NRF24l01+ fakes?

Using Arduino Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

I bought one lot of these:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-10pcs-lot-NRF24L01-wireless-data-transmission-module-NRF24L01-wireless-module/1996222121.html

Thinking that they would work great for small wireless projects. I assumed that they would work exactly like my other standard nrf24l01+ boards, but they won't work at all. They are recognized by the RF24 library as a plus variant, so it can read registers on the chip, but all the values in the other registers are different and neither transmitting nor receiving are working. Did I get fakes? or maybe another chip entirely?

Any help is appreciated

2

After some more research, I'm thinking this is a completely different chip. No websites list the nrf24lo1+ chip as available in anything other than qfn, which the epoxy blob chips I have are definitely not. Also there are a lot less support components when compared to other nrf24l01+ boards. So I'm not sure what to do from here. How do I find out what chip this is if it is indeed a different chip?

3

Interesting

It looks like they are clones but have slightly different functionality

I've noticed that these resellers on AliExpress seem to get hold of components that are normally destined to be inside commercial products and they sell them to hobbyists as modules for Arduino etc

I had a similar thing with a RS232 Wifi module I bought, it looks like it was supposed to be in a wifi operated light socket or a mains socket.

Strangely, someone had changed the default settings and when I did a factory reset, the module totally changed the way it worked.

I suspect those module are probably usable, but that they'd different settings, but as there are multiple registers and no documentation (probably) its going to be hard work.

4

Yea i might try to get a datasheet or something out of the seller. These seem to be the same thing, just different pin layout:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-10pcs-lot-SMD-NRF24L01-wireless-data-transmission-module-Mini-NRF24L01-wireless-module/1996225798.html

a lot of listings for these have popped up since I got mine, and each one has orders, so I'd expect to see some more people with these modules in the near future

5

I guess its worth asking

I bought a camera module from an eBay seller and it was a variant which had not been seen before, it had 2 extra pins.

I asked the seller for a data sheet and they sent me the datasheet for the one with 2 less pins, i.e not the datasheet for the one they sent me

You may find they just google NRF24L01+ and send you what they find, rather than the datasheet for what they sold you

6

Yea its worth a shot. If all else fails I haven't confirmed that I received it yet so I can still file a dispute

7

If all else fails I haven't confirmed that I received it yet so I can still file a dispute

Yes. That's the best course of action.

8

Ended up sending me this rar file with c code... its not a datasheet but it might be helpful.

?? ??NRF??.rar (99.9 KB)

9

Looking at the LST file it has a reference to C51 which appears to be an 8051 C compilor

10

I have purchased 12 of the NRF24L01-PA-LNA-SMA modules from this source.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/3-Pcs-NRF24L01-PA-LNA-SMA-Antenna-Wireless-Transceiver-communication-module-2-4G-Newest/1716808910.html

They work great and have a practical range of 1km line of site and anywhere within a building.
The units with the builtin antenna have a line of site range of about 10m and are practically useless inside a building with obstructions.

11

I have some of those too. I was getting good results with those as a base and the standard modules as nodes, and figured that these smaller ones would work well for making nodes smaller. And the seller said that code is all they have

12

As the original poster, I think these may be SE8R01 modules

see this.. Nerd Ralph: SE8R01 2.4Ghz wireless modules

13