Radio setup give: "check wires"

[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.

[boozz]

@olaeke

Yes I got the non-plus versions to work at 1MBPS but the distance is much better with the +- version.
Writing this I realize that I had a problem with the serial gateway. Somehow it needed a plus-version for this specific sketch to get the network running. Max distance in house approx. 6 meters (through walls, no line of Sight.

Regards,

Boozz

[olaeke]

I can confirm that you can get non + variant to work on nodes but on the gateway you must have a + variant.

But it is not worth the effort, if you have got non + variant from the China, throw them away and by new one (and cross your fingers that you get correct next time)

[sonicblaze]

I finally got some + versions from AliExpress. Plugged them in, and everything came to life immediately. Amazing what happens when you receive the right parts.

[Squint]

@olaeke Can you explain why the controller needs to be "+" ?

If we follow the speed change from the post above, does it also effect the Controller speed?

I've just managed to get a sensor going ( non+, via the hack here at 1MB ).. ( My Chip actually shows a +, but printDetails(); shows no +
My Controller/Gateway also is supposed to be "+", however printDetails(); shows its not + either..

Is there a chance, I have it setup wrong and it defaults to non+ in the printDetails() output?
The Controller doest startup and say "Started!"..

[hek]

You don't have to have the + variant.

To get the none+ variant started I guess you have to remove the sanity check ("check wires") in MySensor.cpp (besides changing the transfer speed to 1Mbit in MyConfig.h).

[olaeke]

@Squint I have problem with Ack and I have assumed that it has to do with the non + . I have a + variant on my gateway but non puls on my sensor node.