Setting up XBee Development Kit

XBee & XBee Gateway XCTU
1

We recently purchased the XBee Development Kit which came with the two XBee modules configured as ROUTER API and the XStick as COORDINATOR API.

All devices communicate with X-CTU, have the same PAN and Channel selections, and apparently can all “see” each other when using the Remote Configuration option.

I’ve been trying to get the devices to communicate using the Range Check and Terminal options, but with no luck so far and have a few basic questions:

  1. Will these options work with API mode? (I tried to change them all to AT, but get a pop up message “Could not open output file, System Error, Access is denied” when trying to write.

  2. Does API mode mean that a user application must be used?

  3. What exactly does the Enable API checkbox do in regard to X-CTU?

  4. In the Range Test, X-CTU switches to the Receive Tab as soon as START is pressed. Is the device actually transmitting at this point?

  5. What is the “red loopback adapter” referenced in the X-CTU guide?

I’m sure it will be suggested, but yes I have downloaded and read through the Module Guide, Quick Start Guide and X-CTU Guide.

Any insights are appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott T.

2

Not a full list of answers, but you may need to run XCTU under Windows with ‘admin’ power since it will try to download new firmware to the restricted C:\Program Files directory. You should be able to freely reprogram the XBee to use AT Router firmware. That is your first task.

API is very difficult from a ‘terminal window’, so yes it is best for an application. However, you’ll also find ‘AT’ mode difficult under an application.

#3) that checkbox just speeds up XCTU if you KNOW already that the Xbee is API mode. It prevents XCTU from trying the ‘+++’ to break into AT mode before trying API mode.

I’ve actually never done a range test :slight_smile: - however, I am gussing that the ‘red loopback gizmo’ is something shipped with the XTend and other RS-232 ‘box’ radios & so would be a 9-pin D-Shell connector. For the XBee dev kit you’ll find small jumper on the XBIB board only. Just remember to REMOVE it before stopping for the day … a common thing bitting people is to forget & leave it on, so days/weeks from now their system acts really weird because that jumper prevents XCTU from talking to a locally attached XBIB board!