Xbees do not communicate to each other

XBee & XBee Gateway
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1

Hi All,

I am new to this forum community and to Xbees in general, and just want to ask something basic about using the Xbee. I am trying to send a string from one Arduino UNO to another wirelessly.
Here is what I’ve done so far:

  1. I am using the XCTU software and have successfully configured the two Xbee’s to communicate with each other through the XCTU terminal. I set up a coordinator and a router node. Whenever I type something in terminal, the Transmitter Tx LED blinks and the Receiver Rx LED blinks.

  2. Some of the online sources have set-up the following configuration: Arduino UNO –> Xbee Router –> Xbee Coordinator –> Arduino –> PC. I tried doing the same but it seems that the Arduinos do not communicate with the Xbee’s, because neither of the Tx/Rx LEDs are blinking.

Transmitter Arduino Code:

void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
Serial.println(“Hi”);
delay(1000);
}

Receiver Arduino Code

void setup() {
// put your setup code here, to run once:
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
// put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
if (Serial.available()>0){
Serial.write(Serial.read());
}
}

I am thinking that my connections might be wrong. This is the Xbee adapter I am using and I have connected the Arduino 5V and GND, to 5V pin and GND pin on adapter respectively. Arduino Rx and Tx connect to adapter Tx and Rx.

https://www.instock.pk/ft232rl-xbee-usb-serial-adapter-v1-2-board-module-arduino.html

Any ideas what I am doing wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

2

Well the XBee is a 3V device and can’t be connected directly to a 5V device. You must use a level shifter in between.

What happens if you take the radios out of the picture and simply run wires from one to the other crossing the Tx and Rx lines? Are the two able to communicate?