Reset nrf52840 dongles nodes from a ble mesh

[Carlos Galiana]

Hi! 

Three or four months ago I create a ble mesh with 6 nrf52840 Dongles. Now I want to reset all Dongles in order to create a new ble mesh with a different functionnality (a new code). The problem is that I dont have the phone where I configure the ble mesh in the app anymore so I cant reset the nodes. I have a nrf52840 DK so I can use the programmer in it if it was neccesary but I am not able to find how I have to connect the DK to the Dongle.

What I can do to reset the Dongles as if they were new?

How I have to connect the DK to the Dongle if it was neccesary?

Thank you for your time.

[Hung Bui]

Hi Carlos, 

The challenge with the dongle (also the reason why we don't recommend it as a development platform) is that there isn't a straight forward way of erasing application data on the dongle or to reset it as it was new. 
It's possible to use the bootloader to update new firmware.  However, the bootloader doesn't have a function to clear application data which located right below the bootloader. 

The easiest way to solving this is to solder a 10 pins header to P1 (the same header as in Debug OUT port and Debug IN port on the DK) , on the back side of the dongle. Then you can use the nRF52 DK to connect to it (using 10-pin cable ) and flash it as a normal dev kit.

If you don't have a spare 10 pins header,  you can unsolder the Debug IN header on the DK and solder it on the dongle if you don't usually use the Debug IN feature. 

Another option, if you don't want to solder the header on all 6 dongles is to create a application that erase all the application data (the provisioning data), then you can flash the mesh application after it has done that.