Mesh device setup without QR code / data matrix / datamatrix / sticker?

Just hypothetically here - if you have one of the mesh devices with a damaged QR code where a scanner will not recognize it, what is the next best way to setup the device?

Thanks! :slight_smile:

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Probably by hooking it up in listening mode, issuing “Particle identify” using the CLI, sending the output in a PM to @rickkas7 who should be able to generate a new Data matrix for you. Hypothetically that is.
Alternative methods for setup will become available in the (hopefully not too distant) future.

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Hey there!

So actually, it is entirely possible to recreate the barcode for any device you have USB access to!

The first thing you’ll want to do is update to the latest available release (at the time of this writing, is 0.8.0-rc.27. You can flash this over USB while your device is in DFU Mode by using particle flash --usb FILENAME.bin

Afterward, be sure to put the device into listening mode.

Once in listening mode, you will want to go ahead and open a serial connection on your device. (In Windows, you will want to use PuTty). In OS X, you should be able to do this on the CLI using something like screen.

So for instance, to find my device’s information on a Mac, I would:

  • Open up a new terminal
  • Type screen /dev/tty.
  • Press tab to try and autocomplete and find my device’s name (should look something like (tty.usbmodem14201)
  • Once autocompleted, follow it up with the baud rate, which is 9600–so the final command you’ll be typing and hitting return on is something like screen /dev/tty.usbmodem14201 9600
  • Once in this window, press i on your keyboard and your device should return its device ID, device secret, and serial number.

Copy and paste your serial number and device secret in the following format and order SERIAL_NUMBER DEVICE_SECRET (make sure there is a single space between your serial number and secret!). You then must click “refresh” to generate the data matrix.

You can take the above string and paste it into any data matrix generator like this one. The data matrix generated here can be scanned during your setup process for your device!

If you are having troubles with this process, you can also feel free to reach out to support and we can generate you a barcode with just the device ID or serial number. In addition to the above method, you can also get the device ID and serial number by running the command particle serial identify while in listening mode. If your sticker is still intact on the front, you can also provide us the serial number on the sticker.

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Thanks for the replies. At least there are ways to get around it. Hopefully there is never a need to. I’m going to take high-res photos of the tops of devices too.

Hi @mstanley, I have just come up against this very problem.

I have a mesh network which is one argon and one xenon. the xenon has more than once lost its mesh credentials (both rc27). I have to scan both of them to get the network working again. The Argon, however, isn’t successfully recognized by the app. the code sticker is getting worn.

I’m trying to recreate the cr code, but when I follow your directions, the code doesn’t look like the one on the Argon, and isn’t recognized by the app.

Am I reading the instructions wrong?

The string I’m pasting is simply the serial number followed by the device secret with a space in between.

Thx

Edit - oops, OK I got the QR code generated, and it looks correct! But I still cannot get the qr code to work within the app. Hmmm.

Interestingly enough, I also no longer see the mesh network from this argon(which I could see yesterday) when I’m going thru the app, though I can see others. I’m not sure what’s going on here, something odd is going on!

Edit2 - OK, all repaired. It finally worked after I printed the QR code quite large. I still have no idea what happened to make the mesh network disappear from both devices…

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Today I tried a QR scanner app on my phone that will scan a code and email you a PNG of it.
I also took a picture of the top of an Argon. I was able to scan both OK and set it up. So that is one option to do this and have a copy for each new device.

May a feature to have is the ability to generate a QR code from the console for devices you have registered to your account previously. Just an idea.

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I just did this and it worked. Fairly simple. Thanks! At least there is another easy way.

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Hey jimbol,

I’m uncertain what’s going on in regards to the network not appearing. That’s perhaps a separate issue. Should you run across this again, feel free to contact support.

I figure it’s worth updating this thread a year on. It’s very easy now without a bar code to set up a Xenon (and other gen3?) on a mesh, and in fact is the only way I seem to be able to get devices to join the mesh right now (v1.4.4). I have a 0% success rate with the Android app and barcodes, and a 100% success rate with the CLI.

https://docs.particle.io/support/particle-devices-faq/mesh-setup-over-usb/#xenon-mesh-node-setup

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