Arduino + Xbee Explorer USB + Xbee pro 900

Wireless & IoT
1

Hi!!!

Objective:

Connect a arduino with a computer, via xbee’s

Hardware:

  • Xbee Pro 900 mhz RPSMA x 2

  • Sparkfun Xbee Explorer USB

  • Sparkfun Xbee Explorer Regulated

  • Arduino Mega

  • Antennas x 2

What have i done so far:

  • Configure the xbees with the XBP09-DP firmware, both with a 666 Modem VID (hehehehe), and a baud rate of 9600.

  • Connect the xbee explorer regulated to the arduino mega with cables, conecting Dout to RX and Din to TX, power and gnd.

  • Upload a very basic sketch to the mega, In this program, the Arduino will receive data from the xbee, and then send it back out, after incrementing by one, thus if we send “Hello”, we should see “Ifmmp”. code next:

// this is where we will put our data

int myData = 0;

void setup(){

// Start up our serial port, we configured our XBEE devices for 38400 bps.

Serial.begin(38400);

}

void loop(){

// handle serial data, if any

if(Serial.available() > 0){

myData = Serial.read();

if(myData == ‘\n’)

Serial.print(myData,BYTE);

else

Serial.print(myData + 1, BYTE);

}

}

Test:

  • Not working… RSSI led on the explorer usb is green, while RSSI led in the mega is no ON.

What can i do??

i run out of ideas, hehehe

any help will be excellent!!

thanks!!!

2

First, Remove the XBees and connect the Arduino through the Explorer board to the PC. Get this working first so that you debug your Arduino code without XBee issues.

Next, Search the forum for many discussions on getting XBees working with Arduino’s and SparkFun’s Explorer boards.

3

I think the problem is the explorer regulated…

With the usb explorer, the xbees work great, i can config them with no problems with XCTU, but, when i connect the xbee with the arduino via the explorer regulated, start to have problems…

The arduino sends the message, it appears that the xbee send it, because in the other xbee the is recepcion… but when i check the serial monitor, it appears strange characters “ççççççç” stuff like that, similar to the different baud rates common error… but my baud rates are ay 9600…

I read in some sparkfun article, that the explorer regulated had issues with the xbee pro 900, and some people shorted the diode in the breakout board… could this be my issue??

4

I try something more easy:

This code in the mega:

void setup(){

Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop(){

Serial.println(analogRead(0));

delay(50);

}

then, mega conected to xbee via explorer regulated, the usb explorer connected to my computer, in the regulated, the DIN led is blinking fast, in the other xbee the RX led is blinking fast too… in my arduino serial monitor (pointed to the xbee usb, something like: /dev/tty.usbserial-A600e0WR) at 9600 bps, i see one of this characters ð … if i change to 4800 i see things like this (but faster):

ððððððððøðððøðððððøðððððøðððððððððððððøðððøðððøðððððððððððððððððð

i really dont get it!!!

5

Ok Guys!!!

i got it working!!!

You have to bypass the diode!!!

For future references:

If you have the Xbee Pro 900 and you are using a Explorer Regulated, you have to bypass the diode in front of DIN, it will work great!!

thanks!!!

6

Yep, this is a know problem with the SparkFun Explorer board.

7

Hey guys. Sorry to jump onto your thread, but I just received this exact setup in the mail yesterday. So what exactly do I have to do to bybass this diode? Thanks in advance for any help.