davefish55
New Member
Is Rev-Ed going to support the new XBee ZNet 2.5 (formerly Series 2) modules? Apparently they allow mesh networking.
Thanks.
Thanks.
New XBee Support ?
- Thread starter davefish55
- Start date
hippy
Ex-Staff (retired)
PICAXE should work with XBee ZNet 2.5 though it wasn't clear to me from the manual whether the Programming Editor XBee Connect Wizard will allow them to be configured as required. Even if not, they will be configurable via Digi's / Maxstream's X-CTU and once configured should be usable just like XBee Series 1 as best I can tell.
The web site and user manual claim "No configuration necessary for out-of box RF communications" although that reads contrary to other parts of the user manual, so perhaps the Wizard will work even if not all options will be available.
I'd currently recommend people stick with XBee Series 1 for most projects a PICAXE is used with, but/and ...
Note: Products based on XBee ZNet 2.5 (formerly Series 2) modules do not communicate with products based on XBee 802.15.4 (formerly Series 1) modules.
Ho Hum. So much for across the board ZigBee "standardisation" and compatibility people were expecting.
Will that mean the obsoleting and discontinued production of Series 1 in the future ? If it does I imagine the XBee Wizard will have to be updated.
I doubt there's much more which can be said on using XBee ZNet 2.5 with PICAXE until someone has that experience under their belt. How complex or not configuration turns out to be is only going to be known when someone has had to do it. Hopefully that will also deliver simple instructions for others to follow.
According to the user manual and other press releases, XBee ZNet 2.5 hasn't had FCC etc approval yet so they may be hard to obtain except direct from Digi/Maxstream.
The web site and user manual claim "No configuration necessary for out-of box RF communications" although that reads contrary to other parts of the user manual, so perhaps the Wizard will work even if not all options will be available.
I'd currently recommend people stick with XBee Series 1 for most projects a PICAXE is used with, but/and ...
Note: Products based on XBee ZNet 2.5 (formerly Series 2) modules do not communicate with products based on XBee 802.15.4 (formerly Series 1) modules.
Ho Hum. So much for across the board ZigBee "standardisation" and compatibility people were expecting.
Will that mean the obsoleting and discontinued production of Series 1 in the future ? If it does I imagine the XBee Wizard will have to be updated.
I doubt there's much more which can be said on using XBee ZNet 2.5 with PICAXE until someone has that experience under their belt. How complex or not configuration turns out to be is only going to be known when someone has had to do it. Hopefully that will also deliver simple instructions for others to follow.
According to the user manual and other press releases, XBee ZNet 2.5 hasn't had FCC etc approval yet so they may be hard to obtain except direct from Digi/Maxstream.
Hi,
I'm led to believe pin outs are similar, as they can be programmed using hyper terminal even if the editor doenst yet support it, you only need a few settings to get them to work so firing AT commands at them will soon sort that. I'll be trying these shortly (1-2 months), I'll let everyone know how I get on. Is there any need for meshing in your intended purpose? It is possible to acheieve something similar with the "old" type. and if youv'e only a need for a few theres no real need unless to navigate around things by using meshing to extend distance. Using a couple of PRO's at 100mw might be the preverbial sledge hammer to crack that nut, I'm finding the 1mw devices have very limited range in a "normal" environment (11 & 54Mb wireless, X10 and other 433Mhz stuff in ours) but would be fine around a "typical" house. Using the UFL ones with directional anntennas would be the other option if range is the issue.
Cheers
Miles
________
buy vaporizer
I'm led to believe pin outs are similar, as they can be programmed using hyper terminal even if the editor doenst yet support it, you only need a few settings to get them to work so firing AT commands at them will soon sort that. I'll be trying these shortly (1-2 months), I'll let everyone know how I get on. Is there any need for meshing in your intended purpose? It is possible to acheieve something similar with the "old" type. and if youv'e only a need for a few theres no real need unless to navigate around things by using meshing to extend distance. Using a couple of PRO's at 100mw might be the preverbial sledge hammer to crack that nut, I'm finding the 1mw devices have very limited range in a "normal" environment (11 & 54Mb wireless, X10 and other 433Mhz stuff in ours) but would be fine around a "typical" house. Using the UFL ones with directional anntennas would be the other option if range is the issue.
Cheers
Miles
________
buy vaporizer
Last edited:
davefish55
New Member
Thanks for the input. My question was more theoretical vs. an immediate application. I am working with some other hardware that will be using the ZNet 2.5 modules. Our applications really benefit from having devices able to pass messages on - since distance between end devices and the coordinator can be significant. We've done some work with the old XBee and XBee pro modules and get LOS capability of around 900m with the pro. (with a small external antenna).
Eventually, I'd like to hack together an axe with a MAX6674 thermocouple to SPI and an XBee to get it on the network of these other devices. I have the axe XBee kit, which I had doing some basic stuff from the tutorial about a year ago -- then threw it in a box to await the fabled day I have time to get back at it ...
Eventually, I'd like to hack together an axe with a MAX6674 thermocouple to SPI and an XBee to get it on the network of these other devices. I have the axe XBee kit, which I had doing some basic stuff from the tutorial about a year ago -- then threw it in a box to await the fabled day I have time to get back at it ...