# No J4 connector for debugger

**URL:** <https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831>\
**Category:** Nano 33 IoT\
**Created:** [October 17, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831 "2021-10-17T19:10:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![captainaubrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8491ac/32.png) [@captainaubrey](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/captainaubrey)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/1 "2021-10-17T19:10:21Z")

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The version of the IoT board I just got has no J4. Looking at the schematic SWDIO and SWCLK are not routed to the edge connectors. So how does one connect a debugger?

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**Author:** ![Klaus\_K](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/klaus_k/32/626942_2.png) [@Klaus\_K](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Klaus_K)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/2 "2021-10-17T19:33:29Z")

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The connector is under the board. For more details look at the store page for the Nano 33 IoT under Programming and Debugging Port.

> **[Arduino Nano 33 IoT](https://store.arduino.cc/products/arduino-nano-33-iot)**
>
> The Arduino Nano 33 IoT is the easiest and cheapest point of entry to enhance existing devices (and creating new ones) to be part of the IoT and designing pico-network applications. Whether you are looking at building a sensor network connected to...

You can likely use the Sparkfun ISP Pogo Adapter to connect to the pads without soldering directly onto the PCB.

> [@captainaubrey](#):
>
> So how does one connect a debugger?

Most Arduino users do not use a debugger but use printf debugging.

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**Author:** ![captainaubrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8491ac/32.png) [@captainaubrey](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/captainaubrey)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/3 "2021-10-17T19:49:57Z")

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Thanks for posting.

I looked at the store page and the only underside photo does not show J4 that I can find. I think some of the other boards like MKR WiFi 1010 have 6 large solder pads though they are not marked. My IoT board does not have these 6 pads.

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**Author:** ![Klaus\_K](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/klaus_k/32/626942_2.png) [@Klaus\_K](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Klaus_K)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/4 "2021-10-17T19:59:41Z")

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J4 is not marked and there are not 6 but 5 dots. Just left of the Arduino logo. They are in a 2x3 configuration, one middle pin missing.

You can download the Eagle ZIP file and then drop the \*.brd file here to look a the signal traces.

[https://www.altium.com/viewer/](https://www.altium.com/viewer/)

Search for SWC and SWD to get the to serial wire debug lines. The other signals are 3.3, GND and Reset.

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**Author:** ![captainaubrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8491ac/32.png) [@captainaubrey](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/captainaubrey)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/5 "2021-10-17T21:39:02Z")

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Thanks a whole case of cold ones. I was having problems finding a viewer.

For the next poor slub in my tracks here are the pics. One is the front/top layer and the other is the bottom/back. I included both so my work can be verified. Actually 2nd pic is in next post. Newbie dweebs are only allowed one pic.

Front / top layer

 ![J4 Nano 33 IoT Front](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/e/f/4/ef42a7707312d1d1b0b7c318a7fef7f5df78a8f9.png)

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**Author:** ![captainaubrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8491ac/32.png) [@captainaubrey](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/captainaubrey)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/6 "2021-10-17T21:40:25Z")

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![J4 - Nano 33 IoT Back](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/2/6/0/26091cac7380460e1db99c400733bd84c370d754.jpeg)

Now I will tack down some light gauge wire and add a gob or two of hot glue.

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**Author:** ![in0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@in0](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/in0)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/7 "2021-10-17T21:53:16Z")

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> [@Klaus\_K](#):
>
> You can likely use the Sparkfun ISP Pogo Adapter to connect to the pads without soldering directly onto the PCB.

I do this for burning the bootloader, but I don't think it's feasible to hold the adapter in place by hand while doing anything more than the shortest debugging session. You lose use of one hand and must be very careful to hold the adapter steady because the slightest movement will cause a pogo to lose its tenuous alignment on the pad. A jig would be ideal though. But it sounds like **captainaubrey** is fine with soldering to the pads, and that's a quick and simple solution.

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**Author:** ![captainaubrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8491ac/32.png) [@captainaubrey](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/captainaubrey)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2021, 5:24am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/8 "2021-10-20T05:24:41Z")

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Sometimes the supertech took a day off so I had to do a bit of soldering to keep the debug/integration going. I hated tacking wires onto those chips with the 0.4mm pin pitch, especially if I had to raise a lead. But no guts, no glory.

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**Author:** ![captainaubrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8491ac/32.png) [@captainaubrey](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/captainaubrey)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2021, 8:51am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/9 "2021-12-22T08:51:03Z")

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Here is the 33 IOT with the debugger soldered and glued together. I used Popsicle stick pieces and hot glue to hold it all together. Wiring was the real booger though. The smallest wire I had was 24 gauge and you can see the clunky insulation on the orange and blue wires, that is several times thicker than the wire. Got it done though with no pads lifted.

I was about ready to throw the whole thing in the trash as it would not connect even though the board was running. The IDE did not even to offer a PORT choice. Checked comm ports and saw nothing. Duh me! I had two USB cables with no data lines in them. Never suspected Motorola would ship such junk.

The debugger works great. No muss, no fuss, just plug and play. Only problem is that I often get a message that no device was found. So I unplug and replug, restart the IDE, etc. Haven't found the sure fire method yet.

 ![Nano33_IoT_Debugger](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/5/2/e/52e99c74be561bd96d319e00a2a0f74b447d1738.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2022, 8:51am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/no-j4-connector-for-debugger/915831/10 "2022-06-20T08:51:38Z")

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Closed on June 20, 2022, 8:51am UTC

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