Configuring Xbees with arduino?

USB Edgeport
, ,
1

I just bought two Xbee S2, a Sparkfun Arduino Uno Shield, and an Xbee Explorer dongle and I am trying to set them up for the first time.

I am using a tutorial on this webpage provided by Sparkfun: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/xbee-shield-hookup-guide

It tells me to go to this page ( https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/exploring-xbees-and-xctu/configuring-networks ) to configure the network settings.

So that’s what I did. I had no problem configuring PAN ID, the DH, or the DL. But I can not configure the CH, or MY, as those are ‘read only’. In the tutorial, it says to set my operating channel on the two xbees to ‘C’, but my Xbees are defaulted to random numeric values.

Lastly, what should the firmware be updated to on both xbees? Does there need to be a coordinator and a router, or can there be two routers? Or does there have to be a coordinator and an end point? And API mode or AT mode?

I know this is a lot but I’d appreciate if someone could shed some light on this.

Thanks!

Marco.

2

Try following the article located at http://knowledge.digi.com/articles/Knowledge_Base_Article/Range-Testing-with-a-ZigBee-Mesh-Network/?q=Zigbee+mesh&l=en_US&fs=Search&pn=1 it should help answer these questions.

Oh and a Zigbee mesh product such as the modules you are using does not use a 16 bit address. It only uses 64 bit addressing. In addition, you do need to have one of the modules configured as a Coordinator in order to establish the network.

3

Okay, so what settings would I need to configure the 64-bit addressing? I checked your link and it has nothing to do with my scenario… That has 3 xbees. It is telling me to enter command strings somewhere but I’m not sure where I’d enter them, or what they actually mean…

4

Whether you have 2 or more modules, the process is the same.

You must first install the coordinator firmware on one of the two modules and the router or end device on the 2nd. When they power up a network will form. Then set the DL and DH of the Coordinator to match the SL and SH of the end device/router.

They are now configured for a point to point network.

5

Thank you very much- this worked!

However, I can should be able to see the dialog in the Arduino’s serial monitor as well, that doesn’t seem to be happening.

6

That is something you need to work out in your arduino code.