CYW43439 (LWB+) Bluetooth Signal Strength Issues

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JaCo_4746761
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5 replies posted Welcome! First question asked

Hello,

We have placed a CYW43439 LWB+ module from Laird on a board and are attempting to make use of both the Wi-Fi and bluetooth.  We have build the backport kernel modules according to Laird documentation and are using the firmware and wpa_supplicant versions found here:  https://github.com/LairdCP/Sterling-LWB-and-LWB5-Release-Packages/releases/tag/LRD-REL-10.4.0.10

We are also using the latest version of bluez.

The issue is when both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are running simultaneously the bluetooth signal strength is terrible.  So using lightblue with my phone a few feet away from my board running BLUETOOTH ONLY i see like -45dBm so pretty good.  Then when i start up wpa_supplicant and it makes a connection to a network my bluetooth signal strength shoots down to -80dBm and i can't stay connected unless i am really close to the device.

I know there is one shared antenna here and the chip handles the multiplexing of both running simultaneously but something seems wrong. 

The code i am using to start things up is a follows:

#STARTING BLUETOOTH
if [ ! -e "/sys/class/gpio/gpio511" ]; then
    echo 511 > /sys/class/gpio/export
fi;
echo out > /sys/class/gpio/gpio511/direction
echo 0 > /sys/class/gpio/gpio511/value
sleep 3
echo 1 > /sys/class/gpio/gpio511/value
sleep 3
echo -n " Attaching bluetooth service: "
btattach -B /dev/ttyACM0 -P bcm &

hciconfig hci0 up

hciconfig hci0 leadv 0


#THEN TO START WI-FI

modprobe brcmfmac

ifplugd -i wlan0 -f -r /etc/network/ifplugdwifi.action

wpa_supplicant -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -Dnl80211 -B

 

What am i missing here?  I think i am using the latest vendor provided latest version of everything at this point and still no success : /.  I have attached our circuit to this as well.  The chip is being powered by 3.3V, the same Rail for VBAT as well as VDDIO.  I would appreciate any help or pointers i can get at this point!!!

Thanks,

Jarrod

 

 

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7 Replies
AnjanaM_61
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5 comments on KBA First comment on KBA 5 questions asked

Hello @JaCo_4746761 ,

Can you please let us know the hcd version you are using? 

Regards,

Anjana

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JaCo_4746761
Level 1
Level 1
5 replies posted Welcome! First question asked

Hello Anjana,

Thanks for the reply!  I am using BCM4343A2_v001.003.016.0038.0000.hcd  that came from the firmware package laird-lwbplus-firmware-10.4.0.10.tar.bz2  located here:  https://github.com/LairdCP/Sterling-LWB-and-LWB5-Release-Packages/releases/tag/LRD-REL-10.4.0.10

Here is the output of attaching the bluetooth:

~ # btattach -B /dev/ttyACM1 -P bcm &
~ # Attaching Primary controller to /dev/ttyACM1
[   53.872579] compat: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[   53.880393] Loading modules backported from Summit Linux version LRD-REL-9.18
[   53.899070] Backport generated by backports.git v9.15.0.14
[   54.025130] Bluetooth: Core ver 2.22
[   54.032841] NET: Registered protocol family 31
[   54.047834] Bluetooth: HCI device and connection manager initialized
[   54.059983] Bluetooth: HCI socket layer initialized
[   54.065254] Bluetooth: L2CAP socket layer initialized
[   54.070678] Bluetooth: SCO socket layer initialized
[   54.100491] Bluetooth: HCI UART driver ver 2.3
[   54.112567] Bluetooth: HCI UART protocol H4 registered
[   54.121685] Bluetooth: HCI UART protocol Broadcom registered
Switched line discipline from 0 to 15
Device index 0 attached
[  54.144984] Bluetooth: hci0: BCM: chip id 147
[  54.151906] Bluetooth: hci0: BCM: features 0x0e
[  54.179776] Bluetooth: hci0: CYW4343A2
[  54.183738] Bluetooth: hci0: BCM4343A2 (001.003.016) build 0000
[  54.190153] Bluetooth: hci0: BCM4343A2 'brcm/BCM4343A2.hcd' Patch
[  55.109952] Bluetooth: hci0: CYW43439 UART 26 MHz wlbga_BU Laird
[  55.116295] Bluetooth: hci0: BCM4343A2 (001.003.016) build 0000

 

Let me know if you need any other info!

Thanks,

Jarrod

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JaCo_4746761
Level 1
Level 1
5 replies posted Welcome! First question asked

Hello @AnjanaM_61 ,

Did you have any thoughts or suggestions based on the above?  Or some things for me to try?  So far none of things i have attempted have led to any sort of success.  I am using i believe all the vendor supplied software, so not sure what i could be missing here : /.

Thanks,

Jarrod

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Tushar_b
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100 replies posted First like given 25 solutions authored

Hi Jarrod, 

We are testing at our end and will update you in a day or two, meanwhile could you specify if any operation is performed on wifi or BT.

Regards,

Tushar

 

 

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JaCo_4746761
Level 1
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5 replies posted Welcome! First question asked

Hello @Tushar_b ,

We actually were in communications with Laird as well since they are the module supplier and it seems they too were able to recreate the issue and i believe they are currently working with you guys to resolve this issue as well!

So here is a step by step of the simplest scenario:

  1. Enable the BT regulator
  2. btattach -B /dev/ttyACM0 -P bcm &
  3. hciconfig hci0 up
  4. hciconfig hci0 leadv 0
  5. BLE is now advertising and i can see via Lightblue on my phone the signal strength which is good
  6. modprobe brcmfmac
  7. wpa_supplicant -i wlan0 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf -Dnl80211 -B
  8. I have networks defined in /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf so it then connects to one that is in range

After step 8 when the wi-fi actually starts up and connects to a network the BLE signal read from lightblue drops just about off the radar, i have to be right next to the antenna to get any kind of usable bluetooth signal.  If i then kill wpa_supplicant the bluetooth signal shoots back up to normal.  Seems like maybe some issue with antenna multiplexing or something?  Wi-Fi hogging most of the antenna time?  I am not sure....

 

Thanks,

Jarrod

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Tushar_b
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100 replies posted First like given 25 solutions authored

Hi Jarrod,

Thanks for sharing the info.

Yes, concerned S/W team is working with Laird on this issue and will update you likewise.

Regards,

Tushar

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Tushar_b
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100 replies posted First like given 25 solutions authored

Hi Jarrod, 

Closing this thread since issue is being handled in the mycases  by concerned internal team.

Regards,

Tushar

 

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