A quick question - Set Mac address (iBeacon)

[mm108]

A quick one; Is it possible to set the mac address when using this iBeacon example?

I have a peculiar case where I have no choice but to change the mac address. In short the other scanners should see the mac address that I have set rather than the real mac address of the iBeacon. Any pointers? Thanks.

[h2zero]

I have not implemented this as a library function yet but it is possible. Do you need a random address that changes often like on phones or just a different address that you set yourself?

[mm108]

Thanks for the quick reply. I have a fixed address that I need to set.

[h2zero]

For that purpose you’ll have to refer to this document as it involves esp function calls.

When I can get on my pc I’ll check how it is set via NimBLE when it sets a random address.

[mm108]

OK cool thanks. I'll check out the documentation and see what needs to be done ... but I am guessing I'll need to change the base_mac ... probably something like

uint8_t new_mac[8] = {0x01,0x02,0x03,0x04,0x05,0x06};
esp_base_mac_addr_set(new_mac);

Gona try in a while. Thanks once again @h2zero

[mm108]

On the first look, it seem like esp_base_mac_addr_set works ... just gota remember that for the Bluetooth mac (4 universally administered) it adds base_mac, +2 to the last octet.

If the number of universal MAC addresses is two, only two interfaces (Wi-Fi Station and Bluetooth) receive a universally administered MAC address. These are generated sequentially by adding 0 and 1 (respectively) to the base MAC address. The remaining two interfaces (Wi-Fi SoftAP and Ethernet) receive local MAC addresses. These are derived from the universal Wi-Fi station and Bluetooth MAC addresses, respectively.

If the number of universal MAC addresses is four, all four interfaces (Wi-Fi Station, Wi-Fi SoftAP, Bluetooth and Ethernet) receive a universally administered MAC address. These are generated sequentially by adding 0, 1, 2 and 3 (respectively) to the final octet of the base MAC address.

When using the default (Espressif-assigned) base MAC address, either setting can be used. When using a custom universal MAC address range, the correct setting will depend on the allocation of MAC addresses in this range (either 2 or 4 per device.)

Number of universally administered MAC address

[h2zero]

Yes that would be the case, so if you wanted to specify a MAC address exactly you would have to -2 on the last octet so if you wanted 11:22:33:44:55:66 you would have to set it to 11:22:33:44:55:64.

[mm108]

Okay cool ... now messing with one little thing; the name of the device does not appear in the scanner application. I can see the mac address and the advertisement string but the name does not appear ... it's empty

From the scanner app
Advertised Device: Name: , Address: 62:c1:7a:74:27:69 type: 1, manufacturer data: 4c001005XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, txPower: 12

I tried setting the iBeacon name in the BLEDevice::init("NAMETEST"); ... as well as using setName() , setShortName() (for BLEBeacon()) etc.

I might be missing a tiny something here.

[h2zero]

You'll need to set the name in the scan response data, the advertising packet doesn't have room.

[mm108]

Ok cool. I'll experiment with the scan response and see how it goes. A big thanks @h2zero.

[mm108]

Okay cool ... now messing with one little thing; the name of the device does not appear in the scanner application. I can see the mac address and the advertisement string but the name does not appear ... it's empty

From the scanner app
Advertised Device: Name: , Address: 62:c1:7a:74:27:69 type: 1, manufacturer data: 4c001005XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, txPower: 12

I tried setting the iBeacon name in the BLEDevice::init("NAMETEST"); ... as well as using setName() , setShortName() (for BLEBeacon()) etc.

I might be missing a tiny something here.

Thought I'll mention this; the below worked for me. Earlier I might have missed something and that's why it didn't work.

Example: https://github.com/h2zero/NimBLE-Arduino/blob/master/examples/Refactored_original_examples/BLE_iBeacon/BLE_iBeacon.ino

One can use either setName() or setShortName() depending on what's needed on the other end.

void setBeacon()
{
  const char deviceName[] = "TestDevice";
  const char deviceShortName[] = "TestDvc";
  BLEBeacon oBeacon = BLEBeacon();
  oBeacon.setManufacturerId(0x4C00); // fake Apple 0x004C LSB (ENDIAN_CHANGE_U16!)
  oBeacon.setProximityUUID(BLEUUID(BEACON_UUID));
  oBeacon.setMajor((bootCnt & 0xFFFF0000) >> 16);
  oBeacon.setMinor(bootCnt & 0xFFFF);
  BLEAdvertisementData oAdvertisementData = BLEAdvertisementData();
  BLEAdvertisementData oScanResponseData = BLEAdvertisementData();

  /* Set name */
  oAdvertisementData.setName(deviceName);
  /* Set Short name */
  oAdvertisementData.setShortName(deviceShortName);

  oAdvertisementData.setFlags(0x04); // BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED 0x04

  std::string strServiceData = "";
  strServiceData += (char)26;   // Len
  strServiceData += (char)0xFF; // Type
  strServiceData += oBeacon.getData();
  oAdvertisementData.addData(strServiceData);

  pAdvertising->setAdvertisementData(oAdvertisementData);
  pAdvertising->setScanResponseData(oScanResponseData);
  /**  pAdvertising->setAdvertisementType(ADV_TYPE_NONCONN_IND);
  *    Advertising mode. Can be one of following constants:
  *  - BLE_GAP_CONN_MODE_NON (non-connectable; 3.C.9.3.2).
  *  - BLE_GAP_CONN_MODE_DIR (directed-connectable; 3.C.9.3.3).
  *  - BLE_GAP_CONN_MODE_UND (undirected-connectable; 3.C.9.3.4).
  */
  pAdvertising->setAdvertisementType(BLE_GAP_CONN_MODE_NON);
}