Connect STM32CubeU5 B-U585I-IOT02A to WPA-2 Enterprise

[JGens.1]

Hi everyone,

I'm quite new to the STM hardware and embedded programming in general. My goal is to connect the B-U585I-IOT02A to a WPA-2 Enterprise WIFI (it needs to be that standard).

I found the examples in the git repository about connecting to WIFI with which it is possible to connect to more modern WIFI standards: STM32CubU5 github repo Projects -> B-U585I-IOT02A -> Applications -> NetXDuo -> Nx_TCP_Echo_Client

According to the documentation of the WIFI module on B-U585I-IOT02A it should be possible to connect to WPA2 Enterprise. 

Is there a sample project to enable the MCU to connect to the WPA2 Enterprise router? Does anyone has experience with that and could guide me to make this possible?

(I can't post any links, since I'm now to this website)

Thank you in advance and kind regards,

Johannes

[KDJEM.1]

Hello @JGens.1​ and welcome to the Community :),

I recommend you to get inspired from the Nx_Network_Basics example.

I hope this help you!

Kaouthar

[JGens.1]

Hi Koauthar,

thanks a lot for your suggestion! I have seen that code and looked into it again. Unfortunately, it does not work on WPA2 Enterprise WIFI (such as eduroam). That standard requires a SSID, username, and password. Do you know how to change the example to connect the board to WPA2 Enterprise? Do you have any hints on that?

My guess is, that people have already done it, since it is the standard at all universities. But I'm quite stuck on how to do it.

Thanks,

Johannes

[AShap.3]

Hi Johannes,

Just making sure this step has not been missed...

Find the file "mx_wifi_conf.h" (possibly in "Core/Inc/" depending on the example base you're starting from (I locate that file by opening "mx_wifi.h" and in STM32CubeIDE, right click on "mx_wifi_conf.h" (line 28), selecting "Open Declaration"). Then the #defines for "WIFI_SSID" and "WIFI_PASSWORD" need to be set there (lines 57 and 58).

[JGens.1]

Hi AShap.3,

thanks for the hint! I have seen that. Although that only applies for the WPA3 standard. Here you need a SSID and password to connect to the WIFI. In WPA2 you also need an username. Therefore, the example is not directly applicable. There are also differences in the process of authentication.

Any idea or guideline on how to change the example from to also work with WPA2? I can image people might be interested in such an example code in general, as WPA2 is the standard at universities (eduroam).

[AShap.3]

I figured it was not going to be that simple.

If you want to get something working really quickly (while waiting for a real answer)... If you have a WiFi Raspberry Pi and a second $5 USB WiFi dongle, you might use the Raspberry Pi as an enterprise WPA-2 connection, relaying that WiFi (Internet Sharing) to a subnet WPA over the USB-WiFi dongle. Total overkill but that'll get the STMU5 on the network :-).

[JGens.1]

True, in general that's a good suggestion to have a quick solution. Unfortunately, I need to avoid the extra Raspberry and connect the STM32 directly to the WIFI. I need to wait for another answer then.

Thanks for the answers so far!

[JGens.1]

Is an ethernet connection through the usb c port to the internet router possible? Do you know of any examples?

[MWB_CHa]

Hi @JGens.1​ ,

Yes it’s possible to use USB as TCP/IP bridge.

We have examples on STM32U5 here: https://github.com/STMicroelectronics/STM32CubeU5/tree/main/Projects/STM32U575I-EV/Applications/USBX/Ux_Device_CDC_ECM

You can use ECM or RNDIS or other standards. (we only provide ECM/RNDIS, customers can build their own).

I hope it helps.

[JGens.1]

@MWB_CHa​ Does this example also run on the B-U585I-IOT02A or do we need to transfer the logic to a standard project from the board we are using?

[GFASTM]

Hi Joannes,

WPA2 is supported with STM32CubeU5 on the B-U585I-IOT02A board, but WPA2-Enterprise is not.

[JGens.1]

According to the EMW3080 WIFI Module Documentation and also in the user manual of the board B-U585I-IOT02A it is claimed that WPA2-Enterprise is supported.

If it is supported (as claimed) then do we need to implement low level logic form scratch?

Can you please comment on that?

[GFASTM]

It is supported on this data sheet describing the EMW3080 module. On the B-U585I-IOT02A board, you use an STM32 host API that will interface with this EMW3080 module. This is where it is not supported.

[JGens.1]

@GFAIV​  And is it possible to connect the board to internet through ethernet with the usb-c connector?