Xbee not communicating with each other (with Arduino & Arduino shield)

[shuashua]

Hi,

I’m working on making 2 Arduinos communicating with each other with XBees. But currently having problems.

Hardware:

• 2x Arduino Uno

• 2x Arduino shields ( https://www.sparkfun.com/products/22131)

• 2x Xbee modules ( https://www.sparkfun.com/products/22630)

• 2x SMA antenna

My steps:

• Configured the XBees successfully with XCTU with the same parameters in this post: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/ex … /all#xbee3

• Plugged in everything in the same way as in: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/xb … e-overview

• Flashed both Arduino with the same code as in: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/xb … e-overview

• Plugged both Arduino to power, then the blue LEDs on both shields start to blink twice per second, which according to this post (https://docs.sparkfun.com/SparkFun_Digi … rview/#pwr), means “the last TCP/UDP/SMS attempt failed”, and I should check “DI (Remote Manager Indicator) or CI (Protocol/Connection Indication)”

Questions:

• Is there anything else that needs to be configured to make this system work?

• How to check “DI” and “CI”? It looks like they are not XBee config parameters. And what does “good value” for “DI” and “CI” look like?

Thank you for your help.

[brow]

Do they talk to each other in XCTU like shown in the first link?

[shuashua]

I can’t test out both XBee at the same time in XCTU because I only have one XBee Explorer. But I tested the case where one XBee on Explorer and the other on Arduino, I opened up both Serial Monitors in XCTU and Arduino IDE and they are not communicating.

[TS-Russell]

Have you tried a reset? https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/ex … leshooting

[shuashua]

I tried resetting or re-flashing the firmwares but they are still not communicating. Is the Arduino shield any different comparing to the normal XBee shields? Like any specific settings or configs needed?

[shuashua]

Do you have an idea on how to check DI and CI??

[TS-Russell]

I do not (don’t have one to test with either); maybe post the same in the xbee forum too?

[brow]

I don’t recognize DI/CI and I don’t see them in an XCTU session with my XB3/802.15.2.

Perhaps they’re particular to the cellular XBee3?

I mistook your shields for explorers. Consider getting a second explorer. It’s nice to have two, of course, but it’s also nice to have two different types. The serial one has an easy external power supply provision and helped me realize I can use them with any old serial device. I’ve used them in pairs for a ‘virtual cable’ between legacy serial instruments.