Hey guys! Today I got a new Arduino Wireless SD Shield (http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoWirelessShield). I would use this shield with my Xbee XB24-AWI-001 (Series 01). The problem is that when I try to upgrade the Xbee's firmware while the module is connected to the shield it would result in a lost communication error. I first plugged the Arduino Uno alone and uploaded an empty sketch (void setup() { } void loop() { }). Then I unplugged the Arduino from the computer and connected the Xbee module to the shield, connected the shield to the Arduino Uno, flipped the switch to the USB position, and last but not least connected the Arduino Uno to my USB port. To configure the Xbee I am using the X-CTU application. This program detects the Xbee, tells me the Xbee's information when I click on Test/Query, and lets me make any changes I want and write to the Xbee, but the only problem is that it would not let me upgrade the Xbee's firmware when it is connected to the Wireless shield. I have successfully upgraded the Xbee's firmware by using the Adafruit adapter but I am curious of why it would not let me upgrade it when connected to this official Arduino wireless shield. Is this behavior normal or is it something messed up in my hardware? Please help me Arduino forums, your my only hope! 
Thanks guys!
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Bump Please I need an answer guys! Thanks 
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You know, after 5 days of bumping, you'd think that maybe you'd get the hint that no one knows the answer to you problem.
Well... I know most people won't know the answer to this question, but that's why I'm bumping, because when someone that knows get into these forums, they will see this topic and give their opinion. I am also waiting to see if any of the Arduino's staff sees this topic. I think there should be an accurate answer to this problem just in case someone has the same issue in the future. Also I need to know if this problem is normal because if is not, I would return this product to the supplier and get a perfectly working shield. Thanks for commenting anyways!
Have you tried to take the whole microcontroller out (unconnect the Atmega from the board) while talking to the Xbee?
Hey man! Sorry for the delay, I was very busy with school work :S Well I tried just now taking the whole AtMega328P out and connecting the xbee to the computer using the Arduino Wireless SD Shield in both USB and Micro modes with no success. The same error occurs on X-CTU:
Getting modem type....OK
Programming modem...Lost communication with modem
Write Parameters...Failed
All I want to know if this is normal or if something is broken in the Arduino Wireless SD Shield. I need to know because if something is broken I need to return is ASAP to the distributor. Thank you very much for your help!
Hi, I've newer tried to upgrade the firmware using my arduino xbee shield (I think I have the same shield as you).
I'll try it with mine as soon as I have time. Maybe the usb-to-uart-bridge (Atmega8, if you have an UNO) or -drivers doesn't work for upgrading the firmware.
Awesome! Let me know when you try changing your Xbee's firmware. The shield I have is the following one: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoWirelessShield. Thank you very much!!
The problem is that XBee and arduino are sharing HardwareSerial (pins 0 and 1). As HardwareSerial is used by Arduino to be programmed through USB interface you will get the same problem if you try to upload new firmware to Arduino, try it.
I have been working with XBee using SoftwareSerial (for instance pins 2 and 3) and it works good in AT mode. API mode is good if you need to share HardwareSerial, for ignoring messages you drop to Serial (i.e. debugging message). XBee will ignore anything is not a well-formed API UART frame (7E 00 .... XX).
Despite of this, I was looking for a solution to multiplex XBee and Arduino. I'm working in a project I need to share HardwareSerial, but I want to upload firmware without plugout XBee. Anyone have a clue??
The shield I have is the following one: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoWirelessShield
Yes I have exactly the same one, it's awsome.
I found out the problem:
According to the datasheet: for upgrading, the Xbee needs the RTS and DTR pins connected too.
• Minimum connections: VCC, GND, DOUT & DIN
• Minimum connections for updating firmware: VCC, GND, DIN, DOUT, RTS & DTR
Unfortunatelly the Arduino Shield doesn't support these pins. If you want you could use them from your FTDI chip, the same way as your Adafruit adapter does it.
So I think your shield does work properly, it's only not designed for upgrading firmware, use your adafruit adapter instead. Good luck
There are other XBee shields that do support xctu like this one http://www.seeedstudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=XBee®_Shield.