Cellular IoT Fundamentals

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Exercise 1

nRF9160 DK

The nRF9160 DK comes shipped with the Asset Tracker v2 application. This application collects various data from the device and transmits it via LTE to the nRF Cloud, where it can be visualized.

In this exercise, we will walk you through the simple steps of how to unbox your nRF9160 DK, update both the application and modem firmware, provision the iBasis SIM card and establish a connection with nRF Cloud.

This exercise follows the steps explained in the video below. Either watch the video or follow the exercise steps below to get started with your nRF9160 DK.

Exercise Steps

1. Putting in the SIM card

1.1 Find the SIM ICCID and PUK code and write it down on your computer.

The SIM ICCID are the 18 digits on the back of the eSIM, and the SIM PUK code can be found by scratching off an area on the back.

1.2 Pop the iBasis eSIM card out of its holder and insert it into the SIM card holder on the nRF9160 DK.

2. Download the latest application and modem firmware from the nRF9160 DK Downloads page and extract to a folder of your choice.

We will discuss the contents of this file at a later step.

3. Connect the nRF9160 DK to your computer using a micro USB cable and turn it on.

Since we want to update firmware on the nRF9160 SiP, make sure the board debugger switch (SW10, marked PROG/DEBUG) is set the nRF91, not nRF52.

4. Launch nRF Connect for Desktop and install and open the Programmer application

5. Connect to your nRF9160DK by opening the Select Device tab in the upper left and corner and selecting the nRF9160 DK.

6. Update the modem firmware

6.1 Select Add file, then Browse…, and navigate to the folder you downloaded and extracted earlier.

Select the modem firmware zip file, titled mfw_nrf9160_x.x.x.zip, depending on the version. Then click Open.

Note

The modem firmware should be selected as a zip file. Do not extract the zip file.

6.2 Select Write to flash the modem firmware.

6.3 The Modem DFU window appears and click Write again. When the update is complete, you should see a success message like the one below.

7. Update the application firmware

7.1 Select Add file, then Browse…, and navigate to the folder you downloaded and extracted earlier.

7.2 This contains application images, both for updating over a debug probe (img_app_bl), using the bootloader (img_fota_dfu_hex) and FOTA updates (img_fota_dfu_bin). The file named CONTENTS.txt describes the contents of each directory in detail.

Since the nRF9160 DK comes with an onboard debugger, we want to navigate to img_app_bl and specifically, the files titled nrf9160dk_asset_tracker_v2_[...].hex. This is the Asset Tracker v2 application, found in nRF Connect SDK, compiled for the nRF9160 DK.

Important

You need to select the correct version of the Asset Tracker v2.

If you are connecting using NB-IoT, there is an additional version of the Asset Tracker v2 firmware that has nbiot_legacy_pco in the name. This is if your network provider does not support extended PCO. Ask your network provider about their support, or try the default version and if it doesn’t work try the other one.

Choose the applicable version file and select Open.

Note

You might get a warning here stating the file is out of the device’s memory size. This is an issue with the Programmer application, and you can just proceed.

7.3 Lastly, press Erase & write to flash the application firmware

8. Activate your SIM card and add the nRF9160 DK to nRF Cloud

Important

If the device you are using has been deleted from someone else’s nRF Cloud account prior to use, you will need to update the nRF Cloud certificate before adding the device to nRF Cloud. Please see Updating the nRF Cloud certificate for how to do this.

8.1 Go to nRF Cloud (nrfcloud.com) and either register a user, if you don’t have one, or log in.

8.2. Click on the big plus sign in the upper left-hand corner of the page to add a new device then click LTE Device as shown below.

8.3. An Activate SIM Card pop-up window will appear as shown below, asking you to enter the SIM ICCID and SIM PUK code.

Enter the ICCID and PUK codes that you have saved on your computer from step 1.

8.4 Make sure to read the Term and Privacy Policy before selection, then hit Activate SIM.

8.5 In the next step, fill out the required information, then select Save to continue.

Note

Now that the SIM card has been activated, we need to wait for the board to establish an LTE connection and connect to nRF cloud before we can continue with provisioning the device. Please note this might take a few minutes.

When the DK has connected, the LED3 double pulse blinks to indicate that user association is required and you can move to the next step.

9. Provisioning the nRF9160 DK to nRF Cloud

The next window that appears is the Add LTE Device pop-up window asking you to enter the Device ID and the PIN/HWID.

The Device ID is the text nrf- followed by the 15-digit IMEI. Both the IMEI and the PIN/HWID can be found on the white sticker on the back of the nRF9160 DK.

Note

The HWID is only found on older versions of the nRF9160 DK. If you have a new kit, the value you are looking for is the PIN.

Please enter these values as shown above, then click Add Device.

10. When the device has been successfully provisioned, the device window should appear, displaying the GPS data being sent from the device, as well as some other parameters.

For someone else to be able to use the same device to go through these steps. Since you have provisioned the device to be associated with your nRF Cloud account, you must delete it from your account first. Select the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner, and then Delete Device.

This deletes the device certificate from nRF Cloud, so the next person to use the device must provision the nRF Cloud certificate again. Please see Updating the nRF Cloud certificate for how to do this.

Thingy:91

The Thingy:91 comes shipped with the Asset Tracker v2 application. This application collects various data from the device and transmits it via LTE to the nRF Cloud, where it can be visualized.

In this exercise, we will walk you through the simple steps of how to unbox your nRF9160 DK, update both the application and modem firmware, provision the iBasis SIM card and establish a connection with nRF Cloud.

This exercise follows the steps explained in the video below. Either watch the video or follow the exercise steps below to get started with your Thingy:91.

Exercise Steps

1. Putting in the SIM card

1.1 Find the SIM ICCID and PUK code and write it down on your computer.

The SIM ICCID are the 18 digits on the back of the eSIM, and the SIM PUK code can be found by scratching off an area on the back.

1.2 Pop the iBasis eSIM card out of its holder and insert it into the SIM card holder on the Thingy:91.

2. Download the latest application and modem firmware from the Thingy:91 Downloads page and extract to a folder of your choice.

We will discuss the contents of this file at a later step.

3. Launch nRF Connect for Desktop and install and open the Programmer application

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is programmer_app.gif

3. Make sure that Enable MCUboot is selected.

3. Take the silicon cover off the Thingy:91. Connect it to your computer using a micro USB cable. Makes sure it is switched off. Then press the big button (SW3) while switching the power switch (SW1) to the ON position.

Note

This is to put the Thingy:91 into serial recovery mode, to be able to use the bootloader MCUboot. This is necessary because the Thingy:91 does not have an on-board debugger.

5. Connect to your Thingy:91 by opening the Select Device tab in the upper left and corner and selecting the Thingy:91.

6. Update the modem firmware

6.1 Select Add file, then Browse…, and navigate to the folder you downloaded and extracted earlier.

Select the modem firmware zip file, titled mfw_nrf9160_x.x.x.zip, depending on the version. Then click Open.

Note

The modem firmware should be selected as a zip file. Do not extract the zip file.

6.2 Click Write to flash the modem firmware. The Modem DFU window appears and click Write again.

6.3 When the update is complete, you should see a success message like the one below.

7. Update the application firmware

7.1 Select Add file, then Browse…, and navigate to the folder you downloaded and extracted earlier.

7.2 This contains application images, both for updating over a debug probe (img_app_bl),. using the bootloader (img_fota_dfu_hex) and FOTA updates (img_fota_dfu_bin). The file named CONTENTS.txt describes the contents of each directory in detail.

Since the Thingy:91 does not come with an onboard debugger, we want to navigate to img_fota_dfu_hex and specifically, the files titled thingy91_asset_tracker_v2_[...].hex. This is the Asset Tracker v2 application, found in nRF Connect SDK, compiled for the Thingy_91.

Important

You need to select the correct version of the Asset Tracker v2.

If you are connecting using NB-IoT, there is an additional version of the Asset Tracker v2 firmware that has nbiot_legacy_pco in the name. This is if your network provider does not support extended PCO. Ask your network provider about their support, or try the default version and if it doesn’t work try the other one.

Choose the applicable version file and select Open.

Note

You might get a warning here stating the file is out of the device’s memory size. This is an issue with the Programmer application, and you can just proceed.

7.3 Press Write to flash the selected application firmware and when the MCUboot DFU window appears, press Write again.

8. Activate your SIM card and add the Thingy:91 to nRF Cloud

Important

If the device you are using has been deleted from someone else’s nRF Cloud account prior to use, you will need to update the nRF Cloud certificate before adding the device to nRF Cloud. Please see Updating the nRF Cloud certificate for how to do this.

8.1 Go to nRF Cloud (nrfcloud.com) and either register a user, if you don’t have one, or log in.

8.2. Click on the big plus sign in the upper left-hand corner of the page to add a new device then click LTE Device as shown below.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is add_new_device_nrf_cloud-1024x512.png

8.3. An Activate SIM Card pop-up window will appear as shown below, asking you to enter the SIM ICCID and SIM PUK code.

Enter the ICCID and PUK codes that you have saved on your computer from step 1.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is activate_new_sim_card_ref.png

8.4 Make sure to read the Term and Privacy Policy before selection, then hit Activate SIM.

8.5 In the next step, fill out the required information, then select Save to continue.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is simcard.png

Note

Now that the SIM card has been activated, we need to wait for the board to establish an LTE connection and connect to nRF cloud before we can continue with provisioning the device. Please note this might take a few minutes.

This is indicated by white double pulse blinking of the Thingy:91’s RGB LED as indicated in Operating states. When this occurs, you can move to the next step.

9. Provisioning the Thingy:91 to nRF Cloud

The next window that appears is the Add LTE Device pop-up window asking you to enter the Device ID and the PIN/HWID.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is add_lte_device.png

The Device ID is the text nrf- followed by the 15-digit IMEI. Both the IMEI and the PIN/HWID can be found on the white sticker on the front of the Thingy:91.

Please enter these values as shown above, then click Add Device.

10. When the device has been successfully provisioned, the device window should appear, displaying the GPS data being sent from the device, as well as some other parameters.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is device_added-1-1024x715.png

For someone else to be able to use the same device to go through these steps. Since you have provisioned the device to be associated with your nRF Cloud account, you must delete it from your account first. Select the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner, and then Delete Device.

This deletes the device certificate from nRF Cloud, so the next person to use the device must provision the nRF Cloud certificate again. Please see Updating the nRF Cloud certificate for how to do this.

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