Getting XStick ZB to communicate with XBee ZB RS-485 Adapter

Spit1A

Hello,

I have never worked with XBee devices before and am a little lost. I was hoping to get some guidance if possible.

I have an XStick ZB and a XBee ZB RS-485 adapter. What we would like to happen is to have the adapter send the strain gague output to the XStick where it can be recorded by the computer. The XStick is plugged into a Windows XP pro laptop.

I have installed the XStick drivers and I believe the XStick is working ok since
when I click the 'Test/Query' button in X-CTU it says communication with the modem is OK. The modem type is XB24-ZB.

I'm unsure as to the next steps required to get the XStick to talk to the XBee RS-485 adapter.

In X-CTU, when I read in the modem configuration, the Function Set selected is 'ZIGBEE ROUTER AT'. Does this need to be changed to a Coordinator?

Thanks very much.

Tim

Tracy Allen

Yes, flash it as coordinator using X-CTU. The coordinator assigns the network addresses to the routers and endpoints, and it can also choose a clear channel and other parameters. Best start off with the factory defaults on both ends.

You might be able to send data directly router to router, without a coordinator, by using the MAC addresses explicitly, but that may still require that the network be initialized by a coordinator.

Spit1A

Hi Tracy,

Thanks very much for the quick reply!

When I select the 'ZIGBEE COORDINATOR AT' function set and click the 'Write' button, the write fails. I get a message saying that X-CTU has lost connection with the modem.

Do you know what might be causing this? Does the 'Always Update Firmware' option have to be selected?

Thanks

Tim

Tracy Allen

It shouldn't be necessary to check the "always update firmware" box. If it was not already a coordinator, it will download the firmware anyway. It's a good idea to have the latest. If you have not already done so, click the button to "download new versions..." and also click to "restore defaults".

I don't know why it would lose connection. I've only used the 802.15.4 xStick. Try it again? Tech support at Digi can be good if you call them.

Spit1A

Hi,

I tried to write the 'zigbee coordinator at' function set again and it worked this time...

So now i have set the destination addresses on the xstick to the rs-485 and they seem to be connected. ATND responds with the RS-485 information.

Now I'm not sure how to get data from the RS-485 to Xstick. I have set DIO7 to RS-485 enable high. Are there other settings I need to be setting?

Tracy Allen

If the strain gage kicks out data autonomously, then it should simply appear in the X-CTU screen. Do you have to send commands to the strain gage to make it do its thing? I'm not familiar with the RS-485 XStick, but does it implement auto-direction? What is DIO7 supposed to do?

Spit1A

Hi,

The strain gauge comes with software to talk to the strain gauge through a com port, which in this case is the XStick.
I think DIO7 controls the serial data flow. We are using the RS-485 adapter so I figured I should set it to the RS-485 option.

I have also tried using the digi device discovery function in X-CTU and that doesn't find any digi devices...

The RS-485 adapter seems to be responding to the XStick, but it doesn't seem to be able to talk to the strain gauge module. I'm pretty sure the strain gauge module is set up correctly and is working.

I have sent my questions to Digi online support and am waiting a reply.

Thanks for your help so far!

Spit1A

Just to update if it might help others.

Communication with the strain gauge module is working now. We ended up reducing the USB transfer size from 512 bytes to 64 bytes in the com port advanced settings.