Updating the firmware over-the-air

XBee & XBee Gateway XBee - Zigbee
1

Hi,

I would like to know how to update the firmware (versions and function set) remotely with the coordinator xbee (ZB) API mode, through remote configuration tab. I can only update parameters( DH, DL, etc…). Can I do it? Can anybody help us?

Regards,

Rogerio

2

Not sure if this is the solution that you are looking for, but this was a method suggested to us from Digi support when we needed to update xbee nodes over the air from a coordinator connected to our serial (USB) port.

HOW TO REMOTELY UPDATE NODES THROUGH X-CTU:

  1. Connect your coordinator to your serial/USB port on your computer.

  2. Open up the X-CTU program that Digi provides and confirm you have the correct serial port selected and the correct serial connection settings (i.e. 9600 Baud,No Flow,8 bits, no Parity, 1 stop bit).

  3. Select the Modem Configuration tab and then click on the Remote Configuration menu option (a new window should pop up).

  4. Select the Open COM Port menu option to connect to your coordinator.

  5. Then click on the Discover menu option to discover any connected nodes (you may need to click on this several times before it shows any nodes, be patient).

  6. Once you have discovered nodes, select the node you would like to perform a firmware update on and then go back to the main X-CTU window (leave the node list window open and your node still selected).

  7. Then (still on the Modem Configuration tab) perform a firmware update as you normally would and it will apply the update over the air to the node that you have selected in the popup window.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions!!

3

Thanks for your reply, friend!

4

Does this have to be done from the coordinator, or can a router/end point be used with X-CTU?

5

Hi,

I tried and failed to do this before finally contacting Digi support. This was their response…

Thank you for contacting Digi. While the radio supports over the air firmware upgrades, the X-CTU currently does not. Until this feature is offered in X-CTU, you must use either a 3rd party program created by yourself or someone else or our Connect X Gateways to change firmware over the air.

I am sorry but I do not have a tentative release date I can provide you as to when the next version of the X-CTU will be released.

Given how long it’s been since the last X-CTU release, don’t hold your breath. The Connect X Gateway looks like your best option if you must do over the air upgrades.

/Ross.

6

Is the remote firmware update API published?

7

From Digi tech support:

We use the standard Ember bootloader slightly modified for UART operations. However in this case, all of the documentation you would need for the over the air option could be found in the EM250 data sheets and programming manuals.

I spent a bit of time looking at Ember’s documentation available on their web site. Unfortunately all the important stuff is apparently documented through source files and examples. This is part of the Ember stack development kit AFAIK (and not pulished on the web site).

/Ross.