Digi S6B User Manual
XBee® Wi-Fi RF Module
S6B
User Guide
Revision history—90002180
Revision Date Description
R June
2017
S March
2019
T June
2019
U August
2019
Modified regulatory and certification information as required by RED (Radio
Equipment Directive).
Re-organized the AT commands to match the order in XCTU. Noted that PKis
the wi-fi password. Updated the AP, MK,and GW descriptions.
Added FCC publication 996369 related information.
Removed Brazilian certification information.
Trademarks and copyright
Digi, Digi International, and the Digi logo are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United
States and other countries worldwide. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the
property of their respective owners.
© 2019 Digi International Inc. 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
To view product warranty information, go to the following website:
www.digi.com/howtobuy/terms
Customer support
Gather support information: Before contacting Digi technical support for help, gather the following
information:
Product name and model
Product serial number (s)
Firmware version
Operating system/browser (if applicable)
Logs (from time of reported issue)
Trace (if possible)
Description of issue
Steps to reproduce
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
2
Contact Digi technical support: Digi offers multiple technical support plans and service packages.
Contact us at +1 952.912.3444 or visit us at www.digi.com/support.
Feedback
To provide feedback on this document, email your comments to
Include the document title and part number (XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide, 90002180 U) in the
subject line of your email.
techcomm@digi.com
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
3
Contents
Applicable firmware and hardware 12
Technical specifications
General specifications 14
RF characteristics 14
RF data rates 15
Receiver sensitivity 15
RF transmit power - typical 16
Error vector magnitude (EVM) maximum output power - typical 17
Electrical specifications 18
Serial communication specifications 19
UART pin assignments 20
SPI pin assignments 20
GPIO specifications 20
Regulatory conformity summary 21
Hardware
Mechanical drawings 23
Through-hole device 23
Surface-mount device 24
Pin signals 24
Design notes 26
Power supply 26
Pin connection recommendations 27
Board layout 27
Antenna performance 27
Design notes for RF pad devices 30
Mounting considerations 32
Operation
Serial interface 34
UART data flow 34
Serial data 34
SPI communications 35
Select the SPI port 36
Serial buffers 36
Serial receive buffer 37
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
4
Serial transmit buffer 37
UART flow control 37
CTS flow control 37
RTS flow control 37
The Commissioning Button 38
Connection indicators 39
The Associate LED 39
TCP connection indicator 39
Remote Manager connection indicator 40
Perform a serial firmware update 40
Modes
Serial modes 42
Transparent operating mode 42
API operating mode 42
Command mode 45
Modes of operation 47
Idle mode 47
Transmit mode 47
Receive mode 48
Configuration mode 48
Sleep mode 49
Sleep modes 49
Soft AP mode 49
Enable Soft AP mode 50
Station (STA) connection in Soft AP Provisioning mode 50
Use the webpage to configure a connected device 50
Station (STA) connection in Soft AP Pass Through mode 51
Sleep modes
About sleep modes 53
Use the UARTSleep mode 53
Use SPI Sleep mode 53
AP Associated Sleep mode 54
Pin Sleep mode 54
Cyclic Sleep mode 54
Deep Sleep (Non-Associated Sleep) mode 54
Pin Sleep mode 55
Cyclic Sleep mode 55
Use sleep modes to sample data 55
802.11 bgn networks
Infrastructure networks 57
Infrastructure Wireless Network 57
Ad Hoc networks 57
Set Ad Hoc creator parameters 57
Set Ad Hoc joiner parameters 58
Network basics 58
802.11 standards 58
Encryption 59
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Authentication 59
Open authentication 59
Shared Key 59
Channels 59
IP services
XBee Application Service 62
Local host access 62
Network client access 63
Serial Communication Service 68
Transparent mode 68
UDP 68
TCP 69
API mode 69
UDP mode 69
TCP mode 69
I/O support
Analog and digital I/O lines 72
Through-hole device 72
Surface-mount device 72
Configure I/O functions 73
I/O sampling 74
Queried sampling 75
Periodic I/O sampling 75
Change detection sampling 76
Example 76
RSSI PWM 76
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
Enable WPS 79
Use WPS 79
Pre-shared key (PSK) mode security 79
General Purpose Flash Memory
General Purpose Flash Memory 81
Work with flash memory 81
Access General Purpose Flash Memory 81
General Purpose Flash Memory commands 82
PLATFORM_INFO_REQUEST (0x00) 83
PLATFORM_INFO (0x80) 83
ERASE (0x01) 83
ERASE_RESPONSE (0x81) 84
WRITE (0x02) and ERASE_THEN_WRITE (0x03) 85
WRITE _RESPONSE (0x82) and ERASE_THEN_WRITE_RESPONSE (0x83) 85
READ (0x04) 86
READ_RESPONSE (0x84) 86
FIRMWARE_VERIFY (0x05) and FIRMWARE_VERIFY_AND_INSTALL(0x06) 87
FIRMWARE_VERIFY_RESPONSE (0x85) 88
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FIRMWARE_VERIFY _AND_INSTALL_RESPONSE (0x86) 88
Update the firmware over-the-air 89
Over-the-air firmware updates 89
Distribute the new application 89
Verify the new application 90
Install the application 90
Configure the XBee Wi-Fi RF Module in Digi Remote Manager
Use XCTU to enable Remote Manager 92
Configure the device 92
Output control 92
IO command bits 93
Send I/O samples to Remote Manager 94
View I/O samples in Remote Manager 94
Update the firmware from Remote Manager 95
Send data requests 95
Enable messages to the host 95
About the device request and frame ID 95
Populate and send a Device Request frame (0xB9) 96
Transparent mode data 97
Send data to Remote Manager 97
AT command settings to put serial data in Remote Manager 97
Send files 98
Send binary data points 98
Receive data from Remote Manager 98
Operate in API mode
API mode overview 100
Use the AP command to set the operation mode 100
API frame format 100
API operation (AP parameter = 1) 100
API operation with escaped characters (AP parameter = 2) 101
API serial exchanges 104
AT command frames 104
Transmit and receive RF data 104
Remote AT commands 105
API frames
64-bit Transmit Request - 0x00 107
Description 107
Format 107
Examples 108
Remote AT Command Request - 0x07 109
Description 109
Format 109
Examples 110
Local AT Command Request - 0x08 112
Description 112
Format 112
Examples 112
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Queue Local AT Command Request - 0x09 113
Description 113
Examples 114
Transmit Request - 0x10 115
Transmit options bit field 116
Examples 116
Explicit Addressing Command Request - 0x11 118
Description 118
64-bit addressing 118
16-bit addressing 118
Reserved endpoints 118
Reserved cluster IDs 118
Reserved profile IDs 119
Transmit options bit field 120
Examples 120
Remote AT Command Request - 0x17 122
Examples 123
Transmit (TX) Request: IPv4 - 0x20 125
Send Data Request - 0x28 127
Device Response - 0x2A 129
64-bit Receive Packet - 0x80 130
Format 130
Examples 131
Remote Command Response - 0x87 132
Description 134
Examples 135
Set local command parameter 135
Query local command parameter 135
Transmit Status - 0x89 136
Description 136
Delivery status codes 137
Examples 138
Modem Status - 0x8A 139
Description 139
Modem status codes 140
Examples 141
Extended Transmit Status - 0x8B 142
Delivery status codes 143
Examples 144
I/O Data Sample RX Indicator frame - 0x8F 145
Receive Packet - 0x90 147
Examples 148
Explicit Receive Indicator - 0x91 149
Description 149
Examples 150
Remote AT Command Response- 0x97 151
Examples 152
RX (Receive) Packet: IPv4 - 0xB0 154
Send Data Response frame - 0xB8 156
Device Request frame - 0xB9 157
Device Response Status frame - 0xBA 158
Frame Error - 0xFE 159
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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AT commands
MAC/PHY commands 161
AI (Association Indication) 161
DI (Remote Manager Indicator) 161
CH (Channel) 162
LM (Link Margin) 162
PL (Power Level) 162
Network commands 163
AH (Network Type) 163
CE (Infrastructure Mode) 163
ID (SSID) 163
EE (Encryption Enable) 164
PK (Security Key) 164
IP (IP Protocol) 164
MA (IP Addressing Mode) 165
TM (Timeout) 165
TS (TCP Server Socket Timeout) 166
DO (Device Options) 166
EQ (Remote Manager FQDN) 166
Addressing commands 167
SH (Serial Number High) 167
SL (Serial Number Low) 167
NS (DNS Address) 167
LA (Lookup IP Address of FQDN) 167
DL (Destination Address Low) 168
NI (Node Identifier) 168
KP (Device Description) 168
KC (Contact Information) 168
KL (Device Location) 168
C0 (Serial Communication Service Port) 169
DE (Destination port) 169
GW (Gateway IP Address) 169
MK (IP Address Mask) 170
MY (IP Network Address) 170
PG (Ping an IP Address) 170
DD (Device Type Identifier) 170
NP (Maximum RF Payload Bytes) 171
Serial interfacing commands 171
BD (Baud Rate) 171
NB (Serial Parity) 172
SB (Stop Bits) 172
RO (Packetization Timeout) 172
FT (Flow Control Threshold) 173
AP (API Enable) 173
AO (API Output Options) 173
I/O settings commands 174
D0 (DIO0/AD0/ CB Configuration) 174
D1 (DIO1/AD1 Configuration) 174
D2 (DIO2/AD2 Configuration) 174
D3 (DIO3/AD3 Configuration) 175
D4 (DIO4/AD4 Configuration) 175
D5 (DIO5 Configuration) 176
D6 (DIO6 Configuration) 176
D7 (DIO7 Configuration) 177
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D8 (DIO8 Configuration) 177
D9 (DIO9 Configuration) 178
P0 (DIO10 Configuration) 178
P1 (DIO11 Configuration) 179
P2 (DIO12 Configuration) 179
P3 (DOUT) 180
P4 (DIN) 180
P5 (DIO15 Configuration) 180
P6 (DIO16 Configuration) 181
P7 (DIO17 Configuration) 181
P8 (DIO18 Configuration) 182
P9 (DIO19 Configuration) 182
PD (Pull Direction) 182
PR (Pull-up Resistor) 183
DS (Drive Strength) 184
M0 (PWM0 Duty Cycle) 184
M1 (PWM1 Duty Cycle) 184
LT (Associate LED Blink Time) 184
RP(RSSI PWM Timer) 185
IS (Force Sample) 185
I/O sampling commands 185
AV (Analog Voltage Reference) 185
IC (Digital Change Detection) 186
IF (Sample from Sleep Rate) 186
IR (I/O Sample Rate) 186
TP (Temperature) 186
%V (Supply Voltage) 187
Output Control 187
OM (Output Mask) 187
T0 (Set time to hold DIO0) 187
T1 (Set time to hold DIO1) 187
T2 (Set time to hold DIO2) 188
T3 (Set time to hold DIO3) 188
T4 (Set time to hold DIO4) 188
T5 (Set time to hold DIO5) 188
T6 (Set time to hold DIO6) 189
T7 (Set time to hold DIO7) 189
T8 (Set time to hold DIO8) 189
T9 (Set time to hold DIO9) 189
Q0 (Set time to hold DIO10) 189
Q1 (Set time to hold DIO11) 190
Q2 (Set time to hold DIO12) 190
Q3 (Set time to hold DIO13) 190
Q4 (Set time to hold DIO14) 190
Q5 (Set time to hold DIO15) 190
Q6 (Set time to hold DIO16) 191
Q7 (Set time to hold DIO17) 191
Q8 (Set time to hold DIO18) 191
Q9 (Set time to hold DIO19) 192
IO (Set Output Pins) 192
Sleep commands 192
SA (Association Timeout) 192
SM (Sleep Mode) 192
SO (Sleep Options) 193
SP (Sleep Period) 193
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ST (Wake Time) 193
WH (Wake Host) 194
Command mode options 194
CC (Command Mode Character) 194
CT (Command Mode Timeout) 194
GT (Gaurd Times) 195
CN (Exit Command Mode) 195
Diagnostics interfacing 195
VR (Firmware Version) 195
HV (Hardware Version) 195
HS (Hardware Series) 196
AS (Active scan for network environment data) 196
CK (Configuration Code) 196
Execution commands 197
AC (Apply Changes) 197
WR (Write) 197
RE (Restore Defaults) 197
FR (Software Reset) 198
NR (Network Reset) 198
CB (Commissioning Button) 198
Regulatory information
United States (FCC) 200
OEM labeling requirements 200
FCC notices 200
FCC-approved antennas (2.4 GHz) 202
RF exposure 208
FCC publication 996369 related information 208
Europe (CE) 210
Maximum power and frequency specifications 210
OEM labeling requirements 210
Declarations of conformity 211
Approved antennas 211
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) 212
Labeling requirements 212
Transmitters with detachable antennas 212
Detachable antenna 212
Australia (RCM)/New Zealand (R-NZ) 213
Manufacturing information
Recommended solder reflow cycle 215
Recommended footprint 215
Mount the devices 217
Flux and cleaning 218
Rework 219
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
11
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
The XBee Wi-Fi RF Module provides wireless connectivity to end-point devices in 802.11 bgn networks.
Using the 802.11 feature set, these devices are interoperable with other 802.11 bgn devices, including
devices from other vendors. With XBee Wi-Fi RF Module, you can have an 802.11 bgn network up and
running in a matter of minutes.
The XBee Wi-Fi RF Modules are compatible with other devices that use 802.11 bgn technology. These
include Digi external 802.11x devices like the ConnectPort products and the Digi Connect Wi-SP, as
well as embedded products like the ConnectCore series and Digi Connect series of products.
For instructions on how to get started with a kit, see the XBee Wi-Fi Cloud Kit documentation.
Applicable firmware and hardware
This manual supports the following firmware:
n x202x and above
Note This manual uses the placeholder value "xx" in the firmware versions listed above, as the
manual documents the released features as of the time of its writing. Digi International periodically
releases new firmware containing bug fixes and new features. As new firmware is released and
distributor stock is refreshed, the new firmware will gradually become available without the need to
update. However, no guarantees can be made that a specific version of the firmware will be populated
on any given XBee as delivered. If a specific revision is desired, it is the user's responsibility to ensure
that version is loaded onto all XBees purchased.
It supports the following hardware:
n XB2B-WFxx-xxx
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
12
Technical specifications
General specifications 14
RF characteristics 14
RF data rates 15
Receiver sensitivity 15
RF transmit power - typical 16
Error vector magnitude (EVM) maximum output power - typical 17
Electrical specifications 18
Serial communication specifications 19
GPIO specifications 20
Regulatory conformity summary 21
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
13
Technical specifications General specifications
General specifications
The following table describes the general specifications for the devices.
XBee Wi-Fi surface-
Specification XBee Wi-Fi through-hole
Dimensions 2.438 cm x 2.761 cm (0.960 in x 1.087 in) 2.200 x 3.378 cm (0.866 x
Operatingtemperature -30 to 85 °C
mount
1.330 in)
Antenna options PCB antenna, U.FL connector, RPSMA
RF characteristics
The following table provides the RF characteristics for the device.
Specification XBee Wi-Fi through-hole XBee Wi-Fi surface-mount
Frequency Industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) 2.4 - 2.5 GHz
Number of channels 13
Adjustable power Yes
Wi-Fi standards 802.11 b, g, and n
Transmit power output
(average)
FCC/IC test transmit power
range (peak)
connector, or integrated wire
Up to +16 dBm
+13 dBm for Europe/Australia and New Zealand; see RF transmit
power - typical
802.11b 2.73 to 26.81
dBm
802.11g 7.87 to 28.52
dBm
PCB antenna, U.FL
connector, or RF pad
802.11b 2.08 to 26.13
dBm
802.11g 7.15 to 27.72
dBm
RF data rates 1 Mb/s to 72.22 Mb/s; see
Serial data interface UART up to 1 Mb/s, SPI up to 6 MHz
Serial data throughput UART up to 320 Kb/s, SPI up to 1 Mb/s
Receiver sensitivity
(25 °C, <10% PER)
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
802.11n (800
ns GI)
802.11n (400
ns GI)
-93 to -71 dBm; see Receiver sensitivity
8.03 to 28.75
dBm
8.04 to 28.64
dBm
RF data rates
802.11n (800
ns GI)
802.11n (400
ns GI)
7.02 to 27.89
dBm
7.33 to 28.20
dBm
14
Technical specifications RF data rates
RF data rates
The following table provides the RF data rates for the device.
Standard Data rates (Mb/s)
802.11b 1, 2, 5.5, 11
802.11g 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 54
Data rates (Mb/s)
Standard MCSindex
802.11n 0 6.5 7.22
1 13 14.44
2 19.5 21.67
3 26 28.89
4 39 43.33
5 52 57.78
6 58.5 65
7 65 72.22
Receiver sensitivity
The following table lists the available data rates along with the corresponding receiver sensitivity.
Receiver sensitivity (25 °C, < 10% PER)
Standard Data rate Sensitivity (dBm)
802.11b 1 Mb/s -93
800 ns guard interval 400 ns guard interval
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
2 Mb/s -91
5.5 Mb/s -90
11 Mb/s -87
15
Technical specifications RF transmit power - typical
Receiver sensitivity (25 °C, < 10% PER)
Standard Data rate Sensitivity (dBm)
802.11g 6 Mb/s -91
9 Mb/s -89
12 Mb/s -88
18 Mb/s -86
24 Mb/s -83
36 Mb/s -80
48 Mb/s -76
54 Mb/s -74
802.11n MCS 0 6.5/7.22 Mb/s -91
MCS 1 13/14.44 Mb/s -88
MCS 2 19.5/21.67 Mb/s -85
RF transmit power - typical
The following table provides the average RF transmit power for the device.
Standard Data rate
802.11b 1 Mb/s 16 13
2 Mb/s
5.5 Mb/s
11 Mb/s
MCS 3 26/28.89 Mb/s -82
MCS 4 39/43.33 Mb/s -78
MCS 5 52/57.78 Mb/s -74
MCS 6 58.5/65 Mb/s -73
MCS 7 65/72.22 Mb/s -71
Power (dBm)
North
America/Japan
Europe/Australia and New
Zealand
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Technical specifications Error vector magnitude (EVM) maximum output power - typical
Power (dBm)
North
Standard Data rate
802.11g 6 Mb/s 16 13
9 Mb/s
12 Mb/s
18 Mb/s
24 Mb/s
36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s 14 13
54 Mb/s
802.11n MCS 0 6.5/7.22 Mb/s 15 13
MCS 1 13/14.44 Mb/s
MCS 2 19.5/21.67 Mb/s
MCS 3 26/28.89 Mb/s
MCS 4 39/43.33 Mb/s
MCS 5 52/57.78 Mb/s
America/Japan
Europe/Australia and New
Zealand
MCS 6 58.5/65 Mb/s 14 13
MCS 7 65/72.22 Mb/s 8.5 8.5
Error vector magnitude (EVM) maximum output power - typical
The following table shows the EVM at 25 °C, maximum output power.
Standard Data rate EVM (dB)
802.11b 1 Mb/s -40
2 Mb/s -40
5.5 Mb/s -38
11 Mb/s -36
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Technical specifications Electrical specifications
Standard Data rate EVM (dB)
802.11g 6 Mb/s -18
9 Mb/s -20
12 Mb/s -21
18 Mb/s -22
24 Mb/s -22
36 Mb/s -23
48 Mb/s -25
54 Mb/s -26
802.11n MCS 0 6.5/7.22 Mb/s -19
MCS 1 13/14.44 Mb/s -21
MCS 2 19.5/21.67 Mb/s -22
MCS 3 26/28.89 Mb/s -24
MCS 4 39/43.33 Mb/s -25
MCS 5 52/57.78 Mb/s -25
MCS 6 58.5/65 Mb/s -26
MCS 7 65/72.22 Mb/s -28
Electrical specifications
The following table provides the electrical specifications for the XBee Wi-Fi RF Module.
Specification XBee Wi-Fi
Supply voltage 3.14 - 3.46 VDC
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Technical specifications Serial communication specifications
Specification XBee Wi-Fi
Operating current (transmit,
maximum output power)
802.11b 1 Mb/s 309mA
2 Mb/s
5.5 Mb/s
11 Mb/s
802.11g 6 Mb/s 271 mA
9 Mb/s
12 Mb/s
18 Mb/s
24 Mb/s
36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s 225 mA
54 Mb/s
802.11n MCS 0 6.5/7.22 Mb/s 260 mA
MCS 1 13/14.44 Mb/s
MCS219.5/21.67Mb/s
Operating current (receive) 100 mA
Deep sleep current 6 µA @ 25 °C
Associated sleep current
2 mA asleep, 100 mA awake. For more information, see AP
Associated Sleep mode.
Serial communication specifications
The XBee Wi-Fi RF Module supports both Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART) and
Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)serial connections.
MCS 3 26/28.89 Mb/s
MCS 4 39/43.33 Mb/s
MCS 5 52/57.78 Mb/s
MCS658.5/65Mb/s 217 mA
MCS765/72.22Mb/s 184 mA
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Technical specifications GPIO specifications
UART pin assignments
Specifications Device pin number
UART pins XBee (surface-mount) XBee (through-hole)
DIO13/DOUT 3
DIO14/DIN 4
DIO7/CTS 25
DIO6/RTS 29
For more information on UART operation, see UART data flow.
2
3
12
16
SPI pin assignments
Specifications Device pin number
SPI pins XBee (surface-mount) XBee (through-hole)
DIO2/SPI_SCLK 14
DIO3/SPI_SSEL 15
DIO4/SPI_MOSI 16
DIO12/SPI_MISO 17
DIO1/SPI_ATTN
12 19
18
17
11
4
For more information on SPI operation, see SPI communications.
GPIO specifications
The XBee Wi-Fi RF Modules have 14 (through-hole version) and 20 (surface-mount version) General
Purpose Input Output (GPIO)ports available. The exact list depends on the device configuration, as
some GPIO pads are used for purposes such as serial communication.
See I/O sampling for more information on configuring and using GPIO ports. The following table
provides the electrical specifications for the GPIO pads.
Parameter Condition Min Max Units
Input low voltage 0.3VDD V
Input high voltage 0.7VDD V
Output high voltage relative to VDD Sourcing 2 mA, VDD = 3.3 V 85 %
Output low voltage relative to VDD Sinking 2 mA, VDD = 3.3 V 15 %
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Technical specifications Regulatory conformity summary
Parameter Condition Min Max Units
Output fall time 2 mA drive strength and load
capacitance CL= 350 - 600 pF.
I/O pin hysteresis
(VIOTHR+ - VIOTHR-)
Pulse width of pulses to be removed
by the glitch suppression filter
VDD = 3.14 to 3.46 V 0.1 VDD V
Regulatory conformity summary
This table describes the agency approvals for the devices.
Country
United States (FCC Part 15.247) FCC ID: MCQ-XBS6B
Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Canada (ISED)
Europe (CE) Yes
Australia RCM
New Zealand R-NZ
20+0.1CL 250 ns
10 50 ns
XBee Wi-Fi throughhole
IC: 1846A-XBS6B
XBee Wi-Fi surfacemount
FCC ID: MCQ-S6BSM
IC: 1846A-S6BSM
Yes
RCM
R-NZ
Japan R210-101056 R210-101057
For details about FCC Approval (USA), see Regulatory information.
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
21
Hardware
Mechanical drawings 23
Pin signals 24
Design notes 26
Design notes for RF pad devices 30
Mounting considerations 32
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
22
Hardware Mechanical drawings
Mechanical drawings
The following figures show the mechanical drawings for the XBee Wi-Fi RF Module. The drawings do
not show antenna options. All dimensions are in inches.
Through-hole device
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
23
Hardware Pin signals
Surface-mount device
Pin signals
The following table describes the pin assignments for the through-hole device. A horizontal line above
the signal name indicates low-asserted signals.
Pin
# Name Direction
1 VCC - - Power supply
2 DIO13/DOUT Both Output UART data out
3
4 DIO12/SPI_MISO Both Disabled GPIO/ SPI slave out
5
6 DIO10/RSSI
7 DIO11/PWM1 Both Disabled GPIO
8 Reserved - - Do not connect
9
10 GND - - Ground
DIO14/DIN/CONFIG
RESET
PWM/PWM0
DIO8/DTR/SLEEP_RQ
Default
state Description
Both Input UART data In
Input Input Device reset
Both Output RX signal strength indicator/GPIO
Both Input Pin sleep control line /GPIO
11 DIO4/SPI_MOSI Both Disabled GPIO/SPI slave In
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
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Hardware Pin signals
Pin
# Name Direction
12
13
14 VREF - - Not connected
15 DIO5/ASSOCIATE Both Output Associate indicator/GPIO
16
17
18 DIO2/AD2 /SPI_CLK Both Disabled Analog input/GPIO/SPI clock
19
20 DIO0/AD0/CB Both Disabled Analog Input/Commissioning
The following table describes the pin assignments for the surface-mount device. A horizontal line
above the signal name indicates low-asserted signals.
Pin
# Name Direction
DIO7/CTS
DIO9/ON_SLEEP
DIO6/RTS
DIO3/AD3 /SPI_SSEL
DIO1/AD1 /SPI_ATTN
Both Output Clear-to-send flow control/GPIO
Both Output Device status indicator/GPIO
Both Input Request-to-send flow control/GPIO
Both Disabled Analog input/GPIO/SPI slave select
Both Disabled Analog input/GPIO/SPI attention
Default
state Description
Button/GPIO
Default
state Description
1 GND - - Ground
2 VCC - - Power supply
3 DIO13/DOUT Both Output UART data out
4
5 DIO12 Both Disabled GPIO
6
7 DIO10/ RSSI
8 DIO11/PWM1 Both Disabled GPIO
9 Reserved - - Do not connect
10
11 GND - - Ground
12
13 GND - - Ground
14 DIO18/SPI_CLK Both Input GPIO/SPI clock
15
DIO14/DIN/CONFIG
RESET
PWM/PWM0
DIO8/DTR/SLEEP_RQ
DIO19/SPI_ATTN
DIO17/SPI_SSEL
Both Input UART data in
Input Input Device reset
Both Output RX signal strength indicator/GPIO
Both Input GPIO
Both Output GPIO/SPI attention
Both Input GPIO/SPI slave select
XBee Wi-Fi RF Module User Guide
25
Hardware Design notes
Pin
# Name Direction
16 DIO16/SPI_SI Both Input GPIO/SPI slave in
17 DIO15/SPI_SO Both Output GPIO/SPI slave out
18 Reserved - - Do not connect
19 Reserved - - Do not connect
20 Reserved - - Do not connect
21 Reserved - - Do not connect
22 GND - - Ground
23 Reserved - - Do not connect
24 DIO4 Both Disabled GPIO
25
26
27 VREF - - Not connected
28 DIO5/ASSOC Both Output Associate indicator/GPIO
29
DIO7/CTS
DIO9/ON_SLEEP
DIO6/RTS
Both Output Clear-to-send flow control/ GPIO
Both Output Device status indicator/GPIO
Both Input Request-to-send flow control/ GPIO
Default
state Description
30 DIO3/AD3 Both Disabled Analog input/GPIO
31 DIO2/AD2 Both Disabled Analog input/GPIO
32 DIO1/AD1 Both Disabled Analog input/GPIO
33 DIO0/AD0/CB Both Disabled Analog input/Commissioning
34 Reserved - - Do not connect
35 GND - - Ground
36 RF Both - RF I/O for RF pad variant
37 Reserved - - Do not connect
Design notes
The XBee devices do not specifically require any external circuitry specific connections for proper
operation. However, there are some general design guidelines that we recommend for help in
troubleshooting and building a robust design.
Power supply
A poor power supply can lead to poor device performance, especially if you do not keep the supply
voltage within tolerance or if it is excessively noisy. To help reduce noise, place a 1.0 μF and 8.2 pF
capacitor as near as possible to pin 1 on the PCB. If you are using a switching regulator for the power
Button/GPIO
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Hardware Design notes
supply, switch the frequencies above 500 kHz. Limit the power supply ripple to a maximum 50 mV
peak to peak.
Pin connection recommendations
The only required pin connections are VCC, GND, and either DOUT and DIN or SPI_CLK, SPI_SSEL, SPI_
MOSI, and SPI MISO. To support serial firmware updates, you should connect VCC, GND, DOUT, DIN,
RTS, and DTR.
Leave all unused pins disconnected. Use the PRcommand to pull all of the inputs on the device high
using 40 k internal pull-up resistors. You do not need a specific treatment for unused outputs.
For applications that need to ensure the lowest sleep current, never leave inputs floating. Use internal
or external pull-up or pull-down resistors, or set the unused I/O lines to outputs. You can achieve the
deep sleep (pin sleep) current specification using a standard XBee Interface Board with the XBee Wi-Fi
RF Module's pull-up and pull-down resistors configured as default.
You can connect other pins to external circuitry for convenience of operation. For example, the
Associate signal (TH pin 15/SMT pin 28) and the ON_SLEEP signal (TH pin 13/SMT pin 26) will change
level or behavior based on the state of the device.
Board layout
When designing the host PCB, account for the device dimensions shown in Mechanical drawings. See
Manufacturing information for the recommended footprints and required keepout areas. Use good
design practices when connecting power and ground, making those traces wide enough to
comfortably support the maximum currents or using planes if possible.
Antenna performance
Antenna location is important for optimal performance. The following suggestions help you achieve
optimal antenna performance. Point the antenna up vertically (upright). Antennas radiate and receive
the best signal perpendicular to the direction they point, so a vertical antenna's omnidirectional
radiation pattern is strongest across the horizon.
Position the antennas away from metal objects whenever possible. Metal objects between the
transmitter and receiver can block the radiation path or reduce the transmission distance. Objects
that are often overlooked include:
n metal poles
n metal studs
n structure beams
n concrete, which is usually reinforced with metal rods
If you place the device inside a metal enclosure, use an external antenna. Common objects that have
metal enclosures include:
n vehicles
n elevators
n ventilation ducts
n refrigerators
n microwave ovens
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Hardware Design notes
n batteries
n tall electrolytic capacitors
Do not place XBee devices with the chip or integrated PCB antenna inside a metal enclosure.
Do not place any ground planes or metal objects above or below the antenna.
For the best results, mount the device at the edge of the host PCB. Ensure that the ground, power,
and signal planes are vacant immediately below the antenna section.
Keepout area
The following drawings show important recommendations for designing with the PCB antenna device
using the through-hole and surface-mount devices. Do not mount the surface-mount PCB antenna
device on the RF Pad footprint because that footprint requires a ground plane within the keepout
area.
Through-hole keepout
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Hardware Design notes
Notes
1. We recommend non-metal enclosures. For metal enclosures, use an external antenna.
2. Keep metal chassis or mounting structures in the keepout area at least 2.54 cm (1 in) from the
antenna.
3. Maximize the distance between the antenna and metal objects that might be mounted in the
keepout area.
4. These keepout area guidelines do not apply for wire whip antennas or external RFconnectors.
Wire whip antennas radiate best over the center of a ground plane.
Surface-mount keepout
Notes
1. We recommend non-metal enclosures. For metal enclosures, use an external antenna.
2. Keep metal chassis or mounting structures in the keepout area at least 2.54 cm (1 in) from the
antenna.
3. Maximize the distance between the antenna and metal objects that might be mounted in the
keepout area.
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Hardware Design notes for RF pad devices
4. These keepout area guidelines do not apply for wire whip antennas or external RFconnectors.
Wire whip antennas radiate best over the center of a ground plane.
Design notes for RF pad devices
The RF pad is a soldered antenna connection. The RF signal travels from pin 33 the RF pad connection
(pad 33 on micro modules and pad 36 on surface-mount modules) on the device to the antenna
through an RF trace transmission line on the PCB. Any additional components between the device and
antenna violates modular certification. The controlled impedance for the RF trace is 50 Ω.
We recommend using a microstrip trace, although you can also use a coplanar waveguide if you need
more isolation. A microstrip generally requires less area on the PCB than a coplanar waveguide. We do
not recommend using a stripline because sending the signal to different PCB layers can introduce
matching and performance problems.
Following good design practices is essential when implementing the RF trace on a PCB. Consider the
following points:
n Minimize the length of the trace by placing the RPSMA jack close to the device.
n Connect all of the grounds on the jack and the device to the ground planes directly or through
closely placed vias.
n Space any ground fill on the top layer at least twice the distance d (in this case, at least 0.028")
from the microstrip to minimize their interaction.
Additional considerations:
n The top two layers of the PCB have a controlled thickness dielectric material in between.
n 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.
n The top layer has an RF trace running from pin 33 of the device to the RF pin of the RPSMA
connector.
n The RF trace width determines the impedance of the transmission line with relation to the
ground plane. Many online tools can estimate this value, although you should consult the PCB
manufacturer for the exact width.
Implementing these design suggestions helps ensure that the RF pad device performs to its
specifications.
The following figures show a layout example of a host PCB that connects an RF pad device to a right
angle, through-hole RPSMA jack.
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