# Xbee 232 485 communication **URL:** \ **Category:** Other & Legacy Products\ **Tags:** 232, 485, xbee\ **Created:** [August 14, 2020, 7:10am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/xbee-232-485-communication/21668 "2020-08-14T07:10:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@tdg](https://forums.digi.com/u/tdg)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:10am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/xbee-232-485-communication/21668/1 "2020-08-14T07:10:13Z")
I’m trying to improve my understanding of how these things work so would appreciate it if anyone can help me. I have managed to get communication going back and forth using XBees and 232 Explorer shields and am now looking at 485. I went with a 232 shield for the XBee as it obviously does more than just connect the right pins to the D-Sub (I did try that first) but I don’t really know what. Now I’m looking at 485 comms I’m having trouble finding a current 485 shield, especially one that isn’t very expensive. Then I found this thread [https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/160057/passing-rs485-bus-data-between-two-xbee](https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/160057/passing-rs485-bus-data-between-two-xbee) Few years old but the last comment discusses a way that you can do 485 comms without a 485 chip which, I guess is what I’m also using on the Explorer board (but a 232 one obviously). Does this mean there is a way for me to send and receive 232 from an XBee without a conversion chip / board? And the same for 485? Has anyone on here done these things? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![mvut](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.digi.com/mvut/32/31_2.png) [@mvut](https://forums.digi.com/u/mvut)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:44am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/xbee-232-485-communication/21668/2 "2020-08-14T07:44:29Z")
The XBee products are 3V CMOS level devices. If your Processor or device is also a 3V CMOS level device, then you can connect the XBee directly to it without the use of a level shiftier. RS485 does require a chip as you are using one of the radios line as a TX Enable. Also the radio does not offer true RS485 as that is either 4 wires (two for Tx and two for Rx) or 2 wire (Differential Tx Rx lines). ---
**Author:** ![tdg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/90db22/32.png) [@tdg](https://forums.digi.com/u/tdg)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/xbee-232-485-communication/21668/3 "2020-08-14T16:12:58Z")
Thanks mvut again for your help I see, so I suspect I the reason my 232 comms didn’t work is that the device I’m connecting to is 5V (I think), does that sound right? And using a 485 chip would allow me to use the 2 available pins on the XBee and the chip would do the necessary conversions? So is what the person said on that thread not possible then? ---
**Author:** ![mvut](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.digi.com/mvut/32/31_2.png) [@mvut](https://forums.digi.com/u/mvut)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 9:32am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/xbee-232-485-communication/21668/4 "2020-08-17T09:32:15Z")
Yes that does. You must use a level shifter between the two devices for it to work. ---
**Author:** ![mvut](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forums.digi.com/mvut/32/31_2.png) [@mvut](https://forums.digi.com/u/mvut)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2020, 9:34am UTC](https://forums.digi.com/t/xbee-232-485-communication/21668/5 "2020-08-17T09:34:34Z")
No, using an RS485 chip will not give you more lines. You have the same Tx Rx lines for RS232. You actually reduce it by 1 line as you need to use a TX Enable pin where by on RS232 you do not.