THINGY:91 - Can't be found in nRF Connect

[timsterc]

Just took delivery of a new THINGY:91 from DigiKey - v1.4.0.

Trying to follow the steps in the User Guide, but when I plug into my Macbook, it's not showing up as a USB device.

It's plugged in via USB connector, and is powered ON.  Looks like both LEDs are in blue breathing pattern.

nRF Connect Programmer shows No Devices Available.  I don't see anything in the USB devices.  Tried on a Windows (VMware Fusion), same story.

I get a 40412 error when trying to add it as an LTE Device, as I expect it needs proper FW images loaded first.

Any suggestions?

-Tim

[timsterc]

Tried putting it into Serial mode - per https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/cellular-iot-guides/b/getting-started-cellular/posts/thingy91_2d00_fw_2d00_update_2d00_mcuboot?tempkey=af326acc-b25a-46b3-8c0b-a70826e0878f - but no dice, I am not seeing any USB serial connections showing up in System Info.

I've gone ahead and ordered the 10pin JTAG (smaller pitch) cable and adapter, but a bit disappointed that it's this involved out of the box.

[Øyvind]

Hello Tim, 

Did you follow the official guide in our Infocenter:?

To me it sounds like you need to update the nRF52840, see this guide. If that device shows in the device list, that means that you should update the connectivity bridge application found in our precompiled software package under Thingy:91 downloads page. See thingy91_fw_2021-03-04_8e8c6089/img_fota_dfu_hex/thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex

These files were built with nRF Connect SDK version v1.5.0
from repository at https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf

Full commit SHA: 8e8c60897eac40f61db9f578ce521970fff8e4d2

Package contents:
img_app_bl/           Full application images, including bootloader. Updated only via debug probe.
img_fota_dfu_hex/     Application only. Use with nRFConnect for Desktop Programmer application.
img_fota_dfu_bin/     Application only. Binary format. For cloud update, mcumgr.

The following folders contain images configured for modem debugging:
img_app_bl/debug 
img_fota_dfu_hex/debug
img_fota_dfu_bin/debug

File                                                                            Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
img_app_bl/debug/thingy91_debug_ltem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                    Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled
img_app_bl/debug/thingy91_debug_nbiot_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                   Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled, NB-IoT network mode
img_app_bl/debug/thingy91_debug_nbiot_legacy_pco_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex        Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO
img_app_bl/serial_lte_modem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                             Serial LTE modem
img_app_bl/thingy91_at_client_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                           Firmware for direct modem communication
img_app_bl/thingy91_ltem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                                Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160
img_app_bl/thingy91_nbiot_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                               Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode
img_app_bl/thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                    Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO
img_app_bl/thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex           Connectivity bridge for the nrf52
img_fota_dfu_bin/debug/thingy91_debug_ltem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin              Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled
img_fota_dfu_bin/debug/thingy91_debug_nbiot_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin             Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled, NB-IoT network mode
img_fota_dfu_bin/debug/thingy91_debug_nbiot_legacy_pco_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin  Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO
img_fota_dfu_bin/serial_lte_modem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin                       Serial LTE modem
img_fota_dfu_bin/thingy91_at_client_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin                     Firmware for direct modem communication
img_fota_dfu_bin/thingy91_ltem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin                          Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160
img_fota_dfu_bin/thingy91_nbiot_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin                         Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode
img_fota_dfu_bin/thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin              Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO
img_fota_dfu_bin/thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.bin     Connectivity bridge for the nrf52
img_fota_dfu_hex/debug/thingy91_debug_ltem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex              Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled
img_fota_dfu_hex/debug/thingy91_debug_nbiot_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex             Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled, NB-IoT network mode
img_fota_dfu_hex/debug/thingy91_debug_nbiot_legacy_pco_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex  Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, modem debug enabled, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO
img_fota_dfu_hex/serial_lte_modem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                       Serial LTE modem
img_fota_dfu_hex/thingy91_at_client_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                     Firmware for direct modem communication
img_fota_dfu_hex/thingy91_ltem_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                          Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160
img_fota_dfu_hex/thingy91_nbiot_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex                         Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode
img_fota_dfu_hex/thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex              Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO
img_fota_dfu_hex/thingy91_nrf52_connectivity_bridge_2021-03-04_8e8c6089.hex     Connectivity bridge for the nrf52
mfwnrf9160123.zip                                                               Modem firmware, updated through nRF Connect for Desktop

In order to use the 10pin JTAG cable you need to have a JLink programmer that supports Arm Cortex M33, or the nRF9160DK. However, you should be able to program the Thingy:91 using MCUboot.

Let me know how it works.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[timsterc]

It seems like that to me too!  I just wasn't expecting to need to do that out of the box, as it is sold as a standalone dev platform.  Will report back when my programming cable/adapter arrive later this week.