Wireshark not recognising nRF52840 Dongle as an interface.

[hevii]

My nrf52840 dongle isn't being recognised as an interface on Wireshark 4.0.4 running on Mac OS 11.7.2

• The "nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE" toolbar is loaded and visible in Wireshark but is empty.
• I can run the ./nrf_sniffer_ble.sh --extcap-interfaces command from within the Wireshark extcap folder.

Based on the number of other similar posts, this seems to be a common probem. Assistance will be appreciated.

[Hung Bui]

HI Bubba, 
Could you let me know what's the log when you call  ./nrf_sniffer_ble.sh --extcap-interfaces ? 
I assume you have flashed sniffer firmware on the nRF52840 dongle. Do you see a new COMPORT opened on the computer ?
Which Python version do you have ? Do you have multiple python instances ? 

[hevii]

The dongle is fuctional. It works as intended in "nRF Connect for Desktop Bluetooth Low Energy".

The dongle is recognised by the Mac:

nRF52 Connectivity:

  Product ID:    0xc00a
  Vendor ID:    0x1915  (Nordic Semiconductor ASA)
  Version:    1.00
  Serial Number:    E5AB7B733DB5
  Speed:    Up to 12 Mb/s
  Manufacturer:    Nordic Semiconductor
  Location ID:    0x14100000 / 29
  Current Available (mA):    500
  Current Required (mA):    100
  Extra Operating Current (mA):    0

python --version
Python 3.10.10

python3 --version
Python 3.10.10

[hevii]

Script output:

extcap {version=4.1.1}{display=nRF Sniffer for Bluetooth LE}{help=www.nordicsemi.com/.../nRF-Sniffer-for-Bluetooth-LE}
control {number=0}{type=selector}{display=Device}{tooltip=Device list}
control {number=1}{type=selector}{display=Key}{tooltip=}
control {number=2}{type=string}{display=Value}{tooltip=6 digit passkey or 16 or 32 bytes encryption key in hexadecimal starting with '0x', big endian format.If the entered key is shorter than 16 or 32 bytes, it will be zero-padded in front'}{validation=\b^(([0-9]{6})|(0x[0-9a-fA-F]{1,64})|([0-9A-Fa-f]{2}[:-]){5}([0-9A-Fa-f]{2}) (public|random))$\b}
control {number=3}{type=string}{display=Adv Hop}{default=37,38,39}{tooltip=Advertising channel hop sequence. Change the order in which the sniffer switches advertising channels. Valid channels are 37, 38 and 39 separated by comma.}{validation=^\s*((37|38|39)\s*,\s*){0,2}(37|38|39){1}\s*$}{required=true}
control {number=7}{type=button}{display=Clear}{tooltop=Clear or remove device from Device list}
control {number=4}{type=button}{role=help}{display=Help}{tooltip=Access user guide (launches browser)}
control {number=5}{type=button}{role=restore}{display=Defaults}{tooltip=Resets the user interface and clears the log file}
control {number=6}{type=button}{role=logger}{display=Log}{tooltip=Log per interface}
value {control=0}{value= }{display=All advertising devices}{default=true}
value {control=0}{value=[00,00,00,00,00,00,0]}{display=Follow IRK}
value {control=1}{value=0}{display=Legacy Passkey}{default=true}
value {control=1}{value=1}{display=Legacy OOB data}
value {control=1}{value=2}{display=Legacy LTK}
value {control=1}{value=3}{display=SC LTK}
value {control=1}{value=4}{display=SC Private Key}
value {control=1}{value=5}{display=IRK}
value {control=1}{value=6}{display=Add LE address}
value {control=1}{value=7}{display=Follow LE address}

[hevii]

nRF Connect for Desktop Bluetooth Low Energy output:

09:44:59.343    Using nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.4.4
09:44:59.343    Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.10.3
09:44:59.344    Using nrfjprog DLL version: 10.15.1
09:44:59.344    Using JLink version: JLink_V7.86d
09:44:59.461    Installed JLink version does not match the provided version (V7.66a)
09:44:59.845    Updated list of uuids with data from github.com/.../v1
10:02:54.690    Selected device with s/n E5AB7B733DB5
10:02:54.705    Device setup completed
10:02:54.706    Connectivity firmware version: ble-connectivity 4.1.4+Mar-11-2021-08-36-04. SoftDevice API version: 5. Baud rate: 1000000.
10:02:54.709    Opening adapter connected to /dev/tty.usbmodemE5AB7B733DB52
10:02:55.663    Successfully opened /dev/tty.usbmodemE5AB7B733DB52. Baud rate: 1000000. Flow control: none. Parity: none.
10:02:55.666    Reset performed on adapter /dev/tty.usbmodemE5AB7B733DB52
10:02:56.747    Adapter connected to /dev/tty.usbmodemE5AB7B733DB52 opened

[Hung Bui]

Hi Bubba, 
Have you performed this step: 

https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/ug_sniffer_ble/UG/sniffer_ble/programming_firmware.html?cp=11_5_2_0

The connectivity firmware won't work as the sniffer. You need to flash the sniffer firmware as instructed in the page. 

[hevii]

Upon first start-up of  "nRF Connect for Desktop Bluetooth Low Energy", the dongle flashed itself. Subsequent output in this program showed (copied above in my earlier post) shows that it works. Am I missing something?

[Hung Bui]

Hi Bubba, 

They are not related. The nRF Connect for Desktop Bluetooth Low Energy is a different application, it's not the sniffer.

If you want to use the dongle as the sniffer, please flash the hex file for the sniffer. 

[hevii]

I clearly missed something. Thank-you for pointing this out and correcting my mistake, Hung.

After flashing as instructed, it all works now. This case can be closed.