Digi XBee DigiMesh Getting Started Manual
XBee DigiMesh 2.4
Radio Frequency (RF) Modules
Getting Started Guide
Revision history—90001110-88
Revision Date Description
D October
2015
E February
2016
F February
2016
Updated content to reflect new version of XCTU software, and added several
new topics.
Updated screenshots and UI terminology to reflect the changes in XCTU v.
6.3.
Changed title of first topic and changed link type for cross-references so that
they don't open in new windows.
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© 2017 Digi International Inc. All rights reserved.
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or in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this manual at any time.
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XBee DigiMesh 2.4 Getting Started Guide
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Contents
XBee/XBee PRO DigiMesh 2.4 Getting Started Guide
DigiMesh networks 5
Synchronous sleeping network 5
Mesh networking 6
Do more with your XBee devices
Update the firmware of your XBee modules 8
Configure remote XBee modules 8
Set up and perform a range test 9
Configure the XBee modules for a range test 9
Perform a range test 10
Set up basic encryption for your XBee network 13
Troubleshooting
Cannot install device driver 16
Potential cause 16
Resolution 16
Use LEDs to identify XBee modules 16
Resolution 16
No remote devices to select for a range test 16
Check cables 16
Check that the XBee module is fully seated in the XBee development board 16
Check the XBee module orientation 17
Check that the XBee modules are in the same network 17
Restore default settings 17
Port in use 17
Potential cause 17
Resolution 17
XCTU can't discover devices 17
Check the configuration of your USB serial converter 17
Check cables 18
Check that the XBee module is fully seated in the XBee development board 18
Check the XBee module orientation 18
Check driver installation 18
Check if the modules are sleeping 18
XCTUcannot discover remote devices 18
Potential cause 18
Resolution 19
XBee DigiMesh 2.4 Getting Started Guide
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XCTUcannot discover remote devices for a range test 19
Potential cause 19
Resolution 19
XCTU installation error 19
Potential cause 19
Resolution 19
XBee DigiMesh 2.4 Getting Started Guide
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XBee/XBee PRO DigiMesh 2.4 Getting Started Guide
The XBee/XBee PRO DigiMesh 2.4 modules support low-cost, low-power, peer-to-peer or wireless
mesh networks. The XBee modules provide reliable delivery of data between remote devices.
This guide shows you how to set up an XBee mesh network using the DigiMesh protocol, send data
between your XBee modules, and adjust your XBee module settings.
DigiMesh networks
DigiMesh is a proprietary networking topology for use in wireless end-point connectivity solutions. It
supports advanced networking features including sleeping routers and dense mesh networks.
DigiMesh supports multiple network topologies such as point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and mesh
networks. With support for sleeping routers, DigiMesh is ideal for power-sensitive applications that
rely upon batteries or power-harvesting technology.
DigiMesh contains the following features:
n Self-healing: Any node may enter or leave the network at any time without causing the
network as a whole to fail.
n Peer-to-peer architecture: No hierarchy and no parent-child relationships are needed.
n Easy to use: Mesh networking is simplified because it does not require hierarchy or parent-child
relationships.
n Quiet: Routing overhead is reduced by using a reactive protocol similar to Ad-hoc On Demand
Distance Vector routing (AODV).
n Route discovery: Routes are discovered and created only when needed, eliminating the need to
maintain a network map.
n Selective acknowledgments: Only the destination node will reply to route requests.
n Reliable: Acknowledgments confirm successful delivery of data.
n Sleep modes: Supports low-power sleep modes with synchronized wake up as well as variable
sleep and wake times.
Synchronous sleeping network
One advantage of DigiMesh is that it allows all nodes in the network to both route data and enter lowpower states. The synchronous sleep feature makes it possible for all nodes in the network to
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XBee/XBee PRO DigiMesh 2.4 Getting Started Guide Mesh networking
synchronize their sleep and wake times. This allows some or all XBee modules in the network to be
battery powered.
All modules go to sleep at the same time. This forms a cyclic sleeping network where we can define
two different device types: sleeping router and sleep coordinator.
For more information on the synchronous sleep feature, see Low power and battery life.
Mesh networking
A mesh network is a topology in which each node in the network is connected to other nodes around
it. Each node cooperates in the transmission of information. Mesh networking provides three
important benefits:
n Routing. With this technique, the message is propagated along a path by hopping from node to
node until it reaches its final destination.
n Ad-hoc network creation. This is an automated process that creates an entire network of
nodes on the fly, without any human intervention.
n Self-healing. This process automatically figures out if one or more nodes on the network is
missing and reconfigures the network to repair any broken routes.
With mesh networking, the distance between two nodes does not matter as long as there are enough
nodes in between to pass the message along. When one node wants to communicate with another,
the network automatically calculates the best path.
A mesh network is also reliable and offers redundancy. If a node can no longer operate, for example
because it has been removed from the network or because a barrier blocks its ability to communicate,
the rest of the nodes can still communicate with each other, either directly or through intermediate
nodes.
Note Mesh networks use more bandwidth for administration and therefore have less available for
payloads. They can also be more complex to configure and debug in some cases.
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