# Need Help with Series 2 Xbee API **URL:** \ **Category:** XBee - Zigbee\ **Created:** [January 5, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329 "2008-01-05T05:02:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/1 "2008-01-05T05:02:28Z")
Ok, I first want to make clear that I am a high school student with little to no formal education in electronics/programming. Despite this, I have constantly tried to challenge myself but I seem to have run into a roadblock: I have gotten the Xbees to communicate in AT mode but after switching them to API mode I am unable to send any data between the two. I know API mode is working since I was able to successfully able to execute an AT command and I think the problem with transmission is not the xbee’s but mine. Here’s the packet I’m sending to the first xbee: 0x7E 0x00 0x0E 0x10 0x52 0x000000000000FFFF 0xFFFE 0x01 0x00 0x48 0x49 0xC Both Xbee’s are on the same PAN ID, and Xbee 1 is set with Coordinator Firmware and Xbee 2 is set with Router Firmware. What am I doing wrong? I’d love an tutorial on Series 2 API, I can’t seem to find any Thanks in advance for any help, Regards, Harrison Message was edited by: HarrisnHJones ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/2 "2008-01-05T13:42:37Z")
It is not clear from your post how you are doing this. If you are typing the data as you have shown it here then it will not work. Once you start using packet mode then the data you send has to be raw hex data, not ascii so your packet should look like this:- 7E000E1052000000000000FFFFFFFE010048490C This is the binary data and the easiest way to send it to the modem is in a file. You need a hex editor to build the file. If you are using Linux then you can use cutecom to directly send the data in hex form. This is a packet to send 7 X FF bytes out of the RS232 on a remote module whose address is 13A200 40086EA4 If you are in API mode 1 7E 00 12 00 01 00 13 A2 00 40 08 6E A4 04 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF F2 If you are in API mode 2 7E 00 12 00 01 00 7d 33 A2 00 40 08 6E A4 04 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF F2 This packet does work fine. This exhausts my knowledge 🙂 If I misunderstood your problem then apologies. ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/3 "2008-01-13T04:32:09Z")
Update: Yes, my checksum was wrong. Thank you both for pointing that out! But, in other news… IT WORKED!! Kinda… I got a response this time from the sending Xbee. It sent me back a Zigbee Transmit Status API Packet. It seems that somehow it couldn’t find the address(error 0x24 “address not found”). I quickly said “nay nay” and looked at the modem info for the other Xbee. To my knowledge, my packet’s destination address is correct. Any help? (I’ve included a screen shot of my X-CTU’s modem readout for both the transmitting Xbee and the receiving Xbee) Here’s my packet and the response: My Packet: 7E 00 12 10 01 13 A2 00 40 0A 3E B7 A6 2F 01 00 FF FF FF FF FF 29 Response: 7E 00 07 \*b 01 2F 01 00 24 02 1D I’m thrilled that I got even though the response told me I failed 😛 ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/4 "2008-01-08T04:18:09Z")
Hey, I’m back. I’ve redone my entire packet to reflect series 2 API. Why isn’t it working? ☹ Here’s the packet: 7E 00 12 10 01 13 A2 00 40 0A 3E B7 A6 2F 01 00 FF FF FF FF FF D6 And a brake down: 7E - Start 00 - Length MSB(0) 12 - Length LSB(18) 10 - API Identifier 01 - Frame ID(Randomly: 1) 13 A2 00 - 64bit ID MSB 40 0A 3E B7 - 64bit ID LSB A6 2F - 16bit MSB,LSB 01 - Broadcast Radius(1 hop) 00 - Options(0) FF FF FF FF FF - Data(5 bytes) D6 - Checksum I assume the checksum is wrong. Am I simply missing something? ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/5 "2008-01-16T04:26:32Z")
Update: I GOT IT TO WORK!!! Yippie… As it turns out, My 64bit address was in fact a 48bit address(I left out 2 bytes[00]) When I corrected my error it worked like a charm. Now for my next question, how do I recieve the RSSI levels of the packet? Do I have to use the RSSI PWM or can I get it as part of a RX Packet? Thank to everyone who helped me! ---
**Author:** ![supritchaudhary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@supritchaudhary](https://forums.digi.com/u/supritchaudhary)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2010, 12:50am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/6 "2010-04-11T00:50:36Z")
If you have enabled the API mode by command ATAP 1 or ATAP 2 or by Modem Config page the, in X-CTU, then don’t forget to checkout the “Enable API” in PC setting. Otherwise what ever you type will not be received to other nodes correctly. ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/7 "2008-01-05T18:07:42Z")
Thanks for that information, seems to make sense. Sadly, I’m going to need a litle more. Firstly, I am sending my data using the “assemble packet” function in the X-CTU program in HEX. Secondly, as far as you post goes: You mentions that the packet you gave me only works for the remote module whose address is 13A20040086EA4. How do I find out my modules remote address? Is it the serial number high and low? Also, do I have to do anything special since one of my devices(the transmitting one) is a “coordinator” and the receiver is the “router”? Also, in the above post, what format are you using to send the TX packet? I can’t seem to find that exact format. Quick Note: I reset my modules in AT command mode so I could easily read some values. The SL and SH and MY of my coordinator is as follows: AT SH 13A200 AT SL 400A3EB6 AT MY 0 The same output for my router is as follows: AT SH 13A200 AT SL 400A3EB7 AT MY A62F How would I construct an API packet send data from the Coordinator to the router using those values? Thanks(Alot) for the help, Harrison Message was edited by: HarrisnHJones ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/8 "2008-01-05T19:05:46Z")
OK, Well first off I do not use Microsoft products (calling it software is a bit too hard for me:)) so I haven’t used the X-CTU programme other than to upgrade the firmware on all my modules. I am using just a straightforward terminal software to send data to the Zigbee module, this can be done with the X-CTU software too. I will leave the SW up to you. This is how to make the packet manually. 7E 00 12 00 01 00 13 A2 00 40 08 6E A4 04 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF F2 That is the packet as posted, it is made up of 7E A packet 00 12 it’s length 00 API identifier (packet to go) 01 frame ID 00 13 A2 00 MS destination address 40 08 6E A4 LS destination address 04 Broadcast PAN ID FF FF FF FF FF FF FF Data to send F2 checksum For your data this would be 7E A packet 00 12 it’s length 00 API identifier (packet to go) 01 frame ID 00 13 A2 00 MS destination address 40 0A 3E B7 LS destination address 04 Broadcast PAN ID FF FF FF FF FF FF FF Data to send With the change of data the checksum has to be recalculated as follows FF-(00+01+00+13+A2+00+40+0A+3E+B7+04+FF+FF+FF+FF+FF+FF+FF) This equals 80D, keep only the LS 8 bits (0D) 0D checksum Before you can do this you have to enable API by entering command mode +++, sending ATAP 1. This will turn on the API, it is 0 by default ie disabled I think I am about half a day in front of you programming these things, or maybe half a day behind. I haven’t got as far as coordinator and end units yet 🙂 Here are some more command packets, not address specific, just to get info from the unit connected to the PC. Command packets 7E 00 04 08 52 41 43 21 Apply changes made with previous packets 7E 00 04 08 52 57 52 FC Write settings to NV RAM 7E 00 04 08 52 4E 44 13 Node discover 7E 00 04 08 52 44 4C 15 Get destination address low 7E 00 04 08 52 44 48 19 Get destination address high 7E 00 08 08 52 44 4c 40 08 6E A4 BB Set destination address low to 40086EA4 7E 00 04 08 52 41 50 14 Get API mode 7E 00 05 08 52 41 50 00 14 Set API mode to 0, no API 7E 00 05 08 52 41 50 01 13 Get API mode to 1, API mode 7E 00 05 08 52 41 50 02 12 Get API mode to 2, API mode with escape 7E 00 04 08 52 53 4c 06 Get sending address low 7E 00 04 08 52 53 48 0A Get sending address high 7E 00 04 08 52 50 4c 09 Get power setting 7E 00 04 08 52 56 52 FD Get firmware version of the modem, we are using 1083 7E 00 04 08 52 56 4C 03 Get firmware version of the modem, more info, doesn’t seem to work 7E 00 04 08 52 45 44 1C Energy scan 7E 00 04 08 52 48 56 07 Get hardware version, eg 1809 on this one 7E 00 04 08 52 43 54 0E Get command mode timeout, Don’t really need this as we are using packets and command mode is not needed 7E 00 04 08 52 50 52 03 Get state of pull up resistors, enabled or disabled, default enabled ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 9:02pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/9 "2008-01-05T21:02:16Z")
Thanks for all the information. All the commands(except sending information ☹ ) work! 🙂 As far as sending packets. I have the sending Xbee in API mode(through firmware) and the recieveing Xbee AT mode and I sent it the packet you gave me: 7E 00 12 00 01 00 13 A2 00 40 0A 3E B7 04 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 0D and that didn’t work. So I through that maybe it was because the PAN ID on the packet was wrong, my pan ID is 234(I think, which is EA in hex?) so I recalculated(or tried to) the checksum and got the following packet: 7E 00 12 00 01 00 13 A2 00 40 0A 3E B7 EA FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 27 which also didn’t work. I really wish I knew what I was doing wrong. Again, Thanks for any help and special thanks to Mjolinor for all the help so far, Harrison Message was edited by: HarrisnHJones ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/10 "2008-01-05T21:35:23Z")
I think you need the receiving modem in API mode. Your checksum is correct, it looks good to me but I am not an expert ☹ We all wish we knew what we were doing. Message was edited by: Mjolinor ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/11 "2008-01-06T02:27:02Z")
Where did you get your information? I can’t find a reference to that specific API structure. As expected, I was again unable to send data to the other xbee ☹ I’ve looked through the Xbee 2 Documentation and all I can find is a reference using the API identifier 10(hex). Regards, Harrison ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 10:10am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/12 "2008-01-06T10:10:46Z")
From the Xbee pro series one documentation [http://www.digi.com/support/identifyfamily.jsp?tp=1](http://www.digi.com/support/identifyfamily.jsp?tp=1) I don’t know the difference between the two series. I am not deep enough in to know the specifics yet. If your packet is technically correct, ie checksum OK, start stop length and so on, never mind what the packet is supposed to do, then the modem will respond, if anything is wrong with the packet itself then the modem will just throw it away and not reply with anything. ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/13 "2008-01-06T15:29:45Z")
Ah… Ok, that might have been why your suggestions didn’t work ☹ When I contacted Digi directly they claimed that Series 1 and Series 2 don’t play well with the same API. I’ve attached a picture of a series 2 transmit API. Could you help me construct a transmit packet using that picture? I tried to construct such a packet and failed earlier ☹ Thanks, Harrison Message was edited by: HarrisnHJones ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/14 "2008-01-06T17:00:18Z")
Is that jpg taken from a document that you have? If so do you have a link to it? It seems to be not too different apart from the inclusion of 64 and 16 bit addressing in the same API identifier. The document I have has separate identifiers for 16 (01) and 64 (00) bit addressing, your API identifier covers both and yours has a byte for number of hops. Your byte 17 also does extra things that it doesn’t in the series one. I think that the documentation truly sucks for these things unless I am missing a number of pages somewhere on their homepage. There just is not enough information available. Thus far, if I don’t find more information, it’s looking like I will not be using these devices and I am going to have to go and find something else to do what I need. As far as I can tell you should be able to make the packet in the same way as I did using this format. \*\* Found the file on the digi FTP site Message was edited by: Mjolinor ---
**Author:** ![michaelt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.digi.com/michaelt/32/92_2.png) [@michaelt](https://forums.digi.com/u/michaelt)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/15 "2008-01-08T15:50:17Z")
Our Support site underwent a transition recently and things like documentation, etc are still being tweaked and added. It will get better, I promise you… There are also a number of documents which are in the pipeline to be released soon. In the meantime, if there’s a specific doc you’re looking for but having trouble finding, please let me know and I’ll see if I can find it for you. ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/16 "2008-01-08T12:51:24Z")
I think your checksum is wrong. Spreadsheet attached, it isn’t pretty and it’s fairly basic but it seems to work OK. ---
**Author:** ![Support\_Travis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Support\_Travis](https://forums.digi.com/u/Support_Travis)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/17 "2008-01-08T16:16:18Z")
Yes it appears that your checksum is wrong. It looks like you forgot to subtract the LSB from 0xFF (0xFF-0xD6 = 0x29). ---
**Author:** ![Mjolinor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mjolinor](https://forums.digi.com/u/Mjolinor)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 9:08am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/18 "2008-01-13T09:08:02Z")
Send an ATND packet and see if your coordinator finds the one you are trying to talk to. ---
**Author:** ![HarrisnHJones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8dc957/32.png) [@HarrisnHJones](https://forums.digi.com/u/HarrisnHJones)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/19 "2008-01-13T15:43:54Z")
Mjolinor - Thank you sooo much for that excel file! It’s really useful. As to the results of the ATND. I send the ATND API Packet and got the following response: Response: 7E 00 19 88 10 4E 44 00 A6 2F 00 13 A2 00 40 0A 3E B7 20 00 FF FE 01 00 C1 05 10 1E FA 7E 00 05 88 10 4E44 00 D5 After reading this packet(and barely understanding it - obviously need to read the manual more) I see that the sending Xbee found the other Xbee since I can spot 13 A2 00 40 0A 3E B7 which is the other Xbee’s 64bit address. I am now assuming that something is wrong w/ the 16bit address I’m sending. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![travish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@travish](https://forums.digi.com/u/travish)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/need-help-with-series-2-xbee-api/2329/20 "2008-01-14T15:16:04Z")
If you are having problems with using a specific address you may want to try sending to the default address (0xFFFE). The Tx\_Status packet will return to you the 16 bit address of the remote in question.