xbee set up on XCTU and python API

Question

Hello reader

I have few questions to which I can not seem to find answers in the forum or in other sources - it may just be that my google-fu is not up to par.

first question:

I am setting up 2 xbee s2c modules (later I will add more of them to my network).
I want to set up the two I have right now as coordinator and router. That can easily be done using the XCTU software. No issues here.

But when I am considering the fact that I will add later end points, I can not set it up using XCTU. So when I use the ZIGBEE TH Reg function set. I can set up router and coordinators but no endpoints

When I select the 802.15.4 TH function set I can set up coordinator and end point but no router.

I am doing something wrong?


second question:

If I set up routers using the Zigbee th reg function set will it be able to communicate with end point set up with the 802.15.4 th function set? The same goes for the coordinator i guess.


third question:

In the python API documentation while using the zigbee th reg digi recommends that we use coordinator and router for setting it up, what about end point? Is it correctly understood that digi recommends to make a network without end points?

thanks for answering

Answer 1

802.15.4 is a Peer to peer, point to point, point to multi-point network. You need to use the Zigbee Mesh firmware for Routers.

To set a sleeping end device on Zigbee, simply use the router function set and enable sleep (SM).

No, 802.15.4 will not communicate with the upper Zigbee protocol.

Not at all. You just need to understand that End devices are generally low powered and sleeping. This makes it a little more difficult when developing a product as you need to keep track of the CTS lines on the module and know when it is awake.

Comments

thank you for the answer.

So just to clear my confusion.

If I use the Zigbee stack I set all my devices as Coordinator and Routers, then for those that I want to act as end point I enable sleep mode. Then then track.

If I want to make a Coordinator to multi end points - for example in a smart house I can do it with 802.15.4 since I have one point to multi points in a network.

Answer 2

Interesting answers.