User Manual
User Guide
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 2
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide
90002002 v
Product documentation
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Trademarks and copyright
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countries worldwide. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
© 2016 Digi International. All rights reserved.
Disclaimers
Information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part
of Digi International. Digi provides this document “as is,” without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied,
including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of fitness or merchantability for a particular purpose. Digi may
make improvements and/or changes in this manual or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this
manual at any time.
Warranty
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Customer support
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product. For information on Technical Support plans and pricing, please contact us at 952.912.3456 or visit
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Revision Date Description
A-R Various Initial release and subsequent releases for various editorial updates and technical content updates
to keep current with product changes.
S May 2015 Update the SMT dimensions drawing. Added a section on deep sleep and sleep current
measurements. Updated the baud rates supported by the BD command. Updated the Brazil
ANATEL certification information.
T July 2015 Revised the Maximum RF payload size section. Frames 0x90 and 0x91 no longer report the 0x40
indicator - removed it.
U December 2015 Updated XBee-PRO Surface Mount agency approvals. Added missing Extended Modem Status
status code descriptions to the 0x98 frame. Added ANATEL labels.
V April 2016 Updated the firmware release notes section. Updated several hardware specifications with S2D
hardware information. Updated regulatory information. Revised the Programmable XBee SDK
section. Added the ED command. Updated the BD command. Added antennas for the S2D
hardware.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 4
Contents
Overview of the XBee ZigBee RF Module
Worldwide acceptance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Firmware release notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hardware specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Agency approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Serial communications specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
UART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
SPI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
GPIO specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Hardware specifications for the programmable variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Mechanical drawings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Pin signals for the surface mount module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Pin signals for the through-hole module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
EM357 pin mappings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Design notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Power supply design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Recommended pin connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Board layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Module operation for the programmable variant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Programmable XBee SDK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Module operation
Serial communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
UART data flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
SPI communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Serial buffers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
UART flow control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Break control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Serial interface protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Modes of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Idle Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Transmit Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Receive Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Command Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Sleep Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 5
ZigBee networks
Introduction to ZigBee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
ZigBee stack layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
ZigBee networking concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Device types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
PAN ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Operating channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
ZigBee application layers: in depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Application Support Sublayer (APS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Application profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
ZigBee Coordinator operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Forming a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Channel selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
PAN ID selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Security policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Persistent data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
XBee ZigBee Coordinator startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Permit joining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Resetting the Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Leaving a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Replacing a Coordinator (security disabled only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Example: starting a Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Example: replacing a Coordinator (security disabled) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
ZigBee Router operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Discovering ZigBee networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Joining a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Persistent data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
ZB Router joining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Permit joining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Joining always enabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Joining temporarily enabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Router network connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Leaving a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Network Locator option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Resetting the Router . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Example: joining a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
End Device operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Discovering ZigBee networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Joining a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Parent child relationship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
End Device capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Authentication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Persistent data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Orphan scans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
ZigBee End Device joining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Parent Connectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Resetting the End Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Leaving a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Example: joining a network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
ZigBee channel scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Managing multiple ZigBee networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
PAN ID filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 6
Pre-configured security keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Permit joining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Application messaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Transmission, addressing, and routing
Addressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
64-bit device addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
16-bit device addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Application layer addressing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Data transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Broadcast transmissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Unicast transmissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Binding transmissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Multicast transmissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Fragmentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Data transmission examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
RF packet routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Link status transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
AODV Mesh routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Many-to-One routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
High/Low RAM Concentrator mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Source routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Encrypted transmissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Maximum RF payload size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Throughput . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Latency timing specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
ZDO transmissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
ZDO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Sending a ZDO command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Receiving ZDO commands and responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Transmission timeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Unicast timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Extended timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Transmission examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
ZigBee Security
Security modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
ZigBee security model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Network layer security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Frame counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Message integrity code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Network layer encryption and decryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Network key updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
APS layer security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Message integrity code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
APS link keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
APS layer encryption and decryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Network and APS layer encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Trust center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Forming and joining a secure network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Implementing security on the XBee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Enabling security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 7
Setting the Network Security Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Setting the APS Trust Center Link Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Enabling APS encryption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Using a Trust Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
XBee security examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Example 1: forming a network with security (pre-configured link keys) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Example 2: forming a network with security (obtaining keys during joining) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Network commissioning and diagnostics
Device configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Device placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Link testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
RSSI indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Device discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Network discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
ZDO discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Joining Announce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Commissioning Pushbutton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Associate LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Binding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Group Table API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Managing End Devices
End Device operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Parent operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
End Device poll timeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Packet buffer usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Non-Parent device operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
XBee End Device configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Pin sleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Cyclic sleep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Recommended sleep current measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Transmitting RF data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Receiving RF data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
I/O sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Waking end devices with the Commissioning Pushbutton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Parent verification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Rejoining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
XBee Router/Coordinator configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
RF packet buffering timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Child poll timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Transmission timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Putting it all together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Short sleep periods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Extended sleep periods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Sleep examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Analog and digital I/O lines
XBee ZB through-hole RF module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
I/O configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 8
I/O sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Queried sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Periodic I/O sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Change detection sampling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
RSSI PWM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
I/O examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
PWM1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
API Operation
API frame specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
API examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
API serial port exchanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
AT commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Transmitting and receiving RF data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Remote AT commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Source routing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Supporting the API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
API frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
AT command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
AT command - Queue Parameter Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
ZigBee Transmit Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Remote AT Command Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Create Source Route . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
AT Command Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Modem Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
ZigBee Transmit Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
ZigBee Receive Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
ZigBee IO Data Sample Rx Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
XBee Sensor Read Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Node Identification Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Remote Command Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Extended Modem Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Over-the-Air firmware update status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Route Record Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Many-to-One Route Request Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Sending ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO) commands with the API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Sending ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) commands with the API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Sending Public Profile Commands with the API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Command reference tables
Addressing commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Networking commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Security commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
RF interfacing commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Serial interfacing (I/O) commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
I/O commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Diagnostics commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
AT command options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Sleep commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Execution commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 9
Module support
XCTU configuration tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Customizing XBee ZB firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Design considerations for Digi drop-in networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
XBee Bootloader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Programming XBee Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Serial firmware updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Invoke the XBee Bootloader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Send a firmware image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Writing custom firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Regulatory compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Enabling GPIO 1 and 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Detecting XBee versus XBee-PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Special instructions for using the JTAG interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Agency certifications
United States FCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
OEM Labeling Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
FCC notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
FCC-approved antennas (2.4 GHz) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Associated antenna descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
RF exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Europe (ETSI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
OEM labeling requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Declarations of Conformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
IC (Industry Canada) Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Labeling requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
For XBee ZB surface mount: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
For XBee-PRO ZB surface mount: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
For XBee ZB through hole: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
For XBee-PRO ZB through hole: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Transmitters for detachable antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Detachable antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
For XBee S2D SMT: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Australia (RCM/C-Tick) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
ANATEL (Brazil) certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Migrating from XBee through-hole to XBee surface-mount modules
Pin mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Manufacturing information
Definitions
Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 10
Overview of the XBee ZigBee RF Module
This manual describes the operation of the XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Module, which consists of ZigBee firmware
loaded onto XBee S2C and PRO S2C hardware.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules provide wireless connectivity to end-point devices in ZigBee mesh networks.
Using the ZigBee PRO Feature Set, these modules are inter-operable with other ZigBee devices, including devices
from other vendors. With the XBee, users can have their ZigBee network up-and-running in a matter of minutes
without configuration or additional development.
The XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules are compatible with other devices that use XBee ZigBee technology. These
include ConnectPortX gateways, XBee and XBee-PRO Adapters, Wall Routers, XBee Sensors, and other products with
the ZB name.
Worldwide acceptance
•FCC Approval (USA): Refer to Agency certifications on page 203 for FCC Requirements. Systems that
contain XBee/XBee-PRO ZB RF Modules inherit Digi Certifications
•ISM (Industrial, Scientific & Medical) 2.4 GHz frequency band
•Manufactured under ISO 9001:2000 registered standards
•XBee/XBee-PRO ZB RF Modules are optimized for use in US, Canada, Australia, Europe (XBee only) and Japan
(XBee only). Contact Digi for a complete list of agency approvals
Firmware release notes
You can view the current release notes in the Firmware Explorer section of XCTU.
Specifications
Hardware specifications
The following table provides the specifications for the module.
Specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 11
Specification XBee ZigBee S2C XBee-PRO ZigBee S2C XBee ZigBee S2D
Performance
Indoor/Urban Range Up to 200 ft. (60 m) Up to 300 ft. (90 m) Up to 200 ft. (60m)
Outdoor RF line-of-sight Range Up to 4000 ft. (1200 m) Up to 2 miles (3200 m) Up to 4000 ft. (1200m)
Transmit Power Output
(maximum)
6.3mW (+8dBm), Boost mode
3.1mW (+5dBm), Normal mode
Channel 26 max power is +3dBm
63mW (+18 dBm) 6.3 mW(+8 dBm)
Channel 26 max
power is +1 dBm
RF Data Rate 250,000 b/s
Receiver Sensitivity -102 dBm, Boost mode
-100 dBm, Normal mode
-101 dBm -102 dBm, Boost
mode
-100 dBm, Normal
mode
Power Requirements
Adjustable Power Yes
Supply Voltage 2.1 - 3.6 V
2.2 - 3.6 V for Programmable Version
2.7 - 3.6 V 2.1 - 3.6 V
Operating Current (Transmit) 45mA (+8 dBm, Boost mode)
33mA (+5 dBm, Normal mode)
120mA @ +3.3 V, +18 dBm 45 mA
Operating Current (Receive) 31mA (Boost mode)
28mA (Normal mode)
31mA 31 mA
Power-down Current < 1 µA @ 25°C < 3 uA @ 25 °C
General
Operating Frequency Band ISM 2.4 - 2.5 GHz
Form Factor Through-Hole, Surface Mount Surface Mount
Dimensions Through-Hole: 0.960 x 1.087 in (2.438 x
2.761 cm)
SMT: 0.866 x 1.33 x 0.120 in (2.199 x 3.4
x 0.305 cm)
Through-Hole: 0.960 x
1.297 in (2.438 x 3.294 cm)
SMT: 0.866 x 1.33 x 0.120
in (2.199 x 3.4 x 0.305 cm)
SMT: 0.866 x 1.33 x
0.120 in (2.199 x 3.4 x
0.305 cm)
Operating Temperature -40 to 85°C (industrial)
Antenna Options Through-Hole: PCB antenna, U.FL connector, RPSMA connector, or integrated wire
SMT: RF pad, PCB antenna, or U.FL connector
Networking and Security
Supported Network Topologies Point-to-point, Point-to-multipoint, Peer-to-peer, and Mesh
Number of Channels 16 Direct Sequence Channels 15 Direct Sequence
Channels
16 Direct Sequence
Channels
Interface Immunity DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)
Specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 12
Agency approvals
The following table provides the agency approvals for the module.
Note Legacy XBee-PRO SMT (model: PRO S2C; hardware version 21xx) has different FCC and IC IDs; see Agency
certifications on page 203.
Channels 11 to 26
Addressing Options PAN ID and Addresses, Cluster IDs and Endpoints (optional)
Interface Options
UART 1 Mb/s maximum (burst)
SPI 5 Mb/s maximum (burst)
Specification XBee ZigBee S2C XBee-PRO ZigBee S2C XBee ZigBee S2D
Approval
XBee
(Surface Mount)
XBee-PRO
(Surface Mount)
XBee
(Through-hole)
XBee-PRO
(Through-hole) XBee S2D SMT
United
States
(FCC Part
15.247)
FCC ID: MCQ-XBS2C FCC ID: MCQ-XBPS2C
(revision K and
earlier)
FCC ID: MCQ-PS2CSM
(revision L and later)
FCC ID: MCQ-S2CTH FCC ID: MCQ-PS2CTH FCC ID: MCQ-
S2DSM
Industry
Canada
(IC)
IC: 1846A-XBS2C IC: 1846A-XBPS2C
(revision K and
earlier)
IC: 1846A-PS2CSM
(revision L and later)
IC: 1846A-S2CTH IC: 1846A-PS2CTH IC: 1846A-S2DSM
FCC/IC
Test
Transmit
Power
Output
range
-26 to +8 dBm -0.7 to +19.4 dBm -26 to +8 dBm +1 to +19 dBm -10 to +8 dBm
Europe
(CE)
ETSI ETSI ETSI
Australia C-Tick RCM RCM RCM
Japan R201WW10215369 R210-105563
Brazil (Res.
506)
ANATEL: 0616-15-
1209
ANATEL: 1533-15-
1209
ANATEL: 4556-15-
1209
ANATEL: 4077-15-
1209
RoHS Compliant
Serial communications specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 13
Serial communications specifications
XBee RF modules support both UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter) and SPI (Serial Peripheral
Interface) serial connections.
UART
The SC1 (Serial Communication Port 1) of the Ember 357 is connected to the UART port. The following table
provides the UART pin assignments.
More information on UART operation is found in the UART section in Module operation on page 28.
SPI
The SC2 (Serial Communication Port 2) of the Ember 357 is connected to the SPI port.
For more information on SPI operation, see the SPI section in Module operation on page 28.
GPIO specifications
XBee RF modules have 15 General Purpose Input / Output (GPIO) ports available. The exact list will depend on the
module configuration, as some GPIO pads are used for purposes such as serial communication.
See Enabling GPIO 1 and 2 on page 201 for more information on configuring and using GPIO ports.
Specifications Module Pin Number
UART Pins XBee (surface-mount) XBee (through-hole)
DOUT 3 2
DIN / CONFIG 43
CTS / DIO7 25 12
RTS / DIO6 29 16
Specifications Module Pin Number
SPI Pins XBee (surface mount) XBee (through-hole)
SPI_SCLK 14 18
SPI_SSEL 15 17
SPI_MOSI 16 11
SPI_MISO 17 4
GPIO Electrical Specification Value
Voltage - Supply 2.1 - 3.6 V
Low Schmitt switching threshold 0.42 - 0.5 x VCC
High Schmitt switching threshold 0.62 - 0.8 x VCC
Input current for logic 0 -0.5 A
Input current for logic 1 0.5 A
Hardware specifications for the programmable variant
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 14
Hardware specifications for the programmable variant
If the module has the programmable secondary processor, add the following table values to the specifications
listed on page 8. For example, if the secondary processor is running at 20 MHz and the primary processor is in
receive mode then the new current value will be Itotal = Ir2 + Irx = 14 mA + 9 mA = 23 mA, where Ir2 is the runtime
current of the secondary processor and Irx is the receive current of the primary.
Mechanical drawings
The following mechanical drawings of the XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF ModuleRF Modules show all dimensions in
inches. The first drawing shows the surface-mount model (antenna options not shown).
Input pull-up resistor value 29 k
Input pull-down resistor value 29 k
Output voltage for logic 0 0.18 x VCC (maximum)
Output voltage for logic 1 0.82 x VCC (minimum)
Output source/sink current for pad numbers 3, 4, 5, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26,
28, 29, 30, and 32 on the SMT modules
4 mA
Output source/sink current for pin numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 19
on the TH modules
4 mA
Output source/sink current for pad numbers 7, 8, 24, 31, and 33 on the SMT
modules
8 mA
Output source/sink current for pin numbers 6, 7, 11, 18, and 20 on the TH
modules
8 mA
Total output current (for GPIO pads) 40 mA
Optional Secondary Processor Specification
These numbers add to specifications
(Add to RX, TX, and sleep currents depending
on mode of operation)
Runtime current for 32k running at 20MHz +14mA
Runtime current for 32k running at 1MHz +1mA
Sleep current +0.5A typical
For additional specifications see Freescale
Datasheet and Manual
MC9S08QE32
Minimum Reset low pulse time for EM357 +26S
VREF Range 1.8VDC to VCC
GPIO Electrical Specification Value
Mechanical drawings
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 15
The drawings below show the XBee through-hole module.
l
3,1 3,1
3,1
5360$
8)/
:,5(:+,3
3&%$17(11$
Pin signals for the surface mount module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 16
The drawings below show the XBee-PRO through-hole model.
Pin signals for the surface mount module
3&%$17(11$
:,5(:+,3
8)/
5360$
3,1 3,1
3,1
Pin # Name Direction Default State Description
1GND --
Ground
2VCC --
Power Supply
3DOUT / DIO13 BothOutput
UART Data Out / GPIO
4 DIN / CONFIG / DIO14 Both Input UART Data In / GPIO
5DIO12 Both GPIO
6RESET Input Module Reset
7 RSSI PWM / DIO10 Both Output RX Signal Strength Indicator / GPIO
8PWM1 / DIO11 BothDisabled
Pulse Width Modulator / GPIO
9 [reserved] - Disabled Do Not Connect
10 DTR / SLEEP_RQ / DIO8 Both Input Pin Sleep Control Line / GPIO
11 GND - - Ground
Pin signals for the surface mount module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 17
12 SPI_ATTN / BOOTMODE / DIO19 Output Output Serial Peripheral Interface Attention
Do not tie low on reset
13 GND - - Ground
14 SPI_CLK / DIO18 Input Input Serial Peripheral Interface Clock / GPIO
15 SPI_SSEL / DIO 17 Input Input Serial Peripheral Interface not Select / GPIO
16 SPI_MOSI / DIO16 Input Input Serial Peripheral Interface Data In / GPIO
17 SPI_MISO / DIO15 Output Output Serial Peripheral Interface Data Out / GPIO
18 [reserved]* - Disabled Do Not Connect
19 [reserved]* - Disabled Do Not Connect
20 [reserved]* - Disabled Do Not Connect
21 [reserved]* - Disabled Do Not Connect
22 GND - - Ground
23 [reserved] - Disabled Do Not Connect
24 DIO4 Both Disabled GPIO
25 CTS / DIO7 Both Output Clear to Send Flow Control / GPIO
26 ON / SLEEP / DIO9 Both Output Module Status Indicator / GPIO
27 VREF Input -
Not used for EM357. Used for programmable
secondary processor. For compatibility with
other XBee modules, we recommend connecting
this pin to the voltage reference if Analog
Sampling is desired. Otherwise, connect to GND.
28 ASSOCIATE / DIO5 Both Output Associate Indicator / GPIO
29 RTS / DIO6 Both Input Request to Send Flow Control / GPIO
30 AD3 / DIO3 Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO
31 AD2 / DIO2 Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO
32 AD1 / DIO1 Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO
33 AD0 / DIO0 Both Input Analog Input / GPIO / Commissioning Button
34 [reserved] - Disabled Do Not Connect
35 GND - - Ground
36 RF Both - RF IO for RF Pad Variant
Pin # Name Direction Default State Description
Pin signals for the through-hole module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 18
Pin signals for the through-hole module
37 [reserved] - Disabled Do Not Connect
Signal Direction is specified with respect to the module
See Design notes for SMT RF pad modules on page 23 for details on pin connections
* Refer to the Writing Custom Firmware section for instructions on using these pins if JTAG functions are needed
Pin # Name Direction Default State Description
Pin # Name Direction Default State Description
1VCC --
Power Supply
2DOUT / DIO13 BothOutput
UART Data Out
3 DIN / CONFIG / DIO14 Both Input UART Data In
4 DIO12 / SPI_MISO Both Disabled GPIO/ SPI slave out
5RESET Input Input Module Reset
6 RSSI PWM / PWMO DIO10 Both Output RX signal strength indicator / GPIO
7PWM1 / DIO11 BothDisabled
GPIO
8[reserved] --
Do Not Connect
9DTR
/ SLEEP_RQ / DIO8 Both Input Pin Sleep Control Line / GPIO
10 GND - - Ground
11 SPI_MOSI / DIO4 Both Disabled GPIO/ SPI slave in
12 CTS / DIO7 Both Output Clear-to-Send Flow Control / GPIO
13 ON_SLEEP / DIO9 Both Output Module Status Indicator / GPIO
14 VREF - - Not connected
15 ASSOCIATE / DIO5 Both Output Associate Indicator / GPIO
16 RTS / DIO6 Both Input Request to Send Flow Control / GPIO
17 AD3 / DIO3 / SPI_SSEL Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO / SPI Slave Select
18 AD2 / DIO2 / SPI_CLK Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO / SPI Clock
19 AD1 / DIO1 / SPI_ATTN Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO / SPI Attention
20 AD0 / DIO0 / CB Both Disabled Analog Input / GPIO / Commissioning Button
Pin signals for the through-hole module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 19
EM357 pin mappings
The following table shows how the EM357 pins are used on the XBee.
Note Some lines may not go to the external XBee pins in the programmable secondary processor version.
EM357 Pin # EM357 Pin Name
XBee (SMT)
Pad #
XBee (TH)
Pin # Other Usage
12 RST 65
Programming
18 PA7 87
19 PB3 29 16 Used for UART
20 PB4 25 12 Used for UART
21 PA0 / SC2MOSI 16 11 Used for SPI
22 PA1 / SC2MISO 17 4 Used for SPI
24 PA2 / SC2SCLK 14 18 Used for SPI
25 PA3 / SC2SSEL 15 17 Used for SPI
26 PA4 / PTI_EN 32 19 OTA packet tracing
27 PA5 / PTI_DATA /
BOOTMODE 12 NA OTA packet tracing, force embedded serial bootloader,
and SPI attention line
29 PA6 76
30 PB1 / SC1TXD 32
Used for UART
31 PB2 / SC1RXD 43
Used for UART
33 PC2 / JTDO / SWO 26 13 JTAG (see Writing custom firmware on page 201)
34 PC3 / JTDI 28 15 JTAG (see Writing custom firmware on page 201)
35 PC4 / JTMS / SWDIO 54
JTAG (see Writing custom firmware on page 201)
36 PB0 10 9
38 PC1 / ADC3 30 17
41 PB7 / ADC2 31 18
42 PB6 / ADC1 33 20
43 PB5 / ADC0 Temperature sensor on PRO version
Design notes
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 20
Design notes
The XBee modules do not specifically require any external circuitry or specific connections for proper operation.
However, there are some general design guidelines that are recommended for help in troubleshooting and
building a robust design.
Power supply design
Poor power supply can lead to poor radio performance, especially if the supply voltage is not kept within
tolerance or is excessively noisy. To help reduce noise, we recommend placing both a 1F and 8.2pF capacitor as
near to (pad 2/SMT, pin 1/TH) on the PCB as possible. If using a switching regulator for your power supply,
switching frequencies above 500kHz are preferred. Power supply ripple should be limited to a maximum 50mV
peak to peak.
Note For designs using the programmable modules, an additional 10F decoupling cap is recommended near
(pad 2/SMT, pin 1/TH) of the module. The nearest proximity to (pad 2/SMT, pin 1/TH) of the three caps
should be in the following order: 8.2pf, 1F followed by 10F.
Recommended pin connections
The only required pin connections are VCC, GND, DOUT and DIN. To support serial firmware updates, VCC, GND,
DOUT, DIN, RTS, and DTR should be connected.
All unused pins should be left disconnected. All inputs on the radio can be pulled high or low with 30k internal
pull-up or pull-down resistors using the PR and PD software commands. No specific treatment is needed for
unused outputs.
For applications that need to ensure the lowest sleep current, unconnected inputs should never be left floating.
Use internal or external pull-up or pull-down resistors, or set the unused I/O lines to outputs.
Other pins may be connected to external circuitry for convenience of operation, including the Associate LED pad
(pad 28/SMT, pin 15/TH) and the Commissioning pad (pad 33/SMT, pin 20/TH). The Associate LED pad will flash
differently depending on the state of the module to the network, and a pushbutton attached to pad 33 can
enable various join functions without having to send serial port commands. See Commissioning Pushbutton and
Associate LED on page 93 for more details. The source and sink capabilities are limited to 4mA for pad numbers 3,
4, 5, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 32, and 8mA for pad numbers 7, 8, 24, 31 and 33 on the SMT
module. The source and sink capabilities are limited to 4mA for pin numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, and 19,
and 8mA for pin numbers 6, 7, 11, 18, and 20 on the TH module.
The VRef pad (pad 27) is only used on the programmable versions of the SMT modules. For the TH modules, a
VRef pin (Pin #14) is used. For compatibility with other XBee modules, we recommend connecting this pin to a
voltage reference if analog sampling is desired. Otherwise, connect to GND.
Board layout
XBee modules are designed to be self sufficient and have minimal sensitivity to nearby processors, crystals or
other PCB components. As with all PCB designs, Power and Ground traces should be thicker than signal traces
and able to comfortably support the maximum current specifications. A recommended PCB footprint for the
module can be found in Manufacturing information on page 228. No other special PCB design considerations are
required for integrating XBee radios except in the antenna section.
The choice of antenna and antenna location is very important for correct performance. With the exception of the
RF Pad variant, XBees do not require additional ground planes on the host PCB. In general, antenna elements
Design notes
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 21
radiate perpendicular to the direction they point. Thus a vertical antenna emits across the horizon. Metal objects
near the antenna cause reflections and may reduce the ability for an antenna to radiate efficiently. Metal objects
between the transmitter and receiver can also block the radiation path or reduce the transmission distance, so
external antennas should be positioned away from them as much as possible. Some objects that are often
overlooked are metal poles, metal studs or beams in structures, concrete (it is usually reinforced with metal
rods), metal enclosures, vehicles, elevators, ventilation ducts, refrigerators, microwave ovens, batteries, and tall
electrolytic capacitors.
Design notes for PCB antenna modules
PCB Antenna modules should not have any ground planes or metal objects above or below the antenna. For best
results, the module should not be placed in a metal enclosure, which may greatly reduce the range. The module
should be placed at the edge of the PCB on which it is mounted. The ground, power and signal planes should be
vacant immediately below the antenna section. The drawings on the following pages illustrate important
recommendations when designing with PCB antenna modules. It should be noted that for optimal performance,
this module should not be mounted on the RF Pad footprint described in the next section because the footprint
requires a ground plane within the PCB Antenna keep out area.
Design notes
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 22
Surface-mount keepout area
Design notes
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 23
Through-hole keepout area
Design notes for SMT RF pad modules
The RF Pad is a soldered antenna connection. The RF signal travels from pin 36 on the module to the antenna
through an RF trace transmission line on the PCB. Note that any additional components between the module and
antenna will violate modular certification. The RF trace should have a controlled impedance of 50 ohms. We
recommend using a microstrip trace, although coplanar waveguide may also be used if more isolation is needed.
Microstrip generally requires less area on the PCB than coplanar waveguide. Stripline is not recommended
because sending the signal to different PCB layers can introduce matching and performance problems.
It is essential to follow good design practices when implementing the RF trace on a PCB. The following figures
show a layout example of a host PCB that connects an RF Pad module to a right angle, through hole RPSMA jack.
The top two layers of the PCB have a controlled thickness dielectric material in between. The second layer has a
ground plane which runs underneath the entire RF Pad area. This ground plane is a distance d, the thickness of
the dielectric, below the top layer. The top layer has an RF trace running from pin 36 of the module to the RF pin
of the RPSMA connector. The RF trace's width determines the impedance of the transmission line with relation to
Design notes
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 24
the ground plane. Many online tools can estimate this value, although the PCB manufacturer should be consulted
for the exact width. Assuming d=0.025”, and that the dielectric has a relative permittivity of 4.4, the width in this
example will be approximately 0.045" for a 50 ohm trace. This trace width is a good fit with the module footprint's
0.060" pad width. Using a trace wider than the pad width is not recommended, and using a very narrow trace
(under 0.010") can cause unwanted RF loss. The length of the trace is minimized by placing the RPSMA jack close
to the module. All of the grounds on the jack and the module are connected to the ground planes directly or
through closely placed vias. Any ground fill on the top layer should be spaced at least twice the distance d (in this
case, at least 0.050") from the microstrip to minimize their interaction.
Implementing these design suggestions will help ensure that the RF Pad module performs to its specifications.
The following illustration shows PCB layer 1 of an example RF layout.
The following illustration shows PCB layer 2 of an example RF layout.
Module operation for the programmable variant
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 25
Module operation for the programmable variant
The modules with the programmable option have a secondary processor with 32k of flash and 2k of RAM. This
allows module integrators to put custom code on the XBee module to fit their own unique needs. The DIN, DOUT,
RTS, CTS, and RESET lines are intercepted by the secondary processor to allow it to be in control of the data
transmitted and received. All other lines are in parallel and can be controlled by either the EM357 or the
MC9SO8QE micro (see the Block Diagram for details). The pin use is automatically handled by the Programmable
XBee SDK native APIs.
In order for the secondary processor to sample with ADCs, the XBee VREF pin (27/SMT, 14/TH) must be connected
to a reference voltage.
Digi provides a bootloader that can take care of programming the processor over the air or through the serial
interface. This means that over the air updates can be supported through an XMODEM protocol. The processor
can also be programmed and debugged through a one wire interface BKGD (Pin 9/SMT, Pin 8/TH).
Programmable XBee SDK
The XBee Programmable module is equipped with a Freescale MC9S08QE32 application processor. This
application processor comes with a supplied bootloader. To interface your application code running on this
processor to the XBee Programmable module's supplied bootloader, use the Programmable XBee SDK.
To use the SDK, you must also download CodeWarrior. The download links are:
•CodeWarrior IDE: http://ftp1.digi.com/support/sampleapplications/40003004_B.exe
•Programmable XBee SDK: http://ftp1.digi.com/support/sampleapplications/40003003_D.exe
If these revisions change, search for the part number on Digi’s website. For example, search for “40003003”.
Install the IDE first, then install the SDK.
The documentation for the Programmable XBee SDK is built into the SDK, so the Getting Started guide appears
when you open CodeWarrior.
Overview of the XBee ZigBee RF Module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 26
The following figure shows the programmable connections for the SMT.
Overview of the XBee ZigBee RF Module
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 27
The following illustration shows the programmable connections for the TH Module.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 28
Module operation
Serial communications
XBee RF Modules interface to a host device through a serial port. Through its serial port, the module can
communicate with any logic and voltage compatible UART, through a level translator to any serial device (for
example, through a RS-232 or USB interface board), or through a Serial Peripheral Interface, which is a synchronous
interface to be described later.
Two Wire serial Interface (TWI) is also available, but not supported by Digi. For information on the TWI, see the EM357
specification.
UART data flow
Devices that have a UART interface can connect directly to the pins of the RF module as shown in the figure below.
System data flow diagram in a UART-interfaced environment (Low-asserted signals distinguished with horizontal line
over signal name.)
Serial data
Data enters the module UART through the DIN (pin 4) as an asynchronous serial signal. The signal should idle high
when no data is being transmitted.
Each data byte consists of a start bit (low), 8 data bits (least significant bit first) and a stop bit (high). The following
figure illustrates the serial bit pattern of data passing through the module.
Serial communications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 29
UART data packet 0x1F (decimal number “31”) as transmitted through the RF module
Example Data Format is 8-N-1 (bits - parity - # of stop bits)
Serial communications depend on the two UARTs (the microcontroller's and the RF module's) to be configured
with compatible settings (baud rate, parity, start bits, stop bits, data bits).
The UART baud rate, parity, and stop bits settings on the XBee module can be configured with the BD, NB, and SB
commands respectively. See Serial interfacing (I/O) commands on page 186 for details.
SPI communications
The XBee modules support SPI communications in slave mode. Slave mode receives the clock signal and data
from the master and returns data to the master. The SPI port uses the following signals on the XBee:
•SPI_MOSI (Master Out, Slave In) - inputs serial data from the master
•SPI_MISO (Master In, Slave Out) - outputs serial data to the master
•SPI_SCLK (Serial Clock) - clocks data transfers on MOSI and MISO
•SPI_SSEL (Slave Select) - enables serial communication with the slave
The above four pins are standard for SPI. This module also supports an additional pin, which may be configured
to alert the SPI master when it has data to send. This pin is called SPI_ATTN. If the master monitors this pin
(through polling or interrupts), it can know when it needs to receive data from the module. SPI_ATTN asserts
whenever it has data to send and it remains asserted until all available data has been shifted out to the SPI
master.
In this mode, the following apply:
•Data/clock rates of up to 5 Mb/s are possible
•Data is MSB first
•Frame format mode 0 is used (see below)
The following illustration shows the frame format for SPI communications.
Serial communications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 30
SPI operation
When the slave select (SPI_SSEL) signal is asserted by the master, SPI transmit data is driven to the output pin
(SPI_MISO), and SPI data is received from the input pin SPI_MOSI. The SPI_SSEL pin has to be asserted to enable
the transmit serializer to drive data to the output signal SPI_MISO. A rising edge on SPI_SSEL resets the SPI slave
shift registers.
If the SPI_SCLK is present, the SPI_MISO line is always driven whether with or without the SPI_SSEL line driven.
This is a known issue with the Ember EM357 chip, and makes additional hardware necessary if multiple slaves are
using the same bus as the XBee.
If the input buffer is empty, the SPI serializer transmits a busy token (0xFF). Otherwise, all transactions on the SPI
port use API operation. See API Operation on page 130 for more information.
The SPI slave controller must guarantee that there is time to move new transmit data from the transmit buffer
into the hardware serializer. To provide sufficient time, the SPI slave controller inserts a byte of padding at the
start of every new string of transmit data. Whenever the transmit buffer is empty and data is placed into the
transmit buffer, the SPI hardware inserts a byte of padding onto the front of the transmission as if this byte were
placed there by software.
Serial port selection
In the default configuration the UART and SPI ports will both be configured for serial port operation. In this case,
serial data will go out the UART until the SPI_SSEL signal is asserted. Thereafter all serial communications will
operate only on the SPI interface until a reset occurs.
If only the UART is enabled, then only the UART will be used, and SPI_SSEL will be ignored.
If only the SPI is enabled, then only the SPI will be used, and UART communications will be ignored. If DOUT is
held low during boot, then only the SPI will be used.
Once SPI is in use, do not attempt to apply changes (AC) which change the UART or SPI settings. Instead, use 0x09
frames to reconfigure UART/SPI/other settings, use WR to save the settings, then FR to reset the XBee and use the
new configuration settings.
If neither serial port is enabled, then UART will remain enabled, only the UART will be used, and SPI_SSEL will be
ignored.
Serial buffers
The XBee modules maintain small buffers to collect received serial and RF data, which is illustrated in the figure
below. The serial receive buffer collects incoming serial characters and holds them until they can be processed.
The serial transmit buffer collects data that is received via the RF link that will be transmitted out the UART or SPI
port. The following figure shows an internal data flow diagram.
Serial
Receiver
Buffer
RF TX
Buffer Transmitter
RF Switch
Antenna
Port
Receiver
Serial Transmit
Buffer
RF RX
Buffer
Processor
DIN
DOUT
CTS
RTS
Serial communications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 31
Serial receive buffer
When serial data enters the RF module through the serial port, the data is stored in the serial receive buffer until it
can be processed. Under certain conditions, the module may receive data when the serial receive buffer is
already full. In that case the data is discarded.
The serial receive buffer becomes full when data is streaming into the serial port faster than it can be processed
and sent over the air (OTA). While the speed of receiving the data on the serial port can be much faster than the
speed of transmitting to data for a short period, sustained operation in that mode will cause data to be dropped
due to running out of places in the module to put the data. Some things that may delay over the air transmissions
are address discovery, route discovery, and retransmissions. Processing received RF data can also take away
time and resources for processing incoming serial data.
If the UART is the serial port and CTS flow control is enabled, the external data source is alerted when the receive
buffer is almost full. Then the host holds off sending data to the module until the module asserts CTS again,
allowing more data to come in.
If the SPI is the serial port, no hardware flow control is available. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that
receive buffer is not overflowed. One reliable strategy is to wait for a TX_STATUS response after each frame sent
to ensure that the module has had time to process it.
Serial transmit buffer
When RF data is received, the data is moved into the serial transmit buffer and sent out the UART or SPI port. If
the serial transmit buffer becomes full enough such that all data in a received RF packet won't fit in the serial
transmit buffer, the entire RF data packet is dropped.
Cases in which the serial transmit buffer may become full resulting in dropped RF packets:
1. If the RF data rate is set higher than the interface data rate of the module, the module could receive data
faster than it can send the data to the host.
2. If the host does not allow the module to transmit data out from the serial transmit buffer because of being
held off by hardware flow control.
UART flow control
The RTS and CTS module pins can be used to provide RTS and/or CTS flow control. CTS flow control provides an
indication to the host to stop sending serial data to the module. RTS flow control allows the host to signal the
module to not send data in the serial transmit buffer out the UART. RTS and CTS flow control are enabled using
the D6 and D7 commands. Note that serial port flow control is not possible when using the SPI port.
CTS flow control
If CTS flow control is enabled (D7 command), when the serial receive buffer is 17 bytes away from being full, the
module de-asserts CTS (sets it high) to signal to the host device to stop sending serial data. CTS is re-asserted
after the serial receive buffer has 34 bytes of space.
RTS flow control
If RTS flow control is enabled (D6 command), data in the serial transmit buffer will not be sent out the DOUT pin
as long as RTS is de-asserted (set high). The host device should not de-assert RTS for long periods of time to avoid
filling the serial transmit buffer. If an RF data packet is received, and the serial transmit buffer does not have
enough space for all of the data bytes, the entire RF data packet will be discarded.
Serial communications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 32
Note If the XBee is sending data out the UART when RTS is de-asserted (set high), the XBee could send up to 5
characters out the UART or SPI port after RTS is de-asserted.
Break control
If break is enabled for over five seconds, the XBee will reset. Then it will boot with default baud settings into
command mode.
This break function will be disabled if either P3 or P4 are not enabled.
Serial interface protocols
The XBee modules support both transparent and Application Programming Interface (API) serial interfaces.
Transparent operation
When operating in transparent mode, the modules act as a serial line replacement. All UART or SPI data received
through the DIN or MOSI pin is queued up for RF transmission. When RF data is received, the data is sent out
through the serial port. The module configuration parameters are configured using the AT command mode
interface. Note that transparent operation is not provided when using the SPI.
Data is buffered in the serial receive buffer until one of the following causes the data to be packetized and
transmitted:
•No serial characters are received for the amount of time determined by the RO (Packetization Timeout)
parameter. If RO = 0, packetization begins when a character is received.
•The Command Mode Sequence (GT + CC + GT) is received. Any character buffered in the serial receive buffer
before the sequence is transmitted.
•The maximum number of characters that will fit in an RF packet is received.
API operation
API operation is an alternative to transparent operation. The frame-based API extends the level to which a host
application can interact with the networking capabilities of the module. When in API mode, all data entering and
leaving the module is contained in frames that define operations or events within the module.
Transmit Data Frames (received through the serial port) include:
•RF Transmit Data Frame
•Command Frame (equivalent to AT commands)
Receive Data Frames (sent out the serial port) include:
•RF-received data frame
•Command response
•Event notifications such as reset, associate, disassociate, etc.
The API provides alternative means of configuring modules and routing data at the host application layer. A host
application can send data frames to the module that contain address and payload information instead of using
command mode to modify addresses. The module will send data frames to the application containing status
packets; as well as source, and payload information from received data packets.
The API operation option facilitates many operations such as the examples cited below:
Serial communications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 33
•Transmitting data to multiple destinations without entering Command Mode
•Receive success/failure status of each transmitted RF packet
•Identify the source address of each received packet
Comparing Transparent and API operation
The following table compares the advantages of transparent and API modes of operation:
Generally, API mode is recommended when a device:
• sends RF data to multiple destinations
• sends remote configuration commands to manage devices in the network
• receives RF data packets from multiple devices, and the application needs to know which device sent which
packet
• must support multiple ZigBee endpoints, cluster IDs, and/or profile IDs
• uses the ZigBee Device Profile services.
API mode is required when:
• using Smart Energy firmware
• using SPI for the serial port
• receiving I/O samples from remote devices
• using source routing
Transparent Operation Features
Simple Interface All received serial data is transmitted unless the module is in command mode.
Easy to support It is easier for an application to support transparent operation and command mode
API Operation Features
Easy to manage data
transmissions to
multiple destinations
Transmitting RF data to multiple remotes only requires changing the address in the API frame. This
process is much faster than in transparent operation where the application must enter AT
command mode, change the address, exit command mode, and then transmit data.
Each API transmission can return a transmit status frame indicating the success or reason for
failure.
Received data frames
indicate the sender's
address
All received RF data API frames indicate the source address.
Advanced ZigBee
addressing support
API transmit and receive frames can expose ZigBee addressing fields including source and
destination endpoints, cluster ID and profile ID. This makes it easy to support ZDO commands and
public profile traffic.
Advanced networking
diagnostics
API frames can provide indication of IO samples from remote devices, and node identification
messages.
Remote Configuration Set / read configuration commands can be sent to remote devices to configure them as needed
using the API.
Modes of operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 34
If the above conditions do not apply (e.g. a sensor node, router, or a simple application), then transparent
operation might be suitable. It is acceptable to use a mixture of devices running API mode and transparent mode
in a network.
Modes of operation
Idle Mode
When not receiving or transmitting data, the RF module is in Idle Mode. The module shifts into the other modes of
operation under the following conditions:
•Transmit Mode (Serial data in the serial receive buffer is ready to be packetized)
•Receive Mode (Valid RF data is received through the antenna)
•Sleep Mode (End Devices only)
•Command Mode (Command Mode Sequence is issued, not available with Smart Energy software or when
using the SPI port)
Transmit Mode
When serial data is received and is ready for packetization, the RF module will exit Idle Mode and attempt to
transmit the data. The destination address determines which node(s) will receive the data.
Prior to transmitting the data, the module ensures that a 16-bit network address and route to the destination
node have been established.
If the destination 16-bit network address is not known, network address discovery will take place. If a route is not
known, route discovery will take place for the purpose of establishing a route to the destination node. If a module
with a matching network address is not discovered, the packet is discarded. The data will be transmitted once a
route is established. If route discovery fails to establish a route, the packet will be discarded. The following figure
shows the Transmit Mode sequence.
Modes of operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 35
When data is transmitted from one node to another, a network-level acknowledgment is transmitted back across
the established route to the source node. This acknowledgment packet indicates to the source node that the
data packet was received by the destination node. If a network acknowledgment is not received, the source node
will re-transmit the data.
It is possible in rare circumstances for the destination to receive a data packet, but for the source to not receive
the network acknowledgment. In this case, the source will retransmit the data, which could cause the destination
to receive the same data packet multiple times. The XBee modules do not filter out duplicate packets. The
application should include provisions to address this potential issue
See Transmission, addressing, and routing on page 59 for more information.
Receive Mode
If a valid RF packet is received, the data is transferred to the serial transmit buffer.
Command Mode
To modify or read RF Module parameters, the module must first enter into Command Mode - a state in which
incoming serial characters are interpreted as commands. Command Mode is only available over the UART when
not using the Smart Energy firmware. API Operation on page 130 describes an alternate means for configuring
modules which is available with the SPI and with Smart Energy, as well as over the UART with ZB code.
AT Command Mode
To Enter AT Command Mode:
Send the 3-character command sequence “+++” and observe guard times before and after the command
characters. [Refer to the “Default AT Command Mode Sequence” below.]
Default AT Command Mode Sequence (for transition to Command Mode):
16-bit Network
Address Discovery
Data Discarded
Successful
Transmission
Yes
No
New
Transmission
16-bit Network
Address Discovered?
Route Known?
Route Discovered?
16-bit Network
Address Known?
Route Discovery
Transmit Data
Idle Mode
No
Yes
No No
Yes Yes
Modes of operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 36
•No characters sent for one second [GT (Guard Times) parameter = 0x3E8]
•Input three plus characters (“+++”) within one second [CC (Command Sequence Character) parameter =
0x2B.]
•No characters sent for one second [GT (Guard Times) parameter = 0x3E8]
Once the AT command mode sequence has been issued, the module sends an “OK\r” out the UART pad. The
“OK\r” characters can be delayed if the module has not finished transmitting received serial data.
When command mode has been entered, the command mode timer is started (CT command), and the module is
able to receive AT commands on the UART port.
All of the parameter values in the sequence can be modified to reflect user preferences.
Note Failure to enter AT Command Mode is most commonly due to baud rate mismatch. By default, the BD
(Baud Rate) parameter = 3 (9600 b/s).
To send AT commands:
Send AT commands and parameters using the syntax shown below.
Note To read a parameter value stored in the RF module’s register, omit the parameter field.
The preceding example would change the RF module Destination Address (Low) to “0x1F”. To store the new value
to non-volatile (long term) memory, subsequently send the WR (Write) command.
For modified parameter values to persist in the module’s registry after a reset, changes must be saved to non-
volatile memory using the WR (Write) Command. Otherwise, parameters are restored to previously saved values
after the module is reset.
Command response
When a command is sent to the module, the module will parse and execute the command. Upon successful
execution of a command, the module returns an “OK” message. If execution of a command results in an error, the
module returns an “ERROR” message.
Applying command changes
Any changes made to the configuration command registers through AT commands will not take effect until the
changes are applied. For example, sending the BD command to change the baud rate will not change the actual
baud rate until changes are applied. Changes can be applied in one of the following ways:
•The AC (Apply Changes) command is issued.
•AT command mode is exited.
To exit AT Command Mode:
1. Send the ATCN (Exit Command Mode) command (followed by a carriage return).
Example: ATDL 1F<CR>
“AT”
Prex
ASCII
Command
Space
(optional)
Parameter
(optional, HEX)
Carriage
Return
Modes of operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 37
[OR]
2. If no valid AT Commands are received within the time specified by CT (Command Mode Timeout) Command, the
RF module automatically returns to Idle Mode.
Note For an example of programming the RF module using AT Commands and descriptions of each configurable
parameter, see Command reference tables on page 178.
Sleep Mode
Sleep modes allow the RF module to enter states of low power consumption when not in use. XBee RF modules
support both pin sleep (sleep mode entered on pin transition) and cyclic sleep (module sleeps for a fixed time). XBee
sleep modes are discussed in detail in Managing End Devices on page 107.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 38
ZigBee networks
Introduction to ZigBee
ZigBee is an open global standard built on the IEEE 802.15.4 MAC/PHY. ZigBee defines a network layer above the
802.15.4 layers to support advanced mesh routing capabilities. The ZigBee specification is developed by a growing
consortium of companies that make up the ZigBee Alliance. The Alliance is made up of over 300 members, including
semiconductor, module, stack, and software developers.
ZigBee stack layers
The ZigBee stack consists of several layers including the PHY, MAC, Network, Application Support Sublayer (APS), and
ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO) layers. Technically, an Application Framework (AF) layer also exists, but will be grouped
with the APS layer in remaining discussions. The ZigBee layers are shown in the figure below.
ZigBee networking concepts
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 39
A description of each layer appears in the following table:
ZigBee networking concepts
Device types
ZigBee defines three different device types: coordinator, router, and end device.
Node Types / Sample of a Basic ZigBee Network Topology
A coordinator has the following characteristics: It:
•Selects a channel and PAN ID (both 64-bit and 16-bit) to start the network
•Can allow routers and end devices to join the network
•Can assist in routing data
•Cannot sleep--should be mains powered
•Can buffer RF data packets for sleeping end device children
A router has the following characteristics: It:
•Must join a ZigBee PAN before it can transmit, receive, or route data
•After joining, can allow routers and end devices to join the network
•After joining, can assist in routing data
•Cannot sleep--should be mains powered
•Can buffer RF data packets for sleeping end device children
An end device has the following characteristics: It:
•Must join a ZigBee PAN before it can transmit or receive data
•Cannot allow devices to join the network
•Must always transmit and receive RF data through its parent, and cannot route data
•Can enter low power modes to conserve power and can be battery-powered
An example of such a network is shown below:
ZigBee Layer Description
PHY Defines the physical operation of the ZigBee device including receive sensitivity, channel rejection, output
power, number of channels, chip modulation, and transmission rate specifications. Most ZigBee
applications operate on the 2.4 GHz ISM band at a 250kb/s data rate. See the IEEE 802.15.4 specification for
details.
MAC Manages RF data transactions between neighboring devices (point to point). The MAC includes services
such as transmission retry and acknowledgment management, and collision avoidance techniques (CSMA-
CA).
Network Adds routing capabilities that allows RF data packets to traverse multiple devices (multiple "hops") to
route data from source to destination (peer to peer).
APS (AF) Application layer that defines various addressing objects including profiles, clusters, and endpoints.
ZDO Application layer that provides device and service discovery features and advanced network management
capabilities.
ZigBee networking concepts
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 40
In ZigBee networks, the coordinator must select a PAN ID (64-bit and 16-bit) and channel to start a network. After
that, it behaves essentially like a router. The coordinator and routers can allow other devices to join the network
and can route data.
After an end device joins a router or coordinator, it must be able to transmit or receive RF data through that
router or coordinator. The router or coordinator that allowed an end device to join becomes the “parent” of the
end device. Since the end device can sleep, the parent must be able to buffer or retain incoming data packets
destined for the end device until the end device is able to wake and receive the data.
A module can only operate as one of the three device types. The device type is selected by configuration rather
than by firmware image as was the case on earlier hardware platforms.
By default, the module operates as a router in transparent mode. To select coordinator operation, set CE to 1. To
select end device operation, set SM to a non-zero value. To select router operation, both CE and SM must be 0.
One complication is that if a device is a coordinator and it needs to be changed into an end device, CE must be set
back to 0 first. If not, the SM configuration will conflict with the CE configuration. Likewise, to change an end
device into a coordinator, it must be changed into a router first.
Another complication is that default parameters for a router build don't always work very well for a coordinator
build. For example:
DH/DL is 0 by default, which allows routers and end devices to send data to the coordinator when they first come
up. If DH/DL is not changed from the default value when the device is changed to a coordinator, then the device
will send data to itself, causing characters to be echoed back to the screen as they are typed. Since this is
probably not the desired operation, DH/DL should be set to the broadcast address or some specific unicast
address when the device is changed to a coordinator.
Another example is EO for smart energy builds. This value should be 08 for routers and end devices and it should
be 02 for the coordinator to designate it as the trust center. Therefore, if using authentication, which is the
normal case for Smart Energy builds, EO should be changed from 02 to 08 when CE is set to 1.
Another example is EO for ZigBee builds. By default the value is 0x00. But if it and EE are set to 0x01 on all radios
in a network, then the network key will be sent in the clear (unencrypted) at association time. This may be a
useful setting in development environments, but is discouraged for security reasons for product deployment.
In general, when changing device types, it is the user's responsibility to ensure that parameters are set to be
compatible with the new device type.
ZigBee application layers: in depth
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 41
PAN ID
ZigBee networks are called personal area networks or PANs. Each network is defined with a unique PAN identifier
(PAN ID). This identifier is common among all devices of the same network. ZigBee devices are either
preconfigured with a PAN ID to join, or they can discover nearby networks and select a PAN ID to join.
ZigBee supports both a 64-bit and a 16-bit PAN ID. Both PAN IDs are used to uniquely identify a network. Devices
on the same ZigBee network must share the same 64-bit and 16-bit PAN IDs. If multiple ZigBee networks are
operating within range of each other, each should have unique PAN IDs.
The 16-bit PAN ID is used as a MAC layer addressing field in all RF data transmissions between devices in a
network. However, due to the limited addressing space of the 16-bit PAN ID (65,535 possibilities), there is a
possibility that multiple ZigBee networks (within range of each other) could use the same 16-bit PAN ID. To
resolve potential 16-bit PAN ID conflicts, the ZigBee Alliance created a 64-bit PAN ID.
The 64-bit PAN ID (also called the extended PAN ID), is intended to be a unique, non-duplicated value. When a
coordinator starts a network, it can either start a network on a preconfigured 64-bit PAN ID, or it can select a
random 64-bit PAN ID. The 64-bit PAN ID is used during joining; if a device has a preconfigured 64-bit PAN ID, it
will only join a network with the same 64-bit PAN ID. Otherwise, a device could join any detected PAN and inherit
the PAN ID from the network when it joins. The 64-bit PAN ID is included in all ZigBee beacons and is used in 16-
bit PAN ID conflict resolution.
Routers and end devices are typically configured to join a network with any 16-bit PAN ID as long as the 64-bit
PAN ID is valid. Coordinators typically select a random 16-bit PAN ID for their network.
Since the 16-bit PAN ID only allows up to 65,535 unique values, and since the 16-bit PAN ID is randomly selected,
provisions exist in ZigBee to detect if two networks (with different 64-bit PAN IDs) are operating on the same 16-
bit PAN ID. If such a conflict is detected, the ZigBee stack can perform PAN ID conflict resolution to change the 16-
bit PAN ID of the network in order to resolve the conflict. See the ZigBee specification for details.
To summarize, ZigBee routers and end devices should be configured with the 64-bit PAN ID of the network they
want to join. They typically acquire the 16-bit PAN ID when they join a network.
Operating channel
ZigBee uses direct-sequence spread spectrum modulation and operates on a fixed channel. The 802.15.4 PHY
defines 16 operating channels (channels 11 to 26) in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. XBee modules support all 16
channels.
ZigBee application layers: in depth
This section provides a more in-depth look at the ZigBee application stack layers (APS, ZDO) including a
discussion on ZigBee endpoints, clusters, and profiles. Much of the material in this section can introduce
unnecessary details of the ZigBee stack that are not required in many cases.
Skip this section if
•The XBee does not need to interoperate or talk to non-Digi ZigBee devices
•The XBee simply needs to send data between devices
Read this section if
•The XBee may talk to non-Digi ZigBee devices
•The XBee requires network management and discovery capabilities of the ZDO layer
•The XBee needs to operate in a public application profile (smart energy, home automation, etc.)
ZigBee application layers: in depth
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 42
Application Support Sublayer (APS)
The APS layer in ZigBee adds support for application profiles, cluster IDs, and endpoints.
Application profiles
Application profiles specify various device descriptions including required functionality for various devices. The
collection of device descriptions forms an application profile. Application profiles can be defined as “Public” or
“Private” profiles. Private profiles are defined by a manufacturer whereas public profiles are defined, developed,
and maintained by the ZigBee Alliance. Each application profile has a unique profile identifier assigned by the
ZigBee Alliance.
Examples of public profiles include:
•Home Automation
•Smart Energy
•Commercial Building Automation
The Smart Energy profile, for example, defines various device types including an energy service portal, load
controller, thermostat, in-home display, etc. The Smart Energy profile defines required functionality for each
device type. For example, a load controller must respond to a defined command to turn a load on or off. By
defining standard communication protocols and device functionality, public profiles allow interoperable ZigBee
solutions to be developed by independent manufacturers.
Digi XBee ZB firmware operates on a private profile called the Digi Drop-In Networking profile. However, API
mode can be used in many cases to talk to devices in public profiles or non-Digi private profiles. See API
Operation on page 130 for details.
Clusters
A cluster is an application message type defined within a profile. Clusters are used to specify a unique function,
service, or action. For example, the following are some clusters defined in the home automation profile:
•On/Off - Used to switch devices on or off (lights, thermostats, etc.)
•Level Control - Used to control devices that can be set to a level between on and off
•Color Control - Controls the color of color capable devices
Each cluster has an associated 2-byte cluster identifier (cluster ID). The cluster ID is included in all application
transmissions. Clusters often have associated request and response messages. For example, a smart energy
gateway (service portal) might send a load control event to a load controller in order to schedule turning on or off
an appliance. Upon executing the event, the load controller would send a load control report message back to
the gateway.
Devices that operate in an application profile (private or public) must respond correctly to all required clusters.
For example, a light switch that will operate in the home automation public profile must correctly implement the
On/Off and other required clusters in order to interoperate with other home automation devices. The ZigBee
Alliance has defined a ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) that contains definitions or various general use clusters that
could be implemented in any profile.
XBee modules implement various clusters in the Digi private profile. In addition, the API can be used to send or
receive messages on any cluster ID (and profile ID or endpoint). See Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command frame
on page 139 for details.
Endpoints
ZigBee Coordinator operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 43
The APS layer includes supports for endpoints. An endpoint can be thought of as a running application, similar to
a TCP/IP port. A single device can support one or more endpoints. Each application endpoint is identified by a 1-
byte value, ranging from 1 to 240. Each defined endpoint on a device is tied to an application profile. A device
could, for example, implement one endpoint that supports a Smart Energy load controller, and another endpoint
that supports other functionality on a private profile.
ZigBee Device Profile
Profile ID 0x0000 is reserved for the ZigBee Device Profile. This profile is implemented on all ZigBee devices.
Device Profile defines many device and service discovery features and network management capabilities.
Endpoint 0 is a reserved endpoint that supports the ZigBee Device Profile. This endpoint is called the ZigBee
Device Objects (ZDO) endpoint.
ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO)
The ZDO (endpoint 0) supports the discovery and management capabilities of the ZigBee Device Profile. A
complete listing of all ZDP services is included in the ZigBee specification. Each service has an associated cluster
ID.
The XBee ZB firmware allows applications to easily send ZDO messages to devices in the network using the API.
See ZDO transmissions on page 77 for details.
ZigBee Coordinator operation
Forming a network
The coordinator is responsible for selecting the channel, PAN ID (16-bit and 64-bit), security policy, and stack
profile for a network. Since a coordinator is the only device type that can start a network, each ZigBee network
must have one coordinator. After the coordinator has started a network, it can allow new devices to join the
network. It can also route data packets and communicate with other devices on the network.
To ensure the coordinator starts on a good channel and unused PAN ID, the coordinator performs a series of
scans to discover any RF activity on different channels (energy scan) and to discover any nearby operating PANs
(PAN scan). The process for selecting the channel and PAN ID are described in the following sections.
Channel selection
When starting a network, the coordinator must select a “good” channel for the network to operate on. To do this,
it performs an energy scan on multiple channels (frequencies) to detect energy levels on each channel. Channels
with excessive energy levels are removed from its list of potential channels to start on.
PAN ID selection
After completing the energy scan, the coordinator scans its list of potential channels (remaining channels after
the energy scan) to obtain a list of neighboring PANs. To do this, the coordinator sends a beacon request
(broadcast) transmission on each potential channel. All nearby coordinators and routers (that have already
joined a ZigBee network) will respond to the beacon request by sending a beacon back to the coordinator. The
beacon contains information about the PAN the device is on, including the PAN identifiers (16-bit and 64-bit). This
scan (collecting beacons on the potential channels) is typically called an active scan or PAN scan.
After the coordinator completes the channel and PAN scan, it selects a random channel and unused 16-bit PAN ID
to start on.
ZigBee Coordinator operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 44
Security policy
The security policy determines which devices are allowed to join the network, and which device(s) can
authenticate joining devices. See ZigBee Security on page 84 for a detailed discussion of various security policies.
Persistent data
Once a coordinator has started a network, it retains the following information through power cycle or reset
events:
•PAN ID
•Operating channel
•Security policy and frame counter values
•Child table (end device children that are joined to the coordinator).
•Binding Table
•Group Table
The coordinator will retain this information indefinitely until it leaves the network. When the coordinator leaves a
network and starts a new network, the previous PAN ID, operating channel, and child table data are lost.
XBee ZigBee Coordinator startup
The following table provides the network formation commands used by the coordinator to form a network.
Configuration changes will delay the start of network formation for 5 seconds after the last change is made.
Once the coordinator starts a network, the network configuration settings and child table data persist through
power cycles as mentioned in the “Persistent Data” section.
When the coordinator has successfully started a network, it
• Allows other devices to join the network for a time (see NJ command)
• Sets AI=0
• Starts blinking the Associate LED
• Sends an API modem status frame (“coordinator started”) out the serial port when using API mode
Command Description
ID Used to determine the 64-bit PAN ID. If set to 0 (default), a random 64-bit PAN ID will be selected.
SC Determines the scan channels bitmask (up to 16 channels) used by the coordinator when forming a network.
The coordinator will perform an energy scan on all enabled SC channels. It will then perform a PAN ID scan
SD Set the scan duration period. This value determines how long the coordinator performs an energy scan or
ZS Set the ZigBee stack profile for the network.
EE Enable or disable security in the network.
NK Set the network security key for the network. If set to 0 (default), a random network security key will be used.
KY Set the trust center link key for the network. If set to 0 (default), a random link key will be used.
EO Set the security policy for the network.
ZigBee Coordinator operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 45
These behaviors are configurable using the following commands:
If any of the command values in the network formation commands table changes, the coordinator will leave its
current network and start a new network, possibly on a different channel. Note that command changes must be
applied (AC or CN command) before taking effect.
Permit joining
The permit joining attribute on the coordinator is configurable with the NJ command. NJ can be configured to
always allow joining, or to allow joining for a short time.
Joining always enabled
If NJ=0xFF (default), joining is permanently enabled. This mode should be used carefully. Once a network has
been deployed, the application should strongly consider disabling joining to prevent unwanted joins from
occurring.
Joining temporarily enabled
If NJ < 0xFF, joining will be enabled only for a number of seconds, based on the NJ parameter. The timer is started
once the XBee joins a network. Joining will not be re-enabled if the module is power cycled or reset. The
following mechanisms can restart the permit-joining timer:
• Changing NJ to a different value (and applying changes with the AC or CN commands)
• Pressing the commissioning button twice
• Issuing the CB command with a parameter of 2
The last two cases enable joining for one minute if NJ is 0x0 or 0xFF. Otherwise, the commissioning button and
the CB2 command enable joining for NJ seconds.
Resetting the Coordinator
When the coordinator is reset or power cycled, it checks its PAN ID, operating channel and stack profile against
the network configuration settings (ID, CH, ZS). It also verifies the saved security policy against the security
configuration settings (EE, NK, KY). If the coordinator's PAN ID, operating channel, stack profile, or security policy
is not valid based on its network and security configuration settings, then the coordinator will leave the network
and attempt to form a new network based on its network formation command values.
To prevent the coordinator from leaving an existing network, the WR command should be issued after all
network formation commands have been configured in order to retain these settings through power cycle or
reset events.
Command Description
NJ Sets the permit-join time on the coordinator, measured in seconds.
D5 Enables the Associate LED functionality.
LT Sets the Associate LED blink time when joined. Default is 1 blink per second.
ZigBee Coordinator operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 46
Leaving a network
There are a couple of mechanisms that will cause the coordinator to leave its current PAN and start a new
network based on its network formation parameter values. These include the following:
•Change the ID command such that the current 64-bit PAN ID is invalid
•Change the SC command such that the current channel (CH) is not included in the channel mask
•Change the ZS or any of the security command values (excluding NK)
•Issue the NR0 command to cause the coordinator to leave
•Issue the NR1 command to send a broadcast transmission, causing all devices in the network to leave and
migrate to a different channel
•Press the commissioning button 4 times or issue the CB command with a parameter of 4
•Issue a network leave command
Note that changes to ID, SC, ZS, and security command values only take effect when changes are applied (AC or
CN commands).
Replacing a Coordinator (security disabled only)
In rare occasions, it may become necessary to replace an existing coordinator in a network with a new physical
device. If security is not enabled in the network, a replacement XBee coordinator can be configured with the PAN
ID (16-bit and 64-bit), channel, and stack profile settings of a running network in order to replace an existing
coordinator.
Note Having two coordinators on the same channel, stack profile, and PAN ID (16-bit and 64-bit) can cause
problems in the network and should be avoided. When replacing a coordinator, the old coordinator
should be turned off before starting the new coordinator.
To replace a coordinator, the following commands should be read from a device on the network:
Each of the commands listed above can be read from any device on the network. (These parameters will be the
same on all devices in the network.) After reading these commands from a device on the network, these
parameter values should be programmed into the new coordinator using the following commands.
AT Command Description
OP Read the operating 64-bit PAN ID.
OI Read the operating 16-bit PAN ID.
CH Read the operating channel.
ZS Read the stack profile.
ZigBee Router operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 47
Note II is the initial 16-bit PAN ID. Under certain conditions, the ZigBee stack can change the 16-bit PAN ID of
the network. For this reason, the II command cannot be saved using the WR command. Once II is set, the
coordinator leaves the network and starts on the 16-bit PAN ID specified by II.
Example: starting a Coordinator
1. Set CE (Coordinator Enable) to 1, and use the WR command to save the changes.
1. Set SC and ID to the desired scan channels and PAN ID values. (The defaults should suffice.)
2. If SC or ID is changed from the default, issue the WR command to save the changes.
3. If SC or ID is changed from the default, apply changes (make SC and ID changes take effect) either by sending
the AC command or by exiting AT command mode.
4. The Associate LED will start blinking once the coordinator has selected a channel and PAN ID.
5. The API Modem Status frame (“Coordinator Started”) is sent out the serial port when using API mode.
6. Reading the AI command (association status) will return a value of 0, indicating a successful startup.
7. Reading the MY command (16-bit address) will return a value of 0, the ZigBee-defined 16-bit address of the
coordinator.
After startup, the coordinator will allow joining based on its NJ value.
Example: replacing a Coordinator (security disabled)
1. Read the OP, OI, CH, and ZS commands on the running coordinator.
2. Set the CE, ID, SC, and ZS parameters on the new coordinator, followed by WR command to save these
parameter values.
3. Turn off the running coordinator.
4. Set the II parameter on the new coordinator to match the read OI value on the old coordinator.
5. Wait for the new coordinator to start (AI=0).
ZigBee Router operation
Routers must discover and join a valid ZigBee network before they can participate in a ZigBee network. After a
router has joined a network, it can allow new devices to join the network. It can also route data packets and
communicate with other devices on the network.
AT Command Description
ID Set the 64-bit PAN ID to match the read OP value.
II Set the initial 16-bit PAN ID to match the read OI value.
SC Set the scan channels bitmask to enable the read operating channel (CH command). For example, if the
operating channel is 0x0B, set SC to 0x0001. If the operating channel is 0x17, set SC to 0x1000.
ZS Set the stack profile to match the read ZS value.
ZigBee Router operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 48
Discovering ZigBee networks
To discover nearby ZigBee networks, the router performs a PAN (or active) scan, just like the coordinator does
when it starts a network. During the PAN scan, the router sends a beacon request (broadcast) transmission on the
first channel in its scan channels list. All nearby coordinators and routers operating on that channel (that are
already part of a ZigBee network) respond to the beacon request by sending a beacon back to the router. The
beacon contains information about the PAN the nearby device is on, including the PAN identifier (PAN ID), and
whether or not joining is allowed. The router evaluates each beacon received on the channel to determine if a
valid PAN is found. A router considers a PAN to be valid if the PAN:
•Has a valid 64-bit PAN ID (PAN ID matches ID if ID > 0)
•Has the correct stack profile (ZS command)
•Is allowing joining
If a valid PAN is not found, the router performs the PAN scan on the next channel in its scan channels list and
continues scanning until a valid network is found, or until all channels have been scanned. If all channels have
been scanned and a valid PAN was not discovered, all channels will be scanned again.
The ZigBee Alliance requires that certified solutions not send beacon request messages too frequently. To meet
certification requirements, the XBee firmware attempts nine scans per minute for the first five minutes, and three
scans per minute thereafter. If a valid PAN is within range of a joining router, it should typically be discovered
within a few seconds.
Joining a network
Once the router discovers a valid network, it sends an association request to the device that sent a valid beacon
requesting a join on the ZigBee network. The device allowing the join then sends an association response frame
that either allows or denies the join.
When a router joins a network, it receives a 16-bit address from the device that allowed the join. The 16-bit
address is randomly selected by the device that allowed the join.
Authentication
In a network where security is enabled, the router must then go through an authentication process. SeeZigBee
Security on page 84 for a discussion on security and authentication.
After the router is joined (and authenticated, in a secure network), it can allow new devices to join the network.
Persistent data
Once a router has joined a network, it retains the following information through power cycle or reset events:
•PAN ID
•Operating channel
•Security policy and frame counter values
•Child table (end device children that are joined to the coordinator).
•Binding Table
•Group Table
The router will retain this information indefinitely until it leaves the network. When the router leaves a network,
the previous PAN ID, operating channel, and child table data are lost.
ZigBee Router operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 49
ZB Router joining
When the router is powered on, if it is not already joined to a valid ZigBee network, it immediately attempts to
find and join a valid ZigBee network.
Note The DJ command can be set to 1 to disable joining. The DJ parameter cannot be written with WR, so a
power cycle always clears the DJ setting.
The following commands control the router joining process.
Configuration changes will delay the start of joining for 5 seconds after the last change is made.
Once the router joins a network, the network configuration settings and child table data persist through power
cycles as mentioned in the “Persistent Data” section previously. If joining fails, the status of the last join attempt
can be read in the AI command register.
If any of the above command values change, when command register changes are applied (AC or CN commands),
the router will leave its current network and attempt to discover and join a new valid network.
When a ZB router has successfully joined a network, it:
•Allows other devices to join the network for a time
•Sets AI=0
•Starts blinking the Associate LED
•Sends an API modem status frame (“associated”) out the serial port when using API mode.
These behaviors are configurable using the following commands:
Command Description
ID Sets the 64-bit PAN ID to join. Setting ID=0 allows the router to join any 64-bit PAN ID.
SC Set the scan channels bitmask that determines which channels a router will scan to find a valid network. SC on
the router should be set to match SC on the coordinator. For example, setting SC to 0x281 enables scanning on
channels 0x0B, 0x12, and 0x14, in that order.
SD Set the scan duration, or time that the router will listen for beacons on each channel.
ZS Set the stack profile on the device.
EE Enable or disable security in the network. This must be set to match the EE value (security policy) of the
coordinator.
KY Set the trust center link key. If set to 0 (default), the link key is expected to be obtained (unencrypted) during
joining.
Command Description
NJ Sets the permit-join time on the router, or the time that it will allow new devices to join the
network, measured in seconds. If NJ=0xFF, permit joining will always be enabled.
D5 Enables the Associate LED functionality.
LT Sets the Associate LED blink time when joined. Default is 2 blinks per second (router).
ZigBee Router operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 50
Permit joining
The permit joining attribute on the router is configurable with the NJ command. NJ can be configured to always
allow joining, or to allow joining for a short time.
Joining always enabled
If NJ=0xFF (default), joining is permanently enabled. This mode should be used carefully. Once a network has
been deployed, the application should strongly consider disabling joining to prevent unwanted joins from
occurring.
Joining temporarily enabled
If NJ < 0xFF, joining will be enabled only for a number of seconds, based on the NJ parameter. The timer is started
once the XBee joins a network. Joining will not be re-enabled if the module is power cycled or reset. The
following mechanisms can restart the permit-joining timer:
• Changing NJ to a different value (and applying changes with the AC or CN commands)
• Pressing the commissioning button twice
• Issuing the CB command with a parameter of 2 (software emulation of a 2 button press)
• Causing the router to leave and rejoin the network
The middle two cases enable joining for one minute if NJ is 0x0 or 0xFF. Otherwise, the commissioning button
and the CB2 command enable joining for NJ seconds.
Router network connectivity
Once a router joins a ZigBee network, it remains connected to the network on the same channel and PAN ID as
long as it is not forced to leave (see Leaving a network on page 46 for details). If the scan channels (SC), PAN ID
(ID) and security settings (EE, KY) do not change after a power cycle, the router will remain connected to the
network after a power cycle.
If a router may physically move out of range of the network it initially joined, the application should include
provisions to detect if the router can still communicate with the original network. If communication with the
original network is lost, the application may choose to force the router to leave the network (see Leaving a
network on page 46 for details). The XBee firmware includes two provisions to automatically detect the presence
of a network, and leave if the check fails.
Power-On join verification
The JV command (join verification) enables the power-on join verification check. If enabled, the XBee will
attempt to discover the 64-bit address of the coordinator when it first joins a network. Once it has joined, it will
also attempt to discover the 64-bit address of the coordinator after a power cycle event. If 3 discovery attempts
fail, the router will leave the network and try to join a new network. Power-on join verification is disabled by
default (JV defaults to 0).
Network Watchdog
The NW command (network watchdog timeout) can be used for a powered router to periodically check for the
presence of a coordinator to verify network connectivity. The NW command specifies a timeout in minutes where
the router must receive communication from the coordinator or data collector. The following events restart the
network watchdog timer:
ZigBee Router operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 51
•RF data received from the coordinator
•RF data sent to the coordinator and an acknowledgment was received
•Many-to-one route request was received (from any device)
•Changing the value of NW
If the watchdog timer expires (no valid data received for NW time), the router will attempt to discover the 64-bit
address of the coordinator. If the address cannot be discovered, the router records one watchdog timeout. Once
three consecutive network watchdog timeouts have expired (3 * NW) and the coordinator has not responded to
the address discovery attempts, the router will leave the network and attempt to join a new network. Anytime a
router receives valid data from the coordinator or data collector, it will clear the watchdog timeouts counter and
restart the watchdog timer. The watchdog timer (NW command) is settable to several days. The network
watchdog feature is disabled by default (NW defaults to 0).
Leaving a network
There are a couple of mechanisms that will cause the router to leave its current PAN and attempt to discover and
join a new network based on its network joining parameter values.
These include the following:
• Change the ID command such that the current 64-bit PAN ID is invalid
• Change the SC command such that the current channel (CH) is not included in the channel mask
• Change the ZS or any of the security command values
ZigBee Router operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 52
• Issue the NR0 command to cause the router to leave.
• Issue the NR1 command to send a broadcast transmission, causing all devices in the network to leave and
migrate to a different channel
• Press the commissioning button 4 times or issue the CB command with a parameter of 4
• Issue a network leave command
Note that changes to ID, SC, ZS, and security command values only take effect when changes are applied (AC or
CN commands).
Network Locator option
The Device Options Network Locator option is provided to support the swapping or replacement of a Coordinator
in a running network. The Network Locator option, if enabled (ATDO80), modifies the behavior of the JV and NW
options. Failure to communicate with the Coordinator does not result in the radio leaving the network, but
instead the radio starts a search for the network across the channels of the Search Channel mask (SC). If the
network is found on the old channel with the same OI (operating ID) the search mode ends and if NW is enabled,
NW is rescheduled. If the network is found with a new OI but satisfies the radio's search for a matching ID and ZS,
the radio leaves the old network and joins the new network with the new OI.
Resetting the Router
When the router is reset or power cycled, it checks its PAN ID, operating channel and stack profile against the
network configuration settings (ID, SC, ZS). It also verifies the saved security policy is valid based on the security
configuration commands (EE, KY). If the router's PAN ID, operating channel, stack profile, or security policy is
invalid, the router will leave the network and attempt to join a new network based on its network joining
command values.
To prevent the router from leaving an existing network, the WR command should be issued after all network
joining commands have been configured in order to retain these settings through power cycle or reset events.
Example: joining a network
After starting a coordinator (that is allowing joins), the following steps will cause a router to join the network:
1. Set ID to the desired 64-bit PAN ID, or to 0 to join any PAN.
2. Set SC to the list of channels to scan to find a valid network.
3. If SC or ID is changed from the default, apply changes (make SC and ID changes take effect) by issuing the AC
or CN command.
4. The Associate LED will start blinking once the router has joined a PAN.
5. If the Associate LED is not blinking, the AI command can be read to determine the cause of join failure.
6. Once the router has joined, the OP and CH commands will indicate the operating 64-bit PAN ID and channel
the router joined.
7. The MY command will reflect the 16-bit address the router received when it joined.
8. The API Modem Status frame (“Associated”) is sent out the serial port when using API mode.
9. The joined router will allow other devices to join for a time based on its NJ setting.
End Device operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 53
End Device operation
Similar to routers, end devices must also discover and join a valid ZigBee network before they can participate in a
network. After an end device has joined a network, it can communicate with other devices on the network. Since
end devices are intended to be battery powered and therefore support low power (sleep) modes, end devices
cannot allow other devices to join, nor can they route data packets.
Discovering ZigBee networks
End devices go through the same process as routers to discover networks by issuing a PAN scan. After sending the
broadcast beacon request transmission, the end device listens for a short time in order to receive beacons sent
by nearby routers and coordinators on the same channel. The end device evaluates each beacon received on the
channel to determine if a valid PAN is found. An end device considers a PAN to be valid if the PAN:
•Has a valid 64-bit PAN ID (PAN ID matches ID if ID > 0)
•Has the correct stack profile (ZS command)
•Is allowing joining
•Has capacity for additional end devices (see End Device capacity on page 54).
If a valid PAN is not found, the end device performs the PAN scan on the next channel in its scan channels list and
continues this process until a valid network is found, or until all channels have been scanned. If all channels have
been scanned and a valid PAN was not discovered, the end device may enter a low power sleep state and scan
again later.
If scanning all SC channels fails to discover a valid PAN, XBee ZB modules will attempt to enter a low power state
and will retry scanning all SC channels after the module wakes from sleeping. If the module cannot enter a low
power state, it will retry scanning all channels, similar to the router. To meet ZigBee Alliance requirements, the
end device will attempt up to nine scans per minute for the first five minutes, and three scans per minute
thereafter.
Note The XBee ZB end device will not enter sleep until it has completed scanning all SC channels for a valid
network.
Joining a network
Once the end device discovers a valid network, it joins the network, similar to a router, by sending an association
request (to the device that sent a valid beacon) to request a join on the ZigBee network. The device allowing the
join then sends an association response frame that either allows or denies the join.
When an end device joins a network, it receives a 16-bit address from the device that allowed the join. The 16-bit
address is randomly selected by the device that allowed the join.
Parent child relationship
Since an end device may enter low power sleep modes and not be immediately responsive, the end device relies
on the device that allowed the join to receive and buffer incoming messages in its behalf until it is able to wake
and receive those messages. The device that allowed an end device to join becomes the parent of the end device,
and the end device becomes a child of the device that allowed the join.
End Device operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 54
End Device capacity
Routers and coordinators maintain a table of all child devices that have joined called the child table. This table is
a finite size and determines how many end devices can join. If a router or coordinator has at least one unused
entry in its child table, the device is said to have end device capacity. In other words, it can allow one or more
additional end devices to join. ZigBee networks should have sufficient routers to ensure adequate end device
capacity.
The initial release of software on this platform supports up to 20 end devices when configured as a coordinator or
a router.
In ZB firmware, the NC command (number of remaining end device children) can be used to determine how many
additional end devices can join a router or coordinator. If NC returns 0, then the router or coordinator device has
no more end device capacity (Its child table is full).
Also of note, since routers cannot sleep, there is no equivalent need for routers or coordinators to track joined
routers. Therefore, there is no limit to the number of routers that can join a given router or coordinator device.
There is no “router capacity” metric.
Authentication
In a network where security is enabled, the end device must then go through an authentication process; see
ZigBee Security on page 84.
Persistent data
The end device can retain its PAN ID, operating channel, and security policy information through a power cycle.
However, since end devices rely heavily on a parent, the end device does an orphan scan to try and contact its
parent. If the end device does not receive an orphan scan response (called a coordinator realignment command),
it will leave the network and try to discover and join a new network. When the end device leaves a network, the
previous PAN ID and operating channel settings are lost.
Orphan scans
When an end device comes up from a power cycle, it performs an orphan scan to verify it still has a valid parent.
The orphan scan is sent as a broadcast transmission and contains the 64-bit address of the end device. Nearby
routers and coordinator devices that receive the broadcast check their child tables for an entry that contains the
end device's 64-bit address. If an entry is found with a matching 64-bit address, the device sends a coordinator
realignment command to the end device that includes the end device's 16-bit address, 16-bit PAN ID, operating
channel, and the parent's 64-bit and 16-bit addresses.
If the orphaned end device receives a coordinator realignment command, it is considered joined to the network.
Otherwise, it will attempt to discover and join a valid network.
ZigBee End Device joining
When an end device is powered on, if it is not joined to a valid ZigBee network, or if the orphan scan fails to find a
parent, it immediately attempts to find and join a valid ZigBee network.
Note The DJ command can be set to 1 to disable joining. The DJ parameter cannot be written with WR, so a
power cycle always clears the DJ setting.
Similar to a router, the following commands control the end device joining process.
End Device operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 55
Once the end device joins a network, the network configuration settings can persist through power cycles as
mentioned in Persistent data on page 44. If joining fails, the status of the last join attempt can be read in the AI
command register.
If any of these command values changes, when command register changes are applied, the end device will leave
its current network and attempt to discover and join a new valid network.
When a ZB end device has successfully started a network, it
• Sets AI=0
• Starts blinking the Associate LED
• Sends an API modem status frame (“associated”) out the serial port when using API mode
• Attempts to enter low power modes
These behaviors are configurable using the following commands:
Parent Connectivity
The XBee ZB end device sends regular poll transmissions to its parent when it is awake. These poll transmissions
query the parent for any new received data packets. The parent always sends a MAC layer acknowledgment back
to the end device. The acknowledgment indicates whether the parent has data for the end device or not.
If the end device does not receive an acknowledgment for 3 consecutive poll requests, it considers itself
disconnected from its parent and will attempt to discover and join a valid ZigBee network. See Managing End
Devices on page 107 for details.
Command Description
ID Sets the 64-bit PAN ID to join. Setting ID=0 allows the router to join any 64-bit PAN ID.
SC Set the scan channels bitmask that determines which channels an end device will scan to find a valid network.
SC on the end device should be set to match SC on the coordinator and routers in the desired network. For
example, setting SC to 0x281 enables scanning on channels 0x0B, 0x12, and 0x14, in that order.
SD Set the scan duration, or time that the end device will listen for beacons on each channel.
ZS Set the stack profile on the device.
EE Enable or disable security in the network. This must be set to match the EE value (security policy) of the
coordinator.
KY Set the trust center link key. If set to 0 (default), the link key is expected to be obtained (unencrypted) during
joining.
Command Description
D5 Enables the Associate LED functionality.
LT Sets the Associate LED blink time when joined. Default is 2 blinks per second (end devices).
SM, SP, ST, SN, SO Parameters that configure the sleep mode characteristics. See Managing End Devices on page 107 for
details.
End Device operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 56
Resetting the End Device
When the end device is reset or power cycled, if the orphan scan successfully locates a parent, the end device
then checks its PAN ID, operating channel and stack profile against the network configuration settings (ID, SC,
ZS). It also verifies the saved security policy is valid based on the security configuration commands (EE, KY). If the
end device's PAN ID, operating channel, stack profile, or security policy is invalid, the end device will leave the
network and attempt to join a new network based on its network joining command values.
To prevent the end device from leaving an existing network, the WR command should be issued after all network
joining commands have been configured in order to retain these settings through power cycle or reset events.
Leaving a network
There are a couple of mechanisms that will cause the router to leave its current PAN and attempt to discover and
join a new network based on its network joining parameter values. These include the following:
• The ID command changes such that the current 64-bit PAN ID is invalid
• The SC command changes such that the current operating channel (CH) is not included in the channel mask
• The ZS or any of the security command values change
• The NR0 command is issued to cause the end device to leave
• The NR1 command is issued to send a broadcast transmission, causing all devices in the network to leave and
migrate to a different channel
• The commissioning button is pressed 4 times or the CB command is issued with a parameter of 4
• The end device's parent is powered down or the end device is moved out of range of the parent such that the
end device fails to receive poll acknowledgment messages
Note that changes to command values only take effect when changes are applied (AC or CN commands).
Example: joining a network
After starting a coordinator (that is allowing joins), the following steps will cause an XBee end device to join the
network:
1. Set ID to the desired 64-bit PAN ID, or to 0 to join any PAN.
2. Set SC to the list of channels to scan to find a valid network.
3. If SC or ID is changed from the default, apply changes (make SC and ID changes take effect) by issuing the AC
or CN command.
4. The Associate LED will start blinking once the end device has joined a PAN.
5. If the Associate LED is not blinking, the AI command can be read to determine the cause of join failure.
6. Once the end device has joined, the OP and CH commands will indicate the operating 64-bit PAN ID and
channel the end device joined.
7. The MY command will reflect the 16-bit address the router received when it joined.
8. The API Modem Status frame (“Associated”) is sent out the serial port when using API mode.
9. The joined end device will attempt to enter low power sleep modes based on its sleep configuration
commands (SM, SP, SN, ST, SO).
ZigBee channel scanning
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 57
ZigBee channel scanning
As mentioned previously, routers and end devices must scan one or more channels to discover a valid network to
join. When a join attempt begins, the XBee sends a beacon request transmission on the lowest channel specified
in the SC (scan channels) command bitmask. If a valid PAN is found on the channel, the XBee will attempt to join
the PAN on that channel. Otherwise, if a valid PAN is not found on the channel, it will attempt scanning on the
next higher channel in the SC command bitmask. The XBee will continue to scan each channel (from lowest to
highest) in the SC bitmask until a valid PAN is found or all channels have been scanned. Once all channels have
been scanned, the next join attempt will start scanning on the lowest channel specified in the SC command
bitmask.
For example, if the SC command is set to 0x400F, the XBee would start scanning on channel 11 (0x0B) and scan
until a valid beacon is found, or until channels 11, 12, 13, 14, and 25 have been scanned (in that order).
Once an XBee router or end device joins a network on a given channel, if the XBee is told to leave (see Leaving a
network on page 46), it will leave the channel it joined on and continue scanning on the next higher channel in
the SC bitmask.
For example, if the SC command is set to 0x400F, and the XBee joins a PAN on channel 12 (0x0C), if the XBee
leaves the channel, it will start scanning on channel 13, followed by channels 14 and 25 if a valid network is not
found. Once all channels have been scanned, the next join attempt will start scanning on the lowest channel
specified in the SC command bitmask.
Managing multiple ZigBee networks
In some applications, multiple ZigBee networks may exist in proximity of each other. The application may need
provisions to ensure the XBee joins the desired network. There are a number of features in ZigBee to manage
joining among multiple networks. These include the following:
•PAN ID Filtering
•Preconfigured Security Keys
•Permit Joining
•Application Messaging
PAN ID filtering
The XBee can be configured with a fixed PAN ID by setting the ID command to a non-zero value. If the PAN ID is set
to a non-zero value, the XBee will only join a network with the same PAN ID.
Pre-configured security keys
Similar to PAN ID filtering, this method requires a known security key be installed on a router to ensure it will join
a ZigBee network with the same security key. If the security key (KY command) is set to a non-zero value, and if
security is enabled (EE command), an XBee router or end device will only join a network with the same security
key.
Permit joining
The Permit Joining parameter can be disabled in a network to prevent unwanted devices from joining. When a
new device must be added to a network, permit-joining can be enabled for a short time on the desired network.
In the XBee firmware, joining is disabled by setting the NJ command to a value less than 0xFF on all routers and
coordinator devices. Joining can be enabled for a short time using the commissioning push-button (see Network
commissioning and diagnostics on page 91 for details) or the CB command.
ZigBee channel scanning
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 58
Application messaging
If the above mechanisms are not feasible, the application could build in a messaging framework between the
coordinator and devices that join its network. For example, the application code in joining devices could send a
transmission to the coordinator after joining a network, and wait to receive a defined reply message. If the
application does not receive the expected response message after joining, the application could force the XBee
to leave and continue scanning (see the NR parameter).
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 59
Transmission, addressing, and routing
Addressing
All ZigBee devices have two different addresses, a 64-bit and a 16-bit address. The characteristics of each are
described below.
64-bit device addresses
The 64-bit address is a device address which is unique to each physical device. It is sometimes also called the MAC
address or extended address. It is assigned during the manufacturing process. The first three bytes of the 64-bit
address is a Organizationally Unique Identifier (OUI) assigned to the manufacturer by the IEEE. The OUI of XBee
devices is 0x0013A2.
16-bit device addresses
A device receives a 16-bit address when it joins a ZigBee network. For this reason, the 16-bit address is also called the
network address. The 16-bit address of 0x0000 is reserved for the coordinator. All other devices receive a randomly
generated address from the router or coordinator device that allows the join. The 16-bit address can change under
certain conditions:
• An address conflict is detected where two devices are found to have the same 16-bit address
• A device leaves the network and later joins (it can receive a different address)
All ZigBee transmissions are sent using the source and destination 16-bit addresses. The routing tables on ZigBee
devices also use 16-bit addresses to determine how to route data packets through the network. However, since the
16-bit address is not static, it is not a reliable way to identify a device.
To solve this problem, the 64-bit destination address is often included in data transmissions to guarantee data is
delivered to the correct destination. The ZigBee stack can discover the 16-bit address, if unknown, before
transmitting data to a remote.
Application layer addressing
ZigBee devices can support multiple application profiles, cluster IDs, and endpoints (see ZigBee application layers: in
depth on page 41). Application layer addressing allows data transmissions to be addressed to specific profile IDs,
cluster IDs, and endpoints. Application layer addressing is useful if an application must
• Interoperate with other ZigBee devices outside of the Digi application profile
Data transmission
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 60
• use service and network management capabilities of the ZDO
• Operate on a public application profile such as Home Controls or Smart Energy
API mode provides a simple yet powerful interface that can easily send data to any profile ID, endpoint, and
cluster ID combination on any device in a ZigBee network.
Data transmission
ZigBee data packets can be sent as either unicast or broadcast transmissions. Unicast transmissions route data
from one source device to one destination device, whereas broadcast transmissions are sent to many or all
devices in the network.
Broadcast transmissions
Broadcast transmissions within the ZigBee protocol are intended to be propagated throughout the entire
network such that all nodes receive the transmission. To accomplish this, the coordinator and all routers that
receive a broadcast transmission will retransmit the packet three times.
Note When a router or coordinator delivers a broadcast transmission to an end device child, the transmission
is only sent once (immediately after the end device wakes and polls the parent for any new data). See
Parent operation on page 108 for details.
Broadcast data transmission
Each node that transmits the broadcast will also create an entry in a local broadcast transmission table. This
entry is used to keep track of each received broadcast packet to ensure the packets are not endlessly
transmitted. Each entry persists for 8 seconds. The broadcast transmission table holds 8 entries.
C
R
R
E
R
E
R
E
E
R
E
R
Legend
C=Coordinator
R=Router
E=End Device
E
Data transmission
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 61
For each broadcast transmission, the ZigBee stack must reserve buffer space for a copy of the data packet. This
copy is used to retransmit the packet as needed. Large broadcast packets will require more buffer space. This
information on buffer space is provided for general knowledge; the user does not and cannot change any buffer
spacing. Buffer spacing is handled automatically by the XBee module.
Since broadcast transmissions are retransmitted by each device in the network, broadcast messages should be
used sparingly.
Unicast transmissions
Unicast transmissions are sent from one source device to another destination device. The destination device
could be an immediate neighbor of the source, or it could be several hops away. Unicast transmissions that are
sent along a multiple hop path require some means of establishing a route to the destination device. See RF
packet routing on page 66 for details.
Address resolution
As mentioned previously, each device in a ZigBee network has both a 16-bit (network) address and a 64-bit
(extended) address. The 64-bit address is unique and assigned to the device during manufacturing, and the 16-bit
address is obtained after joining a network. The 16-bit address can also change under certain conditions.
When sending a unicast transmission, the ZigBee network layer uses the 16-bit address of the destination and
each hop to route the data packet. If the 16-bit address of the destination is not known, the ZigBee stack includes
a discovery provision to automatically discover the destination device's 16-bit address before routing the data.
To discover a 16-bit address of a remote, the device initiating the discovery sends a broadcast address discovery
transmission. The address discovery broadcast includes the 64-bit address of the remote device whose 16-bit
address is being requested. All nodes that receive this transmission check the 64-bit address in the payload and
compare it to their own 64-bit address. If the addresses match, the device sends a response packet back to the
initiator. This response includes the remote's 16-bit address. When the discovery response is received, the
initiator will then transmit the data.
Frames may be addressed using either the extended or the network address. If the extended address form is
used, then the network address field should be set to 0xFFFE (unknown). If the network address form is used,
then the extended address field should be set to 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF (unknown).
If an invalid 16-bit address is used as a destination address, and the 64-bit address is unknown
(0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF), the modem status message will show a delivery status code of 0x21 (network ack failure)
and a discovery status of 0x00 (no discovery overhead). If a non-existent 64-bit address is used as a destination
address, and the 16-bit address is unknown (0xFFFE), address discovery will be attempted and the modem status
message will show a delivery status code of 0x24 (address not found) and a discovery status code of 0x01
(address discovery was attempted).
Data transmission
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 62
Address table
Each ZigBee device maintains an address table that maps a 64-bit address to a 16-bit address. When a
transmission is addressed to a 64-bit address, the ZigBee stack searches the address table for an entry with a
matching 64-bit address, in hopes of determining the destination's 16-bit address. If a known 16-bit address is
not found, the ZigBee stack will perform address discovery to discover the device's current 16-bit address.
The XBee modules can store up to 10 address table entries. For applications where a single device (e.g.
coordinator) may send unicast transmissions to more than 10 devices, the application should implement an
address table to store the 16-bit and 64-bit addresses for each remote device. Any XBee that will send data to
more than 10 remotes should also use API mode. The application can then send both the 16-bit and 64-bit
addresses to the XBee in the API transmit frames which will significantly reduce the number of 16-bit address
discoveries and greatly improve data throughput.
If an application will support an address table, the size should ideally be larger than the maximum number of
destination addresses the device will communicate with. Each entry in the address table should contain a 64-bit
destination address and its last known 16-bit address.
When sending a transmission to a destination 64-bit address, the application should search the address table for
a matching 64-bit address. If a match is found, the 16-bit address should be populated into the 16-bit address
field of the API frame. If a match is not found, the 16-bit address should be set to 0xFFFE (unknown) in the API
transmit frame.
The API provides indication of a remote device's 16-bit address in the following frames:
• All receive data frames
• Rx Data (0x90)
• Rx Explicit Data (0x91)
• I/O Sample Data (0x92)
• Node Identification Indicator (0x95)
• Route Record Indicator (0xA1) etc.
• Transmit status frame (0x8B)
Group table
Each router and the coordinator maintain a persistent group table. Each entry contains an endpoint value, a two
byte group ID, and an optional name string of zero to 16 ASCII characters, and an index into the binding table.
More than one endpoint may be associated with a group ID, and more than one group ID may be associated with
a given endpoint. The capacity of the group table is 16 entries.
The application should always update the 16-bit address in the address table when one of these frames is
received to ensure the table has the most recently known 16-bit address. If a transmission failure occurs, the
application should set the 16-bit address in the table to 0xFFFE (unknown).
64-bit Address 16-bit Address
0013 A200 4000 0001 0x4414
0013 A200 400A 3568 0x1234
0013 A200 4004 1122 0xC200
0013 A200 4002 1123 0xFFFE (unknown)
Data transmission
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 63
Binding transmissions
Binding transmissions use indirect addressing to send one or more messages to other destination devices. An
Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command Frame (0x11) using the Indirect Tx Option (0x04) is treated as a binding
transmission request.
Address resolution
The source endpoint and cluster ID values of a binding transmission are used as keys to lookup matching binding
table entries. For each matching binding table entry, the type field of the entry indicates whether a unicast or a
multicast message should be sent.
In the case of a unicast entry, the transmission request is updated with the Destination Endpoint and MAC
Address, and unicast to its destination. In the case of a multicast entry, the message is updated using the two
least significant bytes of the Destination MAC Address as the groupID, and multicast to its destination(s).
Binding table
Each router and the coordinator maintain a persistent binding table to map source endpoint and cluster ID
values into 64 bit destination address and endpoint values. The capacity of the binding table is 16 entries.
Multicast transmissions
Multicast transmissions are used to broadcast a message to destination devices which have active endpoints
associated with a common group ID. An explicit transmit request frame (0x11) using the Multicast Tx Option
(0x08) is treated as a multicast transmission request.
Address resolution
The 64 bit destination address value does not matter and it is recommended it be set to 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF.
The 16 bit destination address value should be set to the destination groupID.
Fragmentation
Each unicast transmission may support up to 84 bytes of RF payload. (Enabling security or using source routing
can reduce this number. See the NP command for details.) However, the XBee ZB firmware supports a ZigBee
feature called fragmentation that allows a single large data packet to be broken up into multiple RF
transmissions and reassembled by the receiver before sending data out its serial port. This is shown in the image
below.
Data transmission
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 64
The transmit frame can include up to 255 bytes of data, which will be broken up into multiple transmissions and
reassembled on the receiving side. If one or more of the fragmented messages are not received by the receiving
device, the receiver will drop the entire message, and the sender will indicate a transmission failure in the Tx
Status API frame.
Applications that do not wish to use fragmentation should avoid sending more than the maximum number of
bytes in a single RF transmission. See Maximum RF payload size on page 75 for details.
If RTS flow control is enabled on the receiving module (using the D6 command) and a fragmented message is
received, then RTS flow control will be ignored.
Note Broadcast transmissions do not support fragmentation. Maximum payload size = up to 84 bytes.
Data transmission examples
AT firmware
To send a data packet in transparent mode, the DH and DL commands must be set to match the 64-bit address of
the destination device. DH must match the upper 4-bytes, and DL must match the lower 4 bytes. Since the
coordinator always receives a 16-bit address of 0x0000, a 64-bit address of 0x0000000000000000 is defined as the
coordinator's address (in ZB firmware). The default values of DH and DL are 0x00, which sends data to the
coordinator.
Example 1: send a transmission to the coordinator.
(In this example, a '\r' refers to a carriage return character.)
A router or end device can send data in two ways. First, set the destination address (DH and DL commands) to
0x00.
1. Enter command mode ('+++')
2. After receiving an OK\r, issue the following commands:
3. ATDH0\r
a. ATDL0\r
b. ATCN\r
4. Verify that each of the 3 commands returned an OK\r response.
5. After setting these command values, all serial characters will be sent as a unicast transmission to the
coordinator.
Alternatively, if the coordinator's 64-bit address is known, DH and DL can be set to the coordinator's 64-bit
address. Suppose the coordinator's address is 0x0013A200404A2244.
1. Enter command mode ('+++')
2. After receiving an OK\r, issue the following commands:
3. ATDH13A200\r
a. ATDL404A2244\
b. ATCN\r
4. Verify that each of the three commands returned an OK\r response.
Data transmission
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 65
5. After setting these command values, all serial characters will be sent as a unicast transmission to the
coordinator.
API firmware
Use the transmit request, or explicit transmit request frame (0x10 and 0x11 respectively) to send data to the
coordinator. The 64-bit address can either be set to 0x0000000000000000, or to the 64-bit address of the
coordinator. The 16-bit address should be set to 0xFFFE when using the 64-bit address of all 0x00s.
To send an ASCII “1” to the coordinator's 0x00 address, the following API frame can be used:
7E 00 0F 10 01 0000 0000 0000 0000 FFFE 00 00 31 C0
If the explicit transmit frame is used, the cluster ID should be set to 0x0011, the profile ID to 0xC105, and the
source and destination endpoints to 0xE8 (recommended defaults for data transmissions in the Digi profile.) The
same transmission could be sent using the following explicit transmit frame:
7E 00 15 11 01 0000 0000 0000 0000 FFFE E8 E8 0011 C105 00 00 31 18
Notice the 16-bit address is set to 0xFFFE. This is required when sending to a 64-bit address of 0x00s.
Now suppose the coordinator's 64-bit address is 0x0013A200404A2244. The following transmit request API frame
(0x10) will send an ASCII “1” to the coordinator:
7E 00 0F 10 01 0013 A200 404A 2244 0000 0000 31 18
Example 2: send a broadcast transmission.
(In this example, a '\r' refers to a carriage return character.)
Perform the following steps to configure a broadcast transmission:
1. Enter command mode ('+++')
2. After receiving an OK\r, issue the following commands:
a. ATDH0\r
b. ATDLffff\r
c. ATCN\r
3. Verify that each of the three commands returned an OK\r response
4. After setting these command values, all serial characters will be sent as a broadcast transmission.
API firmware
This example will use the transmit request API frame (0x10) to send an ASCII “1” in a broadcast transmission.
To send an ASCII “1” as a broadcast transmission, the following API frame can be used:
7E 00 0F 10 01 0000 0000 0000 FFFF FFFE 00 00 31 C2
Notice the destination 16-bit address is set to 0xFFFE for broadcast transmissions.
Example 3: send an indirect (binding) transmission.
This example will use the explicit transmit request frame (0x11) to send a transmission using indirect addressing
through the binding table. It assumes the binding table has already been set up to map a source endpoint of 0xE7
and cluster ID of 0x0011 to a destination endpoint and 64 bit destination address. The message data is a
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 66
manufacturing specific profile message using profile ID 0xC105, command ID 0x00, a ZCL Header of 151E10,
transaction number EE, and a ZCL payload of 000102030405.
7E 001E 11 e4 FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF FFFE E7 FF 0011 C105 00 04 151E10EE000102030405 14
Note The 64 bit destination address has been set to all 0xFF values, and the destination endpoint set to 0xFF.
The Tx Option 0x04 indicates indirect addressing is to be used. The 64 bit destination address and
destination endpoint will be filled in by looking up data associated with binding table entries which
match Example 5: Send a multicast (group ID) broadcast.
Example 4: send a multicast (group ID) broadcast.
This example will use the explicit transmit request frame (0x11) to send a transmission using multicasting. It
assumes the destination devices already have their group tables set up to associate an active endpoint with the
group ID (0x1234) of the multicast transmission. The message data is a manufacturing specific profile message
using profile ID 0xC105command ID 0x00, a ZCL Header of 151E10, transaction number EE, and a ZCL payload of
000102030405.
7E 001E 11 01 FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF 1234 E6 FE 0001 C105 00 08 151E10EE000102030405 BC
Note The 64 bit destination address has been set to all 0xFF values, and the destination endpoint set to 0xFE.
The Tx Option 0x08 indicates multicast (group) addressing is to be used.
RF packet routing
Unicast transmissions may require some type of routing. ZigBee includes several different ways to route data,
each with its own advantages and disadvantages. These are summarized in the table below.
Note End devices do not make use of these routing protocols. Rather, an end device sends a unicast
transmission to its parent and allows the parent to route the data packet in its behalf.
Note A network cannot revert from Many-to-One routing to AODV routing without first doing a network reset
(NR).
Routing Approach Description When to Use
Ad hoc On-demand
Distance Vector (AODV)
Mesh Routing
Routing paths are created between source and
destination, possibly traversing multiple nodes
(“hops”). Each device knows who to send data
to next to eventually reach the destination
Use in networks that will not scale beyond about
40 destination devices.
Many-to-One Routing A single broadcast transmission configures
reverse routes on all devices into the device that
sends the broadcast
Useful when many remote devices must send
data to a single gateway or collector device.
Source Routing Data packets include the entire route the packet
should traverse to get from source to
destination
Improves routing efficiency in large networks
(over 40 remote devices)
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 67
Link status transmission
Before discussing the various routing protocols, it is worth understanding the primary mechanism in ZigBee for
establishing reliable bi-directional links. This mechanism is especially useful in networks that may have a mixture
of devices with varying output power and/or receiver sensitivity levels.
Each coordinator or router device periodically sends a link status message. This message is sent as a 1-hop
broadcast transmission, received only by one-hop neighbors. The link status message contains a list of
neighboring devices and incoming and outgoing link qualities for each neighbor. Using these messages,
neighboring devices can determine the quality of a bi-directional link with each neighbor and use that
information to select a route that works well in both directions.
For example, consider a network of two neighboring devices that send periodic link status messages. Suppose
that the output power of device A is +18dBm, and the output power of device B is +3dBm (considerably less than
the output power of device A). The link status messages might indicate the following:
This mechanism enables devices A and B to recognize that the link is not reliable in both directions and select a
different neighbor when establishing routes. (Such links are called asymmetric links, meaning the link quality is
not similar in both directions.)
When a router or coordinator device powers on, it sends link status messages every couple seconds to attempt to
discover link qualities with its neighbors quickly. After being powered on for some time, the link status messages
are sent at a much slower rate (about every 3-4 times per minute).
AODV Mesh routing
ZigBee employs mesh routing to establish a route between the source device and the destination. Mesh routing
allows data packets to traverse multiple nodes (hops) in a network to route data from a source to a destination.
Routers and coordinators can participate in establishing routes between source and destination devices using a
process called route discovery. The Route discovery process is based on the Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector
routing (AODV) protocol.
Sample transmission through a Mesh network:
Device A
Device B
Neighbor A:
Outgoing cost: very poor
Incoming cost: very good
Neighbor B:
Outgoing cost: very good
Incoming cost: very poor
Link status (A to B)
Link status (B to A)
+18 dBm TX power
+3 dBm TX power
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 68
AODV routing algorithm
Routing under the AODV protocol is accomplished using tables in each node that store the next hop
(intermediary node between source and destination nodes) for a destination node. If a next hop is not known,
route discovery must take place in order to find a path. Since only a limited number of routes can be stored on a
Router, route discovery will take place more often on a large network with communication between many
different nodes.
When a source node must discover a route to a destination node, it sends a broadcast route request command.
The route request command contains the source network address, the destination network address and a path
cost field (a metric for measuring route quality). As the route request command is propagated through the
network (refer to the Broadcast Transmission), each node that re-broadcasts the message updates the path cost
field and creates a temporary entry in its route discovery table.
Sample route request (broadcast) transmission where R3 is trying to discover a route to R6:
When the destination node receives a route request, it compares the ‘path cost’ field against previously received
route request commands. If the path cost stored in the route request is better than any previously received, the
Node Destination Address Next Hop Address
R3 Router 6 Coordinator
C Router 6 Router 5
R5 Router 6 Router 6
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 69
destination node will transmit a route reply packet to the node that originated the route request. Intermediate
nodes receive and forward the route reply packet to the source node (the node that originated route request).
Sample route reply (unicast) where R6 sends a route reply to R3:
Note R6 could send multiple replies if it identifies a better route.
Retries and acknowledgments
ZigBee includes acknowledgment packets at both the Mac and Application Support (APS) layers. When data is
transmitted to a remote device, it may traverse multiple hops to reach the destination. As data is transmitted
from one node to its neighbor, an acknowledgment packet (Ack) is transmitted in the opposite direction to
indicate that the transmission was successfully received. If the Ack is not received, the transmitting device will
retransmit the data, up to 4 times. This Ack is called the Mac layer acknowledgment.
In addition, the device that originated the transmission expects to receive an acknowledgment packet (Ack) from
the destination device. This Ack will traverse the same path that the data traversed, but in the opposite direction.
If the originator fails to receive this Ack, it will retransmit the data, up to 2 times until an Ack is received. This Ack
is called the ZigBee APS layer acknowledgment.
Note Refer to the ZigBee specification for more details.
Many-to-One routing
In networks where many devices must send data to a central collector or gateway device, AODV mesh routing
requires significant overhead. If every device in the network had to discover a route before it could send data to
the data collector, the network could easily become inundated with broadcast route discovery messages.
Many-to-one routing is an optimization for these kinds of networks. Rather than require each device to do its own
route discovery, a single many-to-one broadcast transmission is sent from the data collector to establish reverse
routes on all devices. This is shown in the figure below. The left side shows the many broadcasts the devices can
send when they create their own routes and the route replies generated by the data collector. The right side
shows the benefits of many-to-one routing where a single broadcast creates reverse routes to the data collector
on all routers.
The many-to-one broadcast is a route request message with the target discovery address set to the address of the
data collector. Devices that receive this route request create a reverse many-to-one routing table entry to create
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 70
a path back to the data collector. The ZigBee stack on a device uses historical link quality information about each
neighbor to select a reliable neighbor for the reverse route.
When a device sends data to a data collector, and it finds a many-to-one route in its routing table, it will transmit
the data without performing a route discovery. The many-to-one route request should be sent periodically to
update and refresh the reverse routes in the network.
Applications that require multiple data collectors can also use many-to-one routing. If more than one data
collector device sends a many-to-one broadcast, devices will create one reverse routing table entry for each
collector.
In ZB firmware, the AR command is used to enable many-to-one broadcasting on a device. The AR command sets
a time interval (measured in 10 second units) for sending the many to one broadcast transmission. (See the
command table for details).
High/Low RAM Concentrator mode
When Many to One (MTO) requests are broadcast, DO40 (bit6) determines if the concentrator is operating in high
or low RAM mode. High RAM mode indicates the concentrator has enough memory to store source routes for the
whole network, and remote nodes may stop sending route records after the concentrator has successfully
received one. Low RAM mode indicates the concentrator lacks RAM to store route records, and that route records
should be sent to the concentrator to precede every inbound APS unicast message. By default the XBee uses low
RAM mode.
Source routing
In applications where a device must transmit data to many remotes, AODV routing would require performing one
route discovery for each destination device to establish a route. If there are more destination devices than there
are routing table entries, established AODV routes would be overwritten with new routes, causing route
discoveries to occur more regularly. This could result in larger packet delays and poor network performance.
ZigBee source routing helps solve these problems. In contrast to many-to-one routing that establishes routing
paths from many devices to one data collector, source routing allows the collector to store and specify routes for
many remotes.
To use source routing, a device must use the API mode, and it must send periodic many-to-one route request
broadcasts (AR command) to create a many-to-one route to it on all devices. When remote devices send RF data
using a many-to-one route, they first send a route record transmission. The route record transmission is unicast
along the many-to-one route until it reaches the data collector. As the route record traverses the many-to-one
route, it appends the 16-bit address of each device in the route into the RF payload. When the route record
reaches the data collector, it contains the address of the sender, and the 16-bit address of each hop in the route.
The data collector can store the routing information and retrieve it later to send a source routed packet to the
remote. This is shown in the images below.
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 71
Acquiring source routes
Acquiring source routes requires the remote devices to send a unicast to a data collector (device that sends
many-to-one route request broadcasts). There are several ways to force remotes to send route record
transmissions.
1. If the application on remote devices periodically sends data to the data collector, each transmission will force
a route record to occur.
The data collector sends a many-to-one route request
broadcast to create reverse routes on all devices.
A remote device sends an RF data packet to the data collector.
This is prefaced by a route record transmission to the data
collector.
After obtaining a source route, the data collector sends a
source routed transmission to the remote device.
Route request broadcast
Route reply unicast
Data collector
Router
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 72
2. The data collector can issue a network discovery command (ND command) to force all XBee devices to send a
network discovery response. Each network discovery response will be prefaced by a route record.
3. Periodic IO sampling can be enabled on remotes to force them to send data at a regular rate. Each IO sample
would be prefaced by a route record. See Analog and digital I/O lines on page 123 for details.
4. If the NI string of the remote device is known, the DN command can be issued with the NI string of the remote
in the payload. The remote device with a matching NI string would send a route record and a DN response.
Storing source routes
When a data collector receives a route record, it sends it out the serial port as a Route Record Indicator API frame
(0xA1). To use source routing, the application should receive these frames and store the source route
information.
Sending a source routed transmission
To send a source routed transmission, the application must send a Create Source Route API frame (0x21) to the
XBee to create a source route in its internal source route table. After sending the Create Source Route API frame,
the application can send data transmission or remote command request frames as needed to the same
destination, or any destination in the source route. Once data must be sent to a new destination (a destination
not included in the last source route), the application must first send a new Create Source Route API frame.
Note If a Create Source Route API frame does not precede data frames, data loss may be encountered.
The XBee can buffer one source route that includes up to 11 hops (excluding source and destination). For
example, suppose a network exists with a coordinator and 5 routers (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5) with known source routes
as shown below.
To send a source-routed packet to R3, the application must send a Create Source Route API frame (0x21) to the
XBee, with a destination of R3, and 2 hops (R1 and R2). If the 64- bit address of R3 is 0x0013A200 404a1234 and the
16-bit addresses of R1, R2, and R3 are:
Coordinator
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
RF packet routing
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 73
Then the Create Source Route API frame would be:
7E 0012 21 00 0013A200 404A1234 EEFF 00 02 CCDD AABB 5C
Where:
0x0012 - length
0x21 - API ID (create source route)
0x00 - frame ID (set to 0 always)
0x0013A200 404A1234 - 64-bit address of R3 (destination)
0xEEFF - 16-bit address of R3 (destination)
0x00 - Route options (set to 0)
0x02 - Number of intermediate devices in the source route
0xCCDD - Address of furthest device (1-hop from target)
0xAABB - Address of next-closer device
0x5C - Checksum (0xFF - SUM (all bytes after length))
Repairing source routes
It is possible in a network to have an existing source route fail (i.e. a device in the route moves or goes down, etc.).
If a device goes down in a source routed network, all routes that used the device will be broken.
As mentioned previously, source routing must be used with many-to-one routing. (A device that uses source
routing must also send a periodic many-to-one broadcast in order to keep routes fresh). If a source route is
broken, remote devices must send in new route record transmissions to the data collector to provide it with a
new source route. This requires that remote devices periodically send data transmissions into the data collector.
See Acquiring source routes on page 71 for details.
Retries and acknowledgments
ZigBee includes acknowledgment packets at both the Mac and Application Support (APS) layers. When data is
transmitted to a remote device, it may traverse multiple hops to reach the destination. As data is transmitted
from one node to its neighbor, an acknowledgment packet (Ack) is transmitted in the opposite direction to
indicate that the transmission was successfully received. If the Ack is not received, the transmitting device will
retransmit the data, up to 4 times. This Ack is called the Mac layer acknowledgment.
In addition, the device that originated the transmission expects to receive an acknowledgment packet (Ack) from
the destination device. This Ack will traverse the same path that the data traversed, but in the opposite direction.
If the originator fails to receive this Ack, it will retransmit the data, up to two times until an Ack is received. This
Ack is called the ZigBee APS layer acknowledgment.
Note Refer to the ZigBee specification for more details.
Device 16-bit address
R1 0xAABB
R2 0xCCDD
R3 0xEEFF
Encrypted transmissions
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 74
Disabling MTO routing
To disable MTO (many-to-one) routing in a network, first reconfigure the AR setting on the aggregator and then
broadcast a network wide power reset (0x08 of the RE command) to rebuild the routing tables.
1. Set AR on the aggregator to 0xFF.
2. Do an AC command to enact the change.
3. Do a WR command if the saved configuration setting value for AR is not 0xFF.
This ends the periodic broadcast of aggregator messages if the previous setting was 0x01-0xFE, and prevents a
single broadcast after a power reset if the previous setting was 0x00. Broadcast a FR remote command to the
network and wait for the network to reform. This removes the aggregator's status as an aggregator from the
network's routing tables so that no more route records will be sent to the aggregator.
Disabling route records
If an aggregator has collected route records from the nodes of the network and no longer needs to have route
records (which consume network throughput) sent:
1. Set Bit 6 of DO to Enable High RAM Concentrator mode. High RAM mode means the aggregator has sufficient
memory to hold route records for its potential destinations.
2. Set AR to 0x00 for a one-time broadcast (which some nodes might miss), or a value in the range of 0x01 to
0xFE (in units of 10 seconds) to periodically send a broadcast to inform the network that the aggregator is
operating in High RAM Concentrator mode and no longer needs to receive route records.
3. Use Create Source Route (API frame type 0x21) to load the route record for a destination into the local XBee's
source route table.
4. Send a unicast to the destination. The route record will be embedded in the payload and determine the
sequence of routers to use in transmitting the unicast to the destination. After receiving the unicast, the
destination will no longer send route records to the aggregator, now that it has confirmed the High RAM
Concentrator aggregator 'knows' its route record.
Clearing the source route table
To clear the source route table, change the AR setting from a non-0xFF setting to 0xFF and do an AC command. To
re-establish periodic aggregator broadcasts, change the AR setting to a non-0xFF setting and do an AC command.
Encrypted transmissions
Encrypted transmissions are routed similar to non-encrypted transmissions with one exception. As an encrypted
packet propagates from one device to another, each device decrypts the packet using the network key, and
authenticates the packet by verifying packet integrity. It then re-encrypts the packet with its own source address
and frame counter values, and sends the message to the next hop. This process adds some overhead latency to
unicast transmissions, but it helps prevent replay attacks. See ZigBee Security on page 84 for details.
Maximum RF payload size
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 75
Maximum RF payload size
The NP command returns the maximum payload size in bytes. The actual maximum payload is a function of:
•message type (broadcast or unicast)
•AP setting
•APS encryption option
•source-routing.
Broadcasts, which are neither APS encryptable or fragmentable, have a maximum payload of 0x54 bytes.
Unicasts where AP is 0 also have a maximum payload of 0x54 bytes. A non-zero AP means NP will be 0xFF or 255
bytes.
For broadcast messages and unicast messages when AP==0, the maximum payload is 0x54 bytes.
For unicast messages when AP is nonzero (API mode) the maximum payload is 0xFF (255 decimal) bytes. As
needed, if the combination of payload and optional APS encryption overhead (EE1, TxOption 0x20) is too high,
the message fragments into a maximum of five fragments. The firmware encrypts and transmits each fragment
separately. The destination radio reassembles the fragments into a full message.
For Smart Energy firmware revision 5x32 and earlier, NP==0x80. As of 5x56, NP==0xFF.
The maximum payload is complicated to estimate for aggregator source-routing. To reduce the maximum
payload, when an aggregator sends a source-routed message it embeds the route into the message as overhead,
or into each fragment of the message if fragmentation is necessary. If you use APS encryption (EE1, Tx Option
0x20), it reduces the number further.
The route overhead is 2 bytes plus 2 bytes per hop. The bytes are:
•one byte is the number of hops
•one byte is an index into the route list that increments in value at each hop
•the other data is a list of the 16-bit network addresses of the routing radios
Firmware revisions before 4x58 support a maximum of 11 aggregator source-routed hops. Firmware revisions
4x58 and following support a maximum of 25 aggregator source-routed hops.
Aggregator source-routed payload maximums do not apply to messages that are sourced by non-aggregator
nodes, which send route records ahead of their messages to aggregators. Aggregators are either Coordinators or
Routers which:
•have source routing enabled
or
•have an AR setting which is not 0xFF
The following table shows the aggregator source-routed payload maximums as a function of hops and APS
encryption:
Hops Maximum encrypted payload Maximum unencrypted payload
1 255 255
2 255 255
3 245 255
4 235 255
5 225 255
Throughput
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 76
Throughput
Throughput in a ZigBee network can vary by a number of variables, including: number of hops, encryption
enabled/disabled, sleeping end devices, failures/route discoveries. Our empirical testing showed the following
throughput performance in a robust operating environment (low interference).
Data throughput1
6 215 255
7 205 250
8 195 240
9 185 230
10 175 220
11 165 210
12 155 200
13 145 190
14 135 180
15 125 170
16 115 160
17 105 150
18 95 140
19 85 130
20 75 120
21 65 110
22 55 100
23 45 90
24 35 80
25 25 70
Hops Maximum encrypted payload Maximum unencrypted payload
Configuration Data Throughput
1 hop, RR, SD 58 kb/s
1 hop, RR, SE 34 kb/s
1 hop, RE, SD Not yet available
1 hop, RE, SE Not yet available
1 hop, ER, SD Not yet available
1 hop, ER, SE Not yet available
4 hops, RR, SD Not yet available
4 hops, RR, SE Not yet available
Latency timing specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 77
Latency timing specifications
ZDO transmissions
ZigBee defines a ZigBee Device Objects layer (ZDO) that can provide device and service discovery and network
management capabilities. This layer is described below.
ZDO
The ZDO is supported to some extent on all ZigBee devices. The ZDO is an endpoint that implements services
described in the ZigBee Device Profile in the ZigBee specification. Each service has an assigned cluster ID, and
most service requests have an associated response. The following table describes some common ZDO services.
RR = router to router
RE = router to end device (non-sleeping)
ER = end device (non-sleeping) to router
SD = security disabled
SE = security enabled
4 hops = 5 nodes total, 3 intermediate router nodes
1. Data throughput measurements were made setting the serial interface rate to 115200 b/s, and measuring the time to
send 100,000 bytes from source to destination. During the test, no route discoveries or failures occurred.
Configuration Data Throughput
Network Depth 100 Node Network 200 Node Network
11-byte packet:
32-byte packet:
1-byte packet:
32-byte packet:
21-byte packet:
32-byte packet:
1-byte packet:
32-byte packet:
41-byte packet:
32-byte packet:
1-byte packet:
32-byte packet:
Cluster Name Cluster ID Description
Network Address Request 0x0000 Request a 16-bit address of the radio with a matching 64-bit address
(required parameter).
Active Endpoints Request 0x0005 Request a list of endpoints from a remote device.
LQI Request 0x0031 Request data from a neighbor table of a remote device.
Routing Table Request 0x0032 Request to retrieve routing table entries from a remote device.
Network Address Response 0x8000 Response that includes the 16-bit address of a device.
LQI Response 0x8031 Response that includes neighbor table data from a remote device.
Routing Table Response 0x8032 Response that includes routing table entry data from a remote device.
ZDO transmissions
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 78
Refer to the ZigBee specification for a detailed description of all ZigBee Device Profile services.
Sending a ZDO command
To send a ZDO command, an explicit transmit API frame must be used and formatted correctly. The source and
destination endpoints must be set to 0, and the profile ID must be set to 0. The cluster ID must be set to match the
cluster ID of the appropriate service. For example, to send an active endpoints request, the cluster ID must be set
to 0x0005.
The first byte of payload in the API frame is an application sequence number (transaction sequence number) that
can be set to any single byte value. This same value will be used in the first byte of the ZDO response. All
remaining payload bytes must be set as required by the ZDO. All multi-byte values must be sent in little endian
byte order.
Receiving ZDO commands and responses
In XBee ZB firmware, ZDO commands can easily be sent using the API. In order to receive incoming ZDO
commands, receiver application addressing must be enabled with the AO command; see examples later in this
section. Not all incoming ZDO commands are passed up to the application.
When a ZDO message is received on endpoint 0 and profile ID 0, the cluster ID indicates the type of ZDO message
that was received. The first byte of payload is generally a sequence number that corresponds to a sequence
number of a request. The remaining bytes are set as defined by the ZDO. Similar to a ZDO request, all multi-byte
values in the response are in little endian byte order.
Example 1: send a ZDO LQI request to read the neighbor table contents of a remote.
Looking at the ZigBee specification, the cluster ID for an LQI Request is 0x0031, and the payload only requires a
single byte (start index). This example will send an LQI request to a remote device with a 64-bit address of
0x0013A200 40401234. The start index will be set to 0, and the transaction sequence number will be set to 0x76
API frame
7E 0016 11 01 0013A200 40401234 FFFE 00 00 0031 0000 00 00 76 00 CE
0x0016 - length
0x11 - Explicit transmit request
0x01 - frame ID (set to a non-zero value to enable the transmit status message, or set to 0 to disable)
0x0013A200 40401234 - 64-bit address of the remote
0xFFFE - 16-bit address of the remote (0xFFFE = unknown). Optionally, set to the 16-bit address of the destination
if known.
0x00 - Source endpoint
0x00 - Destination endpoint
0x0031 - Cluster ID (LQI Request, or Neighbor table request)
0x0000 - Profile ID (ZigBee Device Profile)
0x00 - Broadcast radius
0x00 - Tx Options
0x76 - Transaction sequence number
ZDO transmissions
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 79
0x00 - Required payload for LQI request command
0xCE - Checksum (0xFF - SUM (all bytes after length))
Description
This API frame sends a ZDO LQI request (neighbor table request) to a remote device to obtain data from its
neighbor table. Recall that the AO command must be set correctly on an API device to enable the explicit API
receive frames in order to receive the ZDO response.
Example 2: send a ZDO network Address Request to discover the 16-bit address of a
remote.
Looking at the ZigBee specification, the cluster ID for a network Address Request is 0x0000, and the payload only
requires the following:
[64-bit address] + [Request Type] + [Start Index]
This example will send a Network Address Request as a broadcast transmission to discover the 16-bit address of
the device with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40401234. The request type and start index will be set to 0, and
the transaction sequence number will be set to 0x44
API frame
7E 001F 11 01 00000000 0000FFFF FFFE 00 00 0000 0000 00 00 44 34124040 00A21300 00 00 33
0x001F - length
0x11 - Explicit transmit request
0x01 - frame ID (set to a non-zero value to enable the transmit status message, or set to 0 to disable)
0x00000000 0000FFFF - 64-bit address for a broadcast transmission
0xFFFE - Set to this value for a broadcast transmission.
0x00 - Source endpoint
0x00 - Destination endpoint
0x0000 - Cluster ID (Network Address Request)
0x0000 - Profile ID (ZigBee Device Profile)
0x00 - Broadcast radius
0x00 - Tx Options
0x44 - Transaction sequence number
0x34124040 00A21300 00 00 - Required payload for Network Address Request command
0x33 - Checksum (0xFF - SUM (all bytes after length))
Description
This API frame sends a broadcast ZDO Network Address Request to obtain the 16-bit address of a device with a
64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40401234. Note the bytes for the 64-bit address were inserted in little endian byte
order. All multi-byte fields in the API payload of a ZDO command must have their data inserted in little endian
byte order. Also recall that the AO command must be set correctly on an API device to enable the explicit API
receive frames in order to receive the ZDO response.
Transmission timeouts
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 80
Transmission timeouts
The ZigBee stack includes two kinds of transmission timeouts, depending on the nature of the destination
device. For destination devices such as routers whose receiver is always on, a unicast timeout is used. The unicast
timeout estimates a timeout based on the number of unicast hops the packet should traverse to get data to the
destination device. For transmissions destined for end devices, the ZigBee stack uses an extended timeout that
includes the unicast timeout (to route data to the end device's parent), and it includes a timeout for the end
device to finish sleeping, wake, and poll the parent for data.
The ZigBee stack includes some provisions for a device to detect if the destination is an end device or not. The
ZigBee stack uses the unicast timeout unless it knows the destination is an end device.
The XBee API includes a transmit options bit that can be set to specify if the extended timeout should be used for
a given transmission. If this bit is set, the extended timeout will be used when sending RF data to the specified
destination. To improve routing reliability, applications should set the extended timeout bit when sending data
to end devices if:
•The application sends data to 10 or more remote devices, some of which are end devices, AND
•The end devices may sleep longer than the unicast timeout
Equations for these timeouts are computed in the following sections.
Note The timeouts in this section are worst-case timeouts and should be padded by a few hundred
milliseconds. These worst-case timeouts apply when an existing route breaks down (e.g. intermediate
hop or destination device moved).
Unicast timeout
The unicast timeout is settable with the NH command. The actual unicast timeout is computed as ((50 * NH) +
100). The default NH value is 30 which equates to a 1.6 second timeout.
The unicast timeout includes 3 transmission attempts (1 attempt and 2 retries). The maximum total timeout is
about:
3 * ((50 * NH) + 100).
For example, if NH=30 (0x1E), the unicast timeout is about
3 * ((50 * 30) + 100), or
3 * (1500 + 100), or
3 * (1600), or
4800 ms, or
4.8 seconds.
Extended timeout
The worst-case transmission timeout when sending data to an end device is somewhat larger than when
transmitting to a router or coordinator. As described Parent operation on page 108, RF data packets are actually
sent to the parent of the end device, who buffers the packet until the end device wakes to receive it. The parent
will buffer an RF data packet for up to (1.2 * SP) time.
To ensure the end device has adequate time to wake and receive the data, the extended transmission timeout to
an end device is:
Transmission timeouts
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 81
(50 * NH) + (1.2 * SP)
This timeout includes the packet buffering timeout (1.2 * SP) and time to account for routing through the mesh
network (50 * NH).
If an acknowledgment is not received within this time, the sender will resend the transmission up to two more
times. With retries included, the longest transmission timeout when sending data to an end device is:
3 * ((50 * NH) + (1.2 * SP))
The SP value in both equations must be entered in millisecond units. (The SP command setting uses 10ms units
and must be converted to milliseconds to be used in this equation.)
For example, suppose a router is configured with NH=30 (0x1E) and SP=0x3E8 (10,000 ms), and that it is either
trying to send data to one of its end device children, or to a remote end device. The total extended timeout to the
end device is about:
3 * ((50 * NH) + (1.2 * SP)), or
3 * (1500 + 12000), or
3 * (13500), or
40500 ms, or
40.5 seconds.
Transmission examples
Example 1: send a unicast API data transmission to the coordinator using 64-bit address
0, with payload “TxData”.
API frame
7E 0014 10 01 00000000 00000000 FFFE 00 00 54 78 44 61 74 61 AB
Field composition
0x0014 - length
0x10 - API ID (TX data)
0x01 - frame ID (set greater than 0 to enable the TX-status response)
0x00000000 00000000 - 64-bit address of coordinator (ZB definition)
0xFFFE - Required 16-bit address if sending data to 64-bit address of 0.
0x00 - Broadcast radius (0 = max hops)
0x00 - Tx options
0x54 78 44 61 74 61 - ASCII representation of “TxData” string
0xAB - Checksum (0xFF - SUM (all bytes after length))
Description
This transmission sends the string “TxData” to the coordinator, without knowing the coordinator device's 64-bit
address. A 64-bit address of 0 is defined as the coordinator in ZB firmware. If the coordinator's 64-bit address was
Transmission timeouts
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 82
known, the 64-bit address of 0 could be replaced with the coordinator's 64-bit address, and the 16-bit address
could be set to 0.
Example 2: send a broadcast API data transmission that all devices can receive (including
sleeping end devices), with payload “TxData”.
API frame
7E 0014 10 01 00000000 0000FFFF FFFE 00 00 54 78 44 61 74 61 AD
Field composition
0x0014 - length
0x10 - API ID (TX data)
0x01 - frame ID (set to a non-zero value to enable the TX-status response)
0x00000000 0000FFFF - Broadcast definition (including sleeping end devices
0xFFFE - Required 16-bit address to send broadcast transmission.
0x00 - Broadcast radius (0 = max hops)
0x00 - Tx options
0x54 78 44 61 74 61 - ASCII representation of “TxData” string
0xAD - Checksum (0xFF - SUM (all bytes after length))
Description
This transmission sends the string “TxData” as a broadcast transmission. Since the destination address is set to
0xFFFF, all devices, including sleeping end devices can receive this broadcast.
If receiver application addressing is enabled, the XBee will report all received data frames in the explicit format
(0x91) to indicate the source and destination endpoints, cluster ID, and profile ID that each packet was received
on. (Status messages like modem status and route record indicators are not affected.)
To enable receiver application addressing, set the AO command to 1 using the AT command frame (0x08). Here's
how to do this:
API frame
7E 0005 08 01 414F 01 65
Field composition
0x0005 - length
0x08 - API ID (at command)
0x01 - frame ID (set to a non-zero value to enable AT command response frames)
0x414F - ASCII representation of 'A','O' (the command being issued)
0x01 - Parameter value
0x65 - Checksum (0xFF - SUM (all bytes after length))
Description
Transmission timeouts
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 83
Setting AO=1 is required for the XBee to use the explicit receive API frame (0x91) when RF data packets are received.
This is required if the application needs indication of source or destination endpoint, cluster ID, and/or profile ID
values used in received ZigBee data packets. ZDO messages can only be received if AO=1.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 84
ZigBee Security
ZigBee supports various levels of security that can be configured depending on the needs of the application. Security
provisions include:
• 128-bit AES encryption
• Two security keys that can be preconfigured or obtained during joining
• Support for a trust center
• Provisions to ensure message integrity, confidentiality, and authentication
The first half of this section describes various security features defined in the ZigBee specification, while the last half
illustrates how the XBee modules can be configured to support these features
Security modes
The ZigBee standard supports three security modes – residential, standard, and high security. Residential security
was first supported in the ZigBee 2006 standard. This level of security requires a network key be shared among
devices. Standard security adds a number of optional security enhancements over residential security, including an
APS layer link key. High security adds entity authentication, and a number of other features not widely supported.
XBee ZB modules primarily support standard security, although end devices that support residential security can join
and interoperate with standard security devices. The remainder of this section focuses on material that is relevant to
standard security.
ZigBee security model
ZigBee security is applied to the Network and APS layers. Packets are encrypted with 128-bit AES encryption. A
network key and optional link key can be used to encrypt data. Only devices with the same keys are able to
communicate together in a network. Routers and end devices that will communicate on a secure network must
obtain the correct security keys.
Network layer security
The network key is used to encrypt the APS layer and application data. In addition to encrypting application
messages, network security is also applied to route request and reply messages, APS commands, and ZDO
commands. Network encryption is not applied to MAC layer transmissions such as beacon transmissions, etc. If
security is enabled in a network, all data packets will be encrypted with the network key.
ZigBee security model
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 85
Packets are encrypted and authenticated using 128-bit AES. This is shown in the figure below.
Frame counter
The network header of encrypted packets includes a 32-bit frame counter. Each device in the network maintains
a 32-bit frame counter that is incremented for every transmission. In addition, devices track the last known 32-bit
frame counter for each of its neighbors. If a device receives a packet from a neighbor with a smaller frame
counter than it has previously seen, the packet is discarded. The frame counter is used to protect against replay
attacks.
If the frame counter reaches a maximum value of 0xFFFFFFFF, it does not wrap to 0 and no more transmissions
can be sent. Due to the size of the frame counters, reaching the maximum value is a very unlikely event for most
applications. The following table shows the required time under different conditions, for the frame counter to
reach its maximum value.
To clear the frame counters without compromising security, the network key can be changed in the network.
When the network key is updated, the frame counters on all devices reset to 0. (See the Network Key Updates
section for details.)
Message integrity code
The network header, APS header, and application data are all authenticated with 128-bit AES. A hash is
performed on these fields and is appended as a 4-byte message integrity code (MIC) to the end of the packet. The
MIC allows receiving devices to ensure the message has not been changed. The MIC provides message integrity in
the ZigBee security model. If a device receives a packet and the MIC does not match the device’s own hash of the
data, the packet is dropped.
Network layer encryption and decryption
Packets with network layer encryption are encrypted and decrypted by each hop in a route. When a device
receives a packet with network encryption, it decrypts the packet and authenticates the packet. If the device is
not the destination, it then encrypts and authenticates the packet, using its own frame counter and source
address in the network header section.
Average Transmission Rate Time until 32-bit frame counter expires
1 / second 136 years
10 / second 13.6 years
ZigBee security model
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 86
Since network encryption is performed at each hop, packet latency is slightly longer in an encrypted network
than in a non-encrypted network. Also, security requires 18 bytes of overhead to include a 32-bit frame counter,
an 8-byte source address, 4-byte MIC, and 2 other bytes. This reduces the number of payload bytes that can be
sent in a data packet.
Network key updates
ZigBee supports a mechanism for changing the network key in a network. When the network key is changed, the
frame counters in all devices reset to 0.
APS layer security
APS layer security can be used to encrypt application data using a key that is shared between source and
destination devices. Where network layer security is applied to all data transmissions and is decrypted and re-
encrypted on a hop-by-hop basis, APS security is optional and provides end-to-end security using an APS link key
that only the source and destination device know. APS security can be applied on a packet-by-packet basis. APS
security cannot be applied to broadcast transmissions.
If APS security is enabled, packets are encrypted and authenticated using 128-bit AES. This is shown in the figure
below:
Message integrity code
If APS security is enabled, the APS header and data payload are authenticated with 128-bit AES. A hash is
performed on these fields and appended as a 4-byte message integrity code (MIC) to the end of the packet. This
MIC is different than the MIC appended by the network layer. The MIC allows the destination device to ensure the
message has not been changed. If the destination device receives a packet and the MIC does not match the
destination device’s own hash of the data, the packet is dropped.
APS link keys
There are two kinds of APS link keys – trust center link keys and application link keys. A trust center link key is
established between a device and the trust center, where an application link key is established between a device
and another device in the network where neither device is the trust center.
ZigBee security model
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 87
APS layer encryption and decryption
Packets with APS layer encryption are encrypted at the source and only decrypted by the destination. Since APS
encryption requires a 5-byte header and a 4-byte MIC, the maximum data payload is reduced by 9 bytes when
APS encryption is used.
Network and APS layer encryption
Network and APS layer encryption can both be applied to data. The following figure demonstrates the
authentication and encryption performed on the final ZigBee packet when both are applied.
Trust center
ZigBee defines a trust center device that is responsible for authenticating devices that join the network. The trust
center also manages link key distribution in the network.
Forming and joining a secure network
The coordinator is responsible for selecting a network encryption key. This key can either be preconfigured or
randomly selected. In addition, the coordinator generally operates as a trust center and must therefore select the
trust center link key. The trust center link key can also be preconfigured or randomly selected.
Devices that join the network must obtain the network key when they join. When a device joins a secure network,
the network and link keys can be sent to the joining device. If the joining device has a pre-configured trust center
link key, the network key will be sent to the joining device encrypted by the link key. Otherwise, if the joining
device is not pre-configured with the link key, the device could only join the network if the network key is sent
unencrypted (“in the clear”). The trust center must decide whether or not to send the network key unencrypted
to joining devices that are not pre-configured with the link key. Sending the network key unencrypted is not
recommended as it can open a security hole in the network. To maximize security, devices should be pre-
configured with the correct link key.
Implementing security on the XBee
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 88
Implementing security on the XBee
If security is enabled in the XBee ZB firmware, devices acquire the network key when they join a network. Data
transmissions are always encrypted with the network key, and can optionally be end-to-end encrypted with the
APS link key. The following sections discuss the security settings and options in the XBee ZB firmware.
Enabling security
To enable security on a device, the EE command must be set to 1. If the EE command value is changed and
changes are applied (e.g. AC command), the XBee module will leave the network (PAN ID and channel) it was
operating on, and attempt to form or join a new network.
If EE is set to 1, all data transmissions will be encrypted with the network key. When security is enabled, the
maximum number of bytes in a single RF transmission will be reduced. See the NP command for details.
Note The EE command must be set the same on all devices in a network. Changes to the EE command should
be written to non-volatile memory (to be preserved through power cycle or reset events) using the WR
command.
Setting the Network Security Key
The coordinator must select the network security key for the network. The NK command (write-only) is used to
set the network key. If NK=0 (default), a random network key will be selected. (This should suffice for most
applications.) Otherwise, if NK is set to a non-zero value, the network security key will use the value specified by
NK. NK is only supported on the coordinator.
Routers and end devices with security enabled (ATEE=1) acquire the network key when they join a network. They
receive the network key encrypted with the link key if they share a pre-configured link key with the coordinator.
See the following section for details.
Note In ZigBee, if EE and EO are set to 0x01, then the network key is sent in the clear (unencrypted) with the
link key at association time. This may be a useful setting in development environments, but we
discourage it for product deployment for security reasons.
Setting the APS Trust Center Link Key
The coordinator must also select the trust center link key, using the KY command. If KY=0 (default), the
coordinator will select a random trust center link key (not recommended). Otherwise, if KY is set greater than 0,
this value will be used as the pre-configured trust center link key. KY is write-only and cannot be read.
Note Application link keys (sent between two devices where neither device is the coordinator) are not
supported in ZB firmware at this time.
Random Trust Center Link keys
If the coordinator selects a random trust center link key (KY=0, default), then it will allow devices to join the
network without having a pre-configured link key. However, this will cause the network key to be sent
unencrypted over-the-air to joining devices and is not recommended.
Pre-configured Trust Center Link keys
XBee security examples
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 89
If the coordinator uses a pre-configured link key (KY > 0), then the coordinator will not send the network key
unencrypted to joining devices. Only devices with the correct pre-configured link key will be able to join and
communicate on the network.
Enabling APS encryption
APS encryption is an optional layer of security that uses the link key to encrypt the data payload. Unlike network
encryption that is decrypted and encrypted on a hop-by-hop basis, APS encryption is only decrypted by the
destination device. The XBee must be configured with security enabled (EE set to 1) to use APS encryption.
APS encryption can be enabled in API mode on a per-packet basis. To enable APS encryption for a given
transmission, the “enable APS encryption” transmit options bit should be set in the API transmit frame. Enabling
APS encryption decreases the maximum payload size by 9 bytes.
Using a Trust Center
The EO command can be used to define the coordinator as a trust center. If the coordinator is a trust center, it will
be alerted to all new join attempts in the network. The trust center also has the ability to update or change the
network key on the network.
In ZB firmware, a secure network can be established with or without a trust center. Network and APS layer
encryption are supported if a trust center is used or not.
Updating the Network Key with a Trust Center
If the trust center has started a network and the NK value is changed, the coordinator will update the network key
on all devices in the network. (Changes to NK will not force the device to leave the network.) The network will
continue to operate on the same channel and PAN ID, but the devices in the network will update their network
key, increment their network key sequence number, and restore their frame counters to 0.
Updating the Network Key without a Trust Center
If the coordinator is not running as a trust center, the network reset command (NR1) can be used to force all
devices in the network to leave the current network and rejoin the network on another channel. When devices
leave and reform then network, the frame counters are reset to 0. This approach will cause the coordinator to
form a new network that the remaining devices should join. Resetting the network in this manner will bring the
coordinator and routers in the network down for about 10 seconds, and will likely cause the 16-bit PAN ID and 16-
bit addresses of the devices to change.
XBee security examples
This section covers some sample XBee configurations to support different security modes. Several AT commands
are listed with suggested parameter values. The notation in this section includes an '=' sign to indicate what each
command register should be set to - for example, EE=1. This is not the correct notation for setting command
values in the XBee. In AT command mode, each command is issued with a leading 'AT' and no '=' sign - for
example ATEE1. In the API, the two byte command is used in the command field, and parameters are populated
as binary values in the parameter field.
Example 1: forming a network with security (pre-configured link keys)
1. Start a coordinator with the following settings:
2. ID=2234 (arbitrarily selected)
XBee security examples
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 90
d. EE=1
e. NK=0
f. KY=4455
g. WR (save networking parameters to preserve them through power cycle)
3. Configure one or more routers or end devices with the following settings:
a. ID=2234
b. EE=1
c. KY=4455
d. WR (save networking parameters to preserve them through power cycle)
4. Read the AI setting on the coordinator and joining devices until they return 0 (formed or joined a network).
In this example, EE, ID, and KY are set the same on all devices. After successfully joining the secure network, all
application data transmissions will be encrypted by the network key. Since NK was set to 0 on the coordinator, a
random network key was selected. And since the link key (KY) was configured the same on all devices, to a non-
zero value, the network key was sent encrypted by the pre-configured link key (KY) when the devices joined.
Example 2: forming a network with security (obtaining keys during joining)
1. Start a coordinator with the following settings:
a. ID=2235
b. EE=1
c. NK=0
d. KY=0
e. WR (save networking parameters to preserve them through power cycle)
2. Configure one or more routers or end devices with the following settings:
a. ID=2235
b. EE=1
c. KY=0
d. WR (save networking parameters to preserve them through power cycle)
3. Read the AI setting on the coordinator and joining devices until they return 0 (formed or joined a network).
In this example, EE, ID, and KY are set the same on all devices. Since NK was set to 0 on the coordinator, a random
network key was selected. And since KY was set to 0 on all devices, the network key was sent unencrypted (“in the
clear”) when the devices joined. This approach introduces a security vulnerability into the network and is not
recommended.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 91
Network commissioning and diagnostics
Network commissioning is the process whereby devices in a mesh network are discovered and configured for
operation. The XBee modules include several features to support device discovery and configuration. In addition to
configuring devices, a strategy must be developed to place devices to ensure reliable routes.
To accommodate these requirements, the XBee modules include various features to aid in device placement,
configuration, and network diagnostics.
Device configuration
XBee modules can be configured locally through serial commands (AT or API), or remotely through remote API
commands. API devices can send configuration commands to set or read the configuration settings of any device in
the network.
Device placement
For a mesh network installation to be successful, the installer must be able to determine where to place individual
XBee devices to establish reliable links throughout the mesh network.
Link testing
A good way to measure the performance of a mesh network is to send unicast data through the network from one
device to another to determine the success rate of many transmissions. To simplify link testing, the modules support
a loopback cluster ID (0x12) on the data endpoint (0xE8). Any data sent to this cluster ID on the data endpoint will be
transmitted back to the sender. This is shown in the figure below:
Device discovery
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 92
The configuration steps to send data to the loopback cluster ID depend on the serial port mode as determined by
the AP command.
Transparent Mode
To send data to the loopback cluster ID on the data endpoint of a remote device, set the CI command value to
0x12. The SE and DE commands should be set to 0xE8 (default value). The DH and DL commands should be set to
the address of the remote (0 for the coordinator, or the 64-bit address of the remote). After exiting command
mode, any received serial characters will be transmitted to the remote device, and returned to the sender.
API Mode
Send an Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command API frame (0x11) using 0x12 as the cluster ID and 0xE8 as the
source and destination endpoint. Data packets received by the remote will be echoed back to the sender.
RSSI indicators
It is possible to measure the received signal strength on a device using the DB command. DB returns the RSSI
value (measured in –dBm) of the last received packet. However, this number can be misleading. The DB value
only indicates the received signal strength of the last hop. If a transmission spans multiple hops, the DB value
provides no indication of the overall transmission path, or the quality of the worst link – it only indicates the
quality of the last link and should be used sparingly.
The DB value can be determined in hardware using the RSSI/PWM module pin (pin 6). If the RSSI PWM
functionality is enabled (P0 command), when the module receives data, the RSSI PWM is set to a value based on
the RSSI of the received packet. (Again, this value only indicates the quality of the last hop.) This pin could
potentially be connected to an LED to indicate if the link is stable or not.
Device discovery
Network discovery
The network discovery command can be used to discover all Digi modules that have joined a network. Issuing the
ND command sends a broadcast node discovery command throughout the network. All devices that receive the
command will send a response that includes the device’s addressing information, node identifier string (see NI
command), and other relevant information. This command is useful for generating a list of all module addresses
in a network.
When a device receives the node discovery command, it waits a random time before sending its own response.
The maximum time delay is set on the ND sender with the NT command. The ND originator includes its NT setting
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 93
in the transmission to provide a delay window for all devices in the network. Large networks may need to
increase NT to improve network discovery reliability. The default NT value is 0x3C (6 seconds).
ZDO discovery
The ZigBee Device Profile includes provisions to discover devices in a network that are supported on all ZigBee
devices (including non-Digi products). These include the LQI Request (cluster ID 0x0031) and the Network Update
Request (cluster ID 0x0038). The LQI Request can be used to read the devices in the neighbor table of a remote
device, and the Network Update Request can be used to have a remote device do an active scan to discover all
nearby ZigBee devices. Both of these ZDO commands can be sent using the XBee Explicit API transmit frame
(0x11). See API Operation on page 130 for details. Refer to the ZigBee specification for formatting details of these
two ZDO frames.
Joining Announce
All ZigBee devices send a ZDO Device Announce broadcast transmission when they join a ZigBee network (ZDO
cluster ID 0x0013). These frames will be sent out the XBee's serial port as an Explicit Rx Indicator API frame (0x91)
if AO is set to 1. The device announce payload includes the following information:
[Sequence Number] + [16-bit address] + [64-bit address] + [Capability]
The 16-bit and 64-bit addresses are received in little-endian byte order (LSB first). See the ZigBee specification for
details.
Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate LED
The XBee modules support a set of commissioning and LED behaviors to aid in device deployment and
commissioning. These include the commissioning pushbutton definitions and associate LED behaviors. These
features can be supported in hardware. The following figure shows the Commissioning Pushbutton and
Associate LED functionalities.
A pushbutton and an LED can be connected
to module pins 33 and 28 (SMT), or pins 20
and 15 (TH) respectively to support the
commissioning pushbutton and Associate
LED functionalities.
Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate LED
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 94
Commissioning Pushbutton
The commissioning pushbutton definitions provide a variety of simple functions to aid in deploying devices in a
network. The commissioning button functionality on pin 33 (SMT) or pin 20 (TH) is enabled by setting the D0
command to 1 (enabled by default).
Button presses may be simulated in software using the ATCB command. ATCB should be issued with a parameter
set to the number of button presses to execute. (e.g. sending ATCB1 will execute the action(s) associated with a
single button press.)
The node identification frame is similar to the node discovery response frame – it contains the device’s address,
node identifier string (NI command), and other relevant data. All API devices that receive the node identification
frame send it out their serial port as an API Node Identification Indicator frame (0x95).
Associate LED
The Associate pin (pin 28/SMT, pin 33/TH) can provide indication of the device’s network status and diagnostics
information. To take advantage of these indications, an LED can be connected to the Associate pin as shown in
the figure above. The Associate LED functionality is enabled by setting the D5 command to 1 (enabled by default).
If enabled, the Associate pin is configured as an output and will behave as described in the following sections.
Joined indication
The Associate pin indicates the network status of a device. If the module is not joined to a network, the Associate
pin is set high. Once the module successfully joins a network, the Associate pin blinks at a regular time interval.
The following figure shows the joined status of a device
Button
Presses If module is joined to a network If module is not joined to a network
1
Wakes an end device for 30 seconds
Sends a node identification broadcast transmission
Wakes an end device for 30 seconds
Blinks a numeric error code on the Associate pin
indicating the cause of join failure.
2
Sends a broadcast transmission to enable joining on
the coordinator and all devices in the network for 1
minute. (If joining is permanently enabled on a device
(NJ = 0xFF), this action has no effect on that device.)
N/A
4
Causes the device to leave the PAN.
Issues ATRE to restore module parameters to default
values, including ID and SC.
The device attempts to join a network based on its ID
and SC settings.
Issues ATRE to restore module parameters to default
values, including ID and SC.
The device attempts to join a network based on its ID
and SC settings.
∆t
Device Not Joined
Device has joined a network
Associate
The associate pin can indicate the joined status of a device . Once the device has joined a
network, the associate pin toggles state at a regular interval (∆t). The time can be set by
using the LT command.
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 95
The LT command defines the blink time of the Associate pin. If set to 0, the device uses the default blink time
(500ms for coordinator, 250ms for routers and end devices).
Diagnostics support
The Associate pin works with the commissioning pushbutton to provide additional diagnostics behaviors to aid
in deploying and testing a network. If the commissioning push button is pressed once, and the device has not
joined a network, the Associate pin blinks a numeric error code to indicate the cause of join failure. The number
of blinks is equal to (AI value – 0x20). For example, if AI=0x22, 2 blinks occur.
If the commissioning push button is pressed once, and the device has joined a network, the device transmits a
broadcast node identification packet. If the Associate LED functionality is enabled (D5 command), a device that
receives this transmission will blink its Associate pin rapidly for 1 second.
The following figures demonstrate these behaviors.
Binding
There are three binding request messages supported by the Digi XBee firmware: End Device Bind, Bind, and
Unbind.
End_Device_Bind_req
The End Device Bind request (ZDO cluster 0x0020) is described in the ZigBee Specification.
During a deployment, an installer may need to bind a switch to a light. He presses a commissioning button
sequence on each device. This causes them to send End_Device_Bind_req messages to the Coordinator within a
time window (60 s). The payload of each message is a simple descriptor which lists input and output clusterIDs.
The Coordinator matches the requests by pairing complementary clusterIDs. After a match has been made, it
sends messages to bind the devices together. When the process is over, both devices will have entries in their
binding tables which support indirect addressing of messages between their bound endpoints.
Associate
(D5 = 1
Device not joined)
A single commissioning button press when the device has not joined a network that
causes the associate pin to blink to indicate the AI Code where: AI = # blinks + 0x20.
In this example, AI = 0x22.
AD0/DIO0
Associate Pin
(D5 = 1)
AD0/DIO0 Pin
(Remote Device)
A single button press on a remote device causes a broadcast node identification transmission
to be sent. All devices that receive this transmission blink their associate pin rapidly for one
second if the associate LED functionality is enabled. (D5 = 1)
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 96
R1->C End_Device_Bind_req
R2->C End_Device_Bind_req
R1, R2 send End_Device_Bind_req within 60 s of each other to C
C matches the requests.
C tests one to see if binding is already in place:
R2<-C Unbind_req
R2->C Unbind-rsp (status code - NO_ENTRY)
C proceeds to create binding table entries on the two devices.
R1<-C Bind_req
R1->C Bind_rsp
R2<-C Bind_req
R2->C Bind_rsp
C sends responses to the original End_Device_Bind_req messages.
R1-<C End_Device_Bind_rsp
R2-<C End_Device_Bind_rsp
End Device binding sequence (binding)
This message has a toggle action. If the same two devices were to subsequently send End_Device_Bind_req
messages to the Coordinator, the Coordinator would detect they were already bound, and then send Unbind_req
messages to remove the binding.
An installer can use this to remove a binding which was made incorrectly, say from a switch to the wrong lamp,
simply by repeating the commissioning button sequence he used beforehand.
R1->C End_Device_Bind_req
R2->C End_Device_Bind_req
R1, R2 send End_Device_Bind_req within 60 s of each other to C
C matches the requests.
C tests one to see if binding is already in place:
R2<-C Unbind_req
R2->C Unbind-rsp (status code - SUCCESS)
C proceeds to remove binding table entries from the two devices.
R1<-C Unbind_req
R1->C Unbind_rsp
R2<-C Unbind_req
R2->C Unbind_rsp
C sends responses to the original End_Device_Bind_req messages.
R1-<C End_Device_Bind_rsp
R2-<C End_Device_Bind_rsp
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 97
End Device binding sequence (removal)
This example shows a correctly formatted End_Device_Bind_req (ZDO cluster 0x0020) using a Digi 0x11 Explicit
API Frame:
The frame as a bytelist:
7e002811010000000000000000fffe000000200000000001f2995cb5474000a21300e605c101010001020046
Same frame broken into labeled fields. Note the multibyte fields are represented in big-endian format.
7e Frame Delimiter
0028 Frame Length
11 API Frame Type (Explicit Frame)
01 Frame Identifier (for response matching)
0000000000000000 Coordinator address
fffe Code for unknown network address
00 Source Endpoint (need not be 0x00)
00 Destination Endpoint (ZDO endpoint)
0020 Cluster 0x0020 (End_Device_Bind_req)
0000 ProfileID (ZDO)
00 Radius (default, maximum hops)
00 Transmit Options
01f2995cb5474000a21300e605c1010100010200 RFData (ZDO payload)
46 Checksum
Here is the RFData (the ZDO payload) broken into labeled fields. Note the multi-byte fields of a ZDO payload are
represented in little-endian format.
01 Transaction Sequence Number
f299 Binding Target (16 bit network address of sending device)
5cb5474000a21300 (64 bit address of sending device)
e6 Source Endpoint on sending device
05c1 ProfileID (0xC105) - used when matching End_Device_Bind_requests
01 Number of input clusters
0100 Input cluster ID list (0x0100)
01 Number of output clusters
0200 Output cluster ID list (0x0200)
Example of a End_Device_Bind_req
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 98
Bind_req
The Bind request (ZDO cluster 0x0021) is described in the ZigBee Specification. A binding may be coded for either
a unicast or a multicast/groupID message.
Unbind_req
The Unbind request (ZDO cluster 0x0022) is described in the ZigBee Specification.
Group Table API
Unlike the Binding Table which is managed with ZDO commands, a ZigBee Group Table is managed by the ZigBee
Cluster Library Groups Cluster (0x0006) with ZCL commands.
The Digi ZigBee XBee firmware is intended to work with an external processor where a Public Application Profile
with endpoints and clusters is implemented, including a Groups Cluster. The ZigBee XBee firmware should be
configured to forward all ZCL commands addressed to this Group Cluster out the UART (see ATAO3). The ZigBee
XBee will not use remote Groups Cluster commands to manage its own Group Table.
But for the sake of implementing multicast (group) addressing within the XBee, the external processor must keep
the XBee's group table state in sync with its own. And so a Group Table API has been defined whereby the
external processor can manage the state of the ZigBee XBee's group table.
The design of the Group Table API of the XBee firmware is derived from the ZCL Group Cluster 0x0006. Developers
should use the Explicit API frame 0x11 addressed to the Digi Device Object endpoint (0xE6) with the Digi XBee
ProfileID (0xC105) to send commands and requests to the local device.
As a design note, the ZigBee Home Automation Public Application Profile says groups should only be used for
sets of more than 5 devices. This implies sets of 5 or fewer devices should be managed with multiple binding
table entries.
There are five commands implemented in the API: Add Group, View Group, Get Group Membership, Remove
Group, and Remove All Groups.
There is a sixth command of the Group Cluster described in the ZCL, Add Group If Identifying, which is not
supported in this API, because its implementation requires access to the Identify Cluster, which is not maintained
on the XBee. The external processor will need to implement that server command while using the Group Table
API to keep the XBee's group table in sync using the five command primitives described hereafter.
Add Group
The purpose of the Add Group command is to add a group table entry to associate an active endpoint with a
groupID and optionally a groupName. The groupID is a two byte value. The groupName consists of zero to 16
ASCII characters.
The intent of the example which follows is to add a group table entry which associates endpoint E7 with groupID
1234 and groupName “ABCD”.
The example packet is given in three parts, the preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “11 01 “+LocalDevice64Addr+”FFFE E6 E7 0006 C105 00 00"
The packet is addressed to the local node, using a source endpoint of 0xE6, clusterID of 0x0006, and profileID of
0xC105. The destination endpoint E7 holds the endpoint parameter for the “Add Group” command.
ZCL_header = “01 ee 00"
The first field (byte) is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Client-
>Server direction(0x00). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the
response with the command request. The third field is the command identifier for “Add Group” (0x00)[2].
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 99
ZCL_payload = “3412 04 41 42 43 44"
The first two bytes is the group Id to add in little endian representation. The next byte is the string name length
(00 if no string is wanted). The other bytes are the descriptive ASCII string name (“ABCD”) for the group table
entry. Note the string is represented with its length in the first byte, and the other bytes containing the ASCII
characters.
The example packet in raw hex byte form:
7e001e11010013a2004047b55cfffee6e70006c105000001ee0034120441424344c7
The response in raw hex byte form, consisting of two packets:
7e0018910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c1050009ee0000341238
7e00078b01fffe00000076
The response in decoded form:
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
API 0x91 64DestAddr 0x0013A2004047B55C 16DestAddr 0xFFFE SrcEP 0xE7 DestEP 0xE6
ClusterID 0x8006 ProfileID 0xC105 Options 0x00
RF_Data 0x09EE00003412
The response in terms of Preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c10500”
The packet has its endpoint values reversed from the request, and the clusterID is 0x8006 indicating a Group
cluster response.
ZCL_header = “09 ee 00"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Server-> Client
direction. The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with the
command request. The third field is the command identifier “Add Group” (0x00)[2].
ZCL_payload = “00 3412"
The first byte is a status byte (SUCCESS=0x00)[3][4]. The next two bytes hold the group ID (0x1234) in little endian
form.
And here is the decoded second message, which is a Tx Status for the original command request. If the FrameId
value in the original command request had been zero, or if no space was available in the transmit UART buffer,
then no Tx Status message would occur.
ZigBee Tx Status
API 0x8B FrameID 0x01 16DestAddr 0xFFFE
Transmit Retries 0x00 Delivery Status 0x00 Discovery Status 0x00 Success
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 100
View Group
The purpose of the View Group command is to get the name string which is associated with a particular endpoint
and groupID.
The intent of the example is to get the name string associated with the endpoint E7 and groupID 1234.
The packet:
Preamble = “11 01 “+LocalDevice64Addr+”FFFE E6 E7 0006 C105 00 00"
The packet is addressed to the local node, using a source endpoint of 0xE6, clusterID of 0x0006, and profileID of
0xC105. The destination endpoint E7 is the endpoint parameter for the “View Group” command.
ZCL_header = “01 ee 01"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Client->Server
direction(0x00). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “View Group” (0x01) [5].
ZCL_payload = “3412”
The two byte value is the groupID in little-endian representation.
The packet in raw hex byte form:
7e001911010013a2004047b55cfffee6e70006c105000001ee013412d4
The response in raw hex byte form, consisting of two packets:
7e001d910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c1050009ee01003412044142434424
7e00078b01fffe00000076
The command response in decoded form:
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
API 0x91 64DestAddr 0x0013A2004047B55C 16DestAddr 0xFFFE SrcEP 0xE7 DestEP 0xE6
ClusterID 0x8006 ProfileID 0xC105 Options 0x00
RF_Data 0x09EE010034120441424344
The response in terms of Preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c10500”
The packet has its endpoint values reversed from the request, and the clusterID is 0x8006 indicating a Group
cluster response.
ZCL_header = “09 ee 01"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Server->Client
direction (0x08). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “View Group” (0x01) [6].
ZCL_payload = “00 3412 0441424344"
The first byte is a status byte (SUCCESS=0x00)[6][4]. The next two bytes hold the groupID (0x1234) in little-endian
form. The next byte is the name string length (0x04). The remaining bytes are the ASCII name string characters
(“ABCD”).
And here is the decoded second message, which is a Tx Status for the original command request. If the FrameId
value in the original command request had been zero, or if no space was available in the transmit UART buffer,
then no Tx Status message would occur.
ZigBee Tx Status
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API 0x8B FrameID 0x01 16DestAddr 0xFFFE
Transmit Retries 0x00 Delivery Status 0x00 Discovery Status 0x00 Success
Get Group Membership (1 of 2)
The purpose of this first form of the Get Group Membership command is to get all the groupIDs associated with a
particular endpoint.
The intent of the example is to get all the groupIDs associated with endpoint E7.
The example packet is given in three parts, the preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “11 01 “+LocalDevice64Addr+”FFFE E6 E7 0006 C105 00 00"
The packet is addressed to the local node, using a source endpoint of 0xE6, clusterID of 0x0006, and profileID of
0xC105. The destination endpoint E7 holds the endpoint parameter for the “Get Group Membership” command.
ZCL_header = “01 ee 02"
The first field (byte) is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x02) using a Client-
>Server direction(0x00). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the
response with the command request. The third field is the command identifier for “Get Group Membership”
(0x02) [7].
ZCL_payload = “00”
The first byte is the group count. If it is zero, then all groupIDs with an endpoint value which matches the given
endpoint parameter will be returned in the response.
The example packet in raw hex byte form:
7e001811010013a2004047b55cfffee6e70006c105000001ee020019
The response in raw hex byte form, consisting of two packets:
7e0019910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c1050009ee02ff01341235
7e00078b01fffe00000076
The response in decoded form:
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
API 0x91 64DestAddr 0x0013A2004047B55C 16DestAddr 0xFFFE SrcEP 0xE7 DestEP 0xE6
ClusterID 0x8006 ProfileID 0xC105 Options 0x00
RF_Data 0x09EE02FF013412
The response in terms of Preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL Payload:
Preamble = “910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c10500”
The packet has the endpoints reversed from the request, and the clusterID is 0x8006 indicating a Group cluster
response.
ZCL_header = “09 ee 02"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Server->Client
direction (0x08). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “Get Group Membership” (0x02) [8].
ZCL_payload = “FF 01 3412"
The first byte is the remaining capacity of the group table. 0xFF means unknown. The XBee returns this value
because the capacity of the group table is dependent on the remaining capacity of the binding table, thus the
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XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 102
capacity of the group table is unknown. The second byte is the group count (0x01). The remaining bytes are the
groupIDs in little-endian representation.
And here is the decoded second message, which is a Tx Status for the original command request. If the FrameId
value in the original command request had been zero, or if no space was available in the transmit UART buffer,
then no Tx Status message would occur.
ZigBee Tx Status
API 0x8B FrameID 0x01 16DestAddr 0xFFFE
Transmit Retries 0x00 Delivery Status 0x00 Discovery Status 0x00 Success
Get Group Membership (2 of 2)
The purpose of this second form of the Get Group Membership command is to get the set of groupIDs associated
with a particular endpoint which are a subset of a list of given groupIDs.
The intent of the example is to get the groupIDs associated with endpoint E7 which are a subset of a given list of
groupIDs (0x1234, 0x5678).
The example packet is given in three parts, the preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “11 01 “+LocalDevice64Addr+”FFFE E6 E7 0006 C105 00 00"
The packet is addressed to the local node, using a source endpoint of 0xE6, clusterID of 0x0006, and profileID of
0xC105. The destination endpoint E7 is the endpoint parameter for the “Get Group Membership” command.
ZCL_header = “01 ee 02"
The first field (byte) is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x02) using a Client-
>Server direction(0x00). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the
response with the command request. The third field is the command identifier for “Get Group Membership”
(0x02) [7].
ZCL_payload = “02 34127856"
The first byte is the group count. The remaining bytes are a groupIDs which use little-endian representation.
The example packet in raw hex byte form:
7e001c11010013a2004047b55cfffee6e70006c105000001ee02023412785603
The response in raw hex byte form, consisting of two packets:
7e0019910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c1050009ee02ff01341235
7e00078b01fffe00000076
The response in decoded form:
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
API 0x91 64DestAddr 0x0013A2004047B55C 16DestAddr 0xFFFE SrcEP 0xE7 DestEP 0xE6
ClusterID 0x8006 ProfileID 0xC105 Options 0x00
RF_Data 0x09EE02FF013412
The response in terms of Preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL Payload:
Preamble = “910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c10500”
The packet has the endpoints reversed from the request, the clusterID is 0x8006 indicating a Group cluster
response.
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ZCL_header = “09 ee 02"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Server->Client
direction (0x08). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “Get Group Membership” (0x02) [8].
ZCL_payload = “FF 01 3412"
The first byte is the remaining capacity of the group table. 0xFF means unknown. The XBee returns this value
because the capacity of the group table is dependent on the remaining capacity of the binding table, thus the
capacity of the group table is unknown. The second byte is the group count (0x01). The remaining bytes are the
groupIDs in little-endian representation.
And here is the decoded second message, which is a Tx Status for the original command request. If the FrameId
value in the original command request had been zero, or if no space was available in the transmit UART buffer,
then no Tx Status message would occur.
ZigBee Tx Status
API 0x8B FrameID 0x01 16DestAddr 0xFFFE
Transmit Retries 0x00 Delivery Status 0x00 Discovery Status 0x00 Success
Remove Group
The purpose of the Remote Group command is to remove a Group Table entry which associates a given endpoint
with a given groupID.
The intent of the example is to remove the association of groupID [TBD] with endpoint E7.
The example packet is given in three parts, the preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “11 01 “+LocalDevice64Addr+”FFFE E6 E7 0006 C105 00 00"
The packet is addressed to the local node, using a source endpoint of 0xE6, clusterID of 0x0006, and profileID of
0xC105. The destination endpoint E7 is the endpoint parameter for the “Remove Group” command.
ZCL_header = “01 ee 03"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Client->Server
direction(0x00). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “Remove Group” (0x03) [9].
ZCL_payload = “3412”
The two bytes value is the groupID to be removed in little-endian representation.
The packet in raw hex byte form:
7e001911010013a2004047b55cfffee6e70006c105000001ee033412d2
The response in raw hex byte form, consisting of two packets:
7e0018910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c1050009ee0300341235
7e00078b01fffe00000076
The command response in decoded form:
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
API 0x91 64DestAddr 0x0013A2004047B55C 16DestAddr 0xFFFE SrcEP 0xE7 DestEP 0xE6
ClusterID 0x8006 ProfileID 0xC105 Options 0x00
Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate LED
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 104
RF_Data 0x09EE03003412
The response in terms of Preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload:
Preamble = “910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c10500”
The packet has its endpoint values reversed from the request, and the clusterID is 0x8006 indicating a Group
cluster response.
ZCL_header = “09 ee 03"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Server->Client
direction (0x08). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “Remove Group” (0x03) [10].
ZCL_payload = “00 3412"
The first byte is a status byte (SUCCESS=0x00)[10][4]. The next two bytes is the groupID (0x1234) value in little-
endian form.
And here is the decoded second message, which is a Tx Status for the original command request. If the FrameId
value in the original command request had been zero, or if no space was available in the transmit UART buffer,
then no Tx Status message would occur.
ZigBee Tx Status
API 0x8B FrameID 0x01 16DestAddr 0xFFFE
Transmit Retries 0x00 Delivery Status 0x00 Discovery Status 0x00 Success
Remove All Groups
The purpose of the Remove All Groups command is to clear all entries from the group table which are associated
with a target endpoint.
The intent of the example is to remove all groups associated with endpoint E7.
The packet:
Preamble = “11 01 “+LocalDevice64Addr+”FFFE E6 E7 0006 C105 00 00"
The packet is addressed to the local node, using a source endpoint of 0xE6, clusterId of 0x0006, and profileID of
0xC105. The destination endpoint E7 is the endpoint parameter for the “Remove All Groups” command.
ZCL_header = “01 ee 04"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Client->Server
direction(0x00). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “Remove All Groups” (0x04) [11].
ZCL_payload = “”
No payload is needed for this command.
The packet in raw hex byte form:
7e001711010013a2004047b55cfffee6e70006c105000001ee0417
The response in raw hex byte form, consisting of two packets:
7e0016910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c1050009ee04007c
7e00078b01fffe00000076
The command response in decoded form:
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate LED
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 105
API 0x91 64DestAddr 0x0013A2004047B55C 16DestAddr 0xFFFE SrcEP 0xE7 DestEP 0xE6
ClusterID 0x8006 ProfileID 0xC105 Options 0x00
RF_Data 0x09ee0400
The response in terms of Preamble, ZCL Header, and ZCL payload.
Preamble = “910013a2004047b55cfffee7e68006c10500”
The packet has its endpoints values reversed from the request, and the clusterID is 0x8006 indicating a Group
cluster response.
ZCL_header = “09 ee 04"
The first field is a frame control field which specifies a Cluster Specific command (0x01) using a Server->Client
direction (0x08). The second field is a transaction sequence number which is used to associate the response with
the command request. The third field is the command identifier “Remove All Groups” (0x04) [10].
ZCL_payload = “00”
The first byte is a status byte (SUCCESS=0x00)[4].
And here is the decoded second message, which is a Tx Status for the original command request. If the FrameID
value in the original command request had been zero, or if no space was available in the transmit UART buffer,
then no Tx Status message would occur.
ZigBee Tx Status
API 0x8B FrameID 0x01 16DestAddr 0xFFFE
Transmit Retries 0x00 Delivery Status 0x00 Discovery Status 0x00 Success
Default responses
Many errors are returned as a default response. For example, a RFData payload of a response containing
08010b788b would be decoded as:
ZCL_header = “08 01 03" - general command/server-to-client, transseqnum=1,
default_response_command(0x03)
ZCL_payload = “78 8b” - original cmdID, status code (0x8b) EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_NOT_FOUND
Common status codes
This section lists some of the more frequently occurring status codes.
0x00 EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_SUCCESS: Command request was successful
0x01 EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_FAILURE: Command request failed - for example, a call to remove an entry from the
group table returned an error
0x80 EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_MALFORMED_COMMAND: no RFData in the API frame; ZCL Payload appears truncated
from what is expected
0x81 EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_UNSUP_CLUSTER_COMMAND: unexpected direction in the Frame Control Field of the
ZCL Header; unexpected command identifier code value in the ZCL header
0x82 EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_UNSUP_GENERAL_COMMAND: unexpected frametype in the Frame Control Field of
the ZCL Header
0x84 EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_UNSUP_MANUF_GENERAL_COMMAND: unexpected manufacturer specific indication
in the Frame Control Field of the ZCL Header
Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate LED
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 106
0x8b EMBER_ZCL_STATUS_NOT_FOUND: An attempt at Get Group Membership or Remove Group could not find
a matching entry in the group table
A full set of status codes appears in the documentation [4].
Bibliography
[1] ZigBee Cluster Library, document 075123r02, section 3.6.
The following cross references all appear in the ZigBee Cluster Library document:
[2] Add Group Command, section 3.6.2.2.3.
[3] Add Group Response, section 3.6.2.3.1.
[4] Status Enumerations, section 2.5.3.
[5] View Group Command, section 3.6.2.2.4.
[6] View Group Response, section 3.6.2.3.2.
[7] Get Group Membership Command, section 3.6.2.2.5.
[8] Get Group Membership Response, section 3.6.2.3.3.
[9] Remove Group Command, section 3.6.2.2.6.
[10] Remove Group Response, section 3.6.2.3.4.
[11] Remove All Groups Command, section 3.6.2.2.7.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 107
Managing End Devices
ZigBee end devices are intended to be battery-powered devices capable of sleeping for extended periods of time.
Since end devices may not be awake to receive RF data at a given time, routers and coordinators are equipped with
additional capabilities (including packet buffering and extended transmission timeouts) to ensure reliable data
delivery to end devices.
End Device operation
When an end device joins a ZigBee network, it must find a router or coordinator device that is allowing end devices to
join. Once the end device joins a network, a parent-child relationship is formed between the end device and the
router or coordinator that allowed it to join. See ZigBee networks on page 38 for details.
When the end device is awake, it sends poll request messages to its parent. When the parent receives a poll request, it
checks a packet queue to see if it has any buffered messages for the end device. It then sends a MAC layer
acknowledgment back to the end device that indicates if it has data to send to the end device or not.
If the end device receives the acknowledgment and finds that the parent has no data for it, the end device can return
to idle mode or sleep. Otherwise, it will remain awake to receive the data. This polling mechanism allows the end
device to enter idle mode and turn its receiver off when RF data is not expected in order to reduce current
consumption and conserve battery life.
Parent operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 108
The end device can only send data directly to its parent. If an end device must send a broadcast or a unicast
transmission to other devices in the network, it sends the message directly to its parent and the parent performs
any necessary route or address discoveries to route the packet to the final destination.
Parent operation
Each router or coordinator maintains a child table that contains the addresses of its end device children. A router
or coordinator that has unused entries in its child table is said to have end device capacity, or the ability to allow
new end devices to join. If the child table is completely filled (such that the number of its end device children
matches the number of child table entries), the device cannot allow any more end devices to join to it.
Since the end device children are not guaranteed to be awake at a given time, the parent is responsible for
managing incoming data packets in behalf of its end device children. If a parent receives an RF data transmission
destined for one of its end device children, and if the parent has enough unused buffer space, it will buffer the
packet. The data packet will remain buffered until a timeout expires, or until the end device sends a poll request
to retrieve the data.
The parent can buffer one broadcast transmission for all of its end device children. When a broadcast
transmission is received and buffered, the parent sets a flag in its child table when each child polls and retrieves
the packet. Once all children have received the broadcast packet, the buffered broadcast packet is discarded. If
all children have not received a buffered broadcast packet and a new broadcast is received, the old broadcast
packet is discarded, the child table flags are cleared, and the new broadcast packet is buffered for the end device
children. This is demonstrated in the figure below.
When an end device sends data to its parent that is destined for a remote device in the network, the parent
buffers the data packet until it can establish a route to the destination. The parent may perform a route or 16-bit
address discovery in behalf of its end device children. Once a route is established, the parent sends the data
transmission to the remote device.
End Device poll timeouts
To better support mobile end devices (end devices that can move around in a network), parent router and
coordinator devices have a poll timeout for each end device child. If an end device does not send a poll request to
its parent within the poll timeout, the parent will remove the end device from its child table. This allows the child
table on a router or coordinator to better accommodate mobile end devices in the network.
Packet buffer usage
Packet buffer usage on a router or coordinator varies depending on the application. The following activities can
require use of packet buffers for up to several seconds:
Non-Parent device operation
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 109
• Route and address discoveries
• Application broadcast transmissions
• Stack broadcasts (e.g. ZDO “Device Announce” messages when devices join a network)
• Unicast transmissions (buffered until acknowledgment is received from destination or retries exhausted)
• Unicast messages waiting for end device to wake.
Applications that use regular broadcasting or that require regular address or route discoveries will use up a
significant number of buffers, reducing the buffer availability for managing packets for end device children.
Applications should reduce the number of required application broadcasts, and consider implementing an
external address table or many-to-one and source routing if necessary to improve routing efficiency.
Non-Parent device operation
Devices in the ZigBee network treat data transmissions to end devices differently than transmissions to other
routers and coordinators. Recall that when a unicast transmission is sent, if a network acknowledgment is not
received within a timeout, the device resends the transmission. When transmitting data to remote coordinator or
router devices, the transmission timeout is relatively short since these devices are powered and responsive.
However, since end devices may sleep for some time, unicast transmissions to end devices use an extended
timeout mechanism in order to allow enough time for the end device to wake and receive the data transmission
from its parent.
If a non-parent device does not know the destination is an end device, it will use the standard unicast timeout for
the transmission. However, provisions exist in the Ember ZigBee stack for the parent to inform the message
sender that the destination is an end device. Once the sender discovers the destination device is an end device,
future transmissions will use the extended timeout. See XBee Router/Coordinator configuration on page 119 for
details.
XBee End Device configuration
XBee end devices support three different sleep modes:
• Pin Sleep
• Cyclic Sleep
• Cyclic Sleep with pin wake-up
Pin sleep allows an external microcontroller to determine when the XBee should sleep and when it should wake
by controlling the Sleep_RQ pin. In contrast, cyclic sleep allows the sleep period and wake times to be configured
through the use of AT commands. Cyclic sleep with pin wake-up is the same as cyclic sleep except that the
module can be awakened before the sleep period expires by lowering the Sleep_Rq line. The sleep mode is
configurable with the SM command.
In both pin and cyclic sleep modes, XBee end devices poll their parent every 100ms while they are awake to
retrieve buffered data. When a poll request has been sent, the end device enables the receiver until an
acknowledgment is received from the parent. (It generally takes less than 10ms from the time the poll request is
sent until the acknowledgment is received.) The acknowledgment indicates if the parent has buffered data for
the end device child or not. If the acknowledgment indicates the parent has pending data, the end device will
leave the receiver on to receive the data. Otherwise, the end device will turn off the receiver and enter idle mode
(until the next poll request is sent) to reduce current consumption (and improve battery life).
Once the module enters sleep mode, the On/Sleep pin (pin 26/SMT, pin13/TH) is de-asserted (low) to indicate the
module is entering sleep mode. If CTS hardware flow control is enabled (D7 command), the CTS pin (pin 25/SMT,
pin 12/TH) is de-asserted (high) when entering sleep to indicate that serial data should not be sent to the module.
If the Associate LED pin is configured (D5 command), the associate pin will be driven low to avoid using power to
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 110
light the LED. Finally, the Sleep_Rq pin will be configured as a pulled-down input so that an external device must
drive it high to wake the module. All other pins will be left unmodified during sleep so that they can operate as
previously configured by the user. The module will not respond to serial or RF data when it is sleeping.
Applications that must communicate serially to sleeping end devices are encouraged to observe CTS flow
control.
When the XBee wakes from sleep, the On/Sleep pin is asserted (high), and if flow control is enabled, the CTS pin is
also asserted (low). The associate LED and all other pins resume their former configured operation. If the module
has not joined a network, it will scan all SC channels after waking to try and find a valid network to join.
Pin sleep
Pin sleep allows the module to sleep and wake according to the state of the Sleep_RQ pin (pin 10/SMT, pin 9/TH).
Pin sleep mode is enabled by setting the SM command to 1.
When Sleep_RQ is asserted (high), the module will finish any transmit or receive operations and enter a low
power state. For example, if the module has not joined a network and Sleep_RQ is asserted (high), the module
will sleep once the current join attempt completes (i.e. when scanning for a valid network completes). The
module will wake from pin sleep when the Sleep_RQ pin is de-asserted (low). The following figure shows the XBee
surface-mount pin sleep pins.
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 111
The following figure shows the XBee TH pin sleep pins.
The following figure show the pin sleep waveforms.
In the figure above, t1, t2, t3 and t4 represent the following events:
• t1 - Time when Sleep_RQ is asserted (high)
• t2 - Time when the XBee enters sleep (CTS state change only if hardware flow control is enabled)
• t3 - Time when Sleep_RQ is de-asserted (low) and the module wakes
• t4 - Time when the module sends a poll request to its parent
The time between t1 and t2 varies depending on the state of the module. In the worst case scenario, if the end
device is trying to join a network, or if it is waiting for an acknowledgment from a data transmission, the delay
could be up to a few seconds. the time between t3 and t4 is 1-2 ms for a regular module and about 6 ms for a PRO
module.
When the XBee is awake and is joined to a network, it sends a poll request to its parent to see if the parent has any
buffered data for it. The end device will continue to send poll requests every 100ms while it is awake.
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 112
Demonstration of pin sleep
Parent and remote devices must be configured to buffer data correctly and to use adequate transmission
timeouts. See XBee Router/Coordinator configuration on page 119 for details.
Cyclic sleep
Cyclic sleep allows the module to sleep for a specified time and wake for a short time to poll its parent for any
buffered data messages before returning to sleep again. Cyclic sleep mode is enabled by setting the SM
command to 4 or 5. SM5 is a slight variation of SM4 that allows the module to be woken prematurely by asserting
the Sleep_RQ pin (pin 10/SMT, pin 9/TH). In SM5, the XBee can wake after the sleep period expires, or if a high-to-
low transition occurs on the Sleep_RQ pin. Setting SM to 4 disables the pin wake option.
In cyclic sleep, the module sleeps for a specified time, and then wakes and sends a poll request to its parent to
discover if the parent has any pending data for the end device. If the parent has buffered data for the end device,
or if serial data is received, the XBee will remain awake for a time. Otherwise, it will enter sleep mode
immediately.
The On/Sleep line is asserted (high) when the module wakes, and is de-asserted (low) when the module sleeps. If
hardware flow control is enabled (D7 command), the CTS pin will assert (low) when the module wakes and can
receive serial data, and de-assert (high) when the module sleeps.
The following figure shows the XBee surface-mount cyclic sleep pins.
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 113
The following figures shows the XBee S2C through-hole cyclic sleep pins.
The following figure shows the cyclic sleep waveforms.
In the figure above, t1, t2, and t3 represent the following events:
•T1 - Time when the module wakes from cyclic sleep
•T2 - Time when the module returns to sleep
•T3 - Later time when the module wakes from cyclic sleep
The wake time and sleep time are configurable with software commands as described in the sections below.
Wake time (until sleep)
In cyclic sleep mode (SM=4 or 5), if serial or RF data is received, the module will start a sleep timer (time until
sleep). Any data received serially or over the RF link will restart the timer. The sleep timer value is settable with
the ST command. While the module is awake, it will send poll request transmissions every 100ms to check its
parent for buffered data messages. The module returns to sleep when the sleep timer expires, or if the SI
command is sent to it. The following image shows this behavior.
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 114
Sleep period
The sleep period is configured based on the SP, SN, and SO commands. The following table lists the behavior of
these commands.
The XBee module supports both a short cyclic sleep and an extended cyclic sleep that make use of these
commands. These two modes allow the sleep period to be configured according to the application requirements.
Short cyclic sleep
In short cyclic sleep mode, the sleep behavior of the module is defined by the SP and SN commands, and the SO
command must be set to 0x00 (default) or 0x02. In short cyclic sleep mode, the SP command defines the sleep
period and is settable up to 28 seconds. When the XBee enters short cyclic sleep, it remains in a low power state
until the SP time has expired.
After the sleep period expires, the XBee sends a poll request transmission to its parent to determine if its parent
has any buffered data waiting for the end device. Since router and coordinator devices can buffer data for end
device children up to 30 seconds, the SP range (up to 28 seconds) allows the end device to poll regularly enough
to receive buffered data. If the parent has data for the end device, the end device will start its sleep timer (ST) and
continue polling every 100ms to receive data. If the end device wakes and finds that its parent has no data for it,
the end device can return to sleep immediately.
The SN command can be used to control when the On/Sleep line is asserted (high). If SN is set to 1 (default), the
On/Sleep line will be set high each time the XBee wakes from sleep. Otherwise, if SN is greater than 1, the On/
Sleep line will only be set high if RF data is received, or after SN wake cycles occur. This allows an external device
to remain powered off until RF data is received, or until a number of sleep periods have expired (SN sleep
periods). This mechanism allows the XBee to wake at regular intervals to poll its parent for data without waking
an external device for an extended time (SP * SN time). This following figure shows this.
Command Range Description
SP 0x20 - 0xAF0 (x 10 ms)
(320 - 28,000 ms)
Configures the sleep period of the module.
SN 1 - 0xFFFF Configures the number of sleep periods multiplier.
SO 0 - 0xFF
Defines options for sleep mode behavior.
0x02 - Always wake for full ST time
0x04 - Enable extended sleep (sleep for full (SP * SN) time)
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 115
Note SP controls the packet buffer time on routers and coordinators. SP should be set on all router and
coordinator devices to match the longest end device SP time. See the XBee Router / Coordinator
Configuration section for details.
Extended cyclic sleep
In extended cyclic sleep operation, an end device can sleep for a multiple of SP time which can extend the sleep
time up to several days. The sleep period is configured using the SP and SN commands. The total sleep period is
equal to (SP * SN) where SP is measured in 10ms units. The SO command must be set correctly to enable
extended sleep.
Since routers and coordinators can only buffer incoming RF data for their end device children for up to 30
seconds, if an end device sleeps longer than 30 seconds, devices in the network need some indication when an
end device is awake before they can send data to it. End devices that use extended cyclic sleep should send a
transmission (such as an IO sample) when they wake to inform other devices that they are awake and can receive
data. It is recommended that extended sleep end devices set SO to wake for the full ST time in order to provide
other devices with enough time to send messages to the end device.
Similar to short cyclic sleep, end devices running in this mode will return to sleep when the sleep timer expires, or
when the SI command is received.
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 116
Deep sleep
There are preconditions for maintaining low current draw during sleep:
•You must maintain the supply voltage within a valid operating range (2.1 to 3.6 V for the XBee, 3.0 to 3.6 V for
the XBee-PRO (S2), 2.7 to 3. V for the XBee-PRO S2B).
•Each GPIO input line with a pullup resistor which is driven low draws about 100 uA current through the
internal pullup resistor.
•If circuitry external to the XBee drives such input lines low, then the current draw rises above expected deep
sleep levels.
•Each GPIO input line that has no pullup or pull-down resistor (is floating) has an indeterminate voltage which
can change over time and temperature in an indeterminate manner.
Recommended sleep current measurements
Properly measuring the sleep current helps to accurately estimate battery life requirements. To ensure that you
take proper measurements without upsetting the normal operation of the unit under test, read the following
steps.
When you measure sleep currents, it can cause problems with the XBee modules because the equipment that
measures very low currents accurately requires a large resistor in series with the power supply. This large resistor
starves current from the XBee during a momentary wake cycle, forcing the voltage to drop to brownout levels
rapidly. This voltage drop can place the XBee in a bad state, which may require a reset to resolve the problem.
In order to achieve the lowest sleep current, you must disable brownout detectors during sleep modes. Even if
the measurement equipment automatically changes current ranges, it is often too slow and cannot keep up with
the necessary sudden short bursts. During long cyclic sleep periods, the XBees can wake every 10 to 30 seconds to
reset timers and perform other necessary steps. These wake times are small and you may not notice them when
measuring sleep currents.
To compensate for the switching time of the equipment you must temporarily add an additional large cap when
you need measurements to allow for short pulses of current draw; see the schematic below for details. 100 uF is
enough to handle 1.5 milliseconds with 20 mA of current. You can increase or decrease the capacitor based on the
switching time of the measurement circuitry and the momentary on time of the unit. Measure the leakage current
of the additional cap to verify that it does not skew the low current reading. The capacitor averages the spike in
current draw. The actual magnitude of the current spike is no longer visible, but you can account for the total
energy consumed by integrating the current over time and multiplying by the voltage.
Do not be surprised if the sleep current for an S2C is less than that of a S2D, because the S2D has more RAM to
maintain during sleep (64K versus 12K RAM).
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 117
Internal pin pull-ups can pull excess current and cause the sleep current readings to be higher than desired if you
drive or float the pull-ups. Disable all pull-ups for input lines that have a low driven state during sleep. Enable
pull-ups for floating lines or inputs that do not connect to other circuitry. If you use an analog-to-digital converter
(ADC) to read the analog voltage of a pin, it may not be possible to stop all leakage current unless you can
disconnect the voltage during sleep. Each floating input that is not at a valid high or low level can cause leakage
depending on the temperature and charge buildup that you may not observe at room temperature.
Transmitting RF data
An end device may transmit data when it wakes from sleep and has joined a network. End devices transmit
directly to their parent and then wait for an acknowledgment to be received. The parent will perform any
required address and route discoveries to help ensure the packet reaches the intended destination before
reporting the transmission status to the end device.
Receiving RF data
After waking from sleep, an end device sends a poll request to its parent to determine if the parent has any
buffered data for it. In pin sleep mode, the end device polls every 100ms while the Sleep_RQ pin is de-asserted
(low). In cyclic sleep mode, the end device will only poll once before returning to sleep unless the sleep timer (ST)
XBee End Device configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 118
is started (serial or RF data is received). If the sleep timer is started, the end device will continue to poll every 100
ms until the sleep timer expires.
This firmware includes an adaptive polling enhancement where, if an end device receives RF data from its parent,
it sends another poll after a very short delay to check for more data. The end device continues to poll at a faster
rate as long as it receives data from its parent. This feature greatly improves data throughput to end devices.
When the end device no longer receives data from its parent, it resumes polling every 100 ms.
I/O sampling
End devices can be configured to send one or more I/O samples when they wake from sleep. To enable I/O
sampling on an end device, the IR command must be set to a non-zero value, and at least one analog or digital I/
O pin must be enabled for sampling (D0 - D9, P0-P4 commands). If I/O sampling is enabled, an end device sends
an I/O sample when it wakes and starts the ST timer. It will continue sampling at the IR rate until the sleep timer
(ST) has expired. See Analog and digital I/O lines on page 123 for details.
Waking end devices with the Commissioning Pushbutton
If the commissioning pushbutton functionality is enabled (D0 command), a high-to-low transition on the AD0/
DIO0 pin (pin 33) will cause an end device to wake for 30 seconds. See Commissioning Pushbutton and Associate
LED on page 93 for details.
Parent verification
Since an end device relies on its parent to maintain connectivity with other devices in the network, XBee end
devices include provisions to verify its connection with its parent. End devices monitor their link with their parent
when sending poll messages and after a power cycle or reset event as described below.
When an end device wakes from sleep, it sends a poll request to its parent. In cyclic sleep, if RF or serial data is not
received and the sleep timer is not started, the end device polls one time and returns to sleep for another sleep
period. Otherwise, the end device continues polling every 100ms. If the parent does not send an
acknowledgment response to three consecutive poll request transmissions, the end device assumes the parent is
out of range, and attempts to find a new parent.
After a power-up or reset event, the end device does an orphan scan to locate its parent. If the parent does not
send a response to the orphan scan, the end device attempts to find a new parent.
Rejoining
Once all devices have joined a ZigBee network, the permit-joining attribute should be disabled such that new
devices are no longer allowed to join the network. Permit-joining can be enabled later as needed for short times.
This provides some protection in preventing other devices from joining a live network.
If an end device cannot communicate with its parent, the end device must be able to join a new parent to
maintain network connectivity. However, if permit-joining is disabled in the network, the end device will not find
a device that is allowing new joins.
To overcome this problem, ZigBee supports rejoining, where an end device can obtain a new parent in the same
network even if joining is not enabled. When an end device joins using rejoining, it performs a PAN ID scan to
discover nearby networks. If a network is discovered that has the same 64-bit PAN ID as the end device, it will join
the network by sending a rejoin request to one of the discovered devices. The device that receives the rejoin
request will send a rejoin response if it can allow the device to join the network (i.e. child table not full). The rejoin
mechanism can be used to allow a device to join the same network even if permit-joining is disabled.
XBee Router/Coordinator configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 119
To enable rejoining, NJ should be set less than 0xFF on the device that will join. If NJ < 0xFF, the device assumes
the network is not allowing joining and first tries to join a network using rejoining. If multiple rejoining attempts
fail, or if NJ=0xFF, the device will attempt to join using association.
XBee Router/Coordinator configuration
XBee routers and coordinators may require some configuration to ensure the following are set correctly:
• RF packet buffering timeout
• Child poll timeout
• Transmission timeout
The value of these timeouts depends on the sleep time used by the end devices. Each of these timeouts are
discussed below.
RF packet buffering timeout
When a router or coordinator receives an RF data packet intended for one of its end device children, it buffers the
packet until the end device wakes and polls for the data, or until a packet buffering timeout occurs. This timeout
is settable using the SP command. The actual timeout is (1.2 * SP), with a minimum timeout of 1.2 seconds and a
maximum of 30 seconds. Since the packet buffering timeout is set slightly larger than the SP setting, SP should be
set the same on routers and coordinators as it is on cyclic sleep end devices. For pin sleep devices, SP should be
set as long as the pin sleep device can sleep, up to 30 seconds.
Note In pin sleep and extended cyclic sleep, end devices can sleep longer than 30 seconds. If end devices sleep
longer than 30 seconds, parent and non-parent devices must know when the end device is awake in order
to reliably send data. For applications that require sleeping longer than 30 seconds, end devices should
transmit an IO sample or other data when they wake to alert other devices that they can send data to the
end device.
Child poll timeout
Router and coordinator devices maintain a timestamp for each end device child indicating when the end device
sent its last poll request to check for buffered data packets. If an end device does not send a poll request to its
parent for a certain period of time, the parent will assume the end device has moved out of range and will remove
the end device from its child table. This allows routers and coordinators to be responsive to changing network
conditions. The NC command can be issued at any time to read the number of remaining (unused) child table
entries on a router or coordinator.
The child poll timeout is settable with the SP and SN commands. SP and SN should be set such that SP * SN
matches the longest expected sleep time of any end devices in the network. The actual timeout is calculated as (3
* SP * SN), with a minimum of 5 seconds. For networks consisting of pin sleep end devices, the SP and SN values
on the coordinator and routers should be set such that SP * SN matches the longest expected sleep period of any
pin sleep device. The 3 multiplier ensures the end device will not be removed unless 3 sleep cycles pass without
receiving a poll request. The poll timeout is settable up to a couple of months.
Adaptive polling
The PO command determines the regular polling rate. However, if RF data has been recently received by an end
device, it is likely that yet more RF data could be on the way. Therefore, the end device will poll at a faster rate,
gradually decreasing its adaptive poll rate until polling resumes at the regular rate as defined by the PO
command.
Putting it all together
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 120
Transmission timeout
As mentioned in Transmission, addressing, and routing on page 59, when sending RF data to a remote router,
since routers are always on, the timeout is based on the number of hops the transmission may traverse. This
timeout it settable using the NH command; see Transmission, addressing, and routing on page 59 for details.
Since end devices may sleep for lengthy periods of time, the transmission timeout to end devices also includes
some allowance for the sleep period of the end device. When sending data to a remote end device, the
transmission timeout is calculated using the SP and NH commands. If the timeout occurs and an
acknowledgment has not been received, the source device will resend the transmission until an
acknowledgment is received, up to two more times.
The transmission timeout per attempt is:
3 * ((unicast router timeout) + (end device sleep time)), or
3 * ((50 * NH) + (1.2 * SP)), where SP is measured in 10ms units.
Putting it all together
Short sleep periods
Pin and cyclic sleep devices that sleep less than 30 seconds can receive data transmissions at any time since their
parent device(s) will be able to buffer data long enough for the end devices to wake and poll to receive the data.
SP should be set the same on all devices in the network. If end devices in a network have more than one SP
setting, SP on the routers and coordinators should be set to match the largest SP setting of any end device. This
will ensure the RF packet buffering, poll timeout, and transmission timeouts are set correctly.
Extended sleep periods
Pin and cyclic sleep devices that might sleep longer than 30 seconds cannot receive data transmissions reliably
unless certain design approaches are taken. Specifically, the end devices should use IO sampling or another
mechanism to transmit data when they wake to inform the network they can receive data. SP and SN should be
set on routers and coordinators such that (SP * SN) matches the longest expected sleep time. This configures the
poll timeout so end devices are not expired from the child table unless a poll request is not received for 3
consecutive sleep periods.
As a general rule of thumb, SP and SN should be set the same on all devices in almost all cases.
Sleep examples
This section covers some sample XBee configurations to support different sleep modes. Several AT commands
are listed with suggested parameter values. The notation in this section includes an '=' sign to indicate what each
command register should be set to - for example, SM=4. This is not the correct notation for setting command
values in the XBee. In AT command mode, each command is issued with a leading 'AT' and no '=' sign - for
example ATSM4. In the API, the two byte command is used in the command field, and parameters are populated
as binary values in the parameter field.
Example 1: configure a device to sleep for 20 seconds, but set SN such that the On/sleep
line will remain de-asserted for up to 1 minute.
The following settings should be configured on the end device.
SM = 4 (cyclic sleep) or 5 (cyclic sleep, pin wake)
Sleep examples
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 121
SP = 0x7D0 (2000 decimal). This causes the end device to sleep for 20 seconds since SP is measured in units of
10ms.
SN = 3. (With this setting, the On/Sleep pin will assert once every 3 sleep cycles, or when RF data is received)
SO = 0
All router and coordinator devices on the network should set SP to match SP on the end device. This ensures that
RF packet buffering times and transmission timeouts will be set correctly.
Since the end device wakes after each sleep period (ATSP), the SN command can be set to 1 on all routers and the
coordinator.
Example 2: configure an end device to sleep for 20 seconds, send 4 IO samples in 2
seconds, and return to sleep.
Since SP is measured in 10ms units, and ST and IR are measured in 1ms units, configure an end device with the
following settings:
SM = 4 (cyclic sleep) or 5 (cyclic sleep, pin wake)
SP = 0x7D0 (2000 decimal). This causes the end device to sleep for 20 seconds.
SN = 1
SO = 0
ST = 0x7D0 (2000 decimal). This sets the sleep timer to 2 seconds.
IR = 0x258 (600 decimal). Set IR to a value greater than (2 seconds / 4) to get 4 samples in 2 seconds. The end
device sends an IO sample at the IR rate until the sleep timer has expired.
At least one analog or digital IO line must be enabled for IO sampling to work. To enable pin 32 (AD1/DIO1) as a
digital input line, the following must be set:
D1 = 3
All router and coordinator devices on the network should set SP to match SP on the end device. This ensures that
RF packet buffering times and transmission timeouts will be set correctly.
Example 3: configure a device for extended sleep: to sleep for 4 minutes.
SP and SN must be set such that SP * SN = 4 minutes. Since SP is measured in 10ms units, the following settings
can be used to obtain 4 minute sleep.
SM = 4 (cyclic sleep) or 5 (cyclic sleep, pin wake)
SP = 0x7D0 (2000 decimal, or 20 seconds)
SN = 0x0B (12 decimal)
SO = 0x04 (enable extended sleep)
With these settings, the module will sleep for SP * SN time, or (20 seconds * 12) = 240 seconds = 4 minutes.
For best results, the end device should send a transmission when it wakes to inform the coordinator (or network)
when it wakes. It should also remain awake for a short time to allow devices to send data to it. The following are
recommended settings.
ST = 0x7D0 (2 second wake time)
SO = 0x06 (enable extended sleep and wake for ST time)
Sleep examples
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 122
IR = 0x800 (send 1 IO sample after waking). At least one analog or digital IO sample should be enabled for IO
sampling.
With these settings, the end device will wake after 4 minutes and send 1 IO sample. It will then remain awake for 2
seconds before returning to sleep.
SP and SN should be set to the same values on all routers and coordinators that could allow the end device to
join. This will ensure the parent does not timeout the end device from its child table too quickly.
The SI command can optionally be sent to the end device to cause it to sleep before the sleep timer expires.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 123
Analog and digital I/O lines
XBee ZB firmware supports a number of analog and digital I/O pins that are configured through software commands.
Analog and digital I/O lines can be set or queried. The following table lists the configurable I/O pins and the
corresponding configuration commands.
Module Pin Names Module Pin AT Command Command Range
DOUT/DIO13 3P3
0, 1, 3-5
DIN/CONFIG/DIO14 4P4
0, 1, 3-5
PWM RSSI/DIO10 7P0
0, 1, 3-5
PWM1/DIO11 8P1
0, 1, 3-5
DTR/Slp_Rq/DIO8 10 D8 0, 1, 3-5
PTI_DATA/SPI_Attn/ADC5/DIO19 12 P9 0, 1, 6
SPI_SClk/DIO18 14 P8 0, 1
SPI_SSel/DIO17 15 P7 0, 1
SPI_MOSI/DIO16 16 P6 0, 1
SPI_MISO/DIO15 17 P5 0,1
JTMS/SWDIO/DIO12/CD 21 P2 0, 3-5
JTRst/DIO4 24 D4 0, 3-5
CTS/DIO7 25 D7 0, 1, 3-7
JTDO/On_SLP/DIO9 26 D9 0, 1, 3-5
JTDI/Assoc/DIO5 28 D5 0, 1, 3-5
RTS/DIO6/SClk2 29 D6 0, 1, 3-5
AD3/DIO3 30 D3 0, 2-5
I/O configuration
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 124
XBee ZB through-hole RF module
I/O configuration
To enable an analog or digital I/O function on one or more XBee module pin(s), the appropriate configuration
command must be issued with the correct parameter. After issuing the configuration command, changes must
be applied on the module for the I/O settings to take effect.
AD2/DIO2 31 D2 0, 2-5
PTI_En/AD1/DIO1 32 D1 0, 2-6
AD0/DIO0/Comm 33 D0 0-5
Module Pin Names Module Pin AT Command Command Range
DIO13/DOUT 2P3
0, 1, 3-5
DIO14/DIN/nCONFIG 3P4
0, 1, 3-5
DIO12/PWM2/SWDIO/SPI_MISO 4P2
0, 1, 3-5
DIO10/PWM RSSI/DAC0 6P0
0, 1, 3-5
DIO11/PWM1/DAC1 7P1
0, 1, 3-5
DIO8/nDTR/SLP_RQ 9D8
0, 1, 3-5
DIO4/SPI_MOSI 11 D4 0, 1, 3-5
DIO7/nCTS 12 D7 0, 1, 3-7
DIO9/On/nSLEEP/SWO 13 D9 0, 1, 3-5
DIO5/ASSOC/JTDI 15 D5 0, 1, 3-5
DIO6/nRTS 16 D6 0, 1, 3-5
DIO3/AD3/SPI_nSSEL 17 D3 0-5
DIO2/AD2/SPI_SCLK 18 D2 0-5
DIO1/AD1/SPI_nATTN 19 D1 0-6
DIO0/AD0/CommBtn 20 D0 0-5
Pin Command Parameter Description
0Disabled. (See below)
1 Peripheral control
2Analog
Module Pin Names Module Pin AT Command Command Range
I/O sampling
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 125
When the pin command parameter is a 0 or a 3, it operates the same on this platform, except that the pin will not
be monitored by I/O sampling if the parameter is 0.
Inputs have three variations:
• floating
• pulled-up
• pulled-down
A floating input is appropriate if the pin is attached to an output that always drives the line. In this case, a pull-up
or pull-down resistor would cause more current to be drawn.
A pulled-up input is useful where there might not always be an external source to drive the pin and it is desirable
to have the line read high in the absence of an external driver.
Likewise, a pulled-down input is useful when there is not always an external source to drive the pin and it is
desirable to have the line read low in the absence of an external driver.
Two commands are available to configure the input type:
• PR determines whether or not an input is pulled. If the corresponding bit in PR is set, then the signal will be
pulled. If it is clear, then the signal will be floating
• PD determines the pull direction. It only applies when the corresponding bit in PR is set. The bit in PD should
be set to enable an internal pull-up resistor. It should be cleared to enable an internal pull-down resistor
I/O sampling
The XBee ZB modules have the ability to monitor and sample the analog and digital I/O lines. I/O samples can be
read locally or transmitted to a remote device to provide indication of the current I/O line states. API mode must
be enabled on the receiving device in order to send I/O samples out the serial port. If this mode is not enabled,
then remote I/O samples will be discarded
There are three ways to obtain I/O samples, either locally or remotely:
• Queried Sampling
• Periodic Sampling
• Change Detection Sampling
IO sample data is formatted as shown in the table below
3Data in monitored. (See below)
4 Data out default low
5 Data out default high
6 RS485 enable low / packet trace interface
7 RS485 enable high
>7 Unsupported
Pin Command Parameter Description
I/O sampling
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 126
Bytes Name Description
1 Sample Sets Number of sample sets in the packet. (Always set to 1.)
2 Digital Channel
Mask
Indicates which digital IO lines have sampling enabled. Each bit corresponds to one digital IO
line on the module.
bit 0 = AD0/DIO0
bit 1 = AD1/DIO1
bit 2 = AD2/DIO2
bit 3 = AD3/DIO3
bit 4 = DIO4
bit 5 = ASSOC/DIO5
bit 6 = RTS/DIO6
bit 7 = CTS/GPIO7
bit 8 = Slp_Rq/DIO8
bit 9 = On_Slp/DIO9
bit 10 = RSSI/DIO10
bit 11 = PWM/DIO11
bit 12 = CD/DIO12
bit 13 = DOUT/DIO13
bit 14 = DIN/DIO14
For example, a digital channel mask of 0x002F means DIO0,1,2,3, and 5 are enabled as digital
I/O.
1 Analog Channel
Mask
Indicates which lines have analog inputs enabled for sampling. Each bit in the analog
channel mask corresponds to one analog input channel.
bit 0 = AD0/DIO0
bit 1 = AD1/DIO1
bit 2 = AD2/DIO2
bit 3 = AD3/DIO3
bit 7 = Supply Voltage
Variable Sampled Data Set A sample set consisting of 1 sample for each enabled ADC and/or DIO channel, which has
voltage inputs of 1143.75 and 342.1875mV.
If any digital I/O lines are enabled, the first two bytes of the data set indicate the state of all
enabled digital I/O. Only digital channels that are enabled in the Digital Channel Mask bytes
have any meaning in the sample set. If no digital I/O are enabled on the device, these 2 bytes
will be omitted.
Following the digital I/O data (if any), each enabled analog channel will return 2 bytes. The
data starts with AIN0 and continues sequentially for each enabled analog input channel up
to AIN3, and the supply voltage (if enabled) at the end.
I/O sampling
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 127
The sampled data set will include 2 bytes of digital I/O data only if one or more I/O lines on the device are
configured as digital I/O. If no pins are configured as digital IO, these 2 bytes will be omitted. Pins are configured
as digital I/O by setting them to a value of 3, 4, or 5.
The digital I/O data is only relevant if the same bit is enabled in the digital I/O mask.
Analog samples are returned as 10-bit values. The analog reading is scaled such that 0x0000 represents 0 V, and
0x3FF = 1.2 V. (The analog inputs on the module cannot read more than 1.2 V.) Analog samples are returned in
order starting with AIN0 and finishing with AIN3, and the supply voltage. Only enabled analog input channels
return data as shown in the figure below.
To convert the A/D reading to mV, do the following:
AD(mV) = (A/D reading * 1200mV) / 1023
The reading in the sample frame represents voltage inputs of 1143.75 and 342.1875 mV for AD0 and AD1
respectively.
Queried sampling
The IS command can be sent to a device locally, or to a remote device using the API remote command frame (see
API Operation on page 130 for details). When the IS command is sent, the receiving device samples all enabled
digital IO and analog input channels and returns an IO sample. If IS is sent locally, the IO sample is sent out the
serial port. If the IS command was received as a remote command, the IO sample is sent over-the-air to the
device that sent the IS command.
If the IS command is issued in command mode, the module returns a carriage return-delimited list containing the
above-listed fields. If the IS command is issued in API mode, an API command response contains the same
information.
The following table shows an example of the fields in an IS response.
Periodic I/O sampling
Periodic sampling allows an XBee module to take an I/O sample and transmit it to a remote device at a periodic
rate. The periodic sample rate is set by the IR command. If IR is set to 0, periodic sampling is disabled. For all
other values of IR, data will be sampled after IR milliseconds have elapsed and transmitted to a remote device.
The DH and DL commands determine the destination address of the I/O samples. DH and DL can be set to 0 to
transmit to the coordinator, or to the 64-bit address of the remote device (SH and SL). Only devices running in API
mode can send I/O data samples out their serial port. Devices running in transparent mode will discard received
I/O data samples.
Example Sample AT Response
0x01 [1 sample set]
0x0C0C [Digital Inputs: DIO 2, 3, 10, 11 low]
0x03 [Analog Inputs: A/D 0, 1]
0x0408 [Digital input states: DIO 3, 10 high, DIO 2, 11 low]
0x03D0 [Analog input ADIO 0= 0x3D0]
0x0124 [Analog input ADIO 1=0x120]
RSSI PWM
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 128
A sleeping end device will transmit periodic IO samples at the IR rate until the ST timer expires and the device can
resume sleeping.
Change detection sampling
Modules can be configured to transmit a data sample immediately whenever a monitored digital I/O pin changes
state. The IC command is a bitmask that can be used to set which digital I/O lines should be monitored for a state
change. If one or more bits in IC is set, an I/O sample will be transmitted as soon as a state change is observed in
one of the monitored digital IO lines. Change detection samples are transmitted to the 64-bit address specified by
DH and DL.
RSSI PWM
The XBee module features an RSSI/PWM pin (pin 7/SMT, pin 6/TH) that, if enabled, will adjust the PWM output to
indicate the signal strength of the last received packet. The P0 (P-zero) command is used to enable the RSSI pulse
width modulation (PWM) output on the pin. If P0 is set to 1 (and P1 is not set to 1), the RSSI/PWM pin will output a
pulse width modulated signal where the frequency is adjusted based on the received signal strength of the last
packet. Otherwise, for all other P0 settings, the pin can be used for general purpose IO.
When a data packet is received, if P0 is set to enable the RSSI/PWM feature, the RSSI PWM output is adjusted
based on the RSSI of the last packet. The RSSI/PWM output will be enabled for a time based on the RP command.
Each time an RF packet is received, the RSSI/PWM output is adjusted based on the RSSI of the new packet, and
the RSSI timer is reset. If the RSSI timer expires, the RSSI/PWM pin is driven low. RP is measured in 100ms units
and defaults to a value of 40 (4 seconds).
The RSSI PWM runs at 12MHz and has 2400 total counts (200us period).
RSSI (in dBm) is converted to PWM counts using the following equation:
PWM counts = (41 * RSSI_Unsigned) - 5928
I/O examples
Example 1: configure the following I/O settings on the XBee
Configure AD1/DIO1 as a digital input with pullup resistor enabled
Configure AD2/DIO2 as an analog input
Configure DIO4 as a digital output, driving high.
To configure AD1/DIO1 as an input, issue the ATD1 command with a parameter of 3 (“ATD13”). To enable pull-up
resistors on the same pin, the PR command should be issued with bit 3 set (e.g. ATPR8, ATPR1FFF, etc.).
The ATD2 command should be issued with a parameter of 2 to enable the analog input (“ATD22”). Finally, DIO4
can be set as an output, driving high by issuing the ATD4 command with a parameter value of 5 (“ATD45”).
After issuing these commands, changes must be applied before the module IO pins will be updated to the new
states. The AC or CN commands can be issued to apply changes (e.g. ATAC).
Example 2: calculate the PWM counts for a packet received with an RSSI of -84dBm
RSSI = -84 = 0xAC = 172 decimal (unsigned)
PWM counts = (41 * 172) - 5928
PWM counts = 1124
PWM1
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 129
With a total of 2400 counts, this yields an ON time of (1124 / 2400) = 46.8%
Example 3: configure the RSSI/PWM pin to operate for 2 seconds after each received RF
packet
First, ensure the RSSI/PWM functionality is enabled by reading the P0 (P-zero) command. It should be set to 1
(default).
To configure the duration of the RSSI/PWM output, set the RP command. To achieve a 2 second PWM output, set
RP to 0x14 (20 decimal, or 2 seconds) and apply changes (AC command).
After applying changes, all received RF data packets should set the RSSI timer for 2 seconds.
PWM1
When P1 is configured for peripheral operation by setting the value to 1, it outputs a 50% duty cycle PWM with a
clock rate of 32,787 Hz, which is a period of 30.5 s. The main purpose of the PWM output is to provide a clock for
the PLUS processor, although it may also be used for other purposes.
*When this feature is enabled, the RSSI PWM output is automatically disabled, even if it is configured.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 130
API Operation
As an alternative to Transparent Operation, Application Programming Interface (API) Operations are available. API
operation requires that communication with the module be done through a structured interface (data is
communicated in frames in a defined order). The API specifies how commands, command responses and module
status messages are sent and received from the module using a serial port Data Frame.
Note that Digi may add new API frames to future versions of firmware, so build into your software interface the ability
to filter out additional API frames with unknown Frame Types.
API frame specifications
Two API modes are supported and both can be enabled using the AP (API Enable) command. Use the following AP
parameter values to configure the module to operate in a particular mode:
•AP = 1: API Operation
•AP = 2: API Operation (with escaped characters)
API operation (AP parameter = 1)
When this API mode is enabled (AP = 1), the serial port data frame structure is defined as shown in the following figure.
Note MSB = Most Significant Byte, LSB = Least Significant Byte
Any data received prior to the start delimiter is silently discarded. If the frame is not received correctly or if the
checksum fails, the module will reply with a module status frame indicating the nature of the failure.
Length
(Bytes 2-3)
Checksum
(Byte n + 1)
MSB LSB 1 Byte
Start Delimiter
(Byte 1)
0x7E
Frame Data
(Bytes 4-n)
API-specific Structure
API frame specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 131
API Operation - with Escape Characters (AP parameter = 2)
This mode is only available on the UART, not on the SPI serial port. When this API mode is enabled (AP = 2), the
UART data frame structure is defined as the following figure shows. The figure illustrates the UART data frame
structure with escape control characters.
Note MSB = Most Significant Byte, LSB = Least Significant Byte
Escape characters. When sending or receiving a UART data frame, specific data values must be escaped
(flagged) so they do not interfere with the data frame sequencing. To escape an interfering data byte, insert 0x7D
and follow it with the byte to be escaped XOR’d with 0x20. Note that, if not escaped, 0x11 and 0x13 is sent as is.
Data bytes that need to be escaped:
•0x7E – Frame Delimiter
•0x7D – Escape
•0x11 – XON
•0x13 – XOFF
Example - Raw UART Data Frame (before escaping interfering bytes):
0x7E 0x00 0x02 0x23 0x11 0xCB
0x11 needs to be escaped which results in the following frame:
0x7E 0x00 0x02 0x23 0x7D 0x31 0xCB
Note In the above example, the length of the raw data (excluding the checksum) is 0x0002 and the checksum
of the non-escaped data (excluding frame delimiter and length) is calculated as:
0xFF - (0x23 + 0x11) = (0xFF - 0x34) = 0xCB.
Length
The length field has a two-byte value that specifies the number of bytes that will be contained in the frame data
field. It does not include the checksum field.
Frame data
The following figure shows the serial port data frame and API-specific structure:
Start Delimiter
(Byte 1)
Length
(Bytes 2-3)
Frame Data
(Bytes 4-n)
Checksum
(Byte n + 1)
0x7E MSB LSB API-specific Structure 1 Byte
Characters Escaped If Needed
Length
(Bytes 2-3)
Checksum
(Byte n + 1)
MSB LSB 1 Byte
Start Delimiter
(Byte 1)
0x7E
Frame Data
(Bytes 4-n)
API-specific Structure
Identifier-specific Data
cmdData
API Identifier
cmdID
API frame specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 132
The cmdID frame (API-identifier) indicates which API messages will be contained in the cmdData frame
(Identifier-specific data). Note that multi-byte values are sent big endian.The XBee modules support the
following API frames:
Checksum
To test data integrity, a checksum is calculated and verified on non-escaped data.
To calculate: Not including frame delimiters and length, add all bytes keeping only the lowest 8 bits of the result
and subtract the result from 0xFF.
To verify: Add all bytes (include checksum, but not the delimiter and length). If the checksum is correct, the sum
will equal 0xFF.
API Frame Names API ID
AT Command 0x08
AT Command - Queue Parameter Value 0x09
ZigBee Transmit Request 0x10
Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command Frame 0x11
Remote Command Request 0x17
Create Source Route 0x21
AT Command Response 0x88
Modem Status 0x8A
ZigBee Transmit Status 0x8B
ZigBee Receive Packet (AO=0) 0x90
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator (AO=1) 0x91
ZigBee IO Data Sample Rx Indicator 0x92
XBee Sensor Read Indicator (AO=0) 0x94
Node Identification Indicator (AO=0) 0x95
Remote Command Response 0x97
Extended Modem Status 0x98
Over-the-Air Firmware Update Status 0xA0
Route Record Indicator 0xA1
Many-to-One Route Request Indicator 0xA3
API frame specifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 133
API examples
Example: create an API AT command frame to configure an XBee to allow joining (set NJ
to 0xFF).
The frame should look like:
0x7E 0x00 0x05 0x08 0x01 0x4E 0x4A 0xFF 5F
Where 0x0005 = length
0x08 = AT Command API frame type
0x01 = Frame ID (set to non-zero value)
0x4E4A = AT Command ('NJ')
0xFF = value to set command to
0x5F = Checksum
The checksum is calculated as [0xFF - (0x08 + 0x01 + 0x4E + 0x4A + 0xFF)]
Example: send an ND command to discover the devices in the PAN.
The frame should look like:
0x7E 0x00 0x04 0x08 0x01 0x4E 0x44 0x64
Where 0x0004 = length
0x08 = AT Command API frame type
0x01 = Frame ID (set to non-zero value)
0x4E44 = AT command ('ND')
0x64 = Checksum
The checksum is calculated as [0xFF - (0x08 + 0x01 + 0x4E + 0x44)]
Example: send a remote command to the coordinator to set AD1/DIO1 as a digital input
(D1=3) and apply changes to force the IO update.
The API remote command frame should look like:
0x7E 0x00 0x10 0x17 0x01 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0xFF 0xFE 0x02 0x44 0x31 0x03 0x70
Where
0x10 = length (16 bytes excluding checksum)
0x17 = Remote Command API frame type
0x01 = Frame ID
0x0000000000000000 = Coordinator's address (can be replaced with coordinator's actual 64-bit address if known)
0xFFFE = 16- bit Destination Address
0x02 = Apply Changes (Remote Command Options)
0x4431 = AT command ('D1')
API serial port exchanges
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 134
0x03 = Command Parameter (the parameter could also be sent as 0x0003 or 0x00000003)
0x70 = Checksum
API serial port exchanges
AT commands
The following image shows the API frame exchange that takes place at the serial port when sending an AT
command request to read or set a module parameter. The response can be disabled by setting the frame ID to 0
in the request.
Transmitting and receiving RF data
The following image shows the API exchanges that take place at the serial port when sending RF data to another
device. The transmit status frame is always sent at the end of a data transmission unless the frame ID is set to 0 in
the transmit request. If the packet cannot be delivered to the destination, the transmit status frame will indicate
the cause of failure. The received data frame (0x90 or 0x91) is set by the AP command.
Remote AT commands
The following image shows the API frame exchanges that take place at the serial port when sending a remote AT
command. A remote command response frame is not sent out the serial port if the remote device does not
receive the remote command.
Supporting the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 135
Source routing
The following image shows the API frame exchanges that take place at the serial port when sending a source
routed transmission.
Supporting the API
Applications that support the API should make provisions to deal with new API frames that may be introduced in
future releases. For example, a section of code on a host microprocessor that handles received serial API frames
(sent out the module's DOUT pin) might look like this:
voidXBee_HandleRxAPIFrame(_apiFrameUnion *papiFrame){
switch(papiFrame->api_id){
case RX_RF_DATA_FRAME:
//process received RF data frame
break;
case RX_IO_SAMPLE_FRAME:
//process IO sample frame
break;
case NODE_IDENTIFICATION_FRAME:
//process node identification frame
break;
default:
//Discard any other API frame types that are not being used
break;
}
}
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 136
API frames
The following sections illustrate the types of frames encountered while using the API.
AT command
Frame Type: 0x08
Used to query or set module parameters on the local device. This API command applies changes after executing
the command. (Changes made to module parameters take effect once changes are applied.) The API example
below illustrates an API frame when modifying the NJ parameter value of the module
The above example illustrates an AT command when querying an NJ value.
AT command - Queue Parameter Value
Frame Type: 0x09
This API type allows module parameters to be queried or set. In contrast to the “AT Command” API type, new
parameter values are queued and not applied until either the “AT Command” (0x08) API type or the AC (Apply
Changes) command is issued. Register queries (reading parameter values) are returned immediately.
Send a command to change the baud rate (BD) to 115200 baud, but don't apply changes yet. (Module will
continue to operate at the previous baud rate until changes are applied.)
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x04
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x08
Frame ID 4 0x52 (R) Identifies the serial port data frame for the host to correlate with a
subsequent ACK (acknowledgment). If set to 0, no response is sent.
AT Command 5 0x4E (N) Command Name - Two ASCII characters that identify the AT
Command.
60x4A (J)
Parameter
Value
(optional)
If present, indicates the requested parameter value to set the given
register.
If no characters present, register is queried.
Checksum 7 0x0D 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x05
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 137
Note In this example, the parameter could have been sent as a zero-padded 2-byte or 4-byte value.
ZigBee Transmit Request
Frame Type: 0x10
A Transmit Request API frame causes the module to send data as an RF packet to the specified destination.
The 64-bit destination address should be set to 0x000000000000FFFF for a broadcast transmission (to all
devices). The coordinator can be addressed by either setting the 64-bit address to all 0x00s and the 16-bit
address to 0xFFFE, OR by setting the 64-bit address to the coordinator's 64-bit address and the 16-bit address to
0x0000. For all other transmissions, setting the 16-bit address to the correct 16-bit address can help improve
performance when transmitting to multiple destinations. If a 16-bit address is not known, this field should be set
to 0xFFFE (unknown). The Transmit Status frame (0x8B) will indicate the discovered 16-bit address, if successful.
The broadcast radius can be set from 0 up to NH. If set to 0, the value of NH specifies the broadcast radius
(recommended). This parameter is only used for broadcast transmissions.
The maximum number of payload bytes can be read with the NP command.
Note If source routing is used, the RF payload will be reduced by two bytes per intermediate hop in the source
route. This example shows if escaping is disabled (AP=1).
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x09
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the host to correlate with a
subsequent ACK (acknowledgment). If set to 0, no response is sent.
AT Command 5 0x42 (B) Command Name - Two ASCII characters that identify the AT
Command.
60x44 (D)
Parameter
Value
(ATBD7 =
115200 baud)
7 0x07 If present, indicates the requested parameter value to set the given
register.
If no characters present, register is queried.
Checksum 8 0x68 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x16
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x10
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 138
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the host to correlate
with a subsequent ACK (acknowledgment). If set to 0, no
response is sent.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 Set to the 64-bit address of the destination device. The
following addresses are also supported:
0x0000000000000000 - Reserved 64-bit address for the
coordinator
0x000000000000FFFF - Broadcast address
60x13
70xA2
80x00
90x40
10 0x0A
11 0x01
LSB 12 0x27
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0xFF Set to the 16-bit address of the destination device, if known. Set
to 0xFFFE if the address is unknown, or if sending a broadcast.
LSB 14 0xFE
Broadcast
Radius
15 0x00 Sets maximum number of hops a broadcast transmission can
occur.
If set to 0, the broadcast radius will be set to the maximum hops
value.
Options 16 0x00 Bitfield of supported transmission options. Supported values
include the following:
0x01 - Disable retries
0x20 - Enable APS encryption (if EE=1)
0x40 - Use the extended transmission timeout for this
destination
Enabling APS encryption decreases the maximum number of RF
payload bytes by 4 (below the value reported by NP).
Setting the extended timeout bit causes the stack to set the
extended transmission timeout for the destination address. See
Transmission, addressing, and routing on page 59.
All unused and unsupported bits must be set to 0.
RF Data 17 0x54 Data that is sent to the destination device
18 0x78
19 0x44
20 0x61
21 0x74
22 0x61
23 0x30
24 0x41
Checksum 25 0x13 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 139
Example: The example above shows how to send a transmission to a module where escaping is disabled (AP=1)
with destination address 0x0013A200 40014011, payload “TxData1B”. If escaping is enabled (AP=2), the frame
should look like:
0x7E 0x00 0x16 0x10 0x01 0x00 0x7D 0x33 0xA2 0x00 0x40 0x0A 0x01 0x27
0xFF 0xFE 0x00 0x00 0x54 0x78 0x44 0x61 0x74 0x61 0x30 0x41 0x7D 0x33
The checksum is calculated (on all non-escaped bytes) as [0xFF - (sum of all bytes from API frame type through
data payload)].
Example: Send a transmission to the coordinator without specifying the coordinator's 64-bit address. The API
transmit request frame should look like:
0x7E 0x00 0x16 0x10 0x01 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0xFF 0xFE 0x00 0x00 0x54 0x78 032 0x43 0x6F
0x6F 0x72 0x64 0xFC
Where 0x16 = length (22 bytes excluding checksum)
0x10 = ZigBee Transmit Request API frame type
0x01 = Frame ID (set to non-zero value)
0x0000000000000000 = Coordinator's address (can be replaced with coordinator's actual 64-bit address if
known
0xFFFE = 16-bit Destination Address
0x00 = Broadcast radius
0x00 = Options
0x547832436F6F7264 = Data payload (“Tx2Coord”)
0xFC = Checksum
Explicit Addressing ZigBee Command frame
Frame Type: 0x11
Allows ZigBee application layer fields (endpoint and cluster ID) to be specified for a data transmission.
Similar to the ZigBee Transmit Request, but also requires ZigBee application layer addressing fields to be
specified (endpoints, cluster ID, profile ID). An Explicit Addressing Request API frame causes the module to send
data as an RF packet to the specified destination, using the specified source and destination endpoints, cluster
ID, and profile ID.
The 64-bit destination address should be set to 0x000000000000FFFF for a broadcast transmission (to all
devices). The coordinator can be addressed by either setting the 64-bit address to all 0x00s and the 16-bit
address to 0xFFFE, OR by setting the 64-bit address to the coordinator's 64-bit address and the 16-bit address to
0x0000. For all other transmissions, setting the 16-bit address to the correct 16-bit address can help improve
performance when transmitting to multiple destinations. If a 16-bit address is not known, this field should be set
to 0xFFFE (unknown). The Transmit Status frame (0x8B) will indicate the discovered 16-bit address, if successful.
The broadcast radius can be set from 0 up to NH. If set to 0, the value of NH specifies the broadcast radius
(recommended). This parameter is only used for broadcast transmissions.
The maximum number of payload bytes can be read with the NP command.
Note If source routing is used, the RF payload will be reduced by two bytes per intermediate hop in the source
route.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 140
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x1A
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x11
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the host to correlate with a
subsequent ACK (acknowledgment). If set to 0, no response is sent.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 Set to the 64-bit address of the destination device. The following
addresses are also supported:
0x0000000000000000 - Reserved 64-bit address for the coordinator
0x000000000000FFFF - Broadcast address
60x00
70x00
80x00
90x00
10 0x00
11 0x00
12 0x00
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0xFF Set to the 16-bit address of the destination device, if known. Set to
0xFFFE if the address is unknown, or if sending a broadcast.
LSB 14 0xFE
Source
Endpoint
15 0xA0 Source endpoint for the transmission.
Destination
Endpoint
16 0xA1 Destination endpoint for the transmission.
Cluster ID 17 0x15 Cluster ID used in the transmission
18 0x54
Profile ID 19 0xC1 Profile ID used in the transmission
20 0x05
Broadcast
Radius
21 0x00 Sets the maximum number of hops a broadcast transmission can
traverse. If set to 0, the transmission radius will be set to the
network maximum hops value.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 141
Example: Send a data transmission to the coordinator (64-bit address of 0x00s) using a source endpoint of 0xA0,
destination endpoint 0xA1, cluster ID =0x1554, and profile ID 0xC105. Payload will be “TxData”.
Transmit
Options
22 0x00 Bitfield of supported transmission options. Supported values
include the following:
0x01 - Disable retries
0x04- Indirect Addressing
0x08- Multicast Addressing
0x20 - Enable APS encryption (if EE=1)
0x40 - Use the extended transmission timeout for this destination
Enabling APS encryption decreases the maximum number of RF
payload bytes by 4 (below the value reported by NP).
Setting the extended timeout bit causes the stack to set the
extended transmission timeout for the destination address. See
Transmission, addressing, and routing on page 59.
All unused and unsupported bits must be set to 0.
Data Payload 23 0x54 Data that is sent to the destination device
24 0x78
25 0x44
26 0x61
27 0x74
28 0x61
Checksum 29 0x3A 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 142
Remote AT Command Request
Frame Type: 0x17
Used to query or set module parameters on a remote device. For parameter changes on the remote device to
take effect, changes must be applied, either by setting the apply changes options bit, or by sending an AC
command to the remote.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x10
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x17
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the host to correlate with
a subsequent ACK (acknowledgment). If set to 0, no response is
sent.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 Set to the 64-bit address of the destination device. The following
addresses are also supported:
0x0000000000000000 - Reserved 64-bit address for the
coordinator
0x000000000000FFFF - Broadcast address
60x13
70xA2
80x00
90x40
10 0x40
11 0x11
LSB 12 0x22
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0xFF Set to the 16-bit address of the destination device, if known. Set to
0xFFFE if the address is unknown, or if sending a broadcast.
LSB 14 0xFE
Remote
Command
Options
15 0x02
(apply
changes)
Bitfield to enable various remote command options. Supported
values include:
0x01 - Disable ACK
0x02 - Apply changes on remote. (If not set, AC command must be
sent before changes will take effect.)
0x40 - Use the extended transmission timeout for this destination.
Setting the extended timeout bit causes the stack to set the
extended transmission timeout for the destination address. See
Transmission, addressing, and routing on page 59.
All unused and unsupported bits must be set to 0.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 143
Example: Send a remote command to change the broadcast hops register on a remote device to 1 (broadcasts go
to 1-hop neighbors only), and apply changes so the new configuration value immediately takes effect. In this
example, the 64-bit address of the remote is 0x0013A200 40401122, and the destination 16-bit address is
unknown.
Create Source Route
Frame Type: 0x21
This frame creates a source route in the module. A source route specifies the complete route a packet should
traverse to get from source to destination. Source routing should be used with many-to-one routing for best
results.
Note Both the 64-bit and 16-bit destination addresses are required when creating a source route. These are
obtained when a Route Record Indicator (0xA1) frame is received.
Frame-specific
data
AT Command 16 0x42 (B) Name of the command
17 0x48 (H)
Command
Parameter
18 0x01 If present, indicates the requested parameter value to set the
given register. If no characters present, the register is queried.
Checksum 19 0xF5 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x14
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x21
Frame ID 4 0x00 The Frame ID should always be set to 0.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 Set to the 64-bit address of the destination device. The following
addresses are also supported:
0x0000000000000000 - Reserved 64-bit address for the coordinator
0x000000000000FFFF - Broadcast address
60x13
70xA2
80x00
90x40
10 0x40
11 0x11
LSB 12 0x22
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 144
Example: Intermediate hop addresses must be ordered starting with the neighbor of the destination, and
working closer to the source. For example, suppose a route is found between A and E as shown below.
A ' B ' C ' D ' E
If device E has the 64-bit and 16-bit addresses of 0x0013A200 40401122 and 0x3344, and if devices B, C, and D
have the following 16-bit addresses:
B = 0xAABB
C = 0xCCDD
D = 0xEEFF
The example above shows how to send the Create Source Route frame to establish a source route between A and
E.
Frame-
specific
Data
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0x33 Set to the 16-bit address of the destination device, if known. Set to
0xFFFE if the address is unknown, or if sending a broadcast.
LSB 14 0x44
Route
Command
Options
15 0x00 Set to 0.
Number of
Addresses
16 0x03 The number of addresses in the source route (excluding source and
destination). If this number is 0 or greater than the source route
table size (40), this API frame will be silently discarded. However,
there is no use in including more than 11 intermediate hops
because a frame with more hops than that will be discarded.
Address 1 17 0xEE (neighbor of destination)
18 0xFF
Address 2
(closer hop
19 0xCC Address of intermediate hop
20 0xDD
Address 3 21 0xAA (neighbor of source)
22 0xBB
Checksum 23 0x01 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 145
AT Command Response
Frame Type: 0x88
In response to an AT Command message, the module will send an AT Command Response message. Some
commands will send back multiple frames (for example, the ND (Node Discover) command).
Suppose the BD parameter is changed on the local device with a frame ID of 0x01. If successful (parameter was
valid), the above response would be received.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
Frame-specific
Data
LSB 2 0x05
Frame Type 3 0x88
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame being reported.
Note: If Frame ID = 0 in AT Command Mode, no AT Command
Response will be given.
AT Command 5 ‘B’ = 0x42 Command Name - Two ASCII characters that identify the AT
Command.
6 ‘D’ = 0x44
Command
Status
70x000 = OK
1 = ERROR
2 = Invalid Command
3 = Invalid Parameter
4 = Tx Failure
Command Data Register data in binary format. If the register was set, then this field
is not returned, as in this example.
Checksum 8 0xF0 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 146
Modem Status
Frame Type: (0x8A)
RF module status messages are sent from the module in response to specific conditions.
The following API frame is returned when an API coordinator forms a network.
Note New modem status codes may be added in future firmware releases.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x02
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x8A
Status 4 0x06 0 = Hardware reset
1 = Watchdog timer reset
2 =Joined network (routers and end devices)
3 =Disassociated
6 =Coordinator started
7 = Network security key was updated
0x0D = Voltage supply limit exceeded (PRO only)
0x11 = Modem configuration changed while join in progress
0x80+ = Ember ZigBee stack error
Checksum 5 0x6F 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 147
ZigBee Transmit Status
Frame Type: 0x8B
When a TX Request is completed, the module sends a TX Status message. This message will indicate if the packet
was transmitted successfully or if there was a failure.
Suppose a unicast data transmission was sent to a destination device with a 16-bit address of 0x7D84. (The
transmission could have been sent with the 16-bit address set to 0x7D84 or 0xFFFE.)
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
Frame-
specific
Data
LSB 2 0x07
Frame Type 3 0x8B
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame being reported.
If Frame ID = 0 in AT Command Mode, no AT Command Response will
be given.
16-bit address
of destination
5 0x7D 16-bit Network Address the packet was delivered to (if successful). If
not successful, this address will be 0xFFFD: Destination Address
Unknown.
60x84
Transmit Retry
Count
7 0x00 The number of application transmission retries that took place.
Delivery Status 8 0x00 0x00 = Success
0x01 = MAC ACK Failure
0x02 = CCA Failure
0x15 = Invalid destination endpoint
0x21 = Network ACK Failure
0x22 = Not Joined to Network
0x23 = Self-addressed
0x24 = Address Not Found
0x25 = Route Not Found
0x26 = Broadcast source failed to hear a neighbor relay the message
0x2B = Invalid binding table index
0x2C = Resource error lack of free buffers, timers, etc.
0x2D = Attempted broadcast with APS transmission
0x2E = Attempted unicast with APS transmission, but EE=0
0x32 = Resource error lack of free buffers, timers, etc.
0x74 = Data payload too large
0x75 = Indirect message unrequested
Discovery
Status
9 0x01 0x00 = No Discovery Overhead
0x01 = Address Discovery
0x02 = Route Discovery
0x03 = Address and Route
0x40 = Extended Timeout Discovery
Checksum 10 0x71 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 148
ZigBee Receive Packet
Frame Type: (0x90)
When the module receives an RF packet, it is sent out the serial port using this message type.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
Frame-specific
Data
LSB 2 0x11
Frame Type 3 0x90
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00
5 0x13 64-bit address of sender. Set to 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF (unknown
64-bit address) if the sender's 64-bit address is unknown.
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x52
10 0x2B
LSB 11 0xAA
16-bit Source
Network
Address
MSB 12 0x7D 16-bit address of sender
LSB 13 0x84
Receive Options 14 0x01 0x01 - Packet Acknowledged
0x02 - Packet was a broadcast packet
0x20 - Packet encrypted with APS encryption
Note: Option values can be combined. For example, a 0x20 and a
0x01 will show as a 0x21.
Other possible values 0x00, 0x21, 0x22, 0x60, 0x61, 0x62.
Frame-specific
Data
Received Data 15 0x52 Received RF data
16 0x78
17 0x44
18 0x61
19 0x74
20 0x61
Checksum 21 0x0D 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 149
Suppose a device with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40522BAA, and 16-bit address 0x7D84 sends a unicast data
transmission to a remote device with payload “RxData”. If AO=0 on the receiving device, it would send the above
example frame out its serial port.
ZigBee Explicit Rx Indicator
Frame Type:0x91
When the modem receives a ZigBee RF packet it is sent out the serial port using this message type (when AO=1).
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x18
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x91
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00 64-bit address of sender. Set to 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF (unknown
64-bit address) if the sender's 64-bit address is unknown.
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x52
10 0x2B
LSB 11 0xAA
16-bit Source
Network
Address
MSB 12 0x7D 16-bit address of sender.
LSB 13 0x84
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 150
Suppose a device with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40522BAA, and 16-bit address 0x7D84 sends a broadcast
data transmission to a remote device with payload “RxData”. Suppose the transmission was sent with source and
destination endpoints of 0xE0, cluster ID=0x2211, and profile ID=0xC105. If AO=1 on the receiving device, it would
send the above frame out its serial port.
Frame-specific
Data
Source
Endpoint
14 0xE0 Endpoint of the source that initiated the transmission
Destination
Endpoint
15 0xE0 Endpoint of the destination the message is addressed to.
Cluster ID 16 0x22 Cluster ID the packet was addressed to.
17 0x11
Profile ID 18 0xC1 Profile ID the packet was addressed to.
19 0x05
Receive Options 20 0x02 0x01 – Packet Acknowledged
0x02 – Packet was a broadcast packet
0x20 - Packet encrypted with APS encryption
Received Data 21 0x52 Received RF data
22 0x78
23 0x44
24 0x61
25 0x74
26 0x61
Checksum 27 0x52 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 151
ZigBee IO Data Sample Rx Indicator
Frame Type: 0x92
When the module receives an I/O sample frame from a remote device, it sends the sample out the serial port
using this frame type (when AO=0). Only modules running in API mode will send I/O samples out the serial port.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
Frame-specific
Data
LSB 2 0x14
Frame Type 3 0x92
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00 64-bit address of sender
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x52
10 0x2B
LSB 11 0xAA
16-bit Source
Network
Address
MSB 12 0x7D 16-bit address of sender.
LSB 13 0x84
Receive Options 14 0x01 0x01 - Packet Acknowledged
0x02 - Packet was a broadcast packet
Number of
Samples
15 0x01 Number of sample sets included in the payload. (Always set to 1)
Digital Channel
Mask*
16 0x00 Bitmask field that indicates which digital IO lines on the remote
have sampling enabled (if any).
17 0x1C
Analog Channel
Mask**
18 0x02 Bitmask field that indicates which analog IO lines on the remote
have sampling enabled (if any).
Digital Samples
(if included)
19 0x00 If the sample set includes any digital IO lines (Digital Channel Mask
> 0), these two bytes contain samples for all enabled digital IO
lines. DIO lines that do not have sampling enabled return 0. Bits in
these 2 bytes map the same as they do in the Digital Channels
Mask field.
20 0x14
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 152
Suppose an IO sample is received with analog and digital IO, from a remote with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200
40522BAA and a 16-bit address of 0x7D84. If pin AD1/DIO1 is enabled as an analog input, AD2/DIO2 and DIO4 are
enabled as a digital inputs (currently high), and AD3/DIO3 is enabled as a digital output (low) the IO sample is
shown in the API example in the table above.
Frame-specific
Data
Analog Sample 21 0x02 If the sample set includes any analog input lines (Analog Channel
Mask > 0), each enabled analog input returns a 2-byte value
indicating the A/D measurement of that input. Analog samples are
ordered sequentially from AD0/DIO0 to AD3/DIO3, to the supply
voltage.
22 0x25
Checksum 23 0xF5 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
* N/A N/A N/A CD/DIC12 PWM/DI011 RSSI/DIO10 N/A N/A
CTS/DI07 RTS/DI06 ASSOC/DI05 DI04 AD3/DI03 AD2/DI02 AD1/DIO1 AD0/DIO0
** Supply Voltage N/A N/A N/A AD3 AD2 AD1 AD0
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 153
XBee Sensor Read Indicator
Frame Type: 0x94
When the module receives a sensor sample (from a Digi 1-wire sensor adapter), it is sent out the serial port using
this message type (when AO=0).
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
Frame-specific
Data
LSB 2 0x17
Frame Type 3 0x94
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00 64-bit address of sender
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x52
10 0x2B
LSB 11 0xAA
16-bit Source
Network
Address
MSB 12 0xDD 16-bit address of sender.
LSB 13 0x6C
Receive Options 14 0x01 0x01 - Packet Acknowledged
0x02 - Packet was a broadcast packet
1-Wire Sensors 15 0x03 0x01 = A/D Sensor Read
0x02 = Temperature Sensor Read
0x60 = Water present (module CD pin low)
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 154
Suppose a 1-wire sensor sample is received from a device with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40522BAA and a
16-bit address of 0xDD6C. If the sensor sample was taken from a 1-wire humidity sensor, the API frame could look
like this (if AO=0):
For convenience, let's label the A/D and temperature readings as AD0, AD1, AD2, AD3, and T. Using the data in this
example:
AD0 = 0x0002
AD1 = 0x00CE
AD2 = 0x00EA
AD3 = 0x0052
T = 0x016A
To convert these to temperature and humidity values, the following equations should be used.
Temperature (°C) = (T / 16), for T < 2048
= - (T & 0x7FF) / 16, for T >= 2048
Vsupply = (AD2 * 5.1) / 255
Voutput = (AD3 * 5.1) / 255
Relative Humidity = ((Voutput / Vsupply) - 0.16) / (0.0062)
True Humidity = Relative Humidity / (1.0546 - (0.00216 * Temperature (°C)))
Looking at the sample data, we have:
Vsupply = (234 * 5.1 / 255) = 4.68
Voutput = (82 * 5.1 / 255) = 1.64
Temperature = (362 / 16) = 22.625°C
Frame-specific
Data
A/D Values 16 0x00 Indicates a two-byte value for each of four A/D sensors
(A, B, C, D)
Set to 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF if no A/Ds are found.
17 0x02
18 0x00
19 0xCE
20 0x00
21 0xEA
22 0x00
23 0x52
Temperature
Read
24 0x01 Indicates the two-byte value read from a digital thermometer if
present. Set to 0xFFFF if not found.
25 0x6A
Checksum 26 0x8B 0xFF - the 0x8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 155
Relative H = (161.2903 * ((1.64/4.68) - 0.16)) = 161.2903 * (0.19043) = 30.71%
True H = (30.71 / (1.0546 - (0.00216 * 22.625))) = (30.71 / 1.00573) = 30.54%
Node Identification Indicator
Frame Type: 0x95
This frame is received when a module transmits a node identification message to identify itself (when AO=0). The
data portion of this frame is similar to a network discovery response frame (see ND command).
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
Frame-specific
Data
LSB 2 0x20
Frame Type 3 0x95
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00 64-bit address of sender
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x52
10 0x2B
LSB 11 0xAA
16-bit Source
Network
Address
MSB 12 0x7D 16-bit address of sender.
LSB 13 0x84
Receive Options 14 0x02 0x01 - Packet Acknowledged
0x02 - Packet was a broadcast packet
Source 16-bit
address
15 0x7D Set to the 16-bit network address of the remote. Set to 0xFFFE if
unknown.
16 0x84
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 156
If the commissioning push button is pressed on a remote router device with 64-bit address 0x0013A200
40522BAA, 16-bit address 0x7D84, and default NI string, the following node identification indicator would be
received.
Frame-specific
Data
64-bit Network
address
17 0x00 Indicates the 64-bit address of the remote module that transmitted
the node identification frame.
18 0x13
19 0xA2
20 0x00
21 0x40
22 0x52
23 0x2B
24 0xAA
NI String 25 0x20 Node identifier string on the remote device. The NI-String is
terminated with a NULL byte (0x00).
26 0x00
Parent 16-bit
address
27 0xFF Indicates the 16-bit address of the remote's parent or 0xFFFE if the
remote has no parent.
28 0xFE
Device Type 29 0x01 0 = Coordinator
1 = Router
2 = End Device
Source Event 30 0x01 1 = Frame sent by node identification pushbutton event (see D0
command)
2 = Frame sent after joining event occurred (see JN command).
3 = Frame sent after power cycle event occurred (see JN
command).
Digi Profile ID 31 0xC1 Set to Digi's application profile ID.
32 0x05
Manufacturer ID 33 0x10 Set to Digi's Manufacturer ID.
34 0x1E
Checksum 35 0x1B 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 157
Remote Command Response
Frame Type: 0x97
If a module receives a remote command response RF data frame in response to a Remote AT Command Request,
the module will send a Remote AT Command Response message out the serial port. Some commands may send
back multiple frames--for example, Node Discover (ND) command.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x13
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x97
Frame ID 4 0x55 This is the same value passed in to the request.
.
64-bit Source
(remote)
Address
MSB 5 0x00 The address of the remote radio returning this response.
60x13
70xA2
80x00
90x40
10 0x52
11 0x2B
LSB 12 0xAA
16-bit Source
(remote)
Address
MSB 13 0x7D Set to the 16-bit network
address of the remote.
Set to 0xFFFE if
unknown.
LSB 14 0x84
AT Commands 15 0x53 Name of the command
16 0x4C
Command
Status
17 0x00 0 = OK
1 = ERROR
2 = Invalid Command
3 = Invalid Parameter
4 = Remote Command Transmission Failed
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 158
If a remote command is sent to a remote device with 64-bit address 0x0013A200 40522BAA and 16-bit address
0x7D84 to query the SL command, and if the frame ID=0x55, the response is shown in the example API frame in
the table above.
Extended Modem Status
Frame Type: 0x98
If the Verbose Join option (DC10) is enabled, trace messages will be serially transmitted to describe what is
happening inside the radio during association.
Warning: This option is provided for diagnostic purposes. With 4x5A/7x5A or later, Verbose Join messages will be
disabled while the radio is operating in AT Command mode. Prior to that revision, Verbose Join messages will be
interspersed with serial communications.
Frame-specific
Data
Command Data 18 0x40 Register data in binary format. If the register was set, then this field
is not returned.
19 0x52
20 0x2B
21 0xAA
Checksum 22 0xF0 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 1 0x03
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0x98
Status Code 4 0x0B See below for status code descriptions.
Status Data 5 0x03 The length of this field varies with the Status Code.
Checksum 6 0x5C
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 159
Status code descriptions
The following table describes the various Verbose Join trace messages in the order of their Status Code. The AT
Mode String column shows the string which will appear if Verbose Join is run in AT Command Mode. The
Description column gives a fuller explanation of what a particular message means. When a message is
accompanied with Status Data, the Status Data column shows how to parse the hexadecimal string into fields.
The number of bytes per field appears in parentheses “()”.
Status Code
AT Mode
String Description
Status Data
Data Description
0x00 Rejoin A join attempt is being
started.
rejoinState(1) The rejoinState is a count of join
attempts.
0x01 Stack Status Shows status and state. EmberStatus(1), 0x00 - no network;
0x01 - joining;
0x02 - joined; 0
0x03 - joined (no parent);
0x04 - leaving
emberNetworkStat
e(1)
0x90 - Network is up and ready to
receive/transmit.
0x91 - Network is down and cannot
receive/transmit.
0x94 - Join attempt failed.
0x96 - A node's attempt to re-establish
contact with the network after moving
failed.
0x98 - A join attempt as a router failed
due to a ZigBee 2006 versus ZigBee PRO
2007 incompatibility. Try to join as an
end device.
0x99 - The network ID has changed.
0x9A - The PAN ID has changed.
0x9B - The channel has changed.
0xAB - No beacons were received in
response to a beacon request.
0x02 Joining An association request is
being made.
radioChannel(1) channel number ranging from 11 to 26
(0x0B to 0x1A)
radioTxPower(1) low level signed byte value for transmit
power, values range from 0xC9 to 0x05
inclusive
panid(2) 16 bit 4med' a network, or a Router/End
Device has 'joined' a network.
extendedPanId(8) 64 bit PAN Identifier for network
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 160
0x03 Joined Joined - Coordinator
“Formed:”, Router/End
Device “Joined”
0x04 Beacon
Response
Data received from a
neighboring node in
response to a beacon
request
ZS[stackProfile](1) See ZS in Command reference tables on
page 178.
extendedPanId(8) 64 bit PAN Identifier for network
allowingJoin(1) 0x00 - not permitting joins to its
network
0x01 - permitting joins to its network
radioChannel(1) channel number ranging from 11 to 26
(0x0B to 0x1A)
panid(2) 16 bit PAN Identifier for network
rssi(1) maximum relative signal strength
indicator value measured in units of
dBm
lqi link quality indicator
0x05 Reject ZS Not an association
candidate because ZS
does not match that given
in the beacon response.
0x06 Reject ID Not an association
candidate because
configured pan ID does not
match that given in the
beacon response.
0x07 Reject NJ Not an association
candidate because it is not
allowing joins.
0x08 panID Match JV/NW with search option
(DO80) has found a
matching network
panId(2) 16 bit PAN Identifier for network
0x09 Reject LQIRSSI JV/NW with search option
(DO80) candidate rejected
because this beacon
response is weaker than an
earlier beacon response.
Status Code
AT Mode
String Description
Status Data
Data Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 161
0x0A Beacon Saved This beacon response is a
suitable candidate for an
association request.
radioChannel(1) channel number ranging from 11 to 26
(0x0B to 0x1A)
radioTxPower(1) low level signed byte value for transmit
power, values range from 0xC9 to 0x05
inclusive
panid(2) 16 bit PAN Identifier for network
extendedPanId(8) 64 bit PAN Identifier for network
0x0B AI AI value has changed. AIStatusCode(1) See Command reference tables on
page 178for a description of the AI
command.
0x0C Permit Join NJ setting (Permit Join
Duration) has changed
value(1) See Command reference tables on
page 178 for a description of the NJ
command.
0x0D Scanning Active scanning has begun. ChannelMask(4) A 32 bit value driven by the SC setting
where bit positions 11 through 26 show
which channels are enabled for the
upcoming Active Scan. See Command
reference tables on page 178 for a
description of the SC command.
0x0E Scan Error An error occurred during
active scan.
StatusCode(1)
0x0F Join Request High level request for a
form/join.
0x10 Reject LQI Reject because LQI is
worse than an already
saved beacon response.
lqi(1) link quality indicator
0x11 Reject RSSI Rejected because RSSI is
worse than an already
saved beacon response.
rssi(1) relative signal strength indicator
0x12 Rejected(cmdL
ast)
Rejected because it
matches the last
associated network.
0x13 Rejected(cmdS
ave)
Rejected because it
matches an already saved
beacon response.
0x14 Reject strength During first/best phase,
response is weaker than an
already saved beacon
response.
Status Code
AT Mode
String Description
Status Data
Data Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 162
The following is an example of a successful association where Verbose Join was enabled in AT Command Mode.
Note that comments are interspersed with the trace messages to explain the content, and are preceded by an
ellipsis “...”.
+++OK
atid3151
OK
...configured pan identifier has been changed
atdc10
OK
...and verbose join enabled
atac
OK
0x16 Reset for DC80 With DC80 enabled, reset if
no joinable beacon
responses are received
within 60s of joining.
0x18 ScanCh Scanning on Channel radioChannel(1) channel number ranging from 11 to 26
(0x0B to 0x1A)
0x19 Scan Mode Shows phase of Ordered
Association.
mo d e ( 1 ) 0: f i r s t / b e s t c a n d i d a t e
1: ordered association by extpanid,
then by channel
0x1A Scan Init Starting a scan channel(1)
TxPower(1)
channel being scanned
low level radio transmit power setting
0x1D Energy Scan -
channel mask
Starting energy scan SC mask(4) Scan channel mask
0x1E Energy Scan -
energies
Channel Energies
observed
Energies(16) Energy Levels per channel in SC
0x1F PanIdScan -
radio channel
Pan Id Scan starting on
channel
channel(1) Radio Channel
0x20 FormNetwork -
parameters
Forming a network radioChannel(1) channel number ranging form 11 to 26
radioTxPower(1) low level radio transmit power setting
panid(2) 16 bit PAN identifier for network
extendedpanid(8) 64 bit PAN identifier for network
Smart Energy only
0x21 Discovering KE
Endpoint
Looking for Key
Establishment Endpoint
0x22 KE Endpoint Found Key Establishment
Endpoint
Endpoint(1) Endpoint number
Status Code
AT Mode
String Description
Status Data
Data Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 163
...applying changes to the configuration
V AI - Searching for Parent:FF
...search has started
V AI - Searching for Parent:FF
...and started again
V Scanning:03FFF800
...Channels 11 through 25 are enabled by the SC setting for the Active Search.
V Beacon Rsp:0000000000000042A6010B949AC8FF
...ZS(0), extendedPanId(00000000000042A6), allowingJoin(1), radiochannel(0x0B), panid(949A), rssi(C8), lqi(FF)
V Reject ID
...beacon response's extendedPanId does not match this radio's ID setting of 3151
V Beacon Rsp:0200000000000002AB010C55D2B2DB
...ZS(2), extendedPanId(00000000000002AB), allowingJoin(1), radiochannel(0x0C), panid(55D2), rssi(B2), lqi(DB)
V Reject ZS
...beacon response's ZS does not match this radio's ZS setting of 0x00
V Beacon Rsp:000000000000003151010EE29FDFFF
V Beacon Saved:0E05E29F0000000000003151
...this beacon response is acceptable as a candidate for association
V Joining:0E05E29F0000000000003151
...sending association request
V Stack Status: joined, network up 0290
...we are joined, the network is up, we can send and transmit
V Joined:
V AI - Association Succeeded:00
Over-the-Air firmware update status
Frame Type: 0xA0
The Over-the-Air Firmware Update Status frame provides a status indication of a firmware update transmission
attempt. If a query command (0x01 0x51) is sent to a target with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40522BAA
through an updater with 64-bit address 0x0013A200403E0750 and 16-bit address 0x0000, the following is the
expected response.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x16
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 164
If a query request returns a 0x15 (NACK) status, the target is likely waiting for a firmware update image. If no
messages are sent to it for about 75 seconds, the target will timeout and accept new query messages.
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0xA0
64-bit Source
(remote)
Address
MSB 4 0x00 The address of the remote radio returning this response.
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x3E
10 0x07
LSB 11 0x50
16-bit
Destination
Address
12 0x00 16-bit address of the updater device
13 0x00
Receive Options 14 0x01 0x01 - Packet Acknowledged.
0x02 - Packet was a broadcast.
Bootloader
Message Type
15 0x52 0x06 - ACK
0x15 - NACK
0x40 - No Mac ACK
0x51 - Query (received if the bootloader is not active on the target)
0x52 - Query Response
Block Number 16 0x00 Block number used in the update request. Set to 0 if not applicable.
64-bit Target
Address
17 0x00 64-bit Address of remote device that is being updated (target).
18 0x13
19 0xA2
20 0x00
21 0x40
22 0x52
23 0x2B
24 0xAA
Checksum 25 0x66 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 165
If a query returns a 0x51 (QUERY) status, then the target's bootloader is not active and will not respond to query
messages.
Route Record Indicator
Frame Type: 0xA1
The route record indicator is received whenever a device sends a ZigBee route record command. This is used with
many-to-one routing to create source routes for devices in a network.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x13
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0xA1
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00 64-bit address of the device that initiated the route record.
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x40
10 0x11
LSB 11 0x22
Source
(updater)
16-bit Address
12 0x33 16-bit address of the device that initiated the route record.
13 0x44
Receive Options 14 0x01 0x01 - Packet Acknowledged.
0x02 - Packet was a broadcast.
Number of
Addresses
15 0x03 The number of addresses in the source route (excluding source
and destination).
Address 1 16 0xEE (neighbor of
destination)
17 0xFF
Address 2
(closer hop
18 0xCC Address of intermediate hop
19 0xDD
API frames
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 166
Suppose device E sends a route record that traverses multiple hops en route to data collector device A as shown
below.
A B C D E
If device E has the 64-bit and 16-bit addresses of 0x0013A200 40401122 and 0x3344, and if devices B, C, and D
have the following 16-bit addresses:
B = 0xAABB
C = 0xCCDD
D = 0xEEFF
The data collector will send the above API frame out its serial port.
Many-to-One Route Request Indicator
Frame Type: 0xA3
The many-to-one route request indicator frame is sent out the serial port whenever a many-to-one route request
is received
Frame-specific
Data
Address n
(neighbor of
source)
20 0xAA Two bytes per 16-bit address.
21 0xBB
Checksum 22 0x80 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the checksum
LSB 2 0x0C
Sending ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 167
Example: Suppose a device with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40401122 and 16-bit address of 0x0000 sends a
many-to-one route request. All remote routers operating in API mode that receive the many-to-one broadcast
would send the above example API frame out their serial port.
Sending ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO) commands with the API
ZigBee Device Objects (ZDOs) are defined in the ZigBee Specification as part of the ZigBee Device Profile. These
objects provide functionality to manage and map out the ZigBee network and to discover services on ZigBee
devices. ZDOs are typically required when developing a ZigBee product that will interoperate in a public profile
such as home automation or smart energy, or when communicating with ZigBee devices from other vendors. The
ZDO can also be used to perform several management functions such as frequency agility (energy detect and
channel changes - Mgmt Network Update Request), discovering routes (Mgmt Routing Request) and neighbors
(Mgmt LQI Request), and managing device connectivity (Mgmt Leave and Permit Join Request).
The following table shows some of the more prominent ZDOs with their respective cluster identifier. Each ZDO
command has a defined payload. See the “ZigBee Device Profile” section of the ZigBee Specification for details.
Frame-specific
Data
Frame Type 3 0xA3
64-bit Source
Address
MSB 4 0x00 64-bit address of the device that sent the many-to-one route
request
50x13
60xA2
70x00
80x40
90x40
10 0x11
LSB 11 0x22
Source 16-bit
Address
MSB 12 0x00 16-bit address of the device that initiated the many-to-one route
request.
LSB 13 0x00
Frame-specific
Data Reserved 14 0x00 Set to 0.
Checksum 15 0xF4 0xFF - the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
ZDO Command Cluster ID
Network Address Request 0x0000
IEEE Address Request 0x0001
Node Descriptor Request 0x0002
Simple Descriptor Request 0x0004
Active Endpoints Request 0x0005
Sending ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 168
The Explicit Transmit API frame (0x11) is used to send ZigBee Device Objects commands to devices in the
network. Sending ZDO commands with the Explicit Transmit API frame requires some formatting of the data
payload field.
When sending a ZDO command with the API, all multiple byte values in the ZDO command (API payload) (e.g. u16,
u32, 64-bit addresses) must be sent in little endian byte order for the command to be executed correctly on a
remote device.
For an API XBee to receive ZDO responses, the AO command must be set to 1 to enable the explicit receive API
frame.
The following table shows how the Explicit API frame can be used to send an “Active Endpoints” request to
discover the active endpoints on a device with a 16-bit address of 0x1234.
Match Descriptor Request 0x0006
Mgmt LQI Request 0x0031
Mgmt Routing Request 0x0032
Mgmt Leave Request 0x0034
Mgmt Permit Joining Request 0x0036
Mgmt Network Update Request 0x0038
ZDO Command Cluster ID
Sending ZigBee Device Objects (ZDO) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 169
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start Delimiter 0 0x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the
checksum
Frame-specific
Data
LSB 2 0x17
Frame Type 3 0x11
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the host
to correlate with a subsequent transmit status.
If set to 0, no transmit status frame will be sent
out the serial port.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 64-bit address of the destination device (big
endian byte order). For unicast transmissions,
set to the 64-bit address of the destination
device, or to 0x0000000000000000 to send a
unicast to the coordinator. Set to
0x000000000000FFFF for broadcast.
60x00
70x00
80x00
90x00
10 0x00
11 0xFF
12 0xFF
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0xFF 16-bit address of the destination device (big
endian byte order). Set to 0xFFFE for broadcast,
or if the 16-bit address is unknown.
LSB 14 0xFE
Source
Endpoint
15 0x00 Set to 0x00 for ZDO transmissions (endpoint 0 is
the ZDO endpoint).
Destination
Endpoint
16 0x00 Set to 0x00 for ZDO transmissions (endpoint 0 is
the ZDO endpoint).
Cluster ID MSB 17 0x00 Set to the cluster ID that corresponds to the ZDO
command being sent.
0x0005 = Active Endpoints Request
LSB 18 0x05
Profile ID MSB 19 0x00 Set to 0x0000 for ZDO transmissions (Profile ID
0x0000 is the ZigBee Device Profile that supports
ZDOs).
LSB 20 0x00
Sending ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 170
Sending ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) commands with the API
The ZigBee Cluster Library defines a set of attributes and commands (clusters) that can be supported in multiple
ZigBee profiles. The ZCL commands are typically required when developing a ZigBee product that will
interoperate in a public profile such as home automation or smart energy, or when communicating with ZigBee
devices from other vendors. Applications that are not designed for a public profile or for interoperability
applications can skip this section.
The following table shows some prominent clusters with their respective attributes and commands.
The ZCL defines a number of profile-wide commands that can be supported on any profile, also known as general
commands. These commands include the following.
Frame-specific
Data
Broadcast
Radius
21 0x00 Sets the maximum number of hops a broadcast
transmission can traverse. If set to 0, the
transmission radius will be set to the network
maximum hops value.
Transmit
Options
22 0x00 All bits must be set to 0.
Data Payload Transaction
Sequence
Number
23 0x01 The required payload for a ZDO command. All
multi-byte ZDO parameter values (u16, u32, 64-
bit address) must be sent in little endian byte
order.
The Active Endpoints Request includes the
following payload:
[16-bit NwkAddrOfInterest]
Note the 16-bit address in the API example
(0x1234) is sent in little endian byte order
(0x3412).
ZDO Payload 24 0x34
25 0x12
Checksum 26 0xA6 0xFF minus the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset 3 to
this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Cluster (Cluster ID) Attributes (Attribute ID) Cluster ID
Basic (0x0000)
Application Version (0x0001)
Hardware Version (0x0003)
Model Identifier (0x0005)
-Reset to defaults (0x00)
Identify (0x0003) Identify Time (0x0000) Identify (0x00)
Identify Query (0x01)
Time (0x000A)
Time (0x0000)
Time Status (0x0001)
Time Zone (0x0002)
Thermostat (0x0201) Local Temperature (0x0000)
Occupancy (0x0002) -Setpoint raise / lower (0x00)
Sending ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 171
The Explicit Transmit API frame (0x11) is used to send ZCL commands to devices in the network. Sending ZCL
commands with the Explicit Transmit API frame requires some formatting of the data payload field.
When sending a ZCL command with the API, all multiple byte values in the ZCL command (API Payload) (e.g. u16,
u32, 64-bit addresses) must be sent in little endian byte order for the command to be executed correctly on a
remote device.
Note When sending ZCL commands, the AO command should be set to 1 to enable the explicit receive API
frame. This will provide indication of the source 64- and 16-bit addresses, cluster ID, profile ID, and
endpoint information for each received packet. This information is required to properly decode received
data.
The following table shows how the Explicit API frame can be used to read the hardware version attribute from a
device with a 64-bit address of 0x0013A200 40401234 (unknown 16-bit address). This example uses arbitrary
source and destination endpoints. Recall the hardware version attribute (attribute ID 0x0003) is part of the basic
cluster (cluster ID 0x0000). The Read Attribute general command ID is 0x00.
Command (Command ID) Description
Read Attributes (0x00) Used to read one or more attributes on a remote device.
Read Attributes Response (0x01) Generated in response to a read attributes command.
Write Attributes (0x02) Used to change one or more attributes on a remote device.
Write Attributes Response (0x04) Sent in response to a write attributes command.
Configure Reporting (0x06) Used to configure a device to automatically report on the values of one or more
of its attributes.
Report Attributes (0x0A) Used to report attributes when report conditions have been satisfied.
Discover Attributes (0x0C) Used to discover the attribute identifiers on a remote device.
Discover Attributes Response (0x0D) Sent in response to a discover attributes command.
Sending ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 172
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start
Delimiter
00x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and the
checksum
Frame-
specific
Data
LSB 2 0x19
Frame Type 3 0x11
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the
host to correlate with a subsequent transmit
status. If set to 0, no transmit status frame will
be sent out the serial port.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 64-bit address of the destination device (big
endian byte order). For unicast
transmissions, set to the 64-bit address of the
destination device, or to
0x0000000000000000 to send a unicast to the
coordinator. Set to 0x000000000000FFFF for
broadcast.
60x13
70xA2
80x00
90x40
10 0x40
11 0x12
12 0x34
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0xFF 16-bit address of the destination device (big
endian byte order). Set to 0xFFFE for
broadcast, or if the 16-bit address is
unknown.
LSB 14 0xFE
Source
Endpoint
15 0x41 Set to the source endpoint on the sending
device. (0x41 arbitrarily selected).
Destination
Endpoint
16 0x42 Set to the destination endpoint on the remote
device. (0x42 arbitrarily selected)
Cluster ID MSB 17 0x00 Set to the cluster ID that corresponds to the
ZCL command being sent.
0x0000 = Basic Cluster
LSB 18 0x00
Profile ID MSB 19 0xD1 Set to the profile ID supported on the device.
(0xD123 arbitrarily selected).
LSB 20 0x23
Sending ZigBee Cluster Library (ZCL) commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 173
In the previous example, the Frame Control field (offset 23) was constructed as follows:
See the ZigBee Cluster Library specification for details.
Frame-
specific
Data
Broadcast
Radius
21 0x00 Sets the maximum number of hops a
broadcast transmission can traverse. If set to
0, the transmission radius will be set to the
network maximum hops value.
Transmit
Options
22 0x00 All bits must be set to 0.
Data
Payload
ZCL Frame
Header
Frame
Control
23 0x00 Bitfield that defines the command type and
other relevant information in the ZCL
command. See the ZCL specification for
details.
Transactio
n
Sequence
Number
24 0x01 A sequence number used to correlate a ZCL
command with a ZCL response. (The
hardware version response will include this
byte as a sequence number in the response.)
The value 0x01 was arbitrarily selected.
Command
ID
25 0x00 Since the frame control “frame type” bits are
00, this byte specifies a general command.
Command ID 0x00 is a Read Attributes
command.
ZCL
Payload
Attribute
ID
26 0x03 The payload for a “Read Attributes”
command is a list of Attribute Identifiers that
are being read.
Note the 16-bit Attribute ID (0x0003) is sent in
little endian byte order (0x0300). All multi-
byte ZCL header and payload values must be
sent in little endian byte order.
27 0x00
Checksum 28 0xFA 0xFF minus the 8 bit sum of bytes from offset
3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Name Bits Example Value Description
Frame Type 0-1 00 - Command acts across the entire profile
Manufacturer Specific 2 0 - The manufacturer code field is omitted from the ZCL Frame Header.
Direction 3 0 - The command is being sent from the client side to the server side.
Disable Default Response 4 0 - Default response not disabled
Reserved 5-7 Set to 0.
Sending Public Profile Commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 174
Sending Public Profile Commands with the API
Commands in public profiles such as Smart Energy and Home Automation can be sent with the XBee API using
the Explicit Transmit API frame (0x11). Sending public profile commands with the Explicit Transmit API frame
requires some formatting of the data payload field. Most of the public profile commands fit into the ZigBee
Cluster Library (ZCL) architecture as described in the previous section.
The following table shows how the Explicit API frame can be used to send a demand response and load control
message (cluster ID 0x701) in the smart energy profile (profile ID 0x0109) in the revision 14 Smart Energy
specification. The message will be a “Load Control Event” (command ID 0x00) and will be sent to a device with 64-
bit address of 0x0013A200 40401234 with a 16-bit address of 0x5678. The event will start a load control event for
water heaters and smart appliances, for a duration of 1 minute, starting immediately.
Note When sending public profile commands, the AO command should be set to 1 to enable the explicit receive
API frame. This will provide indication of the source 64- and 16-bit addresses, cluster ID, profile ID, and
endpoint information for each received packet. This information is required to properly decode received
data.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Start
Delimiter
00x7E
Length MSB 1 0x00 Number of bytes between the length and
the checksum
Frame-
specific
Data
LSB 2 0x19
Frame Type 3 0x11
Frame ID 4 0x01 Identifies the serial port data frame for the
host to correlate with a subsequent
transmit status. If set to 0, no transmit
status frame will be sent out the serial
port.
64-bit
Destination
Address
MSB 5 0x00 64-bit address of the destination device
(big endian byte order). For unicast
transmissions, set to the 64-bit address of
the destination device, or to
0x0000000000000000 to send a unicast to
the coordinator. Set to
0x000000000000FFFF for broadcast.
60x13
70xA2
80x00
90x40
10 0x40
11 0x12
12 0x34
16-bit
Destination
Network
Address
MSB 13 0x56 16-bit address of the destination device
(big endian byte order). Set to 0xFFFE for
broadcast, or if the 16-bit address is
unknown.
LSB 14 0x78
Sending Public Profile Commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 175
Frame-
specific
Data
Source
Endpoint
15 0x41 Set to the source endpoint on the sending
device. (0x41 arbitrarily selected).
Destination
Endpoint
16 0x42 Set to the destination endpoint on the
remote device. (0x42 arbitrarily selected)
Cluster ID MSB 17 0x07 Set to the cluster ID that corresponds to
the ZCL command being sent.
0x0701 = Demand response and load
control cluster ID
LSB 18 0x01
Profile ID MSB 19 0x01 Set to the profile ID supported on the
device.
0x0109 = Smart Energy profile ID.
LSB 20 0x09
Broadcast
Radius
21 0x00 Sets the maximum number of hops a
broadcast transmission can traverse. If set
to 0, the transmission radius will be set to
the network maximum hops value.
Transmit
Options
22 0x00 All bits must be set to 0.
Data
Payload
ZCL Frame
Header
Frame Control 23 0x09 Bitfield that defines the command type
and other relevant information in the ZCL
command. See the ZCL specification for
details.
Transaction
Sequence
Number
24 0x01 A sequence number used to correlate a
ZCL command with a ZCL response. (The
hardware version response will include
this byte as a sequence number in the
response.) The value 0x01 was arbitrarily
selected.
25 0x00 Since the frame control “frame type” bits
are 01, this byte specifies a cluster-specific
command. Command ID 0x00 in the
Demand Response and Load Control
cluster is a Load Control Event command.
(See Smart Energy specification.)
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Sending Public Profile Commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 176
Frame-
specific
Data
ZCL
Payload -
Load
Control
Event Data
Issuer Event ID 26 0x78 4-byte unique identifier.
Note the 4-byte ID is sent in little endian
byte order (0x78563412).
The event ID in this example (0x12345678)
was arbitrarily selected.
27 0x56
28 0x34
29 0x12
Device Class 30 0x14 This bit encoded field represents the
Device Class associated with the Load
Control Event.
A bit value of 0x0014 enables smart
appliances and water heaters.
Note the 2-byte bit field value is sent in
little endian byte order.
31 0x00
Utility
Enrollment
Group
32 0x00 Used to identify sub-groups of devices in
the device-class. 0x00 addresses all
groups.
Start Time 33 0x00 UTC timestamp representing when the
event should start. A value of 0x00000000
indicates “now”.
34 0x00
35 0x00
36 0x00
Duration in
Minutes
37 0x01 This 2-byte value must be sent in little
endian byte order.
38 0x00
Criticality
Level
39 0x04 Indicates the criticality level of the event.
In this example, the level is “voluntary”.
Cooling
Temperature
40 0xFF Requested offset to apply to the normal
cooling set point.
A value of 0xFF indicates the temperature
offset value is not used.
Heating
Temperature
Offset
41 0xFF Requested offset to apply to the normal
heating set point.
A value of 0xFF indicates the temperature
offset value is not used.
Cooling
Temperature
Set Point
42 0x00 Requested cooling set point in 0.01
degrees Celsius.
A value of 0x8000 means the set point field
is not used in this event.
Note the 0x80000 is sent in little endian
byte order.
43 0x80
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Sending Public Profile Commands with the API
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 177
In the previous example, the Frame Control field (offset 23) was constructed as follows:
Frame-
specific
Data
ZCL
Payload -
Load
Control
Event Data
Heating
Temperature
Set Point
44 0x00 Requested heating set point in 0.01
degrees Celsius.
A value of 0x8000 means the set point field
is not used in this event.
Note the 0x80000 is sent in little endian
byte order.
45 0x80
Average Load
Adjustment
Percentage
46 0x80 Maximum energy usage limit.
A value of 0x80 indicates the field is not
used.
Duty Cycle 47 0xFF Defines the maximum “On” duty cycle.
A value of 0xFF indicates the duty cycle is
not used in this event.
Duty Cycle
Event Control
48 0x00 A bitmap describing event options.
Checksum 49 0x5B 0xFF minus the 8 bit sum of bytes from
offset 3 to this byte.
Frame Fields Offset Example Description
Name Bits Example Value Description
Frame Type 0-1 01 - Command is specific to a cluster
Manufacturer Specific 2 0 - The manufacturer code field is omitted from the ZCL Frame Header.
Direction 3 1 - The command is being sent from the server side to the client side.
Disable Default Response 4 0 - Default response not disabled
Reserved 5-7 Set to 0.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 178
Command reference tables
Addressing commands
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
DH Destination Address High.Set/Get the upper 32 bits of the
64-bit destination address. When combined with DL, it
defines the 64-bit destination address for data transmission.
Special definitions for DH and DL include
0x000000000000FFFF (broadcast) and 0x0000000000000000
(coordinator).
0 - 0xFFFFFFFF 0
DL Destination Address Low. Set/Get the lower 32 bits of the
64-bit destination address. When combined with DH, it
defines the 64-bit destination address for data
transmissions. Special definitions for DH and DL include
0x000000000000FFFF (broadcast) and 0x0000000000000000
(coordinator).
0 - 0xFFFFFFFF 0xFFFF(Coordinator)
0 (Router/End Device)
MY 16-bit Network Address. Read the 16-bit network address
of the module. A value of 0xFFFE means the module has not
joined a ZigBee network
0 - 0xFFFE
[read-only]
0xFFFE
MP 16-bit Parent Network Address. Read the 16-bit network
address of the module's parent. A value of 0xFFFE means the
module does not have a parent.
0 - 0xFFFE
[read-only]
0xFFFE
NC Number of Remaining Children. Read the number of end
device children that can join the device. If NC returns 0, then
the device cannot allow any more end device children to
join.
0 - MAX_CHILDREN
(maximum varies)
read-only
SH Serial Number High. Read the high 32 bits of the module's
unique 64-bit address.
0 - 0xFFFFFFFF
[read-only]
factory-set
SL Serial Number Low. Read the low 32 bits of the module's
unique 64-bit address.
0 - 0xFFFFFFFF
[read-only]
factory-set
Addressing commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 179
NI Node Identifier. Stores a string identifier. The register only
accepts printable ASCII data. In AT Command Mode, a string
can not start with a space. A carriage return ends the
command. Command will automatically end when
maximum bytes for the string have been entered. This string
is returned as part of the ND (Node Discover) command. This
identifier is also used with the DN (Destination Node)
command. In AT command mode, an ASCII comma (0x2C)
cannot be used in the NI string
20-Byte printable
ASCII string
ASCII space character
(0x20)
SE Source Endpoint. Set/read the ZigBee application layer
source endpoint value. This value will be used as the source
endpoint for all data transmissions. SE is only used in
transparent mode.The default value 0xE8 (Data endpoint) is
the Digi data endpoint
0 - 0xFF 0xE8
DE Destination Endpoint. Set/read ZigBee application layer
destination ID value. This value will be used as the
destination endpoint all data transmissions. DE is only used
in transparent mode.The default value (0xE8) is the Digi data
endpoint.
0 - 0xFF 0xE8
CI Cluster Identifier. Set/read ZigBee application layer cluster
ID value. This value will be used as the cluster ID for all data
transmissions. CI is only used in transparent mode.The
default value0x11 (Transparent data cluster ID).
0 - 0xFFFF 0x11
TO Transmit Options. Set/read ZigBee application layer source
transmit options value. This value will be used as the
transmit options for all data transmissions in transparent
mode.
0 - 0xFF
Unused bits must be set to 0.
These bits may be logically
ORed together: 0x01 -
Disable retries and route
repair.
0x20 - Enable APS
Encryption (if EE=1).
Note that this decreases the
maximum RF payload by 4
bytes below the value
reported by NP.
0x40 - Use the extended
timeout for this destination.
0x00
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
Networking commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 180
Networking commands
NP Maximum RF Payload Bytes. This value returns the
maximum number of RF payload bytes that can be sent in a
unicast transmission. If APS encryption is used (API transmit
option bit enabled), the maximum payload size is reduced
by 9 bytes. If source routing is used (AR < 0xFF), the
maximum payload size is reduced further.
Note: NP returns a hexadecimal value. (e.g. if NP returns
0x54, this is equivalent to 84 bytes)
0 - 0xFFFF [read-only]
DD Device Type Identifier. Stores a device type value. This
value can be used to differentiate different XBee-based
devices. Digi reserves the range 0 - 0xFFFFFF.
For the XBee ZB SMT module, the device type is 0xA0000.
0 - 0xFFFFFFFF 0xA0000
CR Conflict Report. The number of PAN id conflict reports that
must be received by the network manager within one
minute to trigger a PAN ID change. A corrupt beacon can
cause a report of a false PAN id conflict. A higher value
reduces the chance of a spurious PAN ID change. Starting
with revision 4050, setting CR to 0 will instead set the
threshold value to the default configuration value (3).
1-0x3F 3
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
CH Operating Channel. Read the channel number used for transmitting
and receiving between RF modules. Uses 802.15.4 channel numbers.
A value of 0 means the device has not joined a PAN and is not
operating on any channel.
XBee
0, 0x0B - 0x1A
XBee-PRO
0, 0x0B - 0x19
(Channels 11-25)
[read-only]
CE Coordinator Enable. Set/read whether module is a coordinator. 0 - Not a coordinator
1 - Coordinator
(SM must be 0 in order
to set CE to 1.)
0
ID Extended PAN ID. Set/read the 64-bit extended PAN ID. If set to 0,
the coordinator will select a random extended PAN ID, and the router
/ end device will join any extended PAN ID. Changes to ID should be
written to non-volatile memory using the WR command to preserve
the ID setting if a power cycle occurs.
0 -
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
0
OP Operating Extended PAN ID. Read the 64-bit extended PAN ID. The
OP value reflects the operating extended PAN ID that the module is
running on. If ID > 0, OP will equal ID.
0x01 -
0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
[read-only]
Networking commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 181
NH Maximum Unicast Hops. Set / read the maximum hops limit. This
limit sets the maximum broadcast hops value (BH) and determines
the unicast timeout. The timeout is computed as (50 * NH) + 100 ms.
The default unicast timeout of 1.6 seconds (NH=0x1E) is enough time
for data and the acknowledgment to traverse about 8 hops.
0 - 0xFF 0x1E
BH Broadcast Hops. Set/Read the maximum number of hops for each
broadcast data transmission. Setting this to 0 will use the maximum
number of hops.
0 - 0x1E 0
OI Operating 16-bit PAN ID. Read the 16-bit PAN ID. The OI value
reflects the actual 16-bit PAN ID the module is running on.
0 - 0xFFFF [read-only]
ND Node Discovery. Broadcast a ND command to the network. If an
optional node identifier string parameter is given, then only those
devices with a matching NI string should respond without a random
offset delay. If no node identifier string parameter is given, then all
devices should respond with a random offset delay.
The NT setting determines the range of the random offset delay. The
NO setting sets options for the Node Discovery. Warning: if the NT
setting is small relative to the number of devices in the network,
responses may be lost due to channel congestion. Regardless of the
NT setting, because the random offset only mitigates against
transmission collisions, getting responses from all devices in the
network is not guaranteed.
20-byte printable
ASCII string
ASCII space
character
(0x20)
NT Node Discovery Timeout. Set/Read the node discovery timeout.
When the network discovery (ND) command is issued, the NT value is
included in the transmission to provide all remote devices with a
response timeout. Remote devices wait a random time, less than NT,
before sending their response.
0x20 - 0xFF [x 100
msec]
0x3C (60d)
NO Network Discovery options. Set/Read the options value for the
network discovery command. The options bitfield value can change
the behavior of the ND (network discovery) command and/or change
what optional values are returned in any received ND responses or
API node identification frames. Options include:
0x01 = Append DD value (to ND responses or API node identification
frames)
002 = Local device sends ND response frame when ND is issued.
0 - 0x03 [bitfield] 0
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
Networking commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 182
SC Scan Channels. Set/Read the list of channels to scan.
Coordinator - Bit field list of channels to choose from prior to
starting network.
Router/End Device - Bit field list of channels that will be scanned to
find a Coordinator/Router to join.
Changes to SC should be written using WR command to preserve the
SC setting if a power cycle occurs.
Bit (Channel): 0 (0x0B) 4 (0x0F) 8 (0x13)12 (0x17)
1 (0x0C) 5 (0x10) 9 (0x14) 13 (0x18)
2 (0x0D) 6 (0x11) 10 (0x15)14 (0x19)
3 (0x0E) 7 (0x12)11 (0x16)15 (0x1A)
Note: Note the following when setting SC to 0xFFFF. On the XBee
modules, Channel 26 is not allowed to transmit at more than 3 dBm.
If Channel 26 is present in the search mask (SC), then active search
(beaconing) for network formation by a Coordinator will be limited
to no more than 3 dBm on all channels. Other communication by a
Coordinator/Router/EndDevice, or active search for network joining
(association) by Routers and End Devices will be limited to no more
than 3 dBm on Channel 26 - the transmit power on other channels
will be controlled by PL and PM configuration settings.
For the XBee-PRO SMT module, Channel 26 is not allowed to transmit
at more than 6 dBm. For the XBee-PRO TH module, Channel 26 is not
allowed to transmit at more than 2 dBm.
1 - 0xFFFF [bitfield] 7FFF
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
Networking commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 183
SD Scan Duration. Set/Read the scan duration exponent. Changes to
SD should be written using WR command.
Note: If channel 26 (0x8000) is enabled in the search channel mask
(SC), transmit power on all channels will be capped at 3 dBm during
network formation or joining.
Coordinator - Duration of the Active and Energy Scans (on each
channel) that are used to determine an acceptable channel and Pan
ID for the Coordinator to startup on.
Router / End Device - Duration of Active Scan (on each channel) used
to locate an available Coordinator / Router to join during
Association.
Scan Time is measured as:(# Channels to Scan) * (2 ^ SD) * 15.36ms -
The number of channels to scan is determined by the SC parameter.
The XBee can scan up to 16 channels (SC = 0xFFFF).
Sample Scan Duration times (13 channel scan):
If SD = 0, time = 0.200 sec
SD = 2, time = 0.799 sec
SD = 4, time = 3.190 sec
SD = 6, time = 12.780 sec
Note: SD influences the time the MAC listens for beacons or runs an
energy scan on a given channel. The SD time is not a good estimate
of the router/end device joining time requirements. ZigBee joining
adds additional overhead including beacon processing on each
channel, sending a join request, etc. that extend the actual joining
time.
0 - 7 [exponent] 3
ED Energy Detect. Start an Energy Detect scan. This parameter is the
time in milliseconds to scan IEEE 802.15.4 channels 11 through 26.
The device loops through all 16 channels until the time elapses. The
maximal energy on each channel is returned. In Transparent mode,
each value is followed by a comma with the list ending with a
carriage return. The values returned reflect the detected energy level
in units of -dBm. An ED response of 49,3A, and so forth should be
converted to decimal to become -73dBm, -58dBm, and so forth.
1 - 0xFF [x1 msec] 0x10 (16 msec)
ZS ZigBee Stack Profile. Set / read the ZigBee stack profile value. This
must be set the same on all devices that should join the same
network.
0 - 2 0
NJ Node Join Time. Set/Read the time that a Coordinator/Router
allows nodes to join. This value can be changed at run time without
requiring a Coordinator or Router to restart. The time starts once the
Coordinator or Router has started. The timer is reset on power-cycle
or when NJ changes.
For an end device to enable rejoining, NJ should be set less than 0xFF
on the device that will join. If NJ < 0xFF, the device assumes the
network is not allowing joining and first tries to join a network using
rejoining. If multiple rejoining attempts fail, or if NJ=0xFF, the device
will attempt to join using association.
0 - 0xFF
[x 1 sec]
0xFF
(always allows
joining)
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
Security commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 184
Security commands
JV Channel Verification. Set/Read the channel verification parameter.
If JV=1, a router or end device will verify the coordinator is on its
operating channel when joining or coming up from a power cycle. If
a coordinator is not detected, the router or end device will leave its
current channel and attempt to join a new PAN. If JV=0, the router or
end device will continue operating on its current channel even if a
coordinator is not detected.
0 - Channel verification
disabled
1 - Channel verification
enabled
0
NW Network Watchdog Timeout. Set/read the network watchdog
timeout value. If NW is set > 0, the router will monitor
communication from the coordinator (or data collector) and leave
the network if it cannot communicate with the coordinator for 3 NW
periods. The timer is reset each time data is received from or sent to
a coordinator, or if a many-to-one broadcast is received.
0 - 0x64FF
[x 1 minute]
(up to over 17 days)
0 (disabled)
JN Join Notification. Set / read the join notification setting. If enabled,
the module will transmit a broadcast node identification packet on
power up and when joining. This action blinks the Associate LED
rapidly on all devices that receive the transmission, and sends an API
frame out the serial port of API devices. This feature should be
disabled for large networks to prevent excessive broadcasts.
0 - 1 0
AR Aggregate Routing Notification. Set/read the periodic time for
broadcasting aggregate route messages. If used, these messages
enable many-to-one routing to the broadcasting device. Set AR to
0x00 to send only one broadcast, to 0xFF to disable broadcasts, or to
other values for periodic broadcasts in 10 second units.
0 - 0xFF (x10 sec) 0xFF
(disabled)
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
EE Encryption Enable. Set/Read the encryption enable setting. 0 - Encryption disabled
1 - Encryption enabled
0
EO Encryption Options. Configure options for encryption when EE=1.
Unused option bits should be set to 0. Options include:
0x01 - (ZigBee) Send the network key in the clear (unencrypted) over-
the-air during a join
0x02 - (Smart Energy) Enable as a trust center (Coordinator only)
0x08 - (Smart Energy) Authenticate during joining (End Device and
Router only)
0 - 0xFF
RF interfacing commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 185
RF interfacing commands
NK Network Encryption Key. Set the 128-bit AES network encryption key.
This command is write-only; NK cannot be read. If set to 0 (default), the
module will select a random network key.
128-bit value 0
KY Link Key. Set the 128-bit AES link key. This command is write only; KY
cannot be read. Setting KY to 0 will cause the coordinator to transmit
the network key in the clear to joining devices, and will cause joining
devices to acquire the network key in the clear when joining.
128-bit value 0
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
PL Power Level. Select/Read the power level at which the RF module
transmits conducted power. For XBee-PRO (S2B) Power Level 4 is
calibrated and the other power levels are approximate. Calibration occurs
every 15 seconds based on radio characteristics determined at
manufacturing time, the ambient temperature, and how far off the voltage
is from the typical 3.3 V. If the input voltage is too high, the module will
reset.
For the regular XBee, when operating on channel 26, no PL/PM selection
will allow greater than +3 dBm output.
XBee
(boost mode disabled)
0 = -5 dBm
1 = -1 dBm
2 = +1 dBm
3 = +3 dBm
4 = +5 dBm
XBee-PRO
(Boost mode enabled)
4 =+18 dBM
3 = +16 dBm (approx.)
2 = +14 dBm (approx.)
1 = +12 dBm (approx.)
0 = 0 dBm (approx.)
4
PM Power Mode (XBee only). Set/read the power mode of the device. Enabling
boost mode will improve the receive sensitivity by 2dB and increase the
transmit power by 3dB
Note: This command is disabled on the XBee-PRO. It is forced on by the
software to provide the extra sensitivity. Boost mode imposes a slight
increase in current draw. See section 1.2 for details.
0-1,
0= -Boost mode
disabled, 1= Boost
mode enabled.
1
Serial interfacing (I/O) commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 186
Serial interfacing (I/O) commands
DB Received Signal Strength. This command reports the received signal
strength of the last received RF data packet or APS acknowledgment. The
DB command only indicates the signal strength of the last hop. It does not
provide an accurate quality measurement for a multihop link. DB can be set
to 0 to clear it. The DB command value is measured in -dBm. For example if
DB returns 0x50, then the RSSI of the last packet received was
-80dBm.
0 - 0xFF
Observed range for
XBee-PRO:
0x1A - 0x58
For XBee:
0x 1A - 0x5C
PP Peak Power. Read the dBm output when maximum power is selected
(PL4).
0x0-0x12 [read
only]
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AP API Enable. Enable API Mode. This command is ignored
when using SPI. API mode 1 is always used.
0 = API-disabled
(operate in
transparent mode)
1 = API-enabled
2 = API-enabled
(w/escaped control
characters)
1
AO API Options. Configure options for API. Current options
select the type of receive API frame to send out the UART for
received RF data packets.
0 - Default receive API indicators
enabled
1 - Explicit Rx data indicator API frame
enabled (0x91)
3 - enable ZDO passthrough of ZDO
requests to the serial port which are
not supported by the stack, as well as
Simple_Desc_req, Active_EP_req, and
Match_Desc_req.
0
Serial interfacing (I/O) commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 187
BD Interface Data Rate. Set/Read the serial interface data
rate for communication between the module serial port
and host.
Any value above 0x0A will be interpreted as an actual baud
rate.
Standard baud rates up to 115200 are supported.
Non-standard baud rates above 115200 are permitted but
their performance is not guaranteed.
0 - 0x0A
(standard baud rates)
0 = 1200 bps
1 = 2400
2 = 4800
3 = 9600
4 = 19200
5 = 38400
6 = 57600
7 = 115200
(nonstandard baud rates)
8 = 230400
9 = 460800
A = 921600
3
NB Serial Parity. Set/Read the serial parity setting on the
UART.
0 = No parity
1 = Even parity
2 = Odd parity
3 = Mark parity
0
SB Stop Bits. Set/read the number of stop bits for the UART.
(Two stop bits are not supported if mark parity is enabled.)
0 = 1 stop bit
1 = 2 stop bits
0
RO Packetization Timeout. Set/Read number of character
times of inter-character silence required before
packetization. Set (RO=0) to transmit characters as they
arrive instead of buffering them into one RF packet The RO
command is only supported when operating in transparent
mode.
0 - 0xFF
[x character times]
3
D7 DIO7 Configuration. Select/Read options for the DIO7 line
of the RF module.
0 = Unmonitored digital input
1 = CTS Flow Control
3 = Digital input
4 = Digital output, low
5 = Digital output, high
6 = RS-485 transmit enable (low
enable)
7 = RS-485 transmit enable (high
enable)
1
D6 DIO6 Configuration. Configure options for the DIO6 line of
the RF module.
0 = Unmonitored digital input
1 = RTS flow control
3 = Digital input
4 = Digital output, low
5 = Digital output, high
0
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
I/O commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 188
I/O commands
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
IR I/O Sample Rate. Set/Read the I/O sample rate to enable
periodic sampling. For periodic sampling to be enabled, IR
must be set to a non-zero value, and at least one module pin
must have analog or digital I/O functionality enabled (see D0-
D9, P0-P4 commands). The sample rate is measured in
milliseconds.
0, 0x32:0xFFFF (ms) 0
IC I/O Digital Change Detection. Set/Read the digital I/O pins to
monitor for changes in the I/O state. IC works with the
individual pin configuration commands (D0-D9, P0-P4). If a
pin is enabled as a digital input/output, the IC command can
be used to force an immediate I/O sample transmission when
the DIO state changes. IC is a bitmask that can be used to
enable or disable edge detection on individual channels.
Unused bits should be set to 0.
Bit (IO pin): 0 (DIO0) 4 (DIO4) 8 (DIO8)
1 (DIO1) 5 (DIO5) 9 (DIO9)
2 (DIO2) 6 (DIO6) 10 (DIO10)
3 (DIO3) 7 (DIO7) 11 (DIO11)
: 0 - 0xFFFF 0
P0 PWM0 Configuration. Select/Read function for PWM0. 0 = Unmonitored digital input
1 = RSSI PWM
3 - Digital input, monitored
4 - Digital output, default low
5 - Digital output, default high
1
P1 PWM1 / DIO11 Configuration. Configure options for the
DIO11 line of the RF module.
0 - Unmonitored digital input
1 - Output 50% duty cycle clock at
32.787 kHz
3- Digital input, monitored
4- Digital output, default low
5- Digital output, default high
0
P2 DIO12 Configuration. Configure options for the DIO12 line of
the RF module.
0 - Unmonitored digital input
1 - SPI_MISO*
3- Digital input, monitored
4- Digital output, default low
5- Digital output, default high
0
I/O commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 189
P3 DIO13 / DOUT Configuration. Set/Read function for DIO13.
Configure options for the DIO13 line of the RF module.
0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – Data out for UART
3 – Monitored digital input
4 – Digital output low
5 – Digital output high
1
P4 DIO14 / DIN. Set/read function for DIO14. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – Data in for UART
3 – Digital input
4 – Digital output low
5 – Digital output high
1
P5** DIO15 / SPI_MISO. Set/read function for DIO15. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – Output from SPI port
1
P6** DIO16 / SPI_MOSI. Set/read function for DIO16. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – Input to SPI port
1
P7** DIO17 / SPI_SSEL. Set/read function for DIO17. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – Input to select the SPI port
1
P8** DIO18 / SPI_SClk. Set/read function for DIO18. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – SPI clock input
1
P9** DIO19 / SPI_Attn / PTI_DATA. Set/read function for DIO19. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 - SPI data available indicator
6 – Packet trace interface data
output. Must be set along with D1=6
to output traces for OTA sniffing.
1
D0 AD0/DIO0 Configuration. Select/Read function for AD0/
DIO0.
0 - Unmonitored digital input
1 - Commissioning button enabled
2 - Analog input, single ended
3 - Digital input
4 - Digital output, low
5 - Digital output, high
1
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
I/O commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 190
D1 AD1/DIO1 / PTI_En Configuration. Select/Read function for
AD1/DIO1.
0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – SPI_nATTN* – Analog input,
single ended
3 – Digital input
4 – Digital output, low
5 – Digital output, high
6 - Packet trace interface enable.
Must be set along with P9=6 to
output traces for OTA sniffing.
0
D2 AD2/DIO2 Configuration. Select/Read function for AD2/
DIO2.
0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – SPI_SCLK*
2 – Analog input, single ended
3 – Digital input
4 – Digital output, low
5 – Digital output, high
0
D3 AD3/DIO3 Configuration. Select/Read function for AD3/
DIO3.
0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – SPI_nSSEL*
2 – Analog input, single ended
3 – Digital input
4 – Digital output, low
5 – Digital output, high
0
D4 DIO4 Configuration. Select/Read function for DIO4. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – SPI_MOSI*
3 – Digital input
4 – Digital output, low
5 – Digital output, high
0
D5 DIO5 / Associate Configuration. Configure options for the
DIO5 line of the RF module.
0 - Unmonitored digital input
1 - Associated indication LED
3 - Digital input
4 - Digital output, default low
5 - Digital output, default high
1
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
I/O commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 191
D8 DIO8 / DTR / Slp_Rq. Set/Read function for DIO8. 0 – Unmonitored digital input
1 – Input to sleep and wake module
3 – Digital input
4 – Digital output, low
5 – Digital output, high
LT Assoc LED Blink Time. Set/Read the Associate LED blink
time. If the Associate LED functionality is enabled (D5
command), this value determines the on and off blink times
for the LED when the module has joined a network. If LT=0,
the default blink rate will be used (500ms coordinator, 250ms
router/end device). For all other LT values, LT is measured in
10ms.
0, 0x0A - 0xFF (100 - 2550 ms) 0
PR Pull-up/down Resistor. Set/read the bit field that configures
the internal pull-up/down resistor status for the I/O line “1”
specifies the pull-up/down resistor is enabled “0” specifies no
internal resistors are used. The input will be floating.
Bits:
0 - DIO4 (Pin 24/SMT, Pin 11/TH)
1 - AD3 / DIO3 (Pin 30/SMT, Pin 17/TH)
2 - AD2 / DIO2 (Pin 31/SMT, Pin 18/TH)
3 - AD1 / DIO1 (Pin 32/SMT, Pin 19/TH)
4 - AD0 / DIO0 (Pin 33/SMT, Pin 20/TH)
5 - RTS / DIO6 (Pin 29/SMT, Pin 16/TH)
6 - DTR / Sleep Request / DIO8 (Pin 10/SMT, Pin 9/TH)
7 - DIN / Config (Pin 4/SMT, Pin 3/TH)
8 - Associate / DIO5 (Pin 28/SMT, Pin 15/TH)
9 - On/Sleep / DIO9 (Pin 26/SMT, Pin 13/TH)
10 - DIO12 (Pin 5/SMT, Pin 4/TH)
11 - PWM0 / RSSI / DIO10 (Pin 7/SMT, Pin 6/TH)
12 - PWM1 / DIO11 (Pin 8/SMT, Pin 7/TH)
13 - CTS / DIO7 (Pin 25/SMT, Pin 12/TH)
14 - DOUT / DIO13 (Pin 3/SMT, Pin 2/TH)
0 - 0x7FFF 0x1FFF
PD Pull-up / down direction. Set/read an internal pull-up or
pull-down resistor for the corresponding bits in the PR
command. If the bit is set, an internal pull-up resistor is used.
If it is clear, an internal pull-down resistor is used. See the PR
command for the bit order.
0 - 0x7FFF 0x1FBF
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
I/O commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 192
RP RSSI PWM Timer. Time the RSSI signal will be output on the
PWM after the last RF data reception or APS
acknowledgment. When RP = 0xFF, output will always be on.
0 - 0xFF [x 100 ms] 0x28
(40d)
DC Device Controls.
Bit settings enable or disable certain behaviors.
Bit 0 - Joiner Global Link Key. Indicates whether a joiner node
uses a global link key or a unique link key.
Bit 1 - Network Leave Request Not Allowed. Indicates if a
router node should discard or accept network leave
commands.
Bit 2 - reserved.
Bit 3 - reserved.
Bit 4 - Verbose Joining Mode. See XBee ZigBee API Operation
frame type 0x98, Extended Modem Status for a full
description.
0-0xFFFF 0x00
DO Device Options.
Bit0 - Reserved.
Bit1 - Reserved for Smart Energy devices.
Bit2 - 0/1 = First or Best Join. First join means the device
will join the network through the first acceptable Beacon
response it receives. Best join means the device will join the
network through the strongest Beacon response it receives
after searching all search mask channels.
Bit3 - Disable NULL Transport Key (Coordinator Only).
Bit4 - Disable Tx Packet Extended Timeout.
Bit5 - Disable ACK for End Device I/O Sampling.
Bit6 - Enable High Ram Concentrator.
Bit7 - Enable ATNW to find new network before leaving the
network.
0x00-0xFF 0x00
%V Supply Voltage. Reads the voltage on the Vcc pin in mV. -0x-0xFFFF [read only] -
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
Diagnostics commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 193
* indicates that the option is available on the TH module, but not the SMT module.
** indicates that the command is available on the SMT module, but not the TH module.
Diagnostics commands
V+ Voltage Supply Monitoring. The voltage supply threshold is
set with the V+ command. If the measured supply voltage falls
below or equal to this threshold, the supply voltage will be
appended to the IO sample set, and bit 7 of the Analog
Channel Mask will be set. V+ is set to 0 by default (do not
include the supply voltage).The units of this command are
mV. For example, to include a measurement of the supply
voltage when it exceeds 3.3 V, set V+ to 3300 = 0xCE4.
0-0xFFFF 0
TP Reads the module temperature in Degrees Celsius.
Accuracy +/- 7 degrees.
1° C = 0x0001 and -1° C = 0xFFFF. Command is only available
on PRO module.
0x0-0xFFFF -
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description
Parameter
Range Default
VR Firmware Version. Read firmware version of the module as a 4-digit hex number. 0 - 0xFFFF [read-
only]
Factory-
set
VL Version Long. Shows detailed version information, module type, a time stamp
for the build, Ember stack version, and bootloader version.
N/A N/A
AT command options
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 194
AT command options
HV Hardware Version. Read the hardware version of the module.version of the
module. This command can be used to distinguish among different hardware
platforms. The upper byte returns a value that is unique to each module type. The
lower byte indicates the hardware revision.
The regular XBee returns a value of 0x22xx for this command. the XBee-PRO
returns a value of 0x21xx.
0 - 0xFFFF [read-
only]
Factory-
set
AI Association Indication. Read information regarding last node join request:
0x00 - Successfully formed or joined a network. (Coordinators form a network,
routers and end devices join a network.)
0x21 - Scan found no PANs
0x22 - Scan found no valid PANs based on current SC and ID settings
0x23 - Valid Coordinator or Routers found, but they are not allowing joining (NJ
expired)
0x24 - No joinable beacons were found
0x25 - Unexpected state, node should not be attempting to join at this time
0x27 - Node Joining attempt failed (typically due to incompatible security
settings)
0x2A - Coordinator Start attempt failed‘
0x2B - Checking for an existing coordinator
0x2C - Attempt to leave the network failed
0xAB - Attempted to join a device that did not respond.
0xAC - Secure join error - network security key received unsecured
0xAD - Secure join error - network security key not received
0xAF - Secure join error - joining device does not have the right preconfigured link
key
0xFF - Scanning for a ZigBee network (routers and end devices)
Note New non-zero AI values may be added in later firmware versions.
Applications should read AI until it returns 0x00, indicating a successful startup
(coordinator) or join (routers and end devices)
0 - 0xFF
[read-only]
--
AT
Command Name and Description
Parameter
Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
CT Command Mode Timeout. Set/Read the period of inactivity (no valid
commands received) after which the RF module automatically exits AT
Command Mode and returns to Idle Mode.
2 - 0x028F [x 100 ms] 0x64
(100d)
CN Exit Command Mode. Explicitly exit the module from AT Command
Mode.
-- --
Sleep commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 195
Sleep commands
GT Guard Times. Set required period of silence before and after the
Command Sequence Characters of the AT Command Mode Sequence
(GT + CC + GT). The period of silence is used to prevent inadvertent
entrance into AT Command Mode.
1 - 0x0CE4 [x 1 ms]
(max of 3.3 decimal sec)
0x3E8
(1000d)
CC Command Sequence Character. Set/Read the ASCII character value
to be used between Guard Times of the AT Command Mode Sequence
(GT + CC + GT). The AT Command Mode Sequence enters the RF
module into AT Command Mode.
0 - 0xFF 0x2B
(‘+’ ASCII)
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
SM Sleep Mode Sets the sleep mode on the RF module. When SM>0, the
module operates as an end device. However, CE must be 0 before SM can
be set to a value greater than 0 to turn the module into an end device.
Changing a device from a router to an end device (or vice versa) forces
the device to leave the network and attempt to join as the new device
type when changes are applied.
0-Sleep disabled
(router)
1-Pin sleep enabled
4-Cyclic sleep
enabled
5 - Cyclic sleep, pin
wake
0 - Router
4 - End
Device
SN Number of Sleep Periods. Sets the number of sleep periods to not
assert the On/Sleep pin on wakeup if no RF data is waiting for the end
device. This command allows a host application to sleep for an extended
time if no RF data is present
1 - 0xFFFF 1
SP Sleep Period. This value determines how long the end device will sleep
at a time, up to 28 seconds. (The sleep time can effectively be extended
past 28 seconds using the SN command.) On the parent, this value
determines how long the parent will buffer a message for the sleeping
end device. It should be set at least equal to the longest SP time of any
child end device.
0x20 - 0xAF0 x 10ms
(Quarter second
resolution)
0x20
ST Time Before Sleep Sets the time before sleep timer on an end
device.The timer is reset each time serial or RF data is received. Once the
timer expires, an end device may enter low power operation. Applicable
for cyclic sleep end devices only.
1 - 0xFFFE (x 1ms) 0x1388 (5
seconds)
SO
Command
Sleep Options. Configure options for sleep. Unused option bits should
be set to 0. Sleep options include:
0x02 - Always wake for ST time
0x04 - Sleep entire SN * SP time
Sleep options should not be used for most applications. See Managing
End Devices on page 107.
0 - 0xFF 0
Execution commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 196
Execution commands
Where most AT commands set or query register values, execution commands cause an action to be executed on
the module. Execution commands are executed immediately and do not require changes to be applied.
WH Wake Host. Set/Read the wake host timer value. If the wake host timer
is set to a non-zero value, this timer specifies a time (in millisecond units)
that the device should allow after waking from sleep before sending data
out the serial port or transmitting an I/O sample. If serial characters are
received, the WH timer is stopped immediately.
0 - 0xFFFF (x 1ms) 0
SI Sleep Immediately. See Execution Commands table below.
PO Polling Rate. Set/Read the end device poll rate. Setting this to 0 (default)
enables polling at 100 ms (default rate), advancing in 10 msec
increments. Adaptive polling may allow the end device to poll more
rapidly for a short time when receiving RF data.
0 - 0x3E8 0x00 (100
msec)
AT
Command Name and Description Parameter Range Default
AT
Command Name and Description
Parameter
Range Default
AC Apply Changes. Applies changes to all command registers causing queued
command register values to be applied. For example, changing the serial interface
rate with the BD command will not change the UART interface rate until changes
are applied with the AC command. The CN command and 0x08 API command frame
also apply changes.
-
AS Active Scan. Scans the neighborhood for beacon responses. The ATAS command is
only valid as a local command. Response frames are structured as:
AS_type – unsigned byte = 2 - ZB firmware uses a different format than
Wi-Fi XBee, which is type 1
Channel – unsigned byte
PAN – unsigned word in big endian format
Extended PAN – eight unsigned bytes in bit endian format
Allow Join – unsigned byte – 1 indicates join is enabled, 0 that it is disabled
Stack Profile – unsigned byte
LQI – unsigned byte, higher values are better
RSSI – signed byte, lower values are better
WR Write. Write parameter values to non-volatile memory so that parameter
modifications persist through subsequent resets.
Note: Once WR is issued, no additional characters should be sent to the module
until after the “OK\r” response is received. The WR command should be used
sparingly. The EM357 supports a limited number of write cycles.
-- --
RE Restore Defaults. While preserving KY and AI settings, restore the configuration to
factory defaults.
-- --
Execution commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 197
FR Software Reset. Resets module. Responds immediately with an OK status, and
then performs a software reset. As of revision 4050, there is no longer a 2 second
delay between command and reset, and the modem status code for this reset
changes from 0x01 to 0x00 for consistency with other XBee platforms.
-- --
NR Network Reset. Reset network layer parameters on one or more modules within a
PAN. Responds immediately with an “OK” then causes a network restart. All
network configuration and routing information is consequently lost.
If NR = 0: Resets network layer parameters on the node issuing the command.
If NR = 1: Sends broadcast transmission to reset network layer parameters on all
nodes in the PAN.
0 - 1 --
SI Sleep Immediately. Cause a cyclic sleep module to sleep immediately rather than
wait for the ST timer to expire.
Note: This command only has effect in API mode (sleeps immediately whether
given as a 0x08 or 0x09 API frame), and no effect in AT command mode. AT
command mode is exited only by the CN command or by timeout.
--
CB Commissioning Pushbutton. This command is used to simulate commissioning
button presses in software. There are three kinds of button presses defined:
1 - Start Joining. Wakes a sleeping end device for 30 seconds, regardless of the ST/
SN setting. Also sends node identification broadcast if joined to a network.
A ZigBee device will blink its ASSOC led for (AI-32) times.
A SE router or SE end device which is associated but not authenticated to a network
will leave its network; then attempt to join.
2 - Enable Joining. Broadcast a Mgmt_Permit_Joining_req (ZDO ClusterID 0x0036)
with TC_Significance set to 0x00. If NJ is 0x00 or 0xFF, PermitDuration will be set to
one minute, otherwise PermitDuration will be set to NJ.
4 - Restore configuration to default values and leave the network.
1,2,4 --
&X Clear Binding and Group Tables. This command resets the binding and group
tables.
AT
Command Name and Description
Parameter
Range Default
Execution commands
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 198
ND Node Discover. Discovers and reports all RF modules found. The following
information is reported for each module discovered.
MY<CR>
SH<CR>
SL<CR>
NI<CR> (Variable length)
PARENT_NETWORK ADDRESS (2 Bytes)<CR>
DEVICE_TYPE<CR> (1 Byte: 0=Coord, 1=Router, 2=End Device)
STATUS<CR> (1 Byte: Reserved)
PROFILE_ID<CR> (2 Bytes)
MANUFACTURER_ID<CR> (2 Bytes)
<CR>
After (NT * 100) milliseconds, the command ends by returning a <CR>. ND also
accepts a Node Identifier (NI) as a parameter (optional). In this case, the first
module with a matching NI identifier to respond will be returned. If no module
matches, then “ERROR” will be returned.
If ND is sent through the API, each response is returned as a separate
AT_CMD_Response packet. The data consists of the above listed bytes without the
carriage return delimiters. The NI string will end in a “0x00” null character. The
radius of the ND command is set by the BH command.
Refer to the description of the NO command for options which affect the behavior
of the ND command.
optional 20-
Byte
NI or MY value
--
DN Destination Node. Resolves an NI (Node Identifier) string to a physical address
(case-sensitive). The following events occur after the destination node is
discovered:
<AT Firmware>
1. DL & DH are set to the extended (64-bit) address of the module with the matching
NI (Node Identifier) string.
2. OK (or Error is returned.
3. Command Mode is exited to allow immediate communication
<API Firmware>
1. The 16-bit network and 64-bit extended addresses are returned in an API
Command Response frame.
If there is no response from a module within (NT * 100) milliseconds or a parameter
is not specified (left blank), the command is terminated and an “ERROR” message
is returned. In the case of an ERROR, Command Mode is not exited. The radius of the
DN command is set by the BH command.
up to 20-Byte
printable ASCII
string
--
IS Force Sample. Forces a read of all enabled digital and analog input lines. -- --
AT
Command Name and Description
Parameter
Range Default
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 199
Module support
This section provides customization information for the XBee. In addition to providing an extremely flexible and
powerful API, XBee modules are a robust development platform that have passed FCC and ETSI testing. Developers
can customize default parameters, or even write or load custom firmware for Ember's EM357 chip.
XCTU configuration tool
Digi provides a Windows XCTU configuration tool for configuring module parameters and updating firmware. The
XCTU has the capability to do the following:
•Discover all XBee devices in the network
•Update firmware on a local module (requires USB or serial connection)
•Read or write module configuration parameters on a local or remote device
•Save and load configuration profiles containing customized settings
You can download XCTU here.
Customizing XBee ZB firmware
Once module parameters are tested in an application and finalized, Digi can manufacture modules with specific,
customer-defined configurations for a nominal fee. These custom configurations can lock in a firmware version or set
command values when the modules are manufactured, eliminating the need for customers to adjust module
parameters on arrival. Alternatively, Digi can program custom firmware, including Ember's EZSP UART image, into
the modules during manufacturing. Contact Digi to create a custom configuration.
Design considerations for Digi drop-in networking
XBee RF modules contain a variety of features that allow for interoperability with Digi's full line of Drop-in Networking
products. Interoperability with other “DIN” products can offer these advantages:
•Add IP-connectivity to your network via Cellular, Ethernet or Wi-Fi with a ConnectPort X Gateway
•Extend the range of your network with the XBee Wall Router
•Make deployment easy by enabling the Commissioning Pushbutton (pin 20) and AssociateLED (pin 15) to operate
with the Network Commissioning Tool software
•Interface with standard RS-232, USB, Analog and Digital I/O, RS-485, and other industrial devices using XBee
Adapters
XBee Bootloader
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 200
•Monitor and manage your network securely from remote locations with Device Cloud
•We encourage you to contact our technical representatives for consideration, implementation, or design
review of your product for interoperability with Digi's Drop-in Networking solutions
XBee Bootloader
XBee modules use a modified version of Ember’s bootloader. This bootloader version supports a custom entry
mechanism that uses module pins DIN (pin 4/SMT, pin 3/TH), DTR / SLEEP_RQ (pin 10/SMT, pin9/TH), and RTS
(pin 29/SMT, pin16/TH). To invoke the bootloader, do the following:
1. Set DTR / SLEEP_RQ low (TTL 0V) and RTS high.
2. Send a serial break to the DIN pin and power cycle or reset the module.
3. When the module powers up, DTR / SLEEP_RQ and DIN should be low (TTL 0V) and RTS should be high.
4. Terminate the serial break and send a carriage return at 115200b/s to the module.
5. If successful, the module will send the Ember bootloader menu out the DOUT pin at 115200b/s.
6. Commands can be sent to the bootloader at 115200b/s.
Note Hardware flow control should be disabled when entering and communicating with the Ember 357
bootloader.
Programming XBee Modules
Firmware on the XBee modules can be updated serially.
Serial firmware updates
Serial firmware updates make use of the XBee custom bootloader which ships in all units. This modified
bootloader is based on Ember's standalone bootloader, but with a modified entry mechanism. The modified
entry mechanism uses module pins 4, 10, and 29 (DIN, DTR, and RTS respectively) on the SMT, and pins 3, 9, 16 on
the TH.
The XCTU program can update firmware serially on the XBee. Contact Digi support for details.
If an application requires custom firmware to update the XBee firmware serially, the following steps are required.
Invoke the XBee Bootloader
See XBee Bootloader on page 200 for steps to invoke the bootloader using RS-232 signals. The bootloader may
also be invoked by issuing a command via XCTU. Then the application makes an explicit call to the bootloader,
which does not return.
If there is no valid application, the bootloader will always run.
Send a firmware image
After invoking the bootloader, the Ember bootloader will send the bootloader menu characters out the serial
port, which may be the UART at 115200 b/s or the SPI, where the attached SPI master provides the clock rate. The
application should do the following to upload a firmware image.
1. Look for the bootloader prompt "BL >" to ensure the bootloader is active
Writing custom firmware
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 201
2. Send an ASCII “1” character to initiate a firmware update
3. After sending a “1”, the EM357 waits for an XModem CRC upload of an.ebl image over the serial line at 115200
b/s. The .ebl file must be sent to the EM357 in order.
If the firmware image is successfully loaded, the bootloader will output a “complete” string. Then the newly
loaded firmware can be invoked by sending a ‘2’ to the module.
If the firmware image is not successfully loaded, the bootloader will output an “aborted” string. Then it will
return to the main bootloader menu. Some causes for failure are:
•Over 1 minute passes after the command to send the firmware image and the first block of the image has not
yet been sent
•A power cycle or reset event occurs during the firmware load
•A file error or a flash error occurs during the firmware load
Writing custom firmware
The XBee module can be used as a hardware development platform for the EM357. Custom firmware images can
be developed around the EmberZNet 4.2.xx mesh stacks (for the EM357) and uploaded to the XBee.
CAUTION! If programming firmware through the JTAG interface, be aware that doing so can potentially erase
the XBee bootloader. If this occurs, serial firmware updates will not work.
Regulatory compliance
XBee modules are FCC and ETSI certified for operation on all 16 channels. The EM357 output power can be
configured up to 8 dBm with boost mode enabled on channels 11 through 25. On channel 26 you must reduce the
power to 3 dBm.
XBee-PRO modules are FCC certified for operation on all 16 channels. The XBee-PRO contains a power
compensation method to adjust the output power near 18 dBm on channels 11 through 25. You must configure
the EM357 with an output power such that the module outputs 18 dBm or less on channels 11 through 25. On
channel 26, you must reduce the power to no more than 0 dBm. The end product is responsible to adhere to
these requirements.
Enabling GPIO 1 and 2
Most of the remaining sections in this section describe how to configure GPIOs to function correctly in custom
applications that run on the XBee modules. In order for GPIO pins to be configurable, the application must set the
GPIO_PxCFG registers to enable the appropriate GPIO. The following table lists values for configuring the GPIO
pins. Other functionality is affected by these settings. See the EM357 datasheet from Ember for a complete listing
of functionality.
GPIO Mode GPIO_PxCFGH/L Description
Analog 0x0 Analog input or output. When in analog mode, the digital input (GPIO_PxIN)
always reads 1.
Input (floating) 0x4 Digital input without an internal pull-up or pull-down. Output is disabled.
Input (pull-up or pull-
down) 0x8 Digital input with an internal pull-up or pull-down. A set bit in GPIO_PxOUT
selects pull-up and a cleared bit selects pull-down. Output is disabled
Output (push-pull) 0x1 Push-pull output. GPIO_PxOUT controls the output.
Writing custom firmware
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 202
For more information on configuring and setting GPIOs, consult the EM357 specification.
Detecting XBee versus XBee-PRO
For some applications, it may be necessary to determine if the code is running on an XBee or an XBee-PRO device.
The PC7 pin on the EM357 is used to identify the module type (see Overview of the XBee ZigBee RF Module on
page 10). PC7 is connected to ground on the XBee module. The following code could be used to determine if a
module is an XBee or an XBee-PRO:
GPIO_PCSET = 0x80; // Enable pullup resistor
GPIO_PCCFGH &= 0x0fff; // Clear PC7 config
GPIO_PCCFGH |= 0x8000;// Set PC7 as input with pullup/pulldown
if (GPIO_PCIN & 0x80) {
ModuleIsXBeePro = true;
} else {
ModuleIsXBeePro = false;
}
Special instructions for using the JTAG interface
There are four JTAG programming pins on the XBee through which firmware can be loaded onto the EM357
processor. Three of these pins are also connected to a second pin on the XBee and are used for separate
functions. The following table indicates the JTAG signal name, the primary connection pin on the XBee, the
secondary connection pin, and the secondary signal name.
It is important that the secondary pins specifically are not loaded with circuitry that might interfere with JTAG
programming (for example, an LED tied directly to the ASSOCIATE / DIO5 line). Any loading circuitry should be
buffered to avoid conflicts (for example, connecting ASSOCIATE / DIO5 to the gate of a MOSFET which drives the
LED).
Output (open-drain) 0x5 Open-drain output. GPIO_PxOUT controls the output. If a pull-up is required,
it must be external.
Alternate Output (push-
pull) 0x9 Push-pull output. An on-board peripheral controls the output.
Alternate Output (open-
drain) 0xD Open-drain output. An on-board peripheral controls the output. If a pull-up
is required, it must be external.
GPIO Mode GPIO_PxCFGH/L Description
JTAG pin name Primary XBee pin Secondary XBee pin Secondary pin name
JTCK 18 N/A N/A
JTDO 19 26 ON / SLEEP / DIO9
JTDI 20 28 ASSOCIATE / DIO5
JTMS 21 5 DIO12
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 203
Agency certifications
United States FCC
The XBee RF Modules comply with Part 15 of the FCC rules and regulations. Compliance with the labeling
requirements, FCC notices and antenna usage guidelines is required.
To fulfill FCC Certification, the OEM must comply with the following regulations:
1. The system integrator must ensure that the text on the external label provided with this device is placed on the
outside of the final product.
2. XBee ZB RF Modules may only be used with antennas that have been tested and approved for use with the
modules [refer to the antenna tables in this section].
OEM Labeling Requirements
WARNING! The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) must ensure that FCC labeling requirements are met. This
includes a clearly visible label on the outside of the final product enclosure that displays the contents
shown in the figure below.
Required FCC Label for OEM products containing the XBee S2C SMT RF Module Model: S2D SMT
Contains FCC ID: MCQ-S2DSM
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1.)
this device may not cause harmful interference and (2.) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Required FCC Label for OEM products containing the XBee S2C SMT RF Module
Contains FCC ID: MCQ-XBS2C
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1.)
this device may not cause harmful interference and (2.) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
United States FCC
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 204
Required FCC Label for OEM products containing the XBee-PRO S2C SMT RF Module
Note Legacy XBee-PRO SMT (Model: PRO S2C; hardware version 21xx) has FCC ID: MCQ-XBPS2C.
Required FCC Label for OEM products containing the XBee S2C TH RF Module
Required FCC Label for OEM products containing the XBee-PRO S2C TH RF Module
FCC notices
IMPORTANT: The XBee and XBee-PRO RF Modules have been certified by the FCC for use with other products
without any further certification (as per FCC section 2.1091). Modifications not expressly approved by Digi could
void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
IMPORTANT: OEMs must test final product to comply with unintentional radiators (FCC section 15.107 & 15.109)
before declaring compliance of their final product to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
IMPORTANT: The RF module has been certified for remote and base radio applications. If the module will be
used for portable applications, the device must undergo SAR testing.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures: Re-orient or relocate the receiving antenna, Increase the separation between the equipment
and receiver, Connect equipment and receiver to outlets on different circuits, or Consult the dealer or an
experienced radio/TV technician for help.
FCC-approved antennas (2.4 GHz)
The XBee and XBee-PRO ZB RF Modules can be installed utilizing antennas and cables constructed with non-
standard connectors (RPSMA, RPTNC, etc.) An adapter cable may be necessary to attach the XBee connector to
the antenna connector.
Contains FCC ID:MCQ-PS2CSM
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1.) this device may not cause harmful interference and (2.) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Contains FCC ID:MCQ-S2CTH
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1.)
this device may not cause harmful interference and (2.) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Contains FCC ID: MCQ-PS2CTH
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1.) this device may not cause harmful interference and (2.) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
United States FCC
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 205
The modules are FCC approved for fixed base station and mobile applications for the channels indicated in the tables
below. If the antenna is mounted at least 20 cm (7.8 in) from nearby persons, the application is considered a mobile
application. Antennas not listed in the table must be tested to comply with FCC Section 15.203 (Unique Antenna
Connectors) and Section 15.247 (Emissions).
The antennas in the tables below have been approved for use with this module. Cable loss is required when using
gain antennas as shown in the tables. Digi does not carry all of these antenna variants. Contact Digi Sales for available
antennas. The following table shows the antennas approved for use with the XBee ZB Surface Mount RF Module.
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 206
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/
Power Reduction/
Attenuation Required
Channels
11-25 Channel 26
Integral Antennas
29000313 Integral PCB antenna 0.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-QI Monopole (Integrated whip) 1.5 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
Dipole Antennas
A24-HASM-450 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABSM Dipole (Articulated RPSMA) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
29000095 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABUF-P5I Dipole (Half-wave articulated bulkhead mount U.FL. w/ 5” pigtail) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HASM-525 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 5.25") 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
Omni-directional Antennas
A24-F2NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F3NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 3.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F5NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 5.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F8NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 8.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F9NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 9.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F10NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F12NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.0 dB
A24-W7NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 207
A24-M7NF Omni-directional (Mag-mount base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F15NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 5.0 dB
Panel Antennas
A24-P8SF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 3.0 dB
A24-P8NF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 3.0 dB
A24-P13NF Flat Panel 13.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 7.5 dB
A24-P14NF Flat Panel 14.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 8.5 dB
A24-P15NF Flat Panel 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 9.5 dB
A24-P16NF Flat Panel 16.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 10.5 dB
A24-P19NF Flat Panel 19.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 13.5 dB
Yagi Antennas
A24-Y6NF Yagi (6-element) 8.8 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.8 dB
A24-Y7NF Yagi (7-element) 9.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 3.0 dB
A24-Y9NF Yagi (9-element) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 4.0 dB
A24-Y10NF Yagi (10-element) 11.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 5.0 dB
A24-Y12NF Yagi (12-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.0 dB
A24-Y13NF Yagi (13-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.0 dB
A24-Y15NF Yagi (15-element) 12.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.5 dB
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/
Power Reduction/
Attenuation Required
Channels
11-25 Channel 26
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 208
The following table shows antennas approved for use with the XBee ZB Through Hole RF Module.
A24-Y16NF Yagi (16-element) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 7.5 dB
A24-Y16RM Yagi (16-element, RPSMA connector) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 7.5 dB
A24-Y18NF Yagi (18-element) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 9.0 dB
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/
Power Reduction/
Attenuation Required
Channels
11-25 Channel 26
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/
Power Reduction/
Attenuation Required
Channels
11-25 Channel 26
Integral Antennas
29000294 Integral PCB antenna -0.5 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-QI Monopole (Integrated whip) 1.5 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
Dipole Antennas
A24-HASM-450 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABSM Dipole (Articulated RPSMA) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
29000095 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABUF-P5I Dipole (Half-wave articulated bulkhead mount U.FL. w/ 5” pigtail) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HASM-525 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 5.25") 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
Omni-directional Antennas
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 209
A24-F2NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F3NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 3.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F5NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 5.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F8NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 8.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.0 dB
A24-F9NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 9.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 3.5 dB
A24-F10NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 4.0 dB
A24-F12NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.0 dB
A24-W7NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 1.2 dB
A24-M7NF Omni-directional (Mag-mount base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 1.2 dB
A24-F15NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 9.0 dB
Panel Antennas
A24-P8SF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.5 dB
A24-P8NF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.5 dB
A24-P13NF Flat Panel 13.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 7.0 dB
A24-P14NF Flat Panel 14.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 8.0 dB
A24-P15NF Flat Panel 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 9.0 dB
A24-P16NF Flat Panel 16.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 10.0 dB
A24-P19NF Flat Panel 19.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 13.0 dB
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/
Power Reduction/
Attenuation Required
Channels
11-25 Channel 26
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 210
Yagi Antennas
A24-Y6NF Yagi (6-element) 8.8 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.8 dB
A24-Y7NF Yagi (7-element) 9.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 3 dB
A24-Y9NF Yagi (9-element) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 4 dB
A24-Y10NF Yagi (10-element) 11.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 5 dB
A24-Y12NF Yagi (12-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.5 dB
A24-Y13NF Yagi (13-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.5 dB
A24-Y15NF Yagi (15-element) 12.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 6.5 dB
A24-Y16NF Yagi (16-element) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 7.5 dB
A24-Y16RM Yagi (16-element, RPSMA connector) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 7.5 dB
A24-Y18NF Yagi (18-element) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 9.0 dB
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/
Power Reduction/
Attenuation Required
Channels
11-25 Channel 26
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 211
The following table shows antennas approved for use with the XBee-PRO ZB Surface Mount RF Module.
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/Power
Reduction/Attenuation Required
Channels 11-25 Channel 26
Internal Antennas
29000313 Integral PCB antenna 0.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-QI Monopole (Integrated whip) 1.5 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
Dipole Antennas
A24-HASM-450 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABSM Dipole (Articulated RPSMA) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
29000095 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABUF-P5I Dipole (Half-wave articulated bulkhead mount U.FL. w/ 5”
pigtail)
2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HASM-525 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 5.25") 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
Omni-directional Antennas
A24-F2NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F3NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 3.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F5NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 5.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F8NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 8.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 1.3 dB
A24-F9NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 9.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 2.8 dB
A24-F10NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 10 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 3.3 dB
A24-F12NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 12 dBi Fixed 2 m 1.7 dB 5.3 dB
A24-W7NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 0.5 dB
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 212
A24-M7NF Omni-directional (Mag-mount base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 0.5 dB
A24-F15NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 4.7 dB 8.3 dB
Panel Antennas
A24-P8SF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 2.8 dB 4.5 dB
A24-P8NF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 2.8 dB 4.5 dB
A24-P13NF Flat Panel 13.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 7.3 dB 9 dB
A24-P14NF Flat Panel 14.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 8.3 dB 10 dB
A24-P15NF Flat Panel 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 9.3 dB 11 dB
A24-P16NF Flat Panel 16.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 10.3 dB 12 dB
A24-P19NF Flat Panel 19.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 13.3 dB 15 dB
Yagi Antennas
A24-Y6NF Yagi (6-element) 8.8 dBi Fixed 2 m 2.4 dB 4.2 dB
A24-Y7NF Yagi (7-element) 9.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 2.6 dB 4.4 dB
A24-Y9NF Yagi (9-element) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 3.6 dB 5.4 dB
A24-Y10NF Yagi (10-element) 11.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 4.6 dB 6.4 dB
A24-Y12NF Yagi (12-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 5.6 dB 7.4 dB
A24-Y13NF Yagi (13-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 5.6 dB 7.4 dB
A24-Y15NF Yagi (15-element) 12.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 6.1 dB 7.9 dB
A24-Y16NF Yagi (16-element) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 7.1 dB 8.9 dB
A24-Y16RM Yagi (16-element, RPSMA connector) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 7.1 dB 8.9 dB
A24-Y18NF Yagi (18-element) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 8.6 dB 10.4 dB
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/Power
Reduction/Attenuation Required
Channels 11-25 Channel 26
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 213
The following table shows the antennas approved for use with the XBee-PRO ZB Through Hole RF Module.
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/Power
Reduction/Attenuation Required
Channels 11-25 Channel 26
Integral Antennas
29000294 Integral PCB antenna -0.5 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-QI Monopole (Integrated whip) 1.5 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
Dipole Antennas
A24-HASM-450 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABSM Dipole (Articulated RPSMA) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
29000095 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HABUF-P5I Dipole (Half-wave articulated bulkhead mount U.FL. w/ 5”
pigtail)
2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-HASM-525 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 5.25") 2.1 dBi Fixed/ Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
Omni-directional Antennas
A24-F2NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F3NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 3.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F5NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 5.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm N/A N/A
A24-F8NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 8.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F9NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 9.5 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F10NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F12NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A 0.9 dB
A24-W7NF Omni-directional (base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 214
A24-M7NF Omni-directional (Mag-mount base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 2 m N/A N/A
A24-F15NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 2.5 dB 3.9 dB
Panel Antennas
A24-P8SF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 1 dB 1.6 dB
A24-P8NF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 1 dB 1.6 dB
A24-P13NF Flat Panel 13 dBi Fixed 2 m 5.5 dB 6.1 dB
A24-P14NF Flat Panel 14 dBi Fixed 2 m 6.5 dB 7.1 dB
A24-P15NF Flat Panel 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 7.5 dB 8.1 dB
A24-P16NF Flat Panel 16.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 8.5 dB 9.1 dB
A24-19NF Flat Panel 19.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 11.5 dB 12.1 dB
Yagi Antennas
A24-Y6NF Yagi (6-element) 8.8 dBi Fixed 2 m 0.3 dB N/A
A24-Y7NF Yagi (7-element) 9.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 0.5 dB N/A
A24-Y9NF Yagi (9-element) 10.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 1.5 dB 1 db
A24-Y10NF Yagi (10-element) 11.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 2.5 dB 2 dB
A24-Y12NF Yagi (12-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 3.5 dB 3 dB
A24-Y13NF Yagi (13-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 3.5 dB 3 dB
A24-Y15NF Yagi (15-element) 12.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 4.0 dB 3.5 dB
A24-Y16NF Yagi (16-element) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 5.0 dB 4.5 dB
A24-Y16RM Yagi (16-element, RPSMA connector) 13.5 dBi Fixed 2 m 5.0 dB 4.5 dB
A24-Y18NF Yagi (18-element) 15.0 dBi Fixed 2 m 6.5 dB 6 dB
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application*
Min.
Separation
Minimum Cable Loss/Power
Reduction/Attenuation Required
Channels 11-25 Channel 26
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 215
The following table shows the antennas approved for use with the XBee S2D SMT surface-mount module. See Associated antenna descriptions on page 218 for
additional cable loss required beyond the antennas listed below.
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application1
Min.
Separation
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from +8dBm
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from +8dBm
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from
+1dBm2
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from
+1dBm3
Channels 11
to 24 Channel 25 Channel 26 Channel 26
Yagi Class Antennas
A24-Y6NF Yagi (6-element) 8.8 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 5 12
A24-Y7NF Yagi (7-element) 9.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 5 12
A24-Y9NF Yagi (9-element) 10.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 6 13
A24-Y10NF Yagi (10-element) 11.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 1 7 14
A24-Y12NF Yagi (12-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 2 8 15
A24-Y13NF Yagi (13-element) 12.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 2 8 15
A24-Y15NF Yagi (15-element) 12.5 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 2.5 8.5 15.5
A24-Y16NF Yagi (16-element) 13.5 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 3.5 9.5 16.5
A24-Y16RM Yagi (16-element, RPSMA connector) 13.5 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 3.5 9.5 16.5
A24-Y18NF Yagi (18-element) 15.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 5 11 18
Omni-directional Antennas
A24-F2NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm 0 0 0 1.5
A24-F3NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 3.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm 0 0 0 2.5
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 216
A24-F5NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 5.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm 0 0 0 4.5
A24-F8NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 8.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 0 7.5
A24-F9NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 9.5 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 1.5 9
A24-F10NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 10.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 2.5 9.5
A24-F12NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 12.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 4.5 11.5
A24-F15NF Omni-directional (Fiberglass base station) 15.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 7.5 14.5
A24-W7NF Omni-directional (Base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 0 7
A24-M7NF Omni-directional (Mag-mount base station) 7.2 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 0 7
Dipole Antennas
A24-HASM-450 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 4.5”) 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm 0 0 0 4
A24-HABSM Dipole (Articulated RPSMA) 2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 0 4
A24-HABUF-P5I Dipole (Half-wave articulated bulkhead mount
U.FL. w/ 5” pigtail)
2.1 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 0 4
A24-HASM-525 Dipole (Half-wave articulated RPSMA - 5.25") 2.1 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm 0 0 0 4
Panel Class Antennas
A24-P8SF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 5.5 11.5
A24-P8NF Flat Panel 8.5 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 0 5.5 11.5
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application1
Min.
Separation
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from +8dBm
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from +8dBm
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from
+1dBm2
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from
+1dBm3
Channels 11
to 24 Channel 25 Channel 26 Channel 26
Agency certifications
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 217
A24-P13NF Flat Panel 13.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 2 10 16
A24-P14NF Flat Panel 14.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 3 11 17
A24-P15NF Flat Panel 15.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 4 12 18
A24-P16NF Flat Panel 16.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 5 13 19
A24-P19NF Flat Panel 19.0 dBi Fixed 20 cm 0 8 16 22
Integral Antennas
29000313 Integral PCB antenna 0.0 dBi Fixed/Mobile 20 cm 0 0 0 7
1. If using the RF module in a portable application (for example - if the module is used in a handheld device and the antenna is less than 20 cm from the human body when the device is in
operation): The integrator is responsible for passing additional SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) testing based on FCC rules 2.1091 and FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio Frequency
Electromagnetic Fields, OET Bulletin and Supplement C. The testing results will be submitted to the FCC for approval prior to selling the integrated unit. The required SAR testing measures
emissions from the module and how they affect the person.
2. ZigBee firmware will be limited to 32% duty cycle on channel 26.
3. If using 802.15.4 firmware with up to a 66% duty cycle on this channel.
Part Number Type (Description) Gain Application1
Min.
Separation
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from +8dBm
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from +8dBm
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from
+1dBm2
Required
Cable-loss or
Power
reduction
from
+1dBm3
Channels 11
to 24 Channel 25 Channel 26 Channel 26
RF exposure
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 218
Associated antenna descriptions
The following table shows the associated antenna descriptions.
RF exposure
CAUTION! To satisfy FCC RF exposure requirements for mobile transmitting devices, a separation distance of 20
cm or more should be maintained between the antenna of this device and persons during device
operation. To ensure compliance, operations at closer than this distance are not recommended. The
antenna used for this transmitter must not be co-located in conjunction with any other antenna or
transmitter.
The preceding statement must be included as a CAUTION statement in OEM product manuals in order to alert users of
FCC RF Exposure compliance.
Europe (ETSI)
The XBee ZB modules (non-PRO versions only) have been tested for use in several European countries. For a complete
list, refer to www.digi.com.
If the modules are incorporated into a product, the manufacturer must ensure compliance of the final product to the
European harmonized EMC and low-voltage/safety standards. A Declaration of Conformity must be issued for each of
these standards and kept on file as described in Annex II of the R&TTE Directive.
Furthermore, the manufacturer must maintain a copy of the XBee user manual documentation and ensure the final
product does not exceed the specified power ratings, antenna specifications, and/or installation requirements as
specified in the user manual. If any of these specifications are exceeded in the final product, a submission must be
made to a notified body for compliance testing to all required standards.
OEM labeling requirements
The 'CE' marking must be affixed to a visible location on the OEM product. The following figure shows CE labeling
requirements.
The CE mark shall consist of the initials “CE” taking the following form:
•If the CE marking is reduced or enlarged, the proportions given in the above graduated drawing must be respected
•The CE marking must have a height of at least 5mm except where this is not possible on account of the nature of
the apparatus
Antenna type Maximum gain allowed (dBi)
Required minimum assembly and
cable loss for maximum gain of
antenna (dB)
Integral PCB 0.0 0.0
Dipole 2.1 0.63
Omni-Directional 15.0 1.25
Yagi 15.0 1.25
Flat Panel 19.0 1.25
Europe (ETSI)
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 219
•The CE marking must be affixed visibly, legibly, and indelibly
Restrictions
France: Outdoor use limited to 10 mW EIRP within the band 2454-2483.5 MHz.
Norway: Norway prohibits operation near Ny-Alesund in Svalbard. More information can be found at the Norway
Posts and Telecommunications site (www.npt.no).
Italy: For private use, a general authorization is required if WAS/RLANs are used outside own premises. For public
use, a general authorization is required.
Russian Federation:
•Maximum mean EIRP density is 2 mW/MHz, maximum 100 mW EIRP
•Maximum mean EIRP density is 20 mW/MHz, maximum 100 mW EIRP permitted to use SRD for outdoor
applications only, for purposes of gathering telemetry information for automated monitoring and resources
accounting systems or security systems
•Maximum mean EIRP density is 10 mW/MHz, maximum 100 mW EIRP for indoor applications
Ukraine: EIRP must be less than or equal to 100 mW with built-in antenna, with amplification factor up to 6 dBi.
Declarations of Conformity
Digi has issued Declarations of Conformity for the XBee RF Modules concerning emissions, EMC and safety. Files can
be obtained by contacting Digi Support.
Important Note:
Digi does not list the entire set of standards that must be met for each country. Digi customers assume full
responsibility for learning and meeting the required guidelines for each country in their distribution market. For more
information relating to European compliance of an OEM product incorporating the XBee RF Module, contact Digi, or
refer to the following web sites:
CEPT ERC 70-03E - Technical Requirements, European restrictions and general requirements: Available at
www.ero.dk/.
R&TTE Directive - Equipment requirements, placement on market: Available at www.ero.dk/.
Antennas
The following antennas have been tested and approved for use with the XBee ZB RF Module:
•Dipole (2.1 dBi, Omni-directional, Articulated RPSMA, Digi part number A24-HABSM)
•PCB Antenna (0.0 dBi)
•Monopole Whip (1.5 dBi)
IC (Industry Canada) Certification
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 220
IC (Industry Canada) Certification
Labeling requirements
Labeling requirements for Industry Canada are similar to those of the FCC. A clearly visible label on the outside of the
final product enclosure must display the following text.
For XBee ZB surface mount:
Contains Model XBee S2C Radio, IC: 1846A-XBS2C
The integrator is responsible for its product to comply with IC ICES-003 & FCC Part 15, Sub. B -Unintentional
Radiators. ICES-003 is the same as FCC Part 15 Sub. B and Industry Canada accepts FCC test report or CISPR 22 test
report for compliance with ICES-003.
For XBee-PRO ZB surface mount:
Contains Model PS2CSM Radio, IC: 1846A-PS2CSM
The integrator is responsible for its product to comply with IC ICES-003 & FCC Part 15, Sub. B -Unintentional
Radiators. ICES-003 is the same as FCC Part 15 Sub. B and Industry Canada accepts FCC test report or CISPR 22 test
report for compliance with ICES-003.
Note Legacy XBee-PRO SMT (Model: PRO S2C; hardware version 21xx) has IC: 1846A-XBPS2C.
For XBee ZB through hole:
Contains Model S2CTH Radio, IC: 1846A-S2CTH
The integrator is responsible for its product to comply with IC ICES-003 & FCC Part 15, Sub. B -Unintentional
Radiators. ICES-003 is the same as FCC Part 15 Sub. B and Industry Canada accepts FCC test report or CISPR 22 test
report for compliance with ICES-003.
For XBee-PRO ZB through hole:
Contains Model PS2CTH Radio, IC: 1846A-PS2CTH
The integrator is responsible for its product to comply with IC ICES-003 & FCC Part 15, Sub. B -Unintentional
Radiators. ICES-003 is the same as FCC Part 15 Sub. B and Industry Canada accepts FCC test report or CISPR 22 test
report for compliance with ICES-003.
Transmitters for detachable antennas
This device has been designed to operate with the antennas listed in the previous table and having a maximum of 19
dB. Antennas not included in this list or having a gain greater than 19 dB are strictly prohibited for use with this
device. The required antenna impedance is 50 ohms.
Detachable antenna
To reduce potential radio interference to other users, the antenna type and gain should be so chosen that the
equivalent, isotropically radiated power (EIRP) is not more than permitted for successful communication.
IC (Industry Canada) Certification
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 221
For XBee S2D SMT:
Contains Model S2D SMT, IC: 1846A-S2DSM
The integrator is responsible for its product to comply with IC ICES-003 & FCC Part 15, Sub. B -Unintentional
Radiators. ICES-003 is the same as FCC Part 15 Sub. B and Industry Canada accepts FCC test report or CISPR 22 test
report for compliance with ICES-003.
This device complies with Industry Canada licence-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence.
L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes: (1) l'appareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2)
l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d'en
compromettre le fonctionnement.
RF Exposure
CAUTION! This equipment is approved for mobile and base station transmitting devices only. Antenna(s) used for
this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 20 cm from all persons
and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.
ATTENTION Cet équipement est approuvé pour la mobile et la station base dispositifs d'émission seulement.
Antenne(s) utilisé pour cet émetteur doit être installé pour fournir une distance de séparation d'au
moins 20 cm à partir de toutes les personnes et ne doit pas être situé ou fonctionner en conjonction
avec tout autre antenne ou émetteur.
Transmitters with Detachable Antennas
This radio transmitter (IC: 1846A-S2DSM) has been approved by Industry Canada to operate with the antenna types
listed in FCC-approved antennas (2.4 GHz) on page 204 with the maximum permissible gain and required antenna
impedance for each antenna type indicated. Antenna types not included in this list, having a gain greater than the
maximum gain indicated for that type, are strictly prohibited for use with this device.
Le présent émetteur radio (IC: 1846A-S2DSM) a été approuvé par Industrie Canada pour fonctionner avec les types
d'antenne énumérés ci-dessous et ayant un gain admissible maximal et l'impédance requise pour chaque type
d'antenne. Les types d'antenne non inclus dans cette liste, ou dont le gain est supérieur au gain maximal indiqué,
sont strictement interdits pour l'exploitation de l'émetteur.
Detachable Antenna
Under Industry Canada regulations, this radio transmitter may operate using only an antenna of a type and maximum
(or lesser) gain approved for the transmitter by Industry Canada. To reduce potential radio interference to other
users, the antenna type and its gain should be so chosen that the equivalent isotropically radiated power (e.i.r.p.) is
not more than that necessary for successful communication.
Conformément à la réglementation d'Industrie Canada, le présent émetteur radio peutfonctionner avec une antenne
d'un type et d'un gain maximal (ou inférieur) approuvépour l'émetteur par Industrie Canada. Dans le but de réduire
les risques de brouillageradioélectrique à l'intention des autres utilisateurs, il faut choisir le type d'antenne etson
gain de sorte que la puissance isotrope rayonnée équivalente (p.i.r.e.) ne dépassepas l'intensité nécessaire
àl'établissement d'une communication satisfaisante.
Australia (RCM/C-Tick)
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 222
Australia (RCM/C-Tick)
These modules comply with requirements to be used in end products in Australia. All products with EMC and radio
communications must have a registered RCM/C-Tick mark. Registration to use the compliance mark will only be
accepted from Australian manufacturers or importers, or their agent, in Australia.
In order to have a RCM/C-Tick mark on an end product, a company must comply with a or b below.
a. have a company presence in Australia.
b. have a company/distributor/agent in Australia that will sponsor the importing of the end product.
Contact Digi for questions related to locating a contact in Australia.
ANATEL (Brazil) certification
The XBee ZB RF modules (models noted below) comply with Brazil ANATEL standards in Resolution No. 506. The
following information is required in the user manual for the product containing the radio and on the product
containing the radio (in Portuguese):
Digi Model: XB24CZ7PIS-004, XB24CZ7PISB003, XB24CZ7RIS-004, XB24CZ7RISB003, XB24CZ7UIS-004 e
XB24CZ7UISB003
ANATEL (Brazil) certification
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 223
ANATEL (Brazil) certification
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 224
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 225
Migrating from XBee through-hole to XBee surface-mount
modules
The XBee surface mount and through-hole modules were designed to be compatible with each other and offer the
same basic feature set. As indicated elsewhere in this manual, the surface mount form factor has more I/O pins.
Because originally the XBee was offered only in a Through-hole form factor, we offer this section to help users migrate
from the Surface Mount to the Through-hole form factor.
Pin mapping
Mapping of the Surface Mount (SMT) pads to the Through-hole (TH) pins is shown in the table below. The pin names
are from the S2C SMT module.
SMT Pin # Name TH Pin #
1GND
2VCC1
3DOUT / DIO132
4 DIN / CONFIG / DIO14 3
5DIO124
6 RESET 5
7 RSSI PWM / DIO10 6
8PWM1 / DIO117
9 [reserved] 8
10 DTR / SLEEP_RQ / DIO8 9
11 GND 10
12 SPI_ATTN / BOOTMODE / DIO19
13 GND
14 SPI_CLK / DIO18
15 SPI_SSEL / DIO17
16 SPI_MOSI / DIO16
Mounting
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 226
Mounting
One of the important differences between the Surface Mount and the Through-hole modules is the way they
mount to the PCB. Different mounting techniques are required.
Digi International has designed a footprint which will allow either module to be attached to a PCB. The layout is
shown below. All dimensions are in inches.
17 SPI_MISO / DIO15
18 [reserved]
19 [reserved]
20 [reserved]
21 [reserved]
22 GND
23 [reserved]
24 DIO4 11
25 CTS / DIO7 12
26 ON / SLEEP / DIO9 13
27 VREF 14
28 ASSOCIATE / DIO5 15
29 RTS / DIO6 16
30 AD3 / DIO3 17
31 AD2 / DIO2 18
32 AD1 / DIO1 19
33 AD0 / DIO0 20
34 [reserved]
35 GND
36 RF
37 [reserved]
SMT Pin # Name TH Pin #
Mounting
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 227
The round holes in the diagram are for the Through-hole design, and the semi-oval pads are for the SMT design.
Pin 1 of the Through-hole design is lined up with pad 1 of the SMT design, but the pins are actually offset by one
pad (see Pin Mapping above). By using diagonal traces to connect the appropriate pins, the layout will work for
both modules.
Information on attaching the SMT module is included in Manufacturing information on page 228.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 228
Manufacturing information
The XBee is designed for surface mount on the OEM PCB. It has castellated pads to allow for easy solder attach
inspection. The pads are all located on the edge of the module, so that there are no hidden solder joints on these
modules.
Recommended solder reflow cycle
The recommended solder reflow cycle is shown below. The chart shows the temperature setting and the time to
reach the temperature. The cooling cycle is not shown.
The maximum temperature should not exceed 260 degrees Celsius.
The module will reflow during this cycle, and therefore must not be reflowed upside down. Care should be taken not
to jar the module while the solder is molten, as parts inside the module can be removed from their required locations.
Hand soldering is possible and should be done in accordance with approved standards.
The XBee/XBee-PRO ZB RF Modules are level 3 Moisture Sensitive Devices. When using this kind of module, consider
the relative requirements in accordance with standard IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020.
In addition, note the following conditions:
a. Calculated shelf life in sealed bag: 12 months at <40°C and <90% relative humidity (RH).
b. Environmental condition during the production: 30°C /60% RH according to IPC/JEDEC J-STD -033C,
paragraphs 5 through 7.
c. The time between the opening of the sealed bag and the start of the reflow process cannot exceed 168 hours if
condition b) is met.
Time (seconds) Temperature (degrees C)
30 65
60 100
90 135
120 160
150 195
180 240
210 260
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 229
d. Baking is required if conditions b) or c) are not met.
e. Baking is required if the humidity indicator inside the bag indicates a RH of 10% more.
f. If baking is required, bake modules in trays stacked no more than 10 high for 4-6 hours at 125°C.
Recommended footprint
It is recommended that you use the PCB footprint shown below for surface mounting. Dimensions are in inches.
The solder footprint should be matched to the copper pads, but may need to be adjusted depending on the
specific needs of assembly and product standards. Recommended stencil thickness is 0.15mm/0.005”. The
component should be placed last and placement speed set to the slowest setting.
While the underside of the module is mostly coated with solder resist, it is recommended that the copper layer
directly below the module be left open to avoid unintended contacts. Copper or vias must not interfere with the
three exposed RF test points on the bottom of the module (see below). Furthermore, these modules have a
ground plane in the middle on the back side for shielding purposes, which can be affected by copper traces
directly below the module.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 230
Flux and cleaning
It is recommended that a “no clean” solder paste be used in assembling these modules. This will eliminate the
clean step and ensure unwanted residual flux is not left under the module where it is difficult to remove. In
addition:
•Cleaning with liquids can result in liquid remaining under the shield or in the gap between the module and the
OEM PCB. This can lead to unintended connections between pads on the module
•The residual moisture and flux residue under the module are not easily seen during an inspection process
Factory recommended best practice is to use a “no clean” solder paste to avoid the issues above and ensure
proper module operation.
Reworking
Rework should never be performed on the module itself. The module has been optimized to give the best
possible performance, and reworking the module itself will void warranty coverage and certifications. We
recognize that some customers will choose to rework and void the warranty; the following information is given as
a guideline in such cases to increase the chances of success during rework, though the warranty is still voided.
The module may be removed from the OEM PCB by the use of a hot air rework station, or hot plate. Care should
be taken not to overheat the module. During rework, the module temperature may rise above its internal solder
melting point and care should be taken not to dislodge internal components from their intended positions.
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 231
Definitions
Definitions
ZigBee node types
Coordinator A node that has the unique function of forming a network. The coordinator is responsible for establishing the
operating channel and PAN ID for an entire network. Once established, the coordinator can form a network
by allowing routers and end devices to join to it. Once the network is formed, the coordinator functions like a
router (it can participate in routing packets and be a source or destination for data packets).
• One coordinator per PAN
•Establishes/Organizes PAN
•Can route data packets to/from other nodes
•Can be a data packet source and destination
•Mains-powered
Refer to the XBee coordinator section for more information.
Definitions
XBee/XBee-PRO ZigBee RF Modules User Guide 232
Router A node that creates/maintains network information and uses this information to determine the best route for
a data packet. A router must join a network before it can allow other routers and end devices to join to it.
A router can participate in routing packets and is intended to be a mains-powered node.
• Several routers can operate in one PAN
•Can route data packets to/from other nodes
•Can be a data packet source and destination
•Mains-powered
Refer to the XBee router section for more information.
End device End devices must always interact with their parent to receive or transmit data. (See ‘joining definition.) They
are intended to sleep periodically and therefore have no routing capacity.
An end device can be a source or destination for data packets but cannot route packets. End devices can be
battery-powered and offer low-power operation.
• Several end devices can operate in one PAN
•Can be a data packet source and destination
•All messages are relayed through a coordinator or router
•Lower power modes
ZigBee node types
ZigBee protocol
PAN Personal Area Network - A data communication network that includes a coordinator and one or more
routers/end devices.
Joining The process of a node becoming part of a ZigBee PAN. A node becomes part of a network by joining
to a coordinator or a router (that has previously joined to the network). During the process of joining,
the node that allowed joining (the parent) assigns a 16-bit address to the joining node (the child).
Network Address The 16-bit address assigned to a node after it has joined to another node. The coordinator always has
a network address of 0.
Operating Channel The frequency selected for data communications between nodes. The operating channel is selected
by the coordinator on power-up.
Energy Scan A scan of RF channels that detects the amount of energy present on the selected channels. The
coordinator uses the energy scan to determine the operating channel.
Route Request Broadcast transmission sent by a coordinator or router throughout the network in attempt to
establish a route to a destination node.
Route Reply Unicast transmission sent back to the originator of the route request. It is initiated by a node when it
receives a route request packet and its address matches the Destination Address in the route request
packet.
Route Discovery The process of establishing a route to a destination node when one does not exist in the Routing
Table. It is based on the AODV (Ad-hoc On-demand Distance Vector routing) protocol.
ZigBee Stack ZigBee is a published specification set of high-level communication protocols for use with small, low-
power modules. The ZigBee stack provides a layer of network functionality on top of the 802.15.4
specification.
For example, the mesh and routing capabilities available to ZigBee solutions are absent in the
802.15.4 protocol.