Radio setup give: "check wires"

[hek]

Try one of the RF24-library example to use printDetails (but beware of CE/CSN setting when using those).

[hek]

I also got a reply from the ebay seller.. She needed to "check with boss". I'll forward more info when I get it.

[sonicblaze]

Alrighty, I got the RF24 example code off GitHub and uploaded that to my chip, and sure enough dumping the details gives:
"Model = nRF24L01"

If anyone else wants to try it, here's the page I followed: RF24 Getting started

Here was my message from the seller:
dear client ,
thanks for your pictures ,
we have seen the it ,
sorry for it ,we have ask for our manager ,it is the NRF24L01+ chip ,
but there is something wrong when it is printed in the factory ,
sorry for the mistake .
it can be used but the it is just a little mistake for the letter ,right ?
we will be here to help you .
thanks in advance !"

I'm requesting new chips or a refund, we'll see what happens....

[hek]

@sonicblaze said:

I'm requesting new chips or a refund, we'll see what happens....

Yep, do that. This is not ok.

I'll wait a couple of days for the reply from "boss". If no answer, i'll switch recommendation to some other ebay seller.

[sonicblaze]

@olaeke You might be able to get everything working over 1MBPS instead of the 250KBPS that's defaulted, as doctor64 suggested. I haven't tried it, but I found everywhere that'd have to be changed to make it work in theory.

Edit <Ardunio libraries folder>/MySensors/Myconfig.h, and change the "RF24_DATARATE" to "RF24_1MBPS".

Edit <Ardunio libraries folder>/MySensors/MySensor.cpp, and comment out lines 102-105 (the if isPVariant check)

Recompile and upload new code to both your gateway and your sensor, and that should put them both in a mode compatible with the NRF24L01 sensor (to my best understanding/knowledge).

[sonicblaze]

@hek: The seller responded to my last message asking if it not being the plus really affects the functionality and can't I just use it instead? Didn't even address me requesting a refund or replacement, so I'm opening an eBay dispute.

[olaeke]

@sonicblaze and @hek:

I finally had some time to test this and yes my chip is also a "non +", the RF24::printDetails(); gives:
Model = nRF24L01

I managaged to get RF24::printDetails(); to work in MySensor::begin after setupRadio(). There are some steps to take:

• In RF24_config.h you have to comment out #define MINIMAL (ln 27)
• Then in your sketch you have to define stdout like
  include "printf.h"
  void setup()
  {
  printf_begin();

I can't contact the seller, when I click "contact seller" (or return or whatever) in ebay I only get to this page:
"You purchased this item as a PayPal guest user and will need to contact PayPal directly by going through their Resolution Center."
I don't understand because I payed my order with MC as usual.
printf.h

[hek]

@olaeke said:

"You purchased this item as a PayPal guest user and will need to contact PayPal directly by going through their Resolution Center."

Do you have an ebay account?

[olaeke]

@hek
Yes I have an ebay account, I can login with this and se all my prev. orders. If I click on this radio order I come to the detail page and I select "Contact Seller" and then I come to a page with 5 topic, but whatever i select I end up on that "...Contact PayPal..." page

[Hacker007]

Hi. I can confirm. I have bought modules from Alice too. They are "+"-less. I had to set datarate to 1Mbps and change "check wires" to "Not 24L01+ variant or check wires" + "//" before infinite loop.
I suggest the maker of MySensors to add "Check the chip for +" in http://www.mysensors.org/build/debug troubleshooting.
If anyone is interested, I've even bought some chips via Aliexpress and they have no square chip. It is glued like SOIC. It was sold as +, but it is +less.

[boozz]

I bought some nrf24l01+ radios from Alice too and all I got was nrf24l01's (so without the +).
Not happy with that, but it should be possible to use them at 1MBPS (instead of the 250KBPS speed). More higher speed, but this comes with less distance unfortunately.
Having said that I tried to select the 1MBPS mode but now I end up with a "version mismatch' error. What else should I change in the library codes to get it work with nrf24l01's? I'm pretty stuck now 😒

[sonicblaze]

@boozz I'd open a case on eBay and get a refund and repurchase personally =)

Somewhere around post 33 I put what to change for 1MBPS to function end to end, but I never tested it. I'm getting new chips instead, I want the range, not the speed.

Otherwise, look here possibly for the version mismatch error: http://forum.mysensors.org/topic/512/strange-behaviour-check-wires-and-version-mismatch/2

[hek]

I have tried to get some answers from the Alice1101983 the last 5 days... but they only seem to reply with new questions (at a 24h interval)... This has become a bit tiresome and I'm giving up on them.

I suggest that all buyers that received the non-plus NRF module to open a dispute immediately on ebay (if you haven't already accepted the delivery).
If you payed through paypal you could also use their dispute functionality after logging in to your paypal account.

I've decided to recommend another ebay seller for the NRF-module on http://www.mysensors.org/store now.

I'm really sorry for the problems and project-delays this has caused you.

[tbowmo]

hmm.. seems like it's a recent thing they are doing. Checkcing my ebay account, I ordered from "alice" back in september, and got the real deal..

But yes, they should be stopped with this behaviour, selling something and then shipping old products..

[sonicblaze]

Be prepared to argue with Alice even in the dispute. Guessing eBay themselves or PayPal will have to get involved.

I've told them over and over it's not the plus chip, even provided the rf24::printDetails output proving it. Message I just got was "i think you First impressions are firmly entrenched in this issue .
if you are willing to have a test it , you will find that the item you purchase from me even without the " + " can still in the same use . "

Idiot won't even acknowledge the chips do different things, even though I've told them the data rate difference and even linked the spec sheets from Nordic.

[hek]

@sonicblaze said:

Guessing eBay themselves or PayPal will have to get involved.

http://resolutioncenter.ebay.com/

[olaeke]

I have modified the excelent "ping/pong test" program from maniacbug so it compiles with the RF24 lib. that comes with MySensors 1.4

With this program it is very easy to test your radio if it works or maybe if it works bad (many timeouts) and you also get this info printed if it is a + or non + chip.

• Download attached zip
• Build ino file
• Uppload on two nodes
• Connect serial monitor (115200 baud)
• Press T in serial monitor and then you should se "
  Now sending 29788...ok...Got response 29788, round-trip delay: 23"

For the printout of chip details you need to comment out #define MINIMAL in RF24_config.h. I also recommend comment SERIAL_DEBUG so you get less debuginfo on serial.
MySensorsPingPongTst.zip

[boozz]

@olaeke:

Great remark: "comment out #define MINIMAL". I have searched for that quite some time.

THANKS!

Boozz

[sonicblaze]

FYI Alice's breaking point seems to be leaving negative feedback on their seller account. As soon as I did that, their messages immediately turned to "I'll do whatever, please change your feedback. Is a refund ok?"

[olaeke]

@boozz and @sonicblaze
Did any one of you get the non + variant to work?
It does work with the PingPong test program (posted above) but as Gateway and/or Sensor I can't get them to work.