# XBEE Regulated Explorer Board serial interface problems **URL:** \ **Category:** Wireless & IoT\ **Created:** [April 5, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/xbee-regulated-explorer-board-serial-interface-problems/15214 "2010-04-05T16:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asv4k8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@asv4k8](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/asv4k8)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/xbee-regulated-explorer-board-serial-interface-problems/15214/1 "2010-04-05T16:07:43Z")
Hi there I am using a xbee 900 pro with a XBee Explorer Regulated… I am trying to wire in a rs232 plug and am not getting any communication… I have read the forums and think everything is soldered correctly but something is still wrong. This is the schematic I have used: [http://www.arduino.cc/playground/upload … pinout.gif](http://www.arduino.cc/playground/uploads/Learning/rs232_pinout.gif). I have made 2 different versions with the following connections: 1: VCC, GND, DIN, DOUT (wired directly to rs232 plug based on that schematic) 2: VCC, GND, DIN, DOUT, RTS, CTS, DTR (also wired based on that schematic) The +5v VCC and GND are supplied via a usb plug When I plug them in, my computer does not recognize the com port (ie the device manager does not update) Any advice? Thanks in advance [asv4k8@gmail.com](mailto:asv4k8@gmail.com) ---
**Author:** ![waltr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/898d66/32.png) [@waltr](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/waltr)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/xbee-regulated-explorer-board-serial-interface-problems/15214/2 "2010-04-05T16:24:50Z")
NO, NO, NO, NO. The XBee’s data lines are 3.3V logic----RS-232 is -12V to +12V. The XBee Explorer Regulated board is for interface an XBee to a 5V logic processor NOT RS232. Look up the RS-232 specs!!! You need an RS-232 level translator between the XBee (or and uController) and RS-232. The MAX232 or MAX 3232 ICs are very commonly used. Also look at the schematic for any of Sparkfun’s boards that have a processor with RS232 port. Hope your XBees survived but there is a good possibility that the XBees UART pins are blown. ---
**Author:** ![asv4k8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@asv4k8](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/asv4k8)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/xbee-regulated-explorer-board-serial-interface-problems/15214/3 "2010-04-05T16:56:14Z")
Alright, I think I have it from here, thanks for clarifying.