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How does SmartConfig technically work?

Marie Maurer
Genius 4895 points

Hello,

can someone explain me how SmartConfig works in detail or at least verify that I have understood it correctly?

I know

http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/CC3000_Smart_Config

but this does not go into technical details.

Example:

I have a router, encryption on, key 123. I have a mobile phone (or whatever) which is connected to this router.

Now I have a brand new CC3000 which never was connected to this router.

CC3000 does wait for SmartConfig.

Now how can the CC3000 receive something from the encrypted network without knowing the key?

Does the mobile phone app for SmartConfig send some data in a way, that it is sent out from router to CC3000 unencrypted? Something like router sends encrypted, but in reality, CC3000 received it unencrypted. Because when the router sends to CC3000 encrypted, the CC3000 would have no key, therefore would not understand what the router (or mobile phone app) would send?

When there are multiple routers, e.g. on different Wifi channels, how does the CC3000 know on which channel it will get the SmartConfig packets?

Or do I miss something in flow?

Or must all devices start without encryption or switch off encryption during SmartConfig?

The topic is the Wifi link encryption. If the data is later encrypted by mobile phone app and decrypted by CC3000 this is more or less clear how this works.

Best regards,

Martin

  • 0
    TI__Intellectual 1360 points

    Hello Martin,

    While CC3000 is in Smart Config mode it sniffs the air awaiting for the Smart Config sequence to arrive. CC3000 scans all supported 2.4GHz Wi-Fi channels, so it does not need to know in advance the channel being used.

    The phone app broadcasts the Smart Config sequence using a TI proprietary protocol. The sequence is broadcasted on the Wi-Fi channel which the phone is connected to. The sequence is transmitted from the phone to CC3000 directly, so it does not depend on the security mode of the Wi-Fi network.

    Based on user configuration, the Smart Conig sequence can be encrypted so only specific CC3000 devices can decrypt the information.

     

    Regards,

    Gil

     

  • 0 in reply to Gil Reiter
    Genius 4895 points

    Hi Gil,

    many thanks for your explanation!

    Just for my understanding: When the phone sends these TI proprietary protocol packet(s), has it turned off the phones encryption? So the phone's app must be able to turn off Wifi encryption at all for the amount of time, SmartConfig is running?

    What about other application (on the phone) running at the same time? When they try to reach the router, but encryption is off, connection is not possible at that time?

    Best regards,

    Martin

  • 0 in reply to Marie Maurer
    TI__Mastermind 18455 points

     Hi Martin,

    We don't turn off the phone security. The packets are being sent encrypted. You can google for "how smartconfig works" to find out more details on it :-)

    Other applications running in the phone don't interfere us and we don't interfere them, even if they are sending or receiving wifi data.

    Thanks,
    Alon

  • 0 in reply to Alon Srednizki
    Prodigy 205 points

    Here is the very detailed description about how the SmartConfig process works. After reading the article, you will have a crystal clear about the mechanism of SmartConfig process. It's very helpful. I also captured the data package with Wireshark, which completely proves the content of the article.

    http://depletionregion.blogspot.ch/2013/10/cc3000-smart-config-transmitting-ssid.html

     

    Andy