NRF52840 NRF Connect desktop pairing / bonding issue

Question

Good day

I use NRF52840 + SDK v17.0.2. My application relies on _gls example and mainly copies its security settings ( also uses peer manager ) except I use MITM protection for my characteristics and static pin code approach.

The root cause of issue is that behavior of NRF Connect for mobile (Android ) and for desktop differs. Our test app behaves correctly - I would say in the same way as NRF Connect for Android.

If shortly for Android ( NRF Connect app ) and iOS ( our test app ) during connection and bonding everything goes smoothly and I get expected result - I see pairing requests and system textbox for pin code input on both devices, after bonding is done I am able to connect without pin input.

The situation with NRF connect is different. It runs with 52840 usb dongle on Ubuntu, the version is 3.6.1 ( also tried 3.6.0 ). I tried both options: with automatic security response and manual - the result is the same - I can not get pin request on the screen thus device can not bond

Despite of MITM flag set in NRF Connect - anyway I get: Collector did not use MITM, disconnecting

Please advise what did I miss or what am I doing wrong. 2 log files are attached ( RTT output )

Thank you

Android /iOS - OK flow

Fullscreen 4747.Android_bonding_log.log Download

<info> app: Reset reason: 1
<info> app: Setting vector table to bootloader: 0x000F1000
<info> app: Setting vector table to main app: 0x00027000
<info> app: battery_service_init() completed: 0
<info> app: battery_service_init() completed
<info> app: Device id: 4fd1919f9a9b83a6
<info> app: MAC address: f0:7f:1e:fa:9a:08, type: -1
<info> app: dis_service_init() completed: 0
<error> app_serial: uart_event_handle(): APP_UART_COMMUNICATION_ERROR -> 4
<debug> nrf_ble_lesc: Initialized nrf_crypto.
<debug> nrf_ble_lesc: Initialized nrf_ble_lesc.
<debug> nrf_ble_lesc: Generating ECC key pair
<info> app_timer: RTC: initialized.
<info> app_adc: adc_init()
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_IDLE = 0
<info> app_btn: button_configure: STATE_STARTUP
<info> app_twi_manager: twi_manager_init()
<info> app_pmic: global status 0x40
<info> app_pmic: ercflag 0x00
<info> app_state: set_ext_powered: FALSE, current state: STATE_ADVERTISING
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_CHARGE_UNPLUGGED
<info> app_state: set_charging: FALSE
<info> app_pmic: charge status 0x00 0x00
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: Requesting to update ATT MTU to 247 bytes on connection 0x0.
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: Updating data length to 251 on connection 0x0.
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONNECTED
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONNECTED
<info> peer_manager_handler: Connected, securing connection. conn_handle: 0
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONNECTED
<info> app_state: state_set: STATE_CONNECTED
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_CONNECTED
<info> app_btn: button_configure: STATE_CONNECTED
<info> app_pmic: pmic_ir_enable( TRUE )
<info> app_pmic: pmic_ir_enable(): err_code 0 
<info> app: pmic_ir_enable_callback
<info> app: Data len is set to 0xF4(244)
<debug> app: ATT MTU exchange completed. central 0xF7 peripheral 0xF7
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 58
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 58
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 58
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: Data length updated to 251 on connection 0x0.
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: max_rx_octets: 27
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: max_tx_octets: 251
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: max_rx_time: 328
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: max_tx_time: 2120
<debug> app: ATT MTU exchange completed. central 0xF7 peripheral 0xF7
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 36
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 36
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 5
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 18
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 18
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONN_PARAM_UPDATE
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 18
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 18
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONN_PARAM_UPDATE
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 1
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 5
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 19
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 19
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_SEC_PARAMS_REQUEST
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 18
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 18
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONN_PARAM_UPDATE
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 21
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 21
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_PASSKEY_DISPLAY
<info> app: Passkey: 123456
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 26
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 26
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 26
<info> peer_manager_handler: Connection secured: role: Peripheral, conn_handle: 0, procedure: Bonding
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): PM_EVT_CONN_SEC_SUCCEEDED
<info> app: Link secured. Role: 1. conn_handle: 0, Procedure: 1
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 25
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 25
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_AUTH_STATUS
<info> app:     status=0x0 bond=0x1 lv4: 0 kdist_own:0x3 kdist_peer:0x3
<info> app: PM_EVT_PEER_DATA_UPDATE_SUCCEEDED
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 53
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 53
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 53
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 54
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 54
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 54
<info> app: PM_EVT_PEER_DATA_UPDATE_SUCCEEDED
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: BLE_GATTS_EVT_WRITE
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 80
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 80
<info> peer_manager_handler: Peer data updated in flash: peer_id: 0, data_id: Local database, action: Update
<info> app: PM_EVT_PEER_DATA_UPDATE_SUCCEEDED
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 14
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 82
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 82
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GATTS_EVT_SYS_ATTR_MISSING
>

NRF connect for desktop - FAIL flow

Fullscreen 4786.PC_bonding_fail_log.log Download

<info> app: Reset reason: 1
<info> app: Setting vector table to bootloader: 0x000F1000
<info> app: Setting vector table to main app: 0x00027000
<info> app: battery_service_init() completed: 0
<info> app: battery_service_init() completed
<info> app: Device id: 4fd1919f9a9b83a6
<info> app: MAC address: f0:7f:1e:fa:9a:08, type: -1
<info> app: dis_service_init() completed: 0
<debug> nrf_ble_lesc: Initialized nrf_crypto.
<debug> nrf_ble_lesc: Initialized nrf_ble_lesc.
<debug> nrf_ble_lesc: Generating ECC key pair
<info> app_timer: RTC: initialized.
<info> app_adc: adc_init()
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_IDLE = 0
<info> app_btn: button_configure: STATE_STARTUP
<info> app_pmic: global status 0x40
<info> app_pmic: ercflag 0x00
<info> app_state: set_ext_powered: FALSE, current state: STATE_ADVERTISING
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_CHARGE_UNPLUGGED
<info> app_state: set_charging: FALSE
<info> app_pmic: charge status 0x00 0x00
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: Requesting to update ATT MTU to 247 bytes on connection 0x0.
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: Updating data length to 251 on connection 0x0.
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONNECTED
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONNECTED
<info> peer_manager_handler: Connected, securing connection. conn_handle: 0
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_CONNECTED
<info> app_state: state_set: STATE_CONNECTED
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_CONNECTED
<info> app_btn: button_configure: STATE_CONNECTED
<info> app_pmic: pmic_ir_enable( TRUE )
<info> app_pmic: pmic_ir_enable(): err_code 0 
<info> app: pmic_ir_enable_callback
<debug> nrf_ble_gatt: ATT MTU updated to 247 bytes on connection 0x0 (response).
<info> app: Data len is set to 0xF4(244)
<debug> app: ATT MTU exchange completed. central 0xF7 peripheral 0xF7
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 58
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 58
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 58
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 5
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 1
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): 5
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 19
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 19
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_SEC_PARAMS_REQUEST
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 26
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 26
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: 26
<info> peer_manager_handler: Connection secured: role: Peripheral, conn_handle: 0, procedure: Pairing
<info> app: pm_evt_handler(): PM_EVT_CONN_SEC_SUCCEEDED
<info> app: Collector did not use MITM, disconnecting
<info> app:     m_peer_to_be_deleted: 65535
<debug> app: Disconnected connection handle 0
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: 25
<info> peer_manager_handler: pm_handler_secure_on_connection: event 25
<info> app: ble_evt_handler: BLE_GAP_EVT_AUTH_STATUS
<info> app:     status=0x0 bond=0x0 lv4: 0 kdist_own:0x0 kdist_peer:0x0
<info> app: pm_whitelist_get returns 0 addr in whitelist and 0 irk whitelist
<info> app: on_adv_evt: BLE_ADV_EVT_FAST
<info> app_state: state_set: STATE_ADVERTISING
<info> app_indic: indicate INDICATE_ADVERTISING
<info> app_btn: button_configure: STATE_ADVERTISING
<info> app_serial_srv: on_ble_event: BLE_GAP_EVT_DISCONNECTED
<info> app: pmic_ir_disable_callback
>

Einar Thorsrud · Accepted Answer

Hi, 
 The issue here is the IO Capabilities you configure. You set "Display, no keyboard" in the nRF Connect BLE app, which is the same as the glucose application. When both peers support only display, no MITM is possible. You need to set "Keyboard and display" on nRF Connect. Then the combined IO capabilities will allow passkey display on the nRF device and passkey entry on nRF Connect.

NRF52840 NRF Connect desktop pairing / bonding issue

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