How to test Xbee TX & RX?

[JamesH]

I bought 2 xbee adapters from adafruit, and 2 xbee pros from mouser. Everything is soldered, and assembled. Using hyperterminal, I can ping the main menu of the xbee, but cannot enter command mode, so not big deal.

So, I loaded X-CTU, and connect the FTDI cable to the adapter for the xbee. It takes 5 or 6 tries to get the program to connect to the xbee. I try checking the API box, somtimes that works, sometimes not. It takes 5 or 6 more tries to read the configuration of the module. I changed the PAN ID to 3331, save configuration.

The Range test tab only says Timeout with data.... something like that. I was reading on digi's site that there is a way to ping other xbees, anyone have experience with this?

I loaded the "Hellow World", Goodnight Moon" sketch to arduino. The only thing that gets displayed in the serial box is "Goodnight Moon", and nothing else. If I switch the TX and RX wires, I get the same, plus a bunch of jumbled stuff, and thats it.

I tried setting up two adruinos with the same program, and I never see the RSSI led light up thats its sending or receiving anything. The ASC led it on, I have tested that power is going to the xbee. Digi documentation doesn't have practical applications, and I have had a difficult time finding information. Any troubleshooting ideas? Thanks

[adafruit_support_bill]

If you post photos of the front & back of the adapter boards we can check for any assembly problems.

[JamesH]

Here are the pics of the assemblies. I didn't have my regulat camera, so I had to use my phones camera. Hopefully its not too blurry.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Does the XBee behave the same way plugged into either adapter? Or are most of the communication problems associated with one adapter?

[JamesH]

Both xbees are acting the same. I tried swapping adapters, and the xbees, the the problems are consistient.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Probably not an adapter problem then. The soldering looks OK.

If I switch the TX and RX wires, I get the same, plus a bunch of jumbled stuff, and thats it.

Can you post an example of the 'jumbled stuff". Could be a baud-rate mismatch.

[JamesH]

Here is a screen shot of what I get in Hyperterminal. I checked the baud rate in X-CTU, and its set for 9600. I know these xbees are designed to run much faster (115200?). WIll they have difficulty talking at low speeds?

[adafruit_support_bill]

What speed is Hyperterminal set at?

[JamesH]

9600, 8 bit, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Judging from the output, I'd guess that the XBee is talking slower than that. But it is really hard to tell without a scope.

If you run the sketch several times, does the 'garbage' look more-or-less similar? That would tend to indicate a speed mismatch - as opposed to completely random noise.

[JamesH]

I talked with Digi's tech support. Apparently, the xbee I got is the "programmable" type. I consulted with them about making it work like a OEM version. Their answer was to put the xbee into bypass mode, and it would work.

When I did this, the jumbled garbage went away. I know I am communication to the terminal in the xbee, so the link between the arduino and the xbee should be correct.

Yet, I am still getting no indication of transmission or receive.

In the modem configutation, I set the PAN ID, but I so not see a area to set an individual serial address to each of the xbees. Am I missing something?

[adafruit_support_bill]

I set the PAN ID, but I so not see a area to set an individual serial address to each of the xbees.

The 'serial address' is whatever you connect Rx & Tx to.

If there is no RSSI light, then the modules are not talking to each other and you will see nothing on the receiver's serial line.

[JamesH]

In the "Hello world", goodnight moon sketch, what is the purpose of setting pin13 for the built in LED? Should the LED blink when transmitting or receiving?

[adafruit_support_bill]

Pin 13 is not written to elsewhere in the sketch. The PinMode call serves no real purpose.

[JamesH]

OK, an update. In order to get these to operate, they need to join a network. The network is established by the Coordinator. The coordinator sets the operating ID numbers of the xbees on the network.

The API mode is enabled, but in the bootloader, set it to bypass mode to make is kinds like OEM mode.

Then using X-CTU, the terminal to enter bypass mode, then the modem configuration settings can be accessed. Next, under the "Function Set" I changed one of the xbees to Cordinator AT, set the PAN ID, etc. One big issue is when the firmware is updated, the xbee resets back to API mode, and the AT paramaters are not send, so you have to do those manually, and wite to xbee again.

After all that, the red led indicating TX is blinking.

New problem, setting the second xbee, the firmware failed, and its bricked. I tried the power up with the reset pin closed to ground, but it does not work correctly because it does into API mode, not command mode for the firmware to write. Any suggestions around the API mode?