Hi all,
I have been playing with XBees for a a year or so but I don’t think I have been using them to their full potential. Right now, I have a few questions regarding the Coordinator setup. Actually, my question is what happens to the network the if the coordinator fails?
In my tests, where I have two end devices and one coordinator, if I disconnect the coordinator all wireless communication stops! This seems reasonable to me, but the XBee manual refers to “self-healing” networks. I thought that maybe there would be some underlying “magic” that would deem one of the router/end devices the new coordinator. (I believe this is a called a master election?). Perhaps the “self-healing” only refers to routing.
In any case, I would greatly appreciate any thoughts on dropped coordinators.
–Ben
Hi quasiben,
In XBee, when you are forming the network, at that time first coordinator is required. There with the same PAN ID you can form a network with many node (Routers and End Devices). While formation of the Network, the Coordinator provides 64 bit Operating PAN ID and Operating 16-bit PAN ID. From coordinator to the routers and end devices upto one hop These both type of Operating PAN ID is provided by the Coordinator and From coordinator to 2nd hop to n hop the Operating PAN ID information is provided to the routers and end devices by the Parent Router.
So after establish ment of the network, even you stop the Coordinator the network will work on that PAN ID. Even you can connect another router and end devices, as the operating PAN ID information will be provided by the parent router.
Any node in the network knows only about its parent node and its child nodes. The route is established by broadcast transmition.
Hi Shahrj,
What if the coordinator is the only parent. For example, in a fully connected network of 7 nodes you only need one coordinator and 6 router/end devices. (This example would be useful in audio communication similar to walkie-talkies) (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Complete_graph_K7.svg/500px-Complete_graph_K7.svg.png)
Hi ,
As you had gone through the datasheet and manual of XBee. It is normally used for Low power, Low Datarate application. Audio needs high datarate. So you might had understood that It can not be guaranteed that XBee will transfer the Audio signal or not. Normally at each hop the data rate is reduced by two.
