Dongle Firmware for Desktop App Serial Over BLE

[WestCoastDaz]

Dear Nordic Team,

We have a customer that would like us to extend an C# desktop application to use serial over BLE. What is the best dongle firmware and Windows driver combination to accomplish this?

Thanks, Darren

[ovrebekk]

Hi Darren

You could always program up a couple of nRF52 DK's with the ble_app_uart peripheral and central examples, and use them as a serial over BLE example.

They would use the serial to USB converter in the Segger programming chips, and as long as you have the Segger drivers installed the kits should show up as comports in Windows.

Then you can use the SerialPort class in C# to hook up to the comport.

For a smaller solution you could use the nRF51 Dongle (based on the nRF51822), or wait for the nRF52840 based dongle coming out next year ;)

Best regards
Torbjørn

[WestCoastDaz]

Torbjorn,

Thanks for the reply! A dongle solution is the best since size as portability is important. So given that this is the best option what's the best why to use the dongle with a C# application that allows the use of serial over BLE?

Thanks, Darren

[ovrebekk]

Hi Darren

In the nRF5 SDK v12.x.x you will find ble_app_uart examples that can be used with the nRF51822.
Unfortunately we only have board support in the examples for the PCA10028 (51DK), but if you change the board definitions it should not be a lot of work to make it run on the PCA10031 (51 Dongle).

Then you can use two nRF51 dongles to act as a serial link between two PC's, and access the serial ports from C#.

Best regards

[WestCoastDaz]

Torbjorn,

Thanks for the great answer. In your proposed solution how do the two devices find each other and establish a connection?

[ovrebekk]

Hi Darren

The devices will use the advertising name to connect. As long as they are configured with the same (preferably unique) name the central will automatically connect to the right peripheral.

Best regards