Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Transparent (AT Command) Mode
When setting up the series 2 XBee modules, write down the serial numbers for all the modules in a convenient
location. The serial numbers is also used as the hardware address and is located on the sticker just below the revision
marking and to the right of the 2D bar code on the XBee module. The first eight numbers of the serial number are the
higher 32 bits of the address—usually 0013A200. The second eight numbers is the lower 32 bits of the address.
Module Configuration
Now it's time to set up your modules:
1.
Determine which module will be used as the coordinator and which will be used as the
router, and mark them with a label to differentiate between them.
2.
Plug the XBee module to be used as the router into the USB adapter, making sure to line up
the pins to the connector properly. The flat end usually points toward the USB connector.
3.
Start the X-CTU software and plug the USB adapter into the computer. On the PC Settings
tab, select or enter the COM port that the adapter is connected to and click the Test/
Query button. The test should come up with the module type, firmware number, and
serial number. If there is an error, check the connections and the COM port number in the
device manager and retry. If this is the first time that the XBee module is being configured,
the standard serial configuration is 9600 8N1.
4.
After the test is complete, click the Modem Configuration tab and click the Read button
in the Modem Parameter and Firmware box. If the module cannot be read at this point,
click the “Download new versions…” button. If you're using Windows, choose “Web
source,” and for WINE setups, select file that was downloaded. Then retry reading the
configuration.
5.
Once you have read the module, select ZIGBEE ROUTER AT from the Function Set
drop-down menu, and set the version of the firmware to the highest hex number available.
6.
Check the “Always update firmware” box and click the Write button. This sets the firmware
but not any of the networking options; once this operation completes, reread the module
settings.
7.
In the following list, the firmware drop-down shows the options available for change.
Options highlighted in green are at their default setting, and options highlighted in blue
are set to a different setting. The options that need to be changed are
•
The pan ID (ID)
•
Destination address high (DH)
•
Destination address low (DL)
In transparent mode, the address is where the data will be sent. This can be changed by
entering the command mode. The pan ID is like the ESSID for WiFi networks, and can
be set from 0 to FFFF. The pan ID chosen for this example is 3300. click “pan ID” and
set to the chosen ID. The next two options are the serial numbers written down earlier:
the destination's addresses. Both the high and low should be set to the serial number
of the module chosen for the coordinator. These three settings prepare the module for
communications in a network.
