Point+to+Point+Xbee+Set+up

Establishing the connection between the two xbee modules with separate node identifiers.

In a personal area network or PAN, the main communication takes place between a co-ordinator and one or more end devices. The main coordinator acts as the router. For this experiment, the firmware is downloaded to each device. The firmware is what assigns each xbee module its function in the PAN.

When each Xbee module is connected to the Xbee shield and thus connected to the arduino, it looks for any coordinator that is operating on the same PAN ID.

Assigning the required firmwares to each xbee module is done thorough the application XCTU. Each xbee module is connected to an xbee explorer. This has a connection for mini-USB to USB. A driver on the Windows machine known as the ... driver creates a virtual serial connection which accepts and transmits data to the xbee using USB.

Setting up the Xbee module (windows operating system only)

1. Install the FTDI USB Serial driver for windows. Drivers are located online [|here]

2. Launch XCTU from the start menu

 3. Connect Xbee explorer to computer using mini-USB cable.

 (Note : ensure that the xbee module is facing the correct direction on the explorer.)

4.Click on the tab entitled PC settings, click on test/query. A message will inform you that there is an issue connecting to the modem.

5. Click on the fourth tab entitled “Modem Configuration”

Click on read. After a few seconds a message will appear informing you that the Xbee explorer need to be reset. (To reset the connection insert a jumper cable between the GND and RST points of contact. By connecting the reset to ground, the computer sees this as pushing the reset switch.)

At this point the modem should be read by the software telling XCTU the firmware version, the PAN ID and the Node Identifier

6. Choose the correct firmware from the drop-down menu - either co-ordinator firmware or end-device firmware assign the PAN ID from the menu to something like ‘1234’

7. Assign the Node Identifier to Router1 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Click write. (At this point, the software will ask you to reset the xbee module. Repeat process in step 8. )



<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Confirming the device’s attributes using the terminal

1 []  ‘ **How-to: Setting up XBee ZNet 2.5 (Series 2) modules’**
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Click on the serial terminal tab
 * 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Type ‘+++’ the module will return the command ‘OK’ indicating the device is now in command mode.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Type ‘ATID’ and press enter to confirm the PAN ID of the device
 * 4) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Type ‘ATVR’ and press enter to confirm the Firmware version
 * 5) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Type ‘ATNI’ and press enter to confirm the Node identifier.