Many XBees

Projects Networking, Protocols, and Devices
1

I want confirmation if this is the way to go about doing my project.

I want to have many XBees communication with a central unit, so I know I have to have a coordinator and routers and also have the same PanID, etc.. and set up in the star configuration. To differentiate between XBees I would have a specific XBee send an identifying integer, and then a string of data. The coordinator would be set up to only read, reading identifying integer first and then reading the string. Would this method work? I've read that people get interference from other XBees as they are sending data at the same time so the coordinator buffer just gets filled up as first come first serve. I am posting to see if I should look at different ways, I ordered the XBees but have not gotten them yet, so no way to test.

2

To differentiate between XBees I would have a specific XBee send an identifying integer, and then a string of data. The coordinator would be set up to only read

Sounds like a room full of kindergarteners all shouting at once.

I've read that people get interference from other XBees as they are sending data at the same time so the coordinator buffer just gets filled up as first come first serve.

That they do.

I am posting to see if I should look at different ways,

Yes, you should. The key is in the the first sentence of your post:

I have to have a coordinator

Teachers don't let students all talk whenever they feel like it. You shouldn't either (let all the end devices talk whenever they want).

Call on each XBee when you want to hear from it.

3

How many XBees in all will there be, and what type? How much data will each send, and how often?

4

PaulS:
Teachers don't let students all talk whenever they feel like it. You shouldn't either (let all the end devices talk whenever they want).

Call on each XBee when you want to hear from it.

Good idea, thanks

All are series 1, there will be 1 coordinator and about 4 routers/end devices. The router XBees are sending a string of data which are GPS coordinates and a temperature readout. This is parsed in a string, which we have tested and works between 2 XBees. Today we should get the XBees so we're gonna start testing today.