Tutorial: Arduino and XBee Communication --D.

Thiebaut 17:47, 9 April 2012 (EDT)

This page shows how to quickly test the connection and good operating conditions of two XBee modules.

Contents [hide]

1 Setup 2 Testing XBees on the Windows PC 3 Testing Arduino 4 Connection of Arduino to XBee

o o

4.1 Hardware 4.2 Software

5 It works! 6 Communication with a Mac running OSX

Setup The setup is simple: Windows PC <---USB-cable---> Xbee (receiver) <--wireless--> XBee (Xmitter) <---> Arduino

Instead of a pure Windows machine, we're using a MacPro running Windows in Parallels.
This is our Windows machine.

Windows is connected to an XBee via a USB cable. Windows run the X-CTU software that interacts with the XBee. This XBee is in receiving
mode.

An Arduino is connected to the MacPro. The Arduino is connected via 4 wires to another
XBee module. This XBee module works in transmit mode.

 The Arduino sends a character of the alphabet to the XBee every second. First 'A', then 'B',
all the way to 'Z', then 'A' again,ad infinitum. Testing XBees on the Windows PC 150px

Note: The 2 XBee modules are purchased from ADAFruit.com Testing steps:
Downloaded X-CTU software from ladyada.net X-CTU upgraded itself once started Followed the directions from the configure page at ladyada.net

Module #1:(marked with "1" in silver marker on square near antenna)

Communication with modem. OK Modem type = XB24 Modem firmware version = 10EC

Serial Number = 13A2004078E552

Following steps from the configure page, reset the baud rate to 19200, and upgraded to most recent firmware.

Module #2:(marked with "2" in silver marker on square near antenna)

Communication with modem. OK Modem type = XB24 Modem firmware version = 10EC

Serial Number = 13A2004078E642

Following steps from the configure page, reset the baud rate to 19200, and upgraded Module 2 to most recent firmware.

Testing Arduino

Install Arduino IDE on 2nd computer (a MacPro) Launch Arduino app IDE Connect Arduino board to MacPro via USB cable. Use the Tools menu to set the model to Diecimila and the USB port to the appropriate
port.

To test normal operation, open the Blink program from the examples (available via
the File menu): /* Blink Turns on an LED on for one second, then off for one second, repeatedly. This example code is in the public domain. */ void setup() { // initialize the digital pin as an output. // Pin 13 has an LED connected on most Arduino boards: pinMode(13, OUTPUT); } void loop() { digitalWrite(13, HIGH); delay(1000); digitalWrite(13, LOW); delay(1000); } // set the LED on // wait for a second // set the LED off // wait for a second

Upload to Arduino Verify that the LED blinks.

Connection of Arduino to XBee Hardware

Very simple connections from Arduino to XBee with 4 wires:

Arduino <---> XBee +5V <---> +5V

GND

<---> GND

Digital Pin 2 <---> TxD Digital Pin 3 <---> RxD Software

Use the Arduino SoftwareSerial page on the SoftwareSerial library. Great reference for
figuring out how Arduino can talk to XBee via a serial port.

Created Arduino program in IDE:

/* Xbee1 D. Thiebaut Makes Arduino send 1 character via XBee wireless to another XBee connected to a computer via a USB cable. The circuit: * RX is digital pin 2 (connect to TX of XBee) * TX is digital pin 3 (connect to RX of XBee) Based on a sketch created back in the mists of time by Tom Igoe itself based on Mikal Hart's example */ #include <SoftwareSerial.h> SoftwareSerial xbee(2, 3); // RX, TX char c = 'A'; int pingPong = 1; {

void setup()

Serial.begin(57600); Serial.println( "Arduino started sending bytes via XBee" ); // set the data rate for the SoftwareSerial port xbee.begin( 19200 ); } void loop() {

// send character via XBee to other XBee connected to Mac // via USB cable xbee.print( c );

//--- display the character just sent on console --Serial.println( c ); //--- get the next letter in the alphabet, and reset to --//--- 'A' once we have reached 'Z'. c = c + 1; if ( c>'Z' ) c = 'A'; //--- switch LED on Arduino board every character sent--if ( pingPong == 0 ) digitalWrite(13, LOW); else digitalWrite(13, HIGH); pingPong = 1 - pingPong; delay( 1000 ); }

Compiled program. Uploaded program to Arduino. In Windows use X-CTU software and click on Terminal Tab to monitor data received
wirelessly from Arduino.

 On Arduino side, in IDE, uses Tools menu and opened the console window to see Arduino
print characters as they are sent:

It works!

Observe video. Notice the characters of the alphabet appearing once a second in both
windows. One is the console, attached to the transmitting Arduino, the other one is the Terminal window of the X-CTU software on the Windows side, receiving the characters sent wirelessly.

Communication with a Mac running OSX If you want to connect the receiving XBee to a Mac instead of a Windows PC, use Ashley Hughes solution, and read the characters sent by the XBee on the Mac Terminal.

Connect the XBee via the USB cable to the Mac Open the Terminal application Enter the following command:
ls /dev/tty.*

and note the different USB devices listed (of the form /dev/tty.usbserial-######).

Pick one of the devices and try this:

screen /dev/tty.usbserial-##### 19200

If you're lucky, you'll start seeing characters of the alphabet appear on the screen of the Terminal window, one a second, going through the whole alphabet.

For more information on how to use the screen command to established a serial connection to a USB device, check out thispage.