Terrible range and throughput on XBee900HP

Question

I'm seeing terrible throughput and range in XBee900HP running latest DM firmware.
Test scenario:
-Connected Data-Alliance 900MHz 7dbi antennas
-Reset firmware to default
-changed ID to match between test devices
-Set AP mode to 1
-XCTU serial connection to one of the devices and discovered the other device
-ran a throughput test using default settings and got a 5.85Kbps (?!?!)I also tried this with the wire antenna XBee modules (Where's the advertised 200Kbps)
-mounted one of the device antennas on a 16th floor balcony
-took the second device using the same antenna mobile with antenna mounted on the car roof(antenna is a magnetic mount)
-ran the XCTU range test utility using default values in loop mode.
-packet loss was very small up to 300M then fell off. After 500M packet loss was almost 100%
-There is visual line-of-sight to the 300M and one building in the way for the 500M test spot.going further up the road to a point for visual line of sight past the building still results in 100% packet loss.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Softwmyth,

I think you have a confusion of the fixed RF data rate (200kbps) and the supported throughput listed in the manual. https://www.digi.com/resources/documentation/Digidocs/90002173/#reference/r_dm_throughput.htm?Highlight=throughput

As for the range, You are using Non LOS conditions. Building and other obstructions will have an impact. Actually you are getting about what I would expect for Non LOS conditions.

Comments

Thanks for the response. I'm not confused... I was expecting a lot more than 5.85Kbps (@9600) or 7.47Kbps (@115200)... The link you posted indicates I should be getting 16 to 91 Kbps throughput depending on hops and encryption. My testing is no encryption and no additional hops. The antennas are 10' apart for the throughput tests. I'm certainly not expecting ~90Kbps but also not 7.5Kbps. I

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Make sure you have the PL set to the lowest rate, you have CO set to 40 (Point to point), set the DL and DH to the other nodes SL and SH. Set RR and MT to 0. Set NH and BH to 1.

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I set as indicated except the CO... I don't see that parameter. Test results were choppy with no retries and averaged ~8.41Kbps ...

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Sorry that was TO and not CO.

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Well THAT was a BIG improvement! averaging 32Kbps... unfortunately we are out of the mesh environment though... so most of the difference then is Digimesh overhead... This is great information, thank you!