Configuring Xbee using X-CTU software - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 05:18:39 am
content: I have a couple of Xbee modules (XB24-Z7PIT-004 bought from Digikey) that I have started to experiment with. Has anyone used the Digi X-CTU software with these?When I connect the module the X-CTU software fails to recognise that model Xbee. Using a terminal program with the module works fine and I can use AT commands on it.I have read that there are additional files you can download for X-CTU to update it to work with newer modules. Buggered if I can find them however! Any pointers?

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 06:19:54 am
content: From memory when you plug it into the development board (the one I had anyway) and power up you should get a red led light up. I found if this was the case I could always get it working. If I just got the yellow or green leds I had to move to advanced trickery.I assume the XBee is fine, as you can talk to it.Make sure you have the latest XCTU not just one that came on a disk. The latest one I used improved things a lot.Have you checked the tick box use AT commands on the first tab. Try with and without it checked.I found if you have the baud rate and this check box set correctly then it should read the model number. If either of these is wrong it wont talk at all.Obviously check the com port is correct too.there shouldn't be anything else to do.There are a few debricking procedures around and I have recovered a few XBee Pro series 2 using this. The debricking procedure where you catch it at the bootloader should work if the hardware is fine.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 06:39:16 am
content: The version of X-CTU is 5.2.8.6 with a build date of 15/10/2012. I downloaded it from the Digi web site. Installed on a Win7-64-Pro machine.I can give the module AT commands and the X-CTU software can see it, but X-CTU just doesn't seem to know about this model.It also reads the serial number with no problems.I'll take it home and try on a WinXP-32 machine to see if that makes any difference.

author: markbee
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 07:28:03 am
content: Did you try to "Download new versions" from the modem Configuration tab in X-CTU? This will add all new firmware versions from the digi webserver.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 07:44:31 am
content: Quote from: markbee on March 27, 2013, 07:28:03 amUnfortunately the X-CTU software is not proxy server friendly, so that fails.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 11:32:03 am
content: That is probably the latest version of software. The ones older than that were the problem.But if it reads the serial number it should be ok.What happens if you go onto the rightmost tab and read the firmware from the XBee? It should give you a hardware type for your embedded firmware. I would guess this should be correct unless you have changed it.XB24-Z7PIT-004 is apparently S2 model hardware and should probably be using firmware called something like XB24-Z7P or XB24-Z7, if you read the firmware the dropdown box should populate with this type.I must admit the XBee numbering conventions are a bit too hard for me to follow, so I generally took a bit of a guess.From memory the series 1 and the series 2 had different chip sets and are totally incompatible.The newer files are probably just the XCTU updating its firmware versions.I did it on win7 64 bit.I often used a Rs232 dev board instead of the USB dev board and visa versa. This was an idiotic work around that I just had to live with.The red led was critical before I could get any sense out of it.What is the error?Are you using the dev board?Usb or Serial dev board?What leds light when you power up?

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 11:45:57 am
content: I'm using an FT232RL based adapter board. The only LED I can see is a red one on the adapter board.Screenshots of the messages:

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 12:10:40 pm
content: QuoteYour version says it is 22A0, the A being more recent than I have used, you could try rolling back to 228? or getting around the proxy to get the 22A0 version.IIRC I last used 238? and 218?Also I only ever used the Dev boards for configuring and updating firmware, and they were troublesome enough.Good luck

author: markbee
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 12:16:27 pm
content: Looks like a Series 2 configured as a Router AT. The newest firmware is 22A7, the one before 22A0. You should download the firmware files or you might not get the XBee programmed with another firmware.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 12:33:56 pm
content: Fired up a laptop with 3G stick. About 15 mins later I have all of the updates done and it recognises the Xbee - phew! I will have a go at copying all the update files to the other Windows boxes.Having only started with Xbee today, I have no idea why there are so many versions. I always thought they were a simple device. All this talk of firmware, etc.Now comes the fun part of working out how to set up a "master" device and several slave devices. I think I need one coordinator node and the rest set as end devices?What I'd like to do is have a PC talk via the master and broadcast commands to the slaves. Each Xbee enabled (formerly RS485) slave has it's own address so I'm hoping the links will all be transparent and that part will work without code changes.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 12:51:27 pm
content: Glad you got that sorted.Yes one master and the rest end points or routers.Routers can pass messages on to other devices, if 2 devices cant contact each other directly. So routers can extend the range of the mesh. Each hop cuts the bandwith by about 2.End points will only talk to a router or master and want pass messages on. As such endpoints can sleep without affecting the mesh to save power.Your master doesn't have to be the one connected to the PC either, it just administrates the mesh.Also if you have range or S/N issues then take the acknowledges off the non critical messages. These can tie a weak network in knots.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 12:56:25 pm
content: Sorry I missed your question. I have only used them really in API mode, but this would require code changes.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 08:58:34 pm
content: Thanks for the reply. I'll have a fiddle around with the 2 modules I have a see if I can graft one onto an existing product for testing.

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2013, 10:40:35 pm
content: I copied the /update folder (~ 1000 files) from the machine that I did get the web update to work on and replaced the folder (~ 500 files) on the machine that couldn't receive the updates.Happy to report that X-CTU on that machine now recognises the Xbee modules I have.So, it appears you can copy them from one installation to another without having to install them as such.

author: richcj10
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 28, 2013, 04:54:00 am
content: I was going to use this device in one of my products I was working on but turns out that this device doesn't support I/O line passing, otherwise a great device.Bummer. I knew your problem right when I saw it. You needed to update x-CTU. Stupid right?Rick

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 28, 2013, 05:14:51 am
content: Quote from: richcj10 on March 28, 2013, 04:54:00 amYeah, was annoying that the latest download only has some of the files you need !