nRF24L01+ Transceiver Module - Pinout, Features, and Accessories

The nRF24L01+ module is a radio transceiver designed to work in the 2.4GHz ISMIndustrial, Scientific, and Medical radio bands band from 2.400GHz to 2.525GHz with as many as 126 communication channels. The range of this module varies, with conflicting information on the internet, but is generally from 50 feet up to 200 feet in open air with a programmable RFRadio Frequency power output up to 0dBmDecibel-milliwatts (dBm) is a power level that expresses decibels in terms of milliwatts on a logarithmic scale. (1mW). Transmission communication is half-duplex with GFSKGaussian Frequency-Shift Keying modulation modulation and has selectable air data rates of 250kbpskilobits per second, 1MbpsMegabits per second, or 2MbpsMegabits per second.

The main difference between the NRF24L01 and NRF24L01+ versions of this module is the version without the + has only 1Mbps and 2Mbps baud rates, while the + version can also do 250Kbps. The NRF24L01+ module has built-in hardware CRCCyclic Redundancy Check error detection and an auto-retransmit feature. Data interfacing and control is performed over SPISerial Peripheral Interface (SCKSerial Clock line, MISOMaster In Slave Out (MISO) is the SPI data output line from the slave device, MOSIMaster Out Slave In (MOSI) is the SPI data output line from the master device, CEChip Enable (CE) is the SPI output line from the master device to enable the slave device., CSNChip Select (CSN) is the SPI output line from the master device to indicate that data is being sent. Also referred to as CS or SS (Slave Select).) and is 5V tolerant. It has a power supply voltage ranging from 1.9V to 3.6V DC with 11.3mA (max) transmitting current, 13.5mA (max) receiving current, and a minimum standby current of 26μA.

The contents of this article covers the nRF24L01+ module specifications, board layout with pinout, and accessories.

Specs

nRF24L01+ RF Module Specs
Parameter	Description
Transceiver IC	nRF24L01+ Single Chip 2.4GHz Transceiver (nRF24L01+ Datasheet PDF)
Range	Generally from 50ft up to 200ft in open air
Frequency	2.4GHz (2.400GHz to 2.525GHz) ISMIndustrial, Scientific, and Medical radio bands band
Modulation	GFSKGaussian Frequency-Shift Keying modulation
Channels	Up to 126 Channels 1MHz bandwidth @ 250kbps and 1Mbps 2MHz bandwidth @ 2Mbps
Air Data Rate (bpsbits per second)	Configurable: 250kbps, 1Mbps, and 2Mbps
Receiving Sensitivity (dBmDecibel-milliwatts (dBm) is a power level that expresses decibels in terms of milliwatts on a logarithmic scale.)	Receiving Sensitivity depends on data rate: -82dBm @ 2Mbps -85dBm @ 1Mbps -94dBm @ 250kbps
Transmitting Power (dBmDecibel-milliwatts (dBm) is a power level that expresses decibels in terms of milliwatts on a logarithmic scale.)	Configurable: -18dBm (0.016mW) -12dBm (0.063mW) -6dBm (0.25mW) 0dBm (1mW)
Antenna	Built in PCBPrinted Circuit Board MIFAMeandered Inverted-F Antenna
I/O Data Interface	Pin Through Holes with 2.54mm (0.1in) spacing SPISerial Peripheral Interface (SCKSerial Clock line, MISOMaster In Slave Out (MISO) is the SPI data output line from the slave device, MOSIMaster Out Slave In (MOSI) is the SPI data output line from the master device, CEChip Enable (CE) is the SPI output line from the master device to enable the slave device., CSNChip Select (CSN) is the SPI output line from the master device to indicate that data is being sent. Also referred to as CS or SS (Slave Select).); 10Mbps (max); 5V tolerant IRQ interrupt pin to notify master when there is new data to process
Operating Supply Voltage	3.2V to 5.5V DC
Power Consumption	Transmitting Current: 11.3mA (max) @ 0dBm Receiving Current: 13.5mA (max) @ 2Mbps Idle Current: 26μA (min) in Standby-I Mode
Operating Temperature	-40°C to +85°C
Board Size (LxW)	28.5mm x 15.2mm (1.12in x 0.60in)

Board Layout

nRF24L01+ Module Pin Definitions
Pin	Function
VCC	Operating voltage 1.9V to 3.9V DC.
GND	Common ground with a white square marking to distinguish it from other pins.
CSN	Chip Select Not is an active LOW pin when communicating with the nRF24L01+ over SPI. Set to HIGH when not communicating with the nRF24L01+.
CE	Chip Enabled is an active HIGH pin used to select the mode of the nRF24L01+.
MOSI	Master Out, Slave In pin where the master device sends data to the slave (nRF24L01+).
MISO	Master In, Slave Out pin where the slave (nRF24L01+) sends data to the master device.
SCK	Serial clock pulses from the master device used for SPI.
IRQ	Interrupt Request pin that alerts the master device when new data is available to process.

Even though VCC has a voltage range of 1.9V to 3.9V DC, the logic pins CE, CSN, MOSI, MISO, SCK and IRQ are 5V tolerant.

Accessories

Breadboard Adapters

The parallel layout of the 2x4 pin header on the NRF24L01+ module unfortunately is not breadboard friendly. You can use an adapter shown below that separates each 4 pin row to connect this module to a breadboard.

Regulator Adapters

The nRF24L01+ module has a power supply voltage ranging from 1.9V to 3.6V DC, so if you want to power this module with a 5V microcontroller that does not have a 3.3V output, the supply voltage must be reduced with a step-down converter.

There are 3.3V regulator adapters designed for the NRF24L01+ module shown in the figure below. These adapters can also be useful if your power supply is noisy. A circuit that generates a radio frequency (RF) signal is extremely sensitive to power supply noise, which can significantly reduce the range you can achieve. The nRF24L01+ adapters contain both a regulator and filter capacitor to reduce the noise and increase the range of your nRF24L01+ module.