problem with Arduino XBee Shield

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) General Frequently-Asked Questions
1

I have problem with my lately-arrived Arduino XBee Shields (v1.1). Attaching each of my two XBee Shields (v1.1) to an Arduino Diecimila board, I failed to run the 'Simple Example' retrieved from the following URL: http://www.arduino.cc/en/Guide/ArduinoXbeeShield

Basically what I did is as follows:

  1. The 'Simple Example' claims "You should be able to get two Arduino boards with Xbee shields talking to each other without any configuration", so I leave the Xbee shields unconfigured;

  2. I followed the instructions by uploading Communication | Physical Pixel sketch via COM3 to the 1st board, and it works;

int outputPin = 13;
int val;

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(outputPin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop()
{
  if (Serial.available()) {
    val = Serial.read();
    if (val == 'H') {
      digitalWrite(outputPin, HIGH);
    } 
    if (val == 'L') {
      digitalWrite(outputPin, LOW);
    }
  }
}

and after finishing uploading I switch the jumpers of the 1st XBee shield from USB to Xbee setting.

  1. I switched to COM4 to upload the following code provided in the 'Simple Example' to the 2nd board:
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  Serial.print('H');
  delay(1000);
  Serial.print('L');
  delay(1000);
}

It also works with the 2nd board.

  1. Finally I also switched the jumpers of the 2nd XBee shield from USB to Xbee setting. But that "you should see the LED on the first board turn on and off, once a second" never happens.

Has anyone tried the same sample, and encountered similar problem with me? Any hint on what my problem might be, such as that I did not follow the step in the 'Simple Example' strictly, or that I should have configured the XBee shield before attaching it to the board?

Any help is much appreciated.

2

I refer to the parameter configuration information under the subtitle "configuration" in the webpage: http://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoXbeeShield

It declares that valid values of CH range from 0x0B - 0x1A. After loading the current configuration of my XBee (series 2) in my XBee shield using X-CTU program, I find out that my XBee's CH value is 0 (see the highlighted parameter in the picture below).


(For X-CTU, refer to http://itp.nyu.edu/~raf275/meshnetworking/XBee/XBee_firmware_upgrade.html)

What's worse, I could not change my CH value, as those para. in green are changeable, whilst those in black are not, and CH was in black before I highlighted it.

Shall I consider my XBee's CH value out of the valid range, and if yes, how should I deal with it? Thanks.

3

I have the exact same problem.

4

To rlh:
I learnt from XBee ZB datasheet that we have to configure a ZB module as Coordinator in order to establish a network (and other modules can join in as router/end device hereafter). You may try this: choose a function set e.g. ZIGBEE COORDINATOR DEVICE AT and use the 'Write' button to load the function set to one of your modules. Refer to the datasheet http://ftp1.digi.com/support/documentation/90000976_a.pdf if you have any prob.

5

Look at this page also to see how to configure two Xbees to talk to each other:

http://itp.nyu.edu/~raf275/meshnetworking/XBee/XBee_program_Arduino_wireless.html

And by all means buy the Tom Igoe book, Making Things Talk. Very clear instructions on configuring Xbees.

6

The above URL was truncated. Should end in .html

7

Thanks, Dave.