[M467 | M487 | M263 | M2354] Update Wi-Fi Module Firmware on NuMaker IoT Boards

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Some NuMaker IoT Boards have equipped with ESP-12F Wi-Fi modules. Such as

• NuMaker-IoT-M487 v1.3
• NuMaker-IoT-M467
• NuMaker-IoT-M263A
• NuMaker-IoT-M2354

The Wi-Fi module is provided by AI-Thinker. The module contains a ESP8266 Wi-Fi chip and a 32M-bit NOR Flash.
When the NuMaker board is produced, the Wi-Fi module firmware will be updated to NONOS version 1.7.0.0

The document only applies to ESP-12 Wi-Fi module, not ESP-01 and ESP-03 Wi-Fi modules on early NuMaker boards, due to insufficient NOR Flash size on the modules.

• NuMaker-IoT-M487 v1.2 or earlier
• NuMaker-PFM-M2351

Updating the firmware of the Wi-Fi module on the NuMaker-IoT board can be inconvenient if the module needs to be detached. By running the UART pass-through firmware in NuMicro MCU, connecting the UART on NuMaker IoT Board to the UART on the Wi-Fi module allows you to update the Wi-Fi module using Wi-Fi update tools on a PC without the need to detach the Wi-Fi module.

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Program Pass-through Firmware

Follow the steps to build UART pass-through firmware

• Mbed Studio* creates an empty project with Mbed OS v6
• Replace the main.cpp in the project with the main.cpp in the attached zip file.
• Select NuMaker-IoT board
• Build it.

Or the pre-built UART pass-through firmware are in attached zip file for following boards:

• NuMaker-IoT-M487 : SerialPassthrough_ESP8266_NUMAKER_IOT_M487_PH8PH9_PH3.bin
• NuMaker-IoT-M467 : SerialPassthrough_ESP8266_NUMAKER_IOT_M467_PC1PC0_PC4.bin
• NuMaker-IoT-M263A : SerialPassthrough_ESP8266_NUMAKER_IOT_M263A_PC7PC6_PE12.bin

SerialPassthrough_source_and_binary.zip

(70.15 KiB) Downloaded 1019 times

• Firmware Program via Nu-Link-ME (such as NuMaker-IoT-M487)
  Make sure the ISW1 on Nu-Link-ME are all set to ON

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• Firmware Program via Nu-Link2-ME (such as NuMaker-IoT-M467, NuMaker-IoT-M263A, and NuMaker-IoT-M2354)
  Make sure the ICESW2 on Nu-Line2-ME that no.1 & 2 are set to ON andno.3 & 4 are set to OFF

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• Connect the USB connector on Nu-Link/Nu-Link2 to the PC with a Micro USB cable.
• A “NuMicro MCU” drive appears on the PC
• Copy SerialPassthrough_ESP8266_NUMAKER_IOT_xxxx.bin to “NuMicro MCU” drive to program the firmware to board.

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Update Wi-Fi Module Firmware

Set Wi-Fi Module to Firmware Download Mode

• Remove power supply from NuMaker IoT board, i.e., disconnect the USB cable.
• Pull down Wi-Fi module (GPIO0) pin
  • NuMaker-IoT-M467 and NuMaker-IoT-M263A : No.2 of SW5 switch set to ON
  • NuMaker-IoT-M487 : Short J3 on Wi-Fi module board
  • NuMaker-IoT-M2354 : Short J5

  

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• Then connect the USB cable to Nu-Link USB to power up NuMaker IoT board.

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Download Flash Tool for ESP-12F Wi-Fi module

• Visit AI-Thinker web site https://docs.ai-thinker.com/en/开发工具2
• Download ESP_DOWNLOAD_TOOL
• Extract the zip to a directory. The tool does not require installation.

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Download Wi-Fi Module Firmware

• Visit AI-Thinker web site https://docs.ai-thinker.com/en/固件汇总
• AI-Thinker provides several firmware versions with distinct functionalities. As the original firmware lacked MQTT protocol commands, we selected firmware that supports MQTT commands for this demonstration. Scroll down the web page then download the “MQTT transparent transmission of AT firmware (AT communication serial port is changed to UART0)”
• Extract the zip to a directory.

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Execute Wi-Fi Module Tool

• In the directory where the ESP Download Tool zip file is extracted, locate “flash_download_tool_v3.8.x.exe” and execute it.
• Click Developer Mode
• Click ESP8266 DownloadTool

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Configure ESP Download Tool

• Click to select the MQTT firmware file, “_1112_ESP8266_AT-4M.bin”
• The firmware file has been combined into a completed one, so set address to 0x00000.
• Check the row, and ensure others remain unchecked.
• Verify that settings match the right screen.
• Select the COM port of Nu-Link, andBaud rate set to 115200
• Click START to start download firmware
• The progress bar shows the download state
• When the entire progress bar turns green, it indicates that the download is complete

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Verify the Wi-Fi Module

• Remove power supply from NuMaker IoT board
• Remove the Download Wi-Fi module (GPIO0) pin
  • NuMaker-IoT-M467, NuMaker-IoT-M263A : No.2 of SW5 switch set to OFF
  • NuMaker-IoT-M487 : Remote jumper on J3 on Wi-Fi module board
  • NuMaker-IoT-M2354 : Remove jumper on J5
• Then connect the USB cable to Nu-Link USB to power up NuMaker IoT board.
• Use a terminal tool to open the Nu-Link VCOM
• Input an AT command, such as "AT+GMR". Need to append CR (CTRL-M) and (CTRL-J) LF at end of each AT command
• If it works, it will response firmware version.

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That's all.

If you want to restore to original firmware

• Visit AI-Thinker web site https://docs.ai-thinker.com/en/固件汇总
• Download the “Boantong AT firmware”
• The download address is also 0x00000
• Use the same steps that described before.

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Enjoy it.