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Bee ZigBee HowToPosted on13. December 2012byTom

Setup

This first setup describes how to configure two XBee Series 2 modules in order to communicate with

each other.

Background

In contrast to XBee Series 1 nodes that use a simple 802.15.4 MAC layer protocol to communicate

with each other (just point to point or point to multipoint), Series 2 nodes use the much more

powerful ZigBee protocol that builds on top of the 802.15.4 protocol. Because series 1 devices cant

address their destination node within the payload, they must be flashed with a destination address

using the X-CTU Tool or a serial terminal program and AT commands. Series 2 devices do not only

send pure data, they encapsulate their payload in a protocol structure similar to many others (e.g.

TCP/IP). This way they can provide a much broader functionality and can be used for building

complex mesh sensor networks. Each node within a ZigBee network must have one of three roles:

Coordinator: Exactly one for each network Router: None or many, additionally route packets to other devices End Device : None or many

XBee Device Configuarion

Each XBee device must be flashed and configured with a certain firmware depending on its

role in the network. Due to the XBee microcontrollers memory constraints not all functions

can be supported by a single firmware. In our scenario one device should be flashed

as Coordinator in API mode and the other as Router in ATmode. Both must be in the same

network (same PAN ID) and there must be only one coordinator. The first XBee device has

to be put on the Sparkfun Explorer and connected via USB to the Desktop Computer. A

COM-Port should be automatically installed (remember the port number). Now install the

latest version of the X-CTU tool from the digi.com website[1]and run it.

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API and AT Mode

The configuration described in the next part will enable each ZigBee device configured as

Router or End Device to send data that was received over its serial port to the Coordinator

Node (Router/End Device in AT mode). The Coordinator can send data to all other devices

in the same PAN or address each device individually (Coordinator in API mode).

This centralized topology enables End Device to send and receive data through a

transparent serial interface without the need of addressing. If dynamic peer-to-peer

communication is needed, Routers and End Devices must also be set to API mode. In this

case the API mode protocol must be supported by the microcontroller connected to the

serial interface of the ZigBee Router or End Device. In a configuration with only two ZigBee

devices the Router/End Device will send all data to the Coordinator and the Coordinator canbroadcast all data to all Router/End Devices (in this case only one). An even easier way to

connect two ZigBee modules is to set both to AT mode. The Coordinator must then be

configured with the destination address of the receiving module (DH/DL setting). The

following configuration describes the mixed mode variant which can be for example used

with theXBee Internet Gateway(XIG) in order to give ZigBee Router/End Devices Internet

access.

C O O R D I N A TO R C O N FI G U R A TI O N :

Select the correct COM port and press Test/Query. If this works, go to the ModemConfiguration Tab and start with flashing the newest firmware onto your device. After

updating firmware (Modem: XB24-ZB, Function Set: ZIGBEE COORDINTOR API, Version

21A7 (or newer)) press the Write button. Then press Restore to reset all default values

and get a clean configuration. Now set all values as follows and press Write again.

Congratulations, you have set up the coordinator module!

PAN ID = 1 (or another) API AP = 2 (enable API with escaping) NI = MCI-BEE-1 (human readable name)

If your modem (here XB24-ZB) can not be found within X-CTU, try to updated the tool

automatically or download the missing modem driver (a .zip-file) from Digis repository and install it

manually (X-CTU->Modem Configuration->Download new versions->File).

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R O U T E R C O N F I G U R A TI O N :

After updating firmware (Modem: XB24-ZB, Function Set: ZIGBEE ROUTER AT, Version 20A7

(or newer)) press the Write Button. Afterwards press Restore to reset to default values. Now set

all values as follows and press Write again:

PAN ID = 1 (MUST be same as the coordinator!) Destination High DH = 0 Destination Low DL = 0 (means coordinator address) JV = 1 (means router tries to rejoin with coordinator after startup) NI = MCI-BEE-2 (human readable name)

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Optionally our MCI-BEE-2 could have been configured as end device.Your XBees should

be configured know. This can checked by connecting the coordinator in API mode using the

SparkFun Explorer to a USB port and starting the Terminal tab within the X-CTU tool. Data

received from other modules in the same PAN will be displayed in the window enclosed

by the API mode protocol structure.