Join an existing mesh Network with a mesh provisioner (nrf mesh sdk)

[neicureuil]

Hi,

Is it possible to join an existing mesh network with a provisioner made on Nrf52840 (s140)  ?

I have used the provisioner example to make a provisioner which actually create a new mesh network. But after an "erase all" of the board, the provisioning data are lost and the board can't reconnect to the network because information are lost during the erase (logic).

Is there a way to extract the provisioning data and mesh network data from the board to use them later on an other board ?

My goal is to create a mesh network with a device, then store in a file all the information related to this network to be able later with another board to join this network and add new devices.

I have setup a serial connection to send data through the usb port to my computer so I could retrieve and return the data by this method.

I know that this is possible in the mobile application with the "export network" and "import network" functions but I can't reproduce the functionality with the mesh SDK.

Is this possible? If yes how?
Regards

Used sdk :

- nRF5_SDK_16.0.0_98a08e2

- nrf5_SDK_for_Mesh_v4.2.0_src

Board used :

- nrf52840 evaluation board

- nrf52832 evaluation board

[Hung Bui]

Please explain exactly what you did. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "same places that before)
Calling net_state_iv_index_set() won't store the iv_index into flash. 

[neicureuil]

Hi,

This is how and where I try to debug the iv index :

The health model alive event callback :

// Node health model callback (send serial alive event).
static void app_health_event_cb(const health_client_t * p_client, const health_client_evt_t * p_event)
{
  switch (p_event->type)
  {
    case HEALTH_CLIENT_EVT_TYPE_CURRENT_STATUS_RECEIVED:
    {
      NRF_LOG_INFO("Node 0x%04x alive with %u active fault(s), RSSI: %d", p_event->p_meta_data->src.value, p_event->data.fault_status.fault_array_length, ((p_event->p_meta_data->p_core_metadata->source == NRF_MESH_RX_SOURCE_SCANNER) ? p_event->p_meta_data->p_core_metadata->params.scanner.rssi : 0));
      NRF_LOG_INFO("IV : %d", net_state_beacon_iv_index_get());
      
      break;
    }
    default:
      break;
  }
}

The custom model command callback :

static void my_model_client_status_cb(const hx_model_client_t *p_self, my_model_client_status_t status, const uint8_t *p_data, uint16_t length, uint16_t src)
{
    uint8_t* message = (uint8_t*)malloc(RX_DATA_COUNT_MAX);
    memcpy(message,p_data,length);

    NRF_LOG_INFO("Response from MY SERVER MODEL: %s, length is %d, status is %d, Source Address: %x", message, length, status, src);
    NRF_LOG_INFO("IV Index from model : %d", net_state_beacon_iv_index_get());
    
    process_event(src, p_data, length);
    
    memset(message,0x00,RX_DATA_COUNT_MAX);
    free(message);     
}

When I said "same places that before", its just means that I use the same log line at the same code place.

Regards

[Hung Bui]

Hi again, 

Please clarify that in your case it's been always IV-Index = 0 even though your new provisioner couldn't enter the network ? 

I would suggest checking the data stored in flash of the old provisioner and the new provisioner to see if you can spot any difference. 

[neicureuil]

Hi,

I have made the IV index debug tests without reloading the network. I have just launch the provisioner, provision two devices, send model commands to them and just look a the logs to understand how IV index works usually. But the issue is that the IV index that I got is always 0.

I have made the same debugs tests on the nodes it self and I got the same issue.

Regards

[Hung Bui]

Hi Neicueruil, 

Please I have mentioned earlier that it's normal that IV Index = 0 at the beginning of the network. It only be updated to 1 after 96 hours. Which IV Index you were expecting in your test ?