Xbee

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'''Make the Xbee Carrier Boards''' '''Make the Xbee Carrier Boards'''
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Visit the AdaFruit site and use her instructions for making the boards(http://www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/index.html). Visit the AdaFruit site and use her instructions for making the boards(http://www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/index.html).
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'''Configuring the Radios''' '''Configuring the Radios'''
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The AdaFruit site has a link to configuring the radios which is excellent (http://www.humboldt.edu/~cm19/XBee%20setup.pdf). Read through the document and setup one radio as the coordinator and the other as the end device. Start with Step 2 of the document and go until you get to Step 6. The radio you programmed as the "coordinator" or "router" should be the one you hook up to your router and the "end device" should be the radio you attach to your computer, embedded device, or whatever else you can come up with... The AdaFruit site has a link to configuring the radios which is excellent (http://www.humboldt.edu/~cm19/XBee%20setup.pdf). Read through the document and setup one radio as the coordinator and the other as the end device. Start with Step 2 of the document and go until you get to Step 6. The radio you programmed as the "coordinator" or "router" should be the one you hook up to your router and the "end device" should be the radio you attach to your computer, embedded device, or whatever else you can come up with...
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'''Other Routers''' '''Other Routers'''
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For other routers, simply apply power to the 3.3 volt terminal on the Xbee board and hook up the grounds. You need to switch the connections for the RX and TX terminals between the router and the Xbee Carrier board. For example, hook the TX from the router serial port to the RX on the Xbee carrier board, and hook up the RX from the router serial port to the TX of the Xbee carrier board. For other routers, simply apply power to the 3.3 volt terminal on the Xbee board and hook up the grounds. You need to switch the connections for the RX and TX terminals between the router and the Xbee Carrier board. For example, hook the TX from the router serial port to the RX on the Xbee carrier board, and hook up the RX from the router serial port to the TX of the Xbee carrier board.
'''Device Usage''' '''Device Usage'''
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I plan on using this setup to read in sensor data from an Ardiuno and send it to the router. The router will then send the data to a remote computer or server. This is work in progress... I plan on using this setup to read in sensor data from an Ardiuno and send it to the router. The router will then send the data to a remote computer or server. This is work in progress...

Revision as of 16:15, 10 May 2010

Xbee Serial Port Radio Link for WRT54GL

Using AdaFruit Xbee carrier boards, you can easily add a Xbee radio link to the router. The radio I am using are rated for a maximum distance of 300 feet and cost around $20, however, you can upgrade the radios and there are some that go 1 mile, but cost twice as much. The radios can be purchased from several sources: AdaFruit Industries, SparkFun Electronics, and DigiKey.

What you will need:

2 Xbee radios(http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=128)

2 Xbee carrier boards(http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=126)

1 USB FTDI cable(http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=70)

Female jumper wires(http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9389)

XCTU software to configure the radios(http://www.digi.com/support/productdetl.jsp?pid=3352&osvid=57&tp=5&s=316)

Make the Xbee Carrier Boards

Visit the AdaFruit site and use her instructions for making the boards(http://www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/index.html).

You can use the extra pin headers from the AdaFruit kit and place them in the router. Use the female jumper wires to make the connection from the router serial port pins to the XBee carrier board.

Configuring the Radios

The AdaFruit site has a link to configuring the radios which is excellent (http://www.humboldt.edu/~cm19/XBee%20setup.pdf). Read through the document and setup one radio as the coordinator and the other as the end device. Start with Step 2 of the document and go until you get to Step 6. The radio you programmed as the "coordinator" or "router" should be the one you hook up to your router and the "end device" should be the radio you attach to your computer, embedded device, or whatever else you can come up with...

You can also visit the Funnel site and grab their software to configure the radios(http://code.google.com/p/funnel/downloads/list). Download the XbeeConfigTool.zip. This software seems easier to use but has less options for configuring the radios.

Remember to set the baud rate to 115200, that is the baud rate of the router, and I am not sure if it can be changed. If somebody can tell me how to change the baud rate of the router, then by all means let me know!

XBee hookup to Router

Attach the 3.3Volt of the XBee carrier board to pin 1

Attach the GND pin of the XBee carrier board to pin 9

Attach the TX pin of the XBee carrier board to pin 6

Attach the RX pin of the XBee carrier board to pin 4

Xbee Hookup to FTDI Cable

Go to this link for a picture on how to attach the the FTDI cable to the Xbee Carrier board(http://www.ladyada.net/make/xbee/wiring.html). Scroll down to about the third picture and you should see how to attach the cable to the Xbee carrier board.

Other Routers

For other routers, simply apply power to the 3.3 volt terminal on the Xbee board and hook up the grounds. You need to switch the connections for the RX and TX terminals between the router and the Xbee Carrier board. For example, hook the TX from the router serial port to the RX on the Xbee carrier board, and hook up the RX from the router serial port to the TX of the Xbee carrier board.

Device Usage

I plan on using this setup to read in sensor data from an Ardiuno and send it to the router. The router will then send the data to a remote computer or server. This is work in progress...