Wixel as a CC2511 SmartRF Packet Sniffer

Hi

I purchased a Wixel intending on using it with the TI SmartRF Packet Sniffer:

ti.com/tool/packet-sniffer

I understand it is not the intended purpose, but as the hex files are available and the Wixel Config Utility claims to be able to program generic hex files I thought it should be ok?

However, when programming with the Pololu Wixel COnfig Utility I get an error:

Invalid data in file.
App File could not be opened: sniffer_fw_ccxx11.hex

All help appreciated.

Thanks very much
Kev

P.s. I note a slightly related post here : Re programming the bootloader but it doesn’t quite fit my situation.

Hello, Kev.

The Wixel SDK has a radio sniffer app which might be much easier to get working than this one from TI.

However, to get a more detailed error message, you could try loading the file onto a Wixel with wixelcmd, the command-line utility that comes with the Wixel. Just type “wixelcmd” at a Command Prompt to see a help sreen about how to use it. The code for processing the file prints useful messages to the standard error output but those messages are not visible in the Wixel Configuration Utility.

Also, any HEX file you program onto a Wixel will have to be compiled specially with the bootloader in mind; it cannot take up any flash space that the bootloader is using and it has to know the correct place to put its reset and interrupt vectors. Therefore it is unlikely that the HEX file you found will work as is, even if you do get it programmed onto a Wixel. Another possible issue is that the pin assignment on the Wixel might be different from the board that code is intended to run on, so things like detecting USB power or enabling the USB D+ pull-up resistor are not likely to work, and that would prevent USB communication.

–David

Hi

Thanks very much for the reply David much appreciated.

The Wixel Sniffer looks to be based around the wixel radio protocol, rather than having options of understanding all the different radio modes of the underlying chip - so probably wont work for my application.

I will try the command line option to see the more detailed errors - thanks for those pointers.

With regards to the boot loader space, I assumed if would just overwrite the boot loader if the hex file had data in that area, so whilst the bootloader wouldn’t work the packet sniffer might.

I have a CC Debugger on the way, so that I can I hope treat the wixel as a generic device and program that way.

Thanks very much
Kevin

The Wixel bootloader will not destroy itself, but you could probably use the CC Debugger to get rid of the bootloader and program hex files that take up the entire flash memory. Please note that we do not support reinstalling the Wixel bootloader after you remove it.

–David