I am trying to set up an xbee network (series 1). The goal is to set up a network with three nodes (eventually 4) and measure packet loss in a multi-hop network.
I have used X-CTU to configure three xbees.
I want to use API mode because I want to send packets. (using API Mode 2)
I configured two of the xbees as end-nodes with association option (4).
I configured one of the nodes as a coordinator with coordinator option (4).
When I turn all the nodes on, the association works and the association light flashes 2x per second.
I connected two of the xbees to shields+arduino. I am using the arduino xbee API (by Rapp) http://code.google.com/p/xbee-arduino/
I am running slight permuations to the Tx and Rx examples in Rapp’s library.
My goal at the moment is just to send packets from arduino+xbee #1 (configured as an end-node)
to
arduino+xbee #2 (configured as an end-node) (this one has an LCD screen and displays RSSI info).
I have been able to send the packets right from #1 to #2 and measure signal strength. However, I now want to use xbee #3 connected to USB + explorer just to sit there as a coordinator and relay packets from #1 to #2. The end-goal is to separate #1 and #2 by a distance greater than max distance and put #3 in between to expand the range by being a go-between.
Does the coordinator/end node setup support this?
At the end of the day I guess I could always program the arduinos as routers (by setting up routing tables and relaying packets on the arduino). But I don’t want to do that if its already available on the xbee in hardware.
thanks for the help!