Xbee Problems

For other supported Arduino products from Adafruit: Shields, accessories, etc.

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
User avatar
chrisantle
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:20 pm

Xbee Problems

Post by chrisantle »

Hello, I was hoping to get some help with some Xbees I got, as well as adafruit adapters.

From the start, I got the xbee to do very basic communication out of the box, just to see if they worked, and that the adapters worked. They did, and so next I downloaded X-CTU to configure them with the FTDI cable. This is where things got ugly. I could not update the firmware no matter what I tried. When the reset dialogue box comes up, and I pull the adafruit reset pin to ground, nothing happens. I have tried each module and each adapter dozens of times. I was working on osx, so I went to a windows machine, same thing, except after plugging in one of the xbees to the windows machine, I no longer get the green LED on the adapter. It seems to be totally dead. I tested the adapter with the other xbee and it works fine.

from here, I researched the "bricked xbee" recovery methods, and tried them all, on both versions of the software, and no dice at all. Is it possible that this module just dropped the ball and is gone? Also, and ideas on the adapter reset pin not responding? I realize this is alot of issues and trying to fix multiple at a time is not the way to trouble shoot, but I am just out of ideas and a bit frustrated.

Thanks!
Chris

User avatar
chrisantle
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:20 pm

Re: Xbee Problems

Post by chrisantle »

Also, xbees are series 1 60 mW. All products purchased from adafruit.

User avatar
Franklin97355
 
Posts: 23910
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm

Re: Xbee Problems

Post by Franklin97355 »

Could you post clear pictures of your board and the connections to it?
Do you have another USB cable you could try?

User avatar
chrisantle
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:20 pm

Re: Xbee Problems

Post by chrisantle »

I would happy to post a picture when I get back home tomorrow night.

I don't have another FTDI cable, but I could try to track one down. I just thought it was odd because the cable and both adapters seemed to be working as expected. I am using the pins "underneath" the module on a breadboard instead of the ones on the end to reset it, just because my FTDI cable doesn't have a reset line hardwired to it.

Thanks for the help.

User avatar
duckie
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:35 am

Re: Xbee Problems

Post by duckie »

How are you providing power to the xbee adapters? If it is from the FTDI/USB you may have problems with the 60mW modules. Typically they will behave in a manner you describe. Try providing adequate power to the xbee adapter, not from the FTDI, and try programming using XCTU. If this still does not work, do the bricked xbee reset you referred to earlier. I too had this kind of problem until I used a higher current power source. The 60mW units draw quite a bit of power.
Duckie

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Other Arduino products from Adafruit”