XBee S1 User Manual

Exploring XBees and XCTU a learn.sparkfun.com tutorial
Available online at: http://sfe.io/t353
Contents
Introduction
Selecting an Explorer
Drivers and Assembly
Starting With X-CTU
Configuring Networks
Troubleshooting
Resources and Going Further
Introduction
Heads up! Originally, this tutorial was written to configure an XBee Series 1 to communicate in transparency mode. However, this can
apply to the XBee Series 3 module as long as you configure the firmware to the legacy 802.15.4 protocol. For more information, read
through this guide!
Is your project being dragged down by wires? Looking for an easy transition to wireless communication? If you want reliable, low-cost, bi-
directional communication at moderate speeds, XBee may be the solution for you!
XBees are hugely popular wireless transceivers for a number of reasons. They're flexible -- they send and receive data over a serial port,
which means they're compatible with both computers and microcontrollers (like Arduino). And they're highly configurable -- you can have
meshed networks with dozens of XBees, or just a pair swapping data. You can use them to remotely control your robot, or arrange them
all over your house to monitor temperatures or lighting conditions in every room.
Covered In This Tutorial
The pair of XBees alone won't get you very far. In most cases you'll want a separate module to interface with the XBee. You can use an
XBee Shield to connect an XBee to your Arduino. Or you can use an XBee Explorer to connect an XBee to your computer.
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XBee S1 Specifications

General

Brand	XBee
Model	S1
Category	Control Unit
Language	English

Summary

Materials Required for XBee Setup

Selecting an XBee Explorer Board

XBee Explorer USB Features

XBee Drivers and Assembly

Starting with XCTU Software

Downloading and Installing X-CTU Software

Adding XBee Modules to XCTU

Selecting the Communication Port in XCTU

Quick and Easy XBee Test

Switching XCTU to Console Mode

Performing Wireless Data Test

Configuring XBee Networks

Essential Network Parameters

Overview of key network settings: Channel (CH), PAN ID (ID), and addressing (MY, DH, DL).

Setting Channel and PAN ID

Configuring the frequency band (Channel) and network identifier (PAN ID) for XBee communication.

Configuring XBee Source and Destination Addresses

Setting unique MY (source) and destination (DH/DL) addresses for each XBee to enable targeted communication.

Troubleshooting XBee Issues

Resolving XCTU Device Not Found Errors

Addressing 'Can't Find Device' errors using XCTU's discovery or recovery tools.

XBee Device Discovery Process

Using the XCTU discovery tool to find XBees, including setting port parameters like baud rates.

XBee Module Recovery Procedure

Recovering 'bricked' XBees by using the XCTU recovery screen and selecting appropriate firmware.

Resetting XBees to Default Settings

Restoring XBees to default factory settings via XCTU to resolve communication or configuration problems.

Resetting Older XBee Explorers