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From Nordic: Thingy:91 FAQ

Symmetry Electronics in Blogs on November 03, 2019

About Symmetry Electronics

Established in 1998, Symmetry Electronics, a Division of Braemac, is a global distributor of electronic components and systems. Combining premier components and comprehensive value-added services with an expert in-house engineering team, Symmetry supports engineers in the design, development, and deployment of a broad range of connected technologies. 

Exponential Technology Group Member

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway company TTI, Inc. in 2017, Symmetry Electronics is a proud Exponential Technology Group (XTG) member. A collection of specialty semiconductor distributors and engineering design firms, XTG stands alongside industry leaders TTI Inc., Mouser Electronics, and Sager Electronics. Together, we provide a united global supply chain solution with the shared mission of simplifying engineering, offering affordable technologies, and assisting engineers in accelerating time to market. For more information about XTG, visit www.xponentialgroup.com.

Should I update to the latest firmware?

It's not necessary and currently requires an external programmer for the part. PC tool support for upgrading firmware over the serial port is in the works. Meanwhile, should you wish to update, the procedure is as follows:

  1. Make sure you have the very latest nrfjprog or nRF Connect Programmer installed.
  2. Get the latest modem firmware and application firmware packages from the Thingy:91 webpage.
  3. Connect the Thingy:91 to the nRF9160DK board’s “Debug out” port using a 10-pin JTAG cable.
  4. Power on both devices
  5. Start the “nRF Connect – Programmer” tool
  6. Connect to the available serial port
  7. Run “Erase All” on the device
  8. Run “Update Modem” and choose the zip file with the latest modem release
  9. Press “Write”
  10. Unzip the "Thingy91 Application" images zip file
  11. Drag and drop the “thingy91_item*.hex” file to the “nRF9160” box in the nRF Connect Programmer
  12. Run “Erase & Write” on the device

 

When memory is read-back, the process has completed and you are up-to-date.

 

What if I want to try it on NB-IoT?

Due to restrictions in use of TCP and direct internet access in some NB-IoT networks, this may not be an option for your chosen network. The modem firmware supports both LTE-M and NB-IoT modes, but the application is adapted differently among network types and will need to be re-flashed. You will find two NB-IoT images in the "Thingy91 Application" images zip. One is for networks with legacy PCO handling and one is for the rest. With very few exceptions, the "thingy91_nbiot_v*.hex" will be correct. Flash per the instructions above.

 

Where will the Thingy:91 work?

If you are in a country where LTE-M is enabled on one of the supported bands, you should be able to connect. Check this list from iBasis for countries that have confirmed coverage with the included card. Currently certified bands are listed in the user guide and the restriction is set in the application code using the %XBANDLOCK AT command.

 

What to do if I can’t get GPS fixes

First of all: go outside. Good signal levels are important, especially for the first fix.

Be aware that some carriers put limitations on use of IoT features with roaming SIM cards. Power Saving Mode (PSM) is a feature that is not always available with roaming cards, and the Thingy:91 battery life and GPS functionality depend on it. If you can’t connect and get GPS with the included SIM card, please order an IoT SIM from your local carrier.

 

When will source code be available for the Thingy:91 application?

We are moving the code base into our nRF Connect Master in github.

We now have some of the most valuable components of the latest Thingy:91 code in master in nRF Connect github. The GPS and environment API have been merged into applications/asset_tracker. This now runs on Thingy:91.

I get "Socket error: POLLHUP" when running the Thingy:91 example. What should I do? 

You have probably paired your Thingy:91 to the nRF Cloud with an old version of the firmware (pre-release) using different certificates. Delete the Thingy:91 from nRF Cloud and add it again.

If deleting the device from nRF Cloud does not work, then try to update the certificates on your Thingy:91 following this guide.

 

What should I do when getting "nrf_cloud_connect failed: -111" when trying to connect to nRF Cloud?

First check that there is still data left on the SIM card by going into nRF Cloud SIM cards view. If there is no data left, then you have to buy more and restart your device. If you have data left, error -111 might indicate that your certificates have been deleted or overwritten, and you should try to update the certificates by following this guide.

 

What can I do with the nRF52840 on the board? 

The current demo application for Thingy:91 is with the Thingy:91 itself being the sensor end-node in the system. An alternate use is to let Thingy:91 be the gateway between short-range sensors and the cloud. We haven't made this demo for the Thingy:91 yet, but it will be very similar to the "LTE BLE Gateway" sample in nRF Connect SDK that was written for the nRF9160 DK: https://github.com/NordicPlayground/fw-nrfconnect-nrf/tree/master/samples/nrf9160/lte_ble_gateway

 

Source: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/nordic-blog/b/blog/posts/thingy-91-faq

 

Looking to integrate Nordic products with your design? Our Applications Engineers offer free design and technical help for your latest designs. Contact us today!

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Symmetry Electronics in Blogs on November 03, 2019

About Symmetry Electronics

Established in 1998, Symmetry Electronics, a Division of Braemac, is a global distributor of electronic components and systems. Combining premier components and comprehensive value-added services with an expert in-house engineering team, Symmetry supports engineers in the design, development, and deployment of a broad range of connected technologies. 

Exponential Technology Group Member

Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway company TTI, Inc. in 2017, Symmetry Electronics is a proud Exponential Technology Group (XTG) member. A collection of specialty semiconductor distributors and engineering design firms, XTG stands alongside industry leaders TTI Inc., Mouser Electronics, and Sager Electronics. Together, we provide a united global supply chain solution with the shared mission of simplifying engineering, offering affordable technologies, and assisting engineers in accelerating time to market. For more information about XTG, visit www.xponentialgroup.com.

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