60 Series SOM with WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 5.1

Yes, Laird´s 60-radios support 4-addr mode and layer-2 bridging with Lairds specialized SUMMIT Wifi stack.

This functionality requires the use of software version 10.4.0.10 (Gihub) or newer and Lairds Summit Software stack for the 60-series modules: /wireless-modules/wifi-modules-bluetooth/summit-software-stack-60-series

This is supported on all 60-radios including SU60-SIPT, SU60-2230-C, SOM60 and SOM8M+.

You can also reference this tutorial: https://lairdcp.github.io/guides/Sterling-60-Tutorials/1.0/4addr-mode.html

No, LE coded is not supported in ST60.

Follow IEEE spec as below:

The transmitter center frequency tolerance shall be ± 20 ppm maximum for the 5 GHz band and ± 25 ppm maximum for the 2.4 GHz band. The different transmit chain center frequencies (LO) and each transmit chain symbol clock frequency shall all be derived from the same reference oscillator.

The internal memory of the 60SOM (and also the 60SOM DVK of course) can be flashed by the means of the program "fw_update" available in Laird Linux generic image downloadable from Laird.

There is no need to use a tftp server from U-boot.

A prerequisite of course is that the SDcard interface of the 60SOM is brought out and console access is available as is on the 60SOM DVK.

This is the process:

• Boot with generic 60SOM image from Laird from SDcard
• Issue “fw_update -m complete <url or path to .swu file>”
• Remove SDcard
• Reboot

<url or path to .swu file> can be on a USB stick, a network location, the SDcard itself, etc.

The .swu file will have been generated after succesfully bulding an image for the 60SOM for example in folder:
~/Projects/laird/som60/7.648.0.13/buildroot/output/som60/images

Note: this is just an example. Your full path will very likely be different.

Wifi adapters by default often come up in a power save mode. That is a mode in which the adapter shuts off the network connection in a state of inactivity.

While this is a good way to achieve additional power savings it of course introduces a delay for re-connecting.

To set the mode on or off:

iw wlan0 set power_save on
iw wlan0 set power_save off

To query the current setting issue:

iw wlan0 get power_save

Some systems might require "sudo" in front of the commands to be exectuted.

When you issue the following command on an embedded Linux system with mounted debugfs and correctly integrated 60-series radio, you, for example get the below information:

# cat /sys/class/ieee80211/phyX/device/lrd/info

Driver name : lrdmwl
Chip type   : 88W8997-SDIO
HW  version : 7
FW  version : 5.5.46.5
DRV version : 9.32.0.13
OTP version : 1
OTP num mac : 3
Radio Type  : SU
MAC address : c0:ee:40:50:2a:70
Region code : 0x10 (0x10)
Country code: 'US' ('US')
TX antenna  : 2
RX antenna  : 2

The country/region code on the left is the current code that is used by the system at that moment, whereas the one in parentheses is what is currently in OTP.

The only time they might not match is when using Advanced World Mode (AWM).

The used region codes are:

0x00: WW (World Wide)
0x10: FCC
0x20: IC
0x30: ETSI
0x31: KCC
0x32: AU
0x40: JP
0x50: CN

"phyX" in above command will have to be replaced with the actual phy your module is known to your system. e.g. phy0, phy1, phy2, phy3,...

When you have an agreement with Laird to send in your device for testing of anything around your radio you need to make sure your radio can be set to all necessary test modes.

In order to do that please contact the Laird FAE already known to you or write to Laird at "support@lairdconnect.com" to get in contact with us.

Your FAE will be able to help you determine if your device is fit for testing.

After booting the latest standard 60-som image from SDcard you can use "fw_update" to write the swu file to the 60-soms NAND memory.

Usage:

fw_update -m complete <path to swu-file>

<path to swu file> can be to a USB drive, a networl location, a swu-file on the SDcard, etc.

E.g. with a USB Stick mounted at /media and the som60.swu file present on the USB stick top directory:

fw_update -m complete /media/som60.swu

When setting the 60 module to WorldWide mode all 5GHz channels are set to "no IR" - no Initiate Radio by default.
However when there are APs present that beacon on the 60s WW channles the "no IR" flag will be removed and does not show anymore when probing the module with "iw phy<X> info".

For example:
                       * 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (no IR, radar detection)
versus
                       * 5260 MHz [52] (20.0 dBm) (radar detection)

Calculations show that the OTP in the 60-series can be written to well more than 100 times.

That is in contradiction with some apps notes that still state a value of 10 times. That luckily is not true. You can savely consider a number 100 times during your development work.

However, as the term OTP (One-Time-Programmable) memory suggests it will fill up one by one with every change of the regualtory domain and will eventually be full. It will then be stuck with the last regualtory doamin that it has been changed to.
So, it is advised to not change the regulatory as part of your design as the OTP will top up eventually.

The LMU tool offers the possibilty to set the regualtory domain the 60 module is going to be used in at the command line in an OTP memory.

This can be done by selecting the respective regualtory domain (e.g. ETSI, FCC, etc.) as well as by selecting the country code of the desired country (e.g. US, NZ, DK, FR, DE)

A comprehnsive list of available options is shown when exectung the LMU tool by simply typing "lmu" <enter>.

Yes, Laird´s 60-radio supports 4-addr mode and layer-2 bridging with Lairds specialized Summit stack for Wifi.

This functionality requires the use of software version 10.4.0.10 (Gihub) or newer and Lairds Summit Software stack for the 60-series modules: /wireless-modules/wifi-modules-bluetooth/su…

This is supported on all 60-radios including SU60-SIPT, SU60-2230-C, SOM60 and SOM8M+

Yes, actually up to three APs with different SSIDs are possible to be created on the very same 60-radio.
The 60-radio is required because it supports up to three MAC addresses.

Each AP will have to be created on the very same channel as there is only one singel radio in the 60 module.

Of course since this must all be on the same channel in the same band heavy constraints with throughput and bandwidth have to be taken in account.

You need to boot into Linux and after Login log in issue the command

fw_setenv ethaddr <desired MAC address> 

for example:

fw_setenv ethaddr AABBCCDDEEFF

and reboot

You can read out the address previously set with:

fw_printenv ethaddr

Please refer this blog as below. Laird are currently investigating these issues internally and investigating with the chipset vendors and our internal QA team to establish test scenarios to evaluate the impacted devices.

/resources/blog/frag-attack-wi-fi-putting-pieces-back-together

Once you have created the soft AP on your Linux system and have successfully connected clients to the soft AP you can issue the command

# iw wlan0 station dump

to get a list of connected clients.

Note: the interface name (here: wlan0) might be different in your system.

You can use the Network Manager command line interface to create an open hotspot using this command:

nmcli con add con-name open_hotspot ifname wlan0 type wifi ssid yourSSID mode ap wifi.band bg wifi.channel 6 ipv4.method shared

 

MCS stands for Modulation Coding Scheme and is an industry metric index based on Wi-Fi connection parameters between a client and wireless access point. These parameters include modulation type, coding rate, spatial streams, channel width, and guard interval.

Laird Connectivity is committed to the long-term supply of all its standard embedded wireless modules and packaged products. Laird Connectivity’s products are specifically designed to meet the needs of the industrial and medical markets, which typically require 7 – 10 years product lifecycle. Although Laird Connectivity can’t guarantee that a component used in our products will not be obsoleted and cannot be reasonably substituted, Laird Connectivity can assure customers we will continue to sell our product when we have customer demand and can obtain the necessary components to build our products.

View our full policy here.