Ok theres a ton of different Xbee’s on the Sparkfun site. Which Xbee should I get? Is the SMD antenna any better than the little wire antenna? Whats the difference between the 60mw and the 1mw Xbee? The regular vs the Pro vs the Pro 900? Its so confusing, it would be good if there was a tutorial as to which one would be good for my applications.
Thanks 
Ditto on confusing. I bought a couple of XBee Pro Series 2 modules a little over a year ago, and definitely regret not researching it like you have. I’m still not sure exact what the differences are, but depending upon what you want to do with them, you’ll want to get a specific unit. I really wanted a wireless serial link that could pass text and digital I/O across “the gap”, but it seems that the Pro Series 2 is specifically for mesh networking.
I found a link on Digi’s website that talks about changing the firmware to get the functionality of a “normal” Zigbee module, but after doing that, I can no longer communicate with any of my modules from X-CTU. My fault for not trying to reflash one and re-establish communication with it first (via the Test button) before reflashing the other module!
Good luck with your research.
I found something of a [tutorial on the Sparkfun site, but it still doesnt explain to me details that I need. Another [tutorial somewhere else, but still not what Im looking for. Like Application specific stuff. While it does point me in the right direction, Im still quite lost.](http://creativeelectron.net/blog/2009/07/xbee-introduction-for-beginners/)](http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/257)
here’s a synopsis…
XBee series 1 are for cases where you do not want mesh networking using the licensed ZigBee protocol which is usually an overkill and is complex. The series 1 XBees use a Freescale 802.15.4 radio chip.
XBee series 2 are for cases where you DO want mesh networking using the licensed ZigBee protocol. Very few student/hobby uses should use ZigBee. The chipset in series 2 is from Ember. Series 2 must run ZigBee, per some licensing agreement.
The 1mW vs. 60mW is of course related to your range goals. A 1mW with the use of an antenna with enough gain, can be about equivalent to a 60mW with a modest antenna.
The little wire antenna is significantly better than the chip (PCB) antenna.
The XBee with the U.FL antenna connector is needed if you plan to use an external antenna.
There are XBees for 2.4GHz and for 902-928MHz, where the latter is usable only in No. America.
I’ve only used the low-power S2 modules (to be exact: XBee ZB low power Zigbee Module, Digi Product ID XB24-Z7CIT-004, XB24-Z7WIT-004, XB24-Z7SIT-004, or XB24-Z7UIT-004), they work super and are easy enough to work with! The wire antennas seem fine anywhere in the house or yard. Just recently got a couple with the chip antennas and the received signal strength (DB command) is definitely lower. Have only tried them in a couple locations, but so far they seem to be sufficient. I recommend Andrew Rapp’s excellent library: http://code.google.com/p/xbee-arduino/, and Robert Faludi’s book, http://www.amazon.com/Building-Wireless … 596807732/. Doesn’t seem to be a downside to having the mesh capability, it all just seems to work on its own. Here is a summary of all the various XBee families: http://www.digi.com/pdf/chart_xbee_rf_features.pdf, note that S2 has a little more transmit power and a little more receiver sensitivity than S1 as well.
Thanks for the info guys. Im wanting to do a Wireless Sensor Network in my apartment, and Ive selected 2mW Series 2 Xbees. I know I have to have one plugged into the computer, and one up to each of the sensors. Now whats really confusing me: Does this work similar to the concept of WiFi, where there is one base station broadcasting and receiving, and then the little nodes send off their data? Or do I have to have a base station for each node that is transmitting (like two-way radio’s)?
Also, is there a limit to the number of nodes I can have in a network? Does the bandwidth get limited (or is there a point where theres so much interference that you cant received from all the nodes at the same time)? Will I be able to switch frequencies as you can do with WiFi and RC?
Also, are there drivers for the Xbee, or does it work just serially through the Microcontroller Im using ( probably the Arduino or the Teensy in this case)?
Lots of questions I know, but these are very important. 
Well nothing says one *has* to be connected to a computer... that's a design decision ;-)UNTEngineer:
Thanks for the info guys. Im wanting to do a Wireless Sensor Network in my apartment, and Ive selected 2mW Series 2 Xbees. I know I have to have one plugged into the computer, and one up to each of the sensors. Now whats really confusing me: Does this work similar to the concept of WiFi, where there is one base station broadcasting and receiving, and then the little nodes send off their data? Or do I have to have a base station for each node that is transmitting (like two-way radio’s)?
A bit different from WiFi in that there is not necessarily a “base” station … again that may be a design decision. Every network needs exactly one node which is the network coordinator, but that has to do with network formation and not data flows.
Interference per se is not a problem, that's all handled for us! I'd have to look it up, I think the node limit is rather large, and other practical considerations tend to prevail like network congestion, bandwidth etc. XBees aren't meant to send huge amounts of data continually, that's one place a person could get in trouble, and another is broadcast transmissions which tend to require a lot of network overhead. I think frequency switching can be forced, but normally I'd think there's little need to do so, again, the hardware is very smart and just takes care of a lot of these details. Each network has an ID, called the PAN ID (Personal Area Network) which is a 16-bit number. Multiple networks can operate simultaneously on the same frequencies with different PAN IDs, I have done this without difficulty.Also, is there a limit to the number of nodes I can have in a network? Does the bandwidth get limited (or is there a point where theres so much interference that you cant received from all the nodes at the same time)? Will I be able to switch frequencies as you can do with WiFi and RC?
Since you're using S2, I highly recommend the library I linked to above, and also Faludi's book, it brought me up to speed very quickly. If you don't mind a little light reading, the [[Digi Product Manual](http://ftp1.digi.com/support/documentation/90000976_G.pdf) is invaluable.Also, are there drivers for the Xbee, or does it work just serially through the Microcontroller Im using ( probably the Arduino or the Teensy in this case)?
Indeed they are :wink:](http://ftp1.digi.com/support/documentation/90000976_G.pdf)Lots of questions I know, but these are very important.
Cool. Thanks a lot for all the info and links.
The plan is to have multiple sensors from around my apartment logging data and then transmitting them as packets back to my Efika Ubuntu Server.
Im wondering if I can set up something to have a SMD hotplate with a IR temp sensor talk back to that computer to continuously get points along a curve for the smd soldering temp profiles. That would be really accurate, but Id think also really complicated.
What do you think?
UNTEngineer:
Cool. Thanks a lot for all the info and links.Im wondering if I can set up something to have a SMD hotplate with a IR temp sensor talk back to that computer to continuously get points along a curve for the smd soldering temp profiles. That would be really accurate, but Id think also really complicated.
What do you think?
Not necessarily complicated at all. Don’t know a whole lot about IR temp sensors, but the overall system would be pretty standard. Google around, I think the Sparkfun guys have played with toaster oven controllers, no reason it wouldn’t work for a hotplate with the right sensor.
So, does Sparkfun actually carry an Xbee Series 2 Arduino Uno Shield?
I bought an Xbee starter kit, and I got a question. can I use the Xbee Explorer to transmit data to and from an arduino that has another Xbee? Theres only one shield in this kit, but two Xbees…seems a bit dumb.