Hey all - I just ordered a couple Arduino Pro Minis (the 5V version with the 328 chip onboard) along with the regulated Xbee explorer and two Xbee Series 2.5 2mW Xbee chips, and have been trying to get them to talk to one another using just the default settings. I uploaded the PhysicalPixel sketch to one of them and set up the other to alternate sending ‘H’ and ‘L’ over serial, with the idea being that the latter is telling the former to blink its LED. I’ve tested both boards while connected to my machine, and if I just talk to the Arduinos over serial I can verify that both boards are sending serial data and respond appropriately to messages, respectively.
However, when I plug the arduinos into their Xbee explorers, no dice. After reading the comments on the regulated explorer boards, I saw that some people were concerned about the fact that while the regulated explorer does regulated the 5V coming off the board down to 3.3V for powering the Xbee, it does not convert the voltages of the data lines. So I’m thinking that my issue here is that the regulated explorer doesn’t work with the 5V arduino and that I need to order some 3.3V pros, but I thought I’d post here first and make sure it’s not just that I’m doing something stupid. I just connected the explorers to the arduinos via the FTDI pins, they’re all mated correctly, and I didn’t change any of the XBee settings and just told them to talk to each other at a baud rate of 9600.
I am in exactly the same situation with the Arduino328 Pro Mini 5v and Xbee 2.5 2mW with the explorer board but I just received my components yesterday. I am concerned and I tried the following after reading your post.
-Connected Arduino328 Pro Mini 5v to 5v FTDI Basic USB and was able to load sketches fine/serial communication.
-Connected Xbee 2.5 2mW to Explorer USB board and was able to change and read Firmware with X-CTU fine.
-Connected Xbee 2.5 2mW to Explorer board then to 5v FTDI Basic USB and was not able to communicate with Xbee.
I think that I am experiencing the same problems if anyone has an answer for us that would be great
EDIT - The explorer board I am using is regulated to drop down the 5v to the required 3.3v to the Xbee.
It’s not really an answer for either of you, but at least a case where it works. I currently have several pro minis (328/16mhz) talking to xbee’s without an issue. Voltage is 5V for the arduino and other devices in the system, and like you I’m using the regulated xbee explorer to get the voltage down to 3.3V for the xbee. I do have the series 1 xbees, however…so not exactly the same setup.
For several weeks I was actually running the minis @ 3.3v, which from what I’ve read is equivalent to overclocking the processor. It’s certainly not ideal, especially if it gets hot…but you might want to try to test the xbee/arduino connection and make sure that works. BUT…try at your own risk
After running some tests of my own I was able to get the Mini to talk with the Xbee Series 2. I think that the problem is with the Series 2 firmware. It is not Ideal for robotic modules talking to each other though and they dont seem to work for wireless programing and easy P2P… Wish I would have read more about this before I bought them. I am blaming all my trouble on the Series 2 Xbee and buying 8 new Series 1 radios and try again. Thanks for the info.
Johnson.2937:
After running some tests of my own I was able to get the Mini to talk with the Xbee Series 2. I think that the problem is with the Series 2 firmware. It is not Ideal for robotic modules talking to each other though and they dont seem to work for wireless programing and easy P2P… Wish I would have read more about this before I bought them. I am blaming all my trouble on the Series 2 Xbee and buying 8 new Series 1 radios and try again. Thanks for the info.
Right. For simple peer to peer, one hop networks, series 2 modules, which are ZigBee focused rather than simple 802.15.4, are not a good choice, as compared to series 1.
shifter:
how about the 2.5 series, do they suffer the same problem?
Oddly enough, the 2.5 series IS the Series 2 XBees.
I think you’ll probably find yourself happiest with a pair of Series 1 modules. I’m using a Series 1 XBee Pro for telemetry from rockets, and it works just fine, and is quite easy to use. I’ve come pretty close to getting the 1 mile range claimed for the units, as well. I’m using ones with the little wire antenna, and boards that I got from Selmaware.com.
thanks for that, will go with the series 1. was wondering what’s the best software to use at the laptop end. i basically need to write a gui that can send servo control signals from the laptop, and display custom telemetry information on the screen. i will be using an atmel paired with an xbee in the remote model, but will i be able to use a solitary xbee module on a usb explorer at the laptop end, or should it be paired with an mcu there as well?
