Basic Xbee PRO S2B Communication ?

Question

I have 2 XBee PRO S2B's (pn XBP24BZ7SITB 003 rev F) hooked up to a Windows box via a Fundunio Xbee USB adaptor.When in XTCU I can see them, program them, and set them up to do a successful chat. Now I set them up as Coordinator API and Router API with D4-Digital input and IO Sampling rate set to 1sec (3E8). If I have console open the data comes in every second as expected, I can send packets back and forth, and the Rx light on the adapter board flashes every second.

When console is closed and the units are powered up with the RSSI lights showing connection shouldn't they be talking and blinking the Rx light weather or not the console is open? The only time I get the Rx light to blink is when Console is open. I also do not get any data to my Ardunio.

If someone could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

Answer 1

What's a Windows box? Windows PC?
Of course you can use the modules to talk to your Arduino without XCTU. There are many published solutions and examples - Faludi (Building Wireless Sensor Networks is a nice introduction)
It helps to use the Association pin (15 I think) with an LED to see that communication is established.
Don't forget to use TX (data out) on the XBee and RX on the Arduino.
I sometimes use a CMOS logic chip (4049) between the XBee and Arduino - this gives you extra outputs so you can use XCTU and Arduino at the same time. A scope with serial decoding helps as well.
It will work eventually but you just need to go through step by step carefully

Answer 2

Thank you for your response. I have determined through Digi documentation that the models I have are programmable. While trying to follow examples in Faludi's book is this going to have a major impact on my results? For someone that is just starting out should I get some non programmable versions to simplify things and then progress to programmable?