**M.2 WiFi Device Not Starting on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board**

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing issues with an 802.11ah WiFi device installed in the M.2e slot of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board. The symptoms include:

• The device does not appear in the output of ifconfig -a, indicating that the network interface (wlan0) is not being recognized.
• The device is also absent from lspci and lsusb outputs, suggesting it is not being detected by the system.
• Users have compiled drivers from Quectel/Morse Micro and created new kernel modules, but the installation process may have been flawed due to lack of familiarity with the L4T bootloader and Device Tree Blob (DTB) configurations.

The issue appears to occur consistently during setup and driver installation, impacting the user’s ability to utilize wireless connectivity on their Jetson board. The user has reported that the physical link never comes up, indicating a potential hardware or configuration problem.

Possible Causes

1. Hardware Incompatibilities or Defects: The 802.11ah module may not be compatible with the Jetson Orin Nano or could be defective.
2. Software Bugs or Conflicts: Issues with the compiled drivers or conflicts with existing kernel modules could prevent proper detection.
3. Configuration Errors: Incorrect configurations in the L4T bootloader or DTB may lead to detection failures.
4. Driver Issues: The Morse Micro driver may not be fully compatible or correctly configured for this specific hardware setup.
5. Environmental Factors: Insufficient power supply to the M.2e slot could prevent proper operation of the WiFi device.
6. User Errors or Misconfigurations: Mistakes during driver compilation or installation processes can lead to these issues.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify Hardware Compatibility:

   • Ensure that the 802.11ah module is compatible with the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board.

2. Check Power Supply:

   • Confirm that the power supply is adequate for all connected devices, including the M.2e slot.

3. Inspect Driver Installation:

   • Revisit driver compilation steps:

     make clean
     make
     sudo make install
     

   • Ensure that CONFIG_MODVERSION=n was set correctly during compilation.

4. Examine Kernel Logs:

   • Use dmesg to check for any error messages related to driver loading:

     dmesg | grep morse
     

5. Check PCIe Configuration:

   • Ensure that PCIe settings are correctly configured and that no other devices are conflicting.
   • Use lspci to verify if any devices are detected on the bus.

6. Testing with Different Modules:

   • Swap out the 802.11ah module with a known working 802.11ax module to see if it is detected correctly.
   • If detected, this indicates a potential issue with the 802.11ah module itself.

7. Review GPIO Settings:

   • Consult documentation from the card vendor regarding any specific GPIO settings required for detection.

8. Consult Documentation and Community Resources:

   • Refer to Nvidia’s official documentation on debugging PCIe link failures here.
   • Engage with community forums for additional insights and shared experiences.

9. Firmware Verification:

   • Confirm that firmware files are correctly placed in /lib/firmware/morse and are accessible.

10. Best Practices for Future Installations:

    • Always ensure compatibility of hardware before installation.
    • Maintain updated documentation for each step taken during setup and installation processes.

If multiple users reported success with a particular solution, such as swapping modules or adjusting GPIO settings, these should be highlighted as recommended approaches for troubleshooting similar issues in future setups.