Hi there im new to this xbee stuff i just got 2 of the XBee 1mW Wire Antenna XBee modules and shields for my Arduino Duemilanove and arduino mega and runing the X-CTU program.
ok so what happends is i pulg one module in to the arduino and run up the X-CTU hit the Test / Query and i get this message
Communication with modem OK
modem type =XB24
modem firmware version =10EC
and
Serial number
So that one must be working ok then i put the other xbee in this and hit Test / Query i get this
Unable to communicate with modem
and tells me to do a reset i did that and nothing?
I tryed doing a write and that worked one time but cant do it again and still the message comes up
These are new xbee modules i shouldnt have faults?
This is what i have done…
XBee module pluged into the libelinm shield and Arduino Duemilanove
pluged in usb and the tx rx leds flash on the arduino and the ASSOCIATE led on the shield flash about 20times then stops it dose the same on the X-CTU programe when i do the rest when that unable to communicate message comes up its like it just dies?
I have tryed that so many times and it dosnt work. So the module must be stuffed so much for new modules
what can i do with it now trash it.
Or can i send it back to Digi for repair? is it worth the hassle
in the mean time i orderd another module so i can get the xbee link running
It is an electronic chip (even if hybrid), so many things an experimenter can do might burn out pins. No one would be able to ‘repair’ it - not unless someone wants to pay $150 to fix a $25 module!
The most Digi could offer is what burned out, which wouldn’t really help you unless you were an ISO company with documented handling procedures which you could consider changing.
Since you probably don’t remember all the things you did in handling, testing or experimenting, so knowing it’s dead is about as useful as the coroner telling the police “Yah, he’s dead alright!”
well as handling gose i never got to use it from the day i got the module in the mail.
well i think its going to the trash and i will just have to wait for my new one to arrive in the mail alot of wasted time on this but its good to learn other info on the modules.
just cant wait to build up some projects with the xbees
I am designing a monitor that has sensors and is powerd by solar with tracking.
And that unit will controll irrigation and soil moisture.
It will send info to another unit with lcd and also a server to the internet. so far but could expand
I work in PCB design and electronic manufacturing so i will be designing my own PCBs for the project.
If it never worked, that sounds like somethign else. Of the hundreds of Xbee I’ve enpacked, I’ve never had one DOA.
One clever design to consider in your device - add edge-protected TTL lines to a header, then look at suppliers like FTDI who sell cables with built-in USB-TTL. A simple gate as 1-of-2 selector can then detect when the cable is connected (it will supply 3.3vdc on 1 pin) and switch the Xbee serial port to link directly to the USB cable.
Other sensor makers link such a port to their own micro, and then if you use API mode, their software auto-detects the API and routes it to the XBee. Both of these designs enable XCTU to directly manage the Xbee.
well i got the xbee working i got a arduino xbee usb adapter board and plugd it in to that.
it came up with the fault a few times the i put a jumper onto the xbee board to rest it and to read the program but it was not the same so my other 2 xbees so i updated that program the same and now i have 3 good working xbees
thanks for you help anyway.
