Have I damaged my XBEEPRO S2B modules? Unable to add them again to XCTU v6.1.1.

Question

Hello.

I was just able to separately detect two of XBP24BZ7 one-by-one on XCTU-v6.1.1 and then when I used two USB cables, I was able to detect only one radio module. FYI, I am using USB explorers from sparkfun both of which give characters back on loopback (DOUT <--> DIN) as I checked on HyperTerminal.

Both modules were ZigBee Router AT when I had detected them independently. I have bought them from Nex-Robotics, Navi Mumbai. They arrived this Monday only.

But now, both of them don't get detected. XCTU always asks to do reset and wait for 10 seconds. I tried all methods of recovery and resetting like removing slowly the module from adapter and insert back with RESET connected to GND; I used either both simultaneously or one of these techniques for resetting. Today I started trying with a bread board instead of a loose wire for reset. I don't have a push button for now.

If you could guide me as to how to proceed, it would be great.

Have I damaged my modules? If they have gone to API mode, there is no API mode checkbox in configuration window of latest XCTU. If they are sleeping, I read that only end-devices they can sleep, but they are routers as I had seen yesterday.

Kindly help.

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Shubham Jain

Answer 1

Did you try changing the firmware on the radio? Did you connect them to a 5V connection?

Comments

Hello mvut,

As I said in my question, I tried recovery (i.e. changing firmware), but it asked to reset. I never got success in updating firmware.

I am using one USB explorer regulated and one other USB explorer i.e. both sources are 5V connection(s).

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Shubham Jain

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Hello mvut,

Today, we tried connecting a transceiver's DOUT to RS232 (DB9)'s Rx and transceiver's DIN to DB9's Tx. With both transceivers separately, we got some garbage data back on sending +++ through Bray Terminal.

But OK did not come.
Both were routers when I had detected them to XCTU two days back.

Then both transceivers are working but then are they in API mode? How to configure the problem of resetting them again and again for adding the radio module to XCTU and updating the firmware?

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Shubham Jain

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Shubhan, you can't connect the Tx and Rx lines direct to an RS232 port.  The XBee modules are only 3V devices and you will damage the module if you connect them directly to an RS232 port.  Try using one of Digi's XBIB interface boards and follow the steps outlined at http://www.digi.com/support/kbase/kbaseresultdetl?id=3402. If you have not damaged the modules, you should be able to recover them,

Answer 2

hi,

are you sure you did not set your routers as end devices and played around with the sleep time.

What you can try:
Connect your radios with a FTDI cable and open XCTU, then connect GRND with DIO (commissioning button) --> this will wake your radio for 30 seconds. Then click "read" in XCTU and change sleep settings (back to zero if you want to act them as routers only). If they fell asleep in the meantime, reconnect GRND and DIO1 again ...

succes

Comments

Hi,

There is no "read" button in XCTU 6.1.1. It has add and discover both of which cannot detect my radio module although they find the COM port. Could you please tell the procedure as per this latest version.

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Shubham Jain

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Hello,

On a terminal program, I found that CTS is coming always green. It is not blinking but coming green always. All other control signals are black.

Is this any clue to what has happened? CTS blinking would have meant sleep mode, but if this is not the case, then what has happened?

Using multimeter, I got the following on various pins of Sparkfun explorer with XBEE PRO S2B on it.
DOUT 3.3V
DIN 3.3V
DIO12 3.3V
RST 3.3V
RSSI 0V
DIO11 3.3V
RES 0V
DTR 3.3V

DIO4 3.3V
CTS 0V
DIO9 3.3V
RES 0V
DIO5 3.3V
RTS 3.3V
DIO3 3.3V
DIO2 3.3V
DIO1 3.3V
DIO0 3.3V

Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Shubham Jain