Using the nRF9160 against Anritsu MT8821C In Signaling Callbox Mode

Using the nRF9160 against Anritsu MT8821C In Signaling Callbox Mode

This is a guide showing how to use the Anritsu MT8821C tester against Nordic's nRF9160.

Please use at least Cat-M version 40.10#205, NB IoT version 40.00#013 and Platform SW v40.10S#205 or later versions to have all required MT8821C implementations available when testing against the nRF9160

Setting up

The RF attenuations between the nRF9160 and MT8821C can be modified from "External Loss"

Use Nordic proprietary AT commands for selecting LTE-M1 or NB-IoT mode.

For LTE-M: AT%XSYSTEMMODE=1,0,0,0

For NB-IoT: AT%XSYSTEMMODE=0,1,0,0

Before triggering an attach with AT+CFUN=1, you need to send AT+CFUN=4 for the detach procedure first.


The full list of AT commands supported by Nordic can be found here:https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fref_at_commands%2FREF%2Fat_commands%2Fintro.html.

Cat-M Common settings

Cat-M Call Processing settings

NB-IoT Call Processing settings

Use SIM model number P0035 when the default Anritsu SIM card is used in "Authentication / Integrity"
Use integrity protection other than "Null" as the "Null" algorithm might not be supported in all nRF9160 builds (also in "Authentication / Integrity" selection)

Always enable "Half Duplex" functionality where selectable in Cat-M1 testing (full duplex will not work properly against nRF9160)

To enable UE to go to RRC idle mode after registration, use "RRC Release During Registration" from "RMC". This needs to be selected before starting the attach procedure.
To enable UE to go to RRC idle mode after other connections, select "use RRC state transition" from selection "General->Packet"

The selection "Inactivity Timer" in "Call Processing->Packet" keeps NB-IoT RRC connection alive until timer expires (in case there is no any data exchange ongoing).
For signaling RF testing, RRC connected mode is required (for RF related testing, it is recommended to use RMC mode from "Common->Signal->Channel Coding->RMC")

For the RSRP and RSRQ measurements being reported by nRF9160 on the own cell, select "Common->General-Scenario type 6" and EventA1 from "General->Measurement report" and enable measurement reporting from the GUI.
You can also use periodic measurements by selecting "General->Measurement->Periodical"

For the IP data application (Using Iperf and Ping from MT8821C (internally, without Control PC) can be found from "IP data"):
Cat-M1 : Set following parameters as below :
"Common->General->Scenario->Type 6"
"Common->Signal->Channel Coding->Packet"
"Call Processing->RMC->Test Mode->Off"

NB IoT :
"Common->Signal->Channel Coding->Packet"
"Call Processing->RMC->Test Mode->Off"
"Common->UL RMC->MCSIndex->"at least 4""


Options for Cat-M1 & NB IoT IP data testing :
- Cat-M1 & NB IoT IP Data Transfer SW options needed.


Taking logs

Select "menu" from UI : "Log->Save signaling log", saved *.lge log might be enough for debugging.
The *.lge file can be viewed with PA3 viewer and will help in debugging (along with the nRF9160 modem trace).


Recallable Anritsu MT8821C configuration files
- files are available on request for both M1 and NB IoT. For recalling use "Menu->Parameter Save/Recall->Recall" and select file to be recalled.

  • Hello,

    MT8821C configuration should be done as in attached pdf, does it look similar in your setup?

    Regarding nRF9160, you can try without APN as APN configuration is not mentioned in the pdf.

    Best regards,

    -Mike-

    Internet connection.pdf

  • Hi Mike, 

    I still can't access the internet by setting the apn to "iot_apn". Please check the log. Do you connect to the internet with this apn setting?

    uart:~$ at at+cgdcont?link sysmode -mlink funmode -01
    pdn_ctx_configure returned err -8
    pdn_ctx_auth_set returned err  -8
    Functional mode set successfully: normal
    uart:~$ [00:01:14.390,899] <err> pdn: Failed to configure CID 0, err, 65536
    uart:~$ [00:01:14.400,054] <err> pdn: Failed to configure auth for CID 0, err, 65536
    uart:~$ uart:~$ Network registration status: searching
    uart:~$ Currently active system mode: LTE-M
    uart:~$ RRC mode: Connected
    uart:~$ PDN event: PDP context 0 activated
    uart:~$ Network registration status: Connected - home network
    uart:~$ PSM parameter update: TAU: -1, Active time: -1 seconds
    uart:~$ PDN event: PDP context 0 IPv6 up
    uart:~$ Modem config for system mode: LTE-M
    uart:~$ Modem config for LTE preference: No preference, automatically selected by the modem
    uart:~$ Currently active system mode: LTE-M
    uart:~$ Modem FW version:      mfw_nrf9160_1.3.4
    uart:~$ Device ID:             nrf-350916065706262
    uart:~$ Operator full name:   ""
    uart:~$ Operator short name:  ""
    uart:~$ Operator PLMN:        "00101"
    uart:~$ Current cell id:       0 (0x00000000)
    uart:~$ Current phy cell id:   0
    uart:~$ Current band:          2
    uart:~$ Current TAC:           1 (0x0001)
    uart:~$ Current rsrp:          47: -93dBm
    uart:~$ Current snr:           45: 21dB
    uart:~$ PDP context info 1:
    uart:~$   CID:                0
    uart:~$   PDN ID:             0
    uart:~$   PDP context active: yes
    uart:~$   PDP type:           IPV4V6
    uart:~$   APN:                www.anritsu.com
    uart:~$   IPv4 address:       192.168.1.101
    uart:~$   IPv6 address:       2001::1
    uart:~$   IPv4 DNS address:   168.95.192.1, 0.1.0.0
    uart:~$   IPv6 DNS address:   2001::2, ::
    uart:~$ 
    uart:~$ ping -d 192.168.1.177
    Initiating ping to: 192.168.1.177
    Source IP addr: 192.168.1.101
    Destination IP addr: 192.168.1.177
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.092secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.112secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.022secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.022secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Ping statistics for 192.168.1.177:
        Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
    Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
        Minimum = 22ms, Maximum = 112ms, Average = 62ms
    Pinging DONE
    uart:~$ [00:02:02.694,122] <wrn> date_time: getaddrinfo, error: -11
    uart:~$ [00:02:47.702,331] <wrn> date_time: getaddrinfo, error: -11
    uart:~$ [00:02:47.702,362] <wrn> date_time: Did not get time from any NTP server
    uart:~$ uart:~$ ping -d 192.168.1.1778.8.8.8
    Initiating ping to: 8.8.8.8
    Source IP addr: 192.168.1.101
    Destination IP addr: 8.8.8.8
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Ping statistics for 8.8.8.8:
        Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss)
    Pinging DONE
    uart:~$ ping -d 8.8.8.8ping -d 192.168.1.177link funmode -1at at+cgdcont?link funmode -10
    PDN event: PDP context 0 deactivated
    Network registration status: not registered
    Currently active system mode: None
    RRC mode: Idle
    Functional mode set successfully: power off
    uart:~$ link funmode -0ping -d 8.8.8.8link funmode -0link funmode -0ping -d 8.8.8.8ping -d 192.168.1.177link funmode -1at at+cgdcont?=90,"IPV4V6","aptiot_apn"
    OK
    
    uart:~$ at at+cgdcont=0,"IPV4V6","iot_apn"link funmode -01
    pdn_ctx_configure returned err -8
    Functional mode set successfully: normal
    uart:~$ [00:04:57.931,365] <err> pdn: Failed to configure CID 0, err, 65536
    uart:~$ uart:~$ Network registration status: searching
    uart:~$ Currently active system mode: LTE-M
    uart:~$ RRC mode: Connected
    uart:~$ PDN event: PDP context 0 activated
    uart:~$ Network registration status: Connected - home network
    uart:~$ PDN event: PDP context 0 IPv6 up
    uart:~$ Modem config for system mode: LTE-M
    uart:~$ Modem config for LTE preference: No preference, automatically selected by the modem
    uart:~$ Currently active system mode: LTE-M
    uart:~$ Modem FW version:      mfw_nrf9160_1.3.4
    uart:~$ Device ID:             nrf-350916065706262
    uart:~$ Operator full name:   ""
    uart:~$ Operator short name:  ""
    uart:~$ Operator PLMN:        "00101"
    uart:~$ Current cell id:       0 (0x00000000)
    uart:~$ Current phy cell id:   0
    uart:~$ Current band:          2
    uart:~$ Current TAC:           1 (0x0001)
    uart:~$ Current rsrp:          47: -93dBm
    uart:~$ Current snr:           45: 21dB
    uart:~$ PDP context info 1:
    uart:~$   CID:                0
    uart:~$   PDN ID:             0
    uart:~$   PDP context active: yes
    uart:~$   PDP type:           IPV4V6
    uart:~$   APN:                iot_apn
    uart:~$   IPv4 address:       192.168.1.101
    uart:~$   IPv6 address:       2001::1
    uart:~$   IPv4 DNS address:   168.95.192.1, 0.1.0.0
    uart:~$   IPv6 DNS address:   2001::2, ::
    uart:~$ link funmode -1at at+cgdcont=0,"IPV4V6","iot_apn"link funmode -0ping -d 8.8.8.8ping -d 192.168.1.177
    Initiating ping to: 192.168.1.177
    Source IP addr: 192.168.1.101
    Destination IP addr: 192.168.1.177
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.001secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.040secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.021secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Pinging 192.168.1.177 results: time=0.082secs, payload sent: 0, payload received 0
    Ping statistics for 192.168.1.177:
        Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss)
    Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
        Minimum = 1ms, Maximum = 82ms, Average = 36ms
    Pinging DONE
    uart:~$ [00:05:46.321,258] <wrn> date_time: getaddrinfo, error: -11
    uart:~$ [00:06:31.326,995] <wrn> date_time: getaddrinfo, error: -11
    uart:~$ [00:06:31.327,026] <wrn> date_time: Did not get time from any NTP server
    uart:~$ uart:~$ ping -d 192.168.1.177link funmode -1at at+cgdcont=0,"IPV4V6","iot_apn"link funmode -0ping -d 8.8.8.8
    Initiating ping to: 8.8.8.8
    Source IP addr: 192.168.1.101
    Destination IP addr: 8.8.8.8
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Pinging 8.8.8.8 results: no response in given timeout 3000 msec
    Ping statistics for 8.8.8.8:
        Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss)
    Pinging DONE
    uart:~$ 

  • Hello,

    Based on my trials, APN is handled as below in MT8821C:

    APN not requested by nRF9160
    MT8821C replies with www.anritsu.com

    Requested "iot_apn" with AT+CGDCONT command
    "iot_apn" is accepted by MT8821C and should work as well.

    Br

    - Mike-

  • Hello,

    I will try and check whether there is need to use APN with MT8821C as our setup for this has now been received back from yearly maintenance.

    Br

    -Mike-

  • Yes, the setting of Cahnnel Coding is "Packet". To the APN configuration, is there a specific definition? Since there is no APN defned in MT8821C, and the FAE talked me that there is no limitation to the name of APN, what should I set to the name of APN? Thanks.