought of blinking LED with command from BorderRouter, will that work with current setup, If not what do I need and if there's someother way that we can demo it's communication, please let me know.

[Charlie]

UmaMaheswar said:

Is the demo possible with my current setup?

If not what do I need in extra and how to demo?

 The producer of the EFR32 Board might be the correct one to answer this question. I have limited knowledge on their products. 

[UmaMaheswar]

Yes Charlie, will contact EFR32 people. but need some clarity from the CoAP servers related that they have mentioned that the support will be provided for DK only but not for dongle.

If I can do something with dongle, can you please provide some brief information on this.

[Charlie]

UmaMaheswar said:

they have mentioned that the support will be provided for DK only but not for dongle.

Here you mean their DK and gonele or nRF2840DK and Dongle? If they are nRF52840DK and Dongle, both of them can be used as NCP on BorderRouter.

UmaMaheswar said:

If I can do something with dongle, can you please provide some brief information on this.

 Since you only have one nRF52840 dongle, it can only be used as NCP for the BorderRouter, nothing else.

[UmaMaheswar]

I'll be getting extra dongle mostly in a day.
Made one dongle as NCP and is in connection with Raspberry Pi for BorderRouter.

What can I do to communicate with the end device i.e EFR32. As you provided some information on CoAP server, in that under hardware requirement only DK support is provided. If that CoAP supports Dongle please let me know. Or if I can do any kind of simple working with this to ensure the connection is working fine. Please do provide.

[Charlie]

Hi Umamaheswarreddy,

Sorry for your struggling. If you want to learn and test the Thread network. The simplest start point is buying two nRF52840 DK, one programs Thread: CoAP Client and another programs Thread: CoAP Sever. Then you would be able to test them as described in the document. 

There is no other solution simpler than the above suggestion, please think about it!

Bes regard,

Charlie

[UmaMaheswar]

But I already have BorderRouter setup with dongle and one more dongle that I ordered will be delivering tomorrow.

Can I have some simpler example suggestion on this?