Xbee testing problem with XCTU and Xbee modem congiuration

Wireless & IoT
1

Hello Sir…

Iam a new student to you…

I brought Two XB24 type Xbe modules, one Xbee USB explorer from sparkfun, One Xbee explorer from spark fun, and a mini USB cable…

I have down loaded the XCTU software from Digi and installed

The Xbee radios are being detected by the software

I want test the connectivity between the two radios one connected to PC connected via USB explorer and other mounted on the Xbee explorer board…

Please suggest me the procedure… Iam not able to understand the Modem configuration details specifically with the function type…

Please guide me

Regards…

2

To start go through the threads on this forum as many have links posted to good starting information. Although there are differences among the various hardware and firmware version they all have much in common.

To get specific help post the firmware version in each on the XBees you have (X-CTU will show the version). This way we will know exactly what features they have as there are two different Hardware versions and four different protocols each with several Firmware versions. The firmware version nails this down.

Next is download the manuals for the XBee’s firmware version you have (maybe you have already) and then ask specific questions. Besides the XBee what do you have to connect the XBee Explored board to? A uProcessor?

3

Hai sir… thank you for your kind suggestions…

You i am totally confused right…

Basically I just want to start and estalish a link between two Xbee’s one is connected to PC via USB explorer and the other one conneded to PIC microcontroller PIC18F4431.

I started like this…

  1. Down load the XCTU software and install, and the FTDI driver for the USB.

  2. I plugged the Xbee explorer it identified, I read the moden congiuaration

it displays Moden type XB24 ,

function type Xbee 802.15.4 and drop down as RS232 adapter, USB adapter, ANalog IO, Digital IO type… and version 10E6

Here only I am stuck and Idont know the details of theses function types for each and which one to select ???

Please refere me some manuals for this >>>!!!

I just tried for Range test as below…by taking the default settings

I connected the another Xbee with explorer on the bread board and connected the 5V supply, since the explorer board is regulated one…Idid not get the power lED on…??

I measured the voltage at pin for 3.2V it is coming…!!!

I configured the modem DL for both the Xbee pointing source to destination for each…

I shorted the DIN and DOUTof the explorer board…and left connected with the board with supply on…

form the Xbee USB board I tried the Range test but no response,???

after this I want to write a program in C to send the data for One byte transfer !!! for further steps…!!!

Please tell me wheather iam in the right path ???

Regards…

Babu

4

You are on the right path, it still just a bit rocky.

Ok, firmware version 10E6 is the key id for the modules, these are running the 802.15.4 protocol. You want to download the XBee OEM RF modules manual Doc #90000982_A from the Digi web site here: http://www.digi.com/support/productdetl … s=268&tp=3

Did you go through the threads on this forum and find the links to good info? If not do this. A few of the links found give good, simple explanations for the 802.15.4 XBees. These will explain things way better than I can.

after this I want to write a program in C to send the data for One byte transfer

Before trying to have data passed through the XBees from/to the PIC connect the PIC to the PC with the XBees and ensure that your PIC code works. If you don't have a TTL to RS232 adapter for the PIC then you can use the two explorer board without the XBees installed. Just connect the grounds and then DIN to DOUT and DOUT to DIN. Once this works then remove the jumpers between the Explorer boards and install the XBees. You really want to troubleshoot only one problem at a time.

.Idid not get the power lED on…??

I measured the voltage at pin for 3.2V it is coming…!!!

The LED should light. Check carefully with a good magnifier at the solder joints on the LED and resistors. Re-flow any that look bad. Also, without anything connected to the board, measure across the LED with the diode scale of an Ohmmeter.

But since you are getting 3.2V on the XBee power pin its probably just an LED problem but its good to check the soldering anyway.

The X_CTU Range test is not easy to get working. Digi does have a doc on doing the range test. When I follow this doc exactly I can get it to work but not otherwise.

The Explored board does have LEDs on the DI & DOUT lines. You can try sending a long stream of data from the terminal tab in X-CTU and see if the DOUT LED on the remote Explored glows. This would tell you that it received the data.

Keep working on it.

5

Hai Sir… i dont who are you…but my sincere thanks for the kind help…

I will do all what you mentioned and will come back…!!!

regards

6

HELLO again sir…

I have gone through the threads available and related ones and noted all the points and for testing.

I can configure the modem with PAN ID, MY, DL and other commands in the terminal mode.

I have designed the circuit suggested as below…

on the bread board I mounted both the explorer boards

  1. Xbee USB explorer

  2. Xbee explorer

I conneetced the 5V lines of both boards and ground

I connected the DIN-DOUT and DOUT-DIN and shorted DOUT-DIN at xbee explorer end

Xbee are not installed only bare boards and connection

I connected the USB explorer board to USB port and used XCTU [ here also the power LED did not glow at exploerer board ] then I disconneted the 5v and conneted 3.2v line from USB board.

from the XCTU perform the range test [ without Xbee installed ]

no result ???

only the TX LED at the USB explorer side is blinking…and no receiever??? and after that removed the connetcions and connect only DIN and DOUT short at xplorer side and test and no results…???

I want to understand more about this bug …and fix!!

how can I proceed with out the range test further ???

at the modem configuaration tab XB24 and the function type USB ADAPTER Ihave selected for USB side Xbee and 802.15.4 type for the other end…

I dont know really what I have to do …please help…

After fixing this two modem configuaration I have to write program for PIC 18F4431 and test for receiving and further …

I request please e guide me to fix my prob…

:oops:

regards

7

then I disconneted the 5v and conneted 3.2v line from USB board.

I have no idea what you are doing! Disconnect what 5V from where and connect what 3.2V to where?

Have you downloaded and examined the schematics for the USB Explorer board? If not do so.

On that board the +5V comes from the PC’s USB port. There is a regulator on board to create the 3.3V.

how can I proceed with out the range test further ???

As I stated in a post above: the Range test is not easy to get working. Don't try using this test for now. First lets get some very basic connections working first.

Connect only the USB Explorer to the PC without an XBee installed. Jumper DI to DOUT on the USB explorer board.

In the Terminal Tab of X-CTU type some characters. They should echo back and show up RED. Also the TX and RX LEDs on the USB Explored board should blink when you type a character (dimly as the LED only comes on for a very short time).

If only one of the LEDs blink then there may be a bad solder joint or something else wrong with the Explorer board.

If this works then you know that the PC to USB to Explorer connections are ok and you can move on to the next test but only if this works.

Remove the jumper between DIN and DOUT on the USB Explorer.

  1. Xbee explorer

I assume that this is the Xbee Explorer Regulated board.

Now connect DIN from the USB Explorer to DOUT on the Explorer Regulated board and DOUT from the USB Explorer to DIN on the Explorer Regulated board. Apply 5V to the Explorer Regulated board.

The power LED should light. If not again chack solder joints etc.

From the Terminal tab of X-CTU type some characters and the DIN LED on the Explorer Regulated board should blink. Note you do not get the characters echoed back or get the DOUT LED to blink. Now jumper DIN to DOUT and type characters in X-CTU again. this time both the DIN and DOUT LEDs should blink and the character should be echoed back the X-CTU.

Get this to work FIRST. Once this is working we’ll go on to connecting the XBees.

Getting the code working for the UART in the PIC is a whole separate subject of which again there are a number of threads in the PIC forum.

good luck

8

Again Sir …I express my thanks for your help and continue…

To power the Xbee explorer board I have tapped the 5v line from USB explorer board, when the LED did not glow I tried to tap the 3.2v line from USB xplorer board to xplorer board… but in either care the power LED did not glow even I cheked the soldering …

But I am very happy today that I got some output as per your procedure for the first…

I conneeted the USB explorer as you suggested and I got the results as you explained !!! :smiley:

For the second procedure when I conneted the DI and DO lines From USB explorer to Xbee explorer regulator board

here only the LED – TX is glowing at USB explorer board…but at the Xbee explorer regulator board none of the LED’s are glowing/indicating including power LED…???

Here Iam wondering may be the Xbee explorer reegulator board is not working / out???!!! Iam not sure!!!

I have the picture for the connetions made for the second…

Please tel me sir I am eager to hear from you to the next step that I need to do…!!! :slight_smile:

Regards

9

Ok. at least one test worked.

There is some I omitted as it is too obvious to me.

Did you make a ground connection to the Regulated Explorer board from the USB power?

Keep at it.

10

Haii Sir…

Yes I did connect the ground connections also…now I will redo the same once again sir…

here is the image of the circuit…

please let me know how to proceed next…

Regards

11

Hai Sir…again thanks for the reply

here is the circuit file I have attached pls see

please guide me for the next ???

Regards

12

The best I can see on the photo the wiring is correct. A smaller image in a photo would be better if the photo is in focus, try re-shooting by hold the camera a little further away.

You did check the 5V and the 3.3V with a voltmeter and found the voltages to be correct. Right?

If so then I really suspect that the LEDs are not installed correctly. Did you test them with the diode scale of your Ohmmeter?

Measure across each diode, holding the Breakout Explorer with the LEDs toward you, place the negative lead of the meter on the left end of tan LED and the positive lead on the left side. The LED should glow and the meter read about 600.

IF NOT reverse the meter leads and if the LEDs now glow they are in backwards.

If neither polarity works then use a good magnifier and carefully examine the solder joints on the LEDs and resistors.

13

Hai Sir again…

I did all the steps that U explained to me…

the Ohmic resistance for DIN,DOUT and RSSI is 1.8Mohms in one direction and Open loop in other direction

and for PWR 0.8Mohms in one direction and 180kohms in other direction…

I am not sure wether this Xbee explorer regulated board is working or out of order… but it is a brand new this is the first time operating this…I also wrote the same to Robotshop.ca about the board condition and waiting for the reply…

sir please tel me the alternative…to proceed…

Regards…

14

Ok. Did you examine the solder joints with a good magnifier?

The LEDs are just indicators and will not inhibit the operation of the Regulated Explorer board. You can try to proceed with the LEDs and use your voltmeter instead of the LEDs to help determine operation.

So lets try to proceed with another test plan. Of the two XBees one should have the default parameters except the DH & DL addresses which should be set the the SH & SL values of the other XBee. This is the XBee that will be plugged into the USB Explorer and ‘talks’ to the PC.

The other XBee should also have its DH & DL values set to the SH & SL of the other XBee. This XBee will be installed in the Regulated Explorer board.

Some info on XBees: There is a “DIO Pin Change Detect” setting, AT command IC. What this does is send data to the other XBee when the logic level on an enabled input pin changes. Look up the info in the XBee document for the details.

So use X-CTU’s Modem Configuration and set the following:

IC = 0xFF enable pin change on all pins

PR = 0xFF enable pull-ups on all pins

D0 = 3 set to an input (DI)

D1 = 3

D2 = 3

Now put this XBee in the Regulated Explorer and apply +5V. The other XBee should be in the USB Exlporer and plugged into the PC. In X-CTU test that the XBee is seen with a Test/Query from the PC Settings tab. Go to the Terminal tab.

With you voltmeter check the voltage on DI0, DI1 & DI2 (pins 20, 19 & 18). They should read about 3.3V. Now use a jumper wire connected to the XBee’s ground touch one of these pins with the jumper wire. This changes the input from a logic high to a logic low and trigger a Pin Change Detect. You should see data appear in the X-CTU terminal tab. If so then the two XBees are ‘talking’.

Let me know how this goes.

15

Hai Sir…… Once again and again thanks… soo much…

Yahoooo…my Xbee’s are talking… :smiley: :shock: …This is what I have done…

I configured as You suggestedand after measuring the voltages at all the pins I switched the supply, and I started receiving Junk of characters continuously…at XCTU terminal.

When I switched of the 5 V power to Xbee regulator board the characters stopped on the terminal…

After this I reconfigured the Xbee regulator board Xbee as only for D0 as DI and all other disabled and re-executed the procedure the Xbee started sending junk of characters. When I supply logic 1 – logic 0 junk displayed and stopped. And again I supplied logic 0-logic 1 again junk received and stopped. This repeated for every change of logic 1-0 and 0-1 detection.!!! Is this right ???

Sir now I want transfer one byte of data from Xbee Usb explorer to Xbee regulator board and get back the character on the terminal ….please suggest me the next setup…

MY SINCERE THANKS FOR EVERY THING IN ADVANCE… AND ALL CREDIT GOES TO YOUR GUIDANCE…THANK YOU SIR…

Regards

16

Yep, they are ‘talking’. Do READ the XBee document as that isn’t ‘junk’. Its data indicating the state of the input pins. The details on how to decode the data is in the ADC and Digital I/O Line Support in Chapter 2. In the Terminal tab of X-CTU click the “Show Hex” button. Now break-down the Hex values into binary as per the document.

You could now try connecting Din to Dout on the Regulated Explorer. This should echo any character typed back to X-CTU.

Again do read the document on all I’ve had you do.

17

Hai Sir… again…Thank you so much…

yes it is the time for me to read as you suggest I will read the document_A

and i will report the progress to you…

Thank you sir…Thank you you are my god given TEACHER I never for get your help…

regards