XBee ZB Pro Upgrade Pin Sleep Trick

While developing the XBee-API 0.5 release, I upgraded my series 2 (ZNet 2.5) radios to ZB (ZigBee PRO) firmware by following the Digi conversion instructions

I was able to perform the firmware flash for both radios: "API coordinator (1941)" and "API End Device (2941)", but when I attempted to read the End Device using X-CTU, I got the following error:

"Failed to enter command mode
Unable to read Version (ATVR)
Read parameters.. Failed."

After a few more attempts, the read succeeded but when I clicked "write" to save my configuration I got a similar error:

"Getting modem type....OK
Programming modem...Lost communication with modem
Write Parameters...Failed"

Woe ensues. As it turns out, the default sleep option for "API End Device (2941)" firmware is SM=4 (Cyclic Sleep); the errors occur because the radio is periodically going to sleep and waking up. Unfortunately SM=0 (No Sleep) isn't even supported in this firmware, but there is a solution. To simulate No Sleep, configure the radio to SM=1 (Pin Hibernate), and then connect Pin Sleep (pin 9) to Ground (pin 10). Credit goes to Hans (XBee-API user) for this idea.

Now to program the radio we still have to fix the sleep issue. To do this we can use the Reset pin (pin 5). The Reset is activated by connecting the Reset pin to Ground (pin 10), and then disconnecting. If you have a toggle switch handy you'll want to wire this to pin 5 and pin 10. (Remember if you are using, XBee Explorer USB, there are two extra pins (GND and 5V), as shown in the diagram)



Now toggle the switch on/off just before performing the X-CTU action (e.g. read/write). Once you have configured the radio to Pin Hibernate mode and grounded pin 9, the radio won't go to sleep and you won't need to use the Reset pin anymore.

XBee Communication over Google Talk

I had been kicking this idea around since early last year but progress was slow until recently. So what happens when we have stretches of frigid, bleak weather? I end up coding, a lot. The end result is XBee-XMPP, which I released a few weeks ago on Google Code.



This project builds on XBee-API and provides a solution to talk to your XBee network from anywhere on the internet, using XMPP.

Now you can sit back in your favorite chair or couch and write code to communicate with your XBee radios, without cables, and/or breadboards dangling off your notebook. You can even share your XBee network with your friends. It doesn't even matter if your application is behind a firewall (e.g school/work/home), because as long as you can reach the XMPP server (Google Talk or Openfire), you can talk to the XBee network. With this solution, your XBee applications run in separate processes, so they can stopped, started, upgraded etc, all without affecting your other applications.

This project uses Smack for XMMP communication. Initially I'm supporting Openfire and Google Talk, but any XMPP service should be possible. Google Talk is recommended for getting up and running quickly because you don't need to setup a server; you just need two Google Talk accounts.