Digi XBee3 802.15.4 User manual

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4
Radio Frequency (RF) Module
User Guide

Revision history—90002273
Revision Date Description
A April 2018 Initial release.
B September 2018 S2C parity release.
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property of their respective owners.
© 2018 Digi International Inc. All rights reserved.
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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
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.
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 2

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Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 3

Contents
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide
Applicable firmware and hardware 12
Change the firmware protocol 12
Regulatory information 12
Get started
Verify kit contents 14
Assemble the hardware 14
Plug in the XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module 15
Unplug an XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module 16
Configure the device using XCTU 16
Configure remote devices 16
Configure the devices for a range test 18
Perform a range test 18
Configure the XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module
Software libraries 25
Over-the-air (OTA) firmware update 25
Custom defaults 25
Set custom defaults 25
Restore factory defaults 25
Limitations 25
XBee Network Assistant 26
Modes
Transparent operating mode 28
Serial-to-RF packetization 28
API operating mode 28
Command mode 28
Enter Command mode 29
Troubleshooting 29
Send AT commands 29
Response to AT commands 30
Apply command changes 30
Make command changes permanent 30
Exit Command mode 30
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 4

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 5
Idle mode 31
Transmit mode 31
Receive mode 31
Serial communication
Serial interface 33
Serial receive buffer 33
Serial transmit buffer 33
UART data flow 33
Serial data 33
Flow control 34
Clear-to-send (CTS) flow control 34
RTS flow control 35
SPI operation
SPI communications 37
Full duplex operation 38
Low power operation 38
Select the SPI port 39
Force UART operation 39
I/O support
Legacy support 42
Mixed network considerations 43
Digital I/O support 43
Analog I/O support 44
Monitor I/O lines 45
I/O sample data format 45
Legacy data format 45
Enhanced data format 47
API frame support 47
On-demand sampling 48
Example: Command mode 48
Example: Local AT command in API mode 49
Example: Remote AT command in API mode 50
Periodic I/O sampling 51
Source 51
Destination 51
Multiple samples per packet 51
Example: Remote AT command in API mode 52
Digital I/O change detection 53
I/O line passing 54
Digital line passing 54
Example:Digital line passing 54
Analog line passing 55
Example:Analog line passing 55
Output sample data 56
Output control 56
I/O behavior during sleep 56
Digital I/O lines 56

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 6
Analog and PWM I/O Lines 56
Networking
Networking terms 58
MAC Mode configuration 58
Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) 59
CCA operations 59
Retries configuration 59
Transmit status based on MAC mode and XBee retries configurations 60
Addressing 61
Send packets to a specific device in Transparent APImode 61
Addressing modes 61
Peer-to-peer networks 62
Master/slave networks 62
End device association 62
Coordinator association 63
Association indicators 64
Modem status messages 64
Association indicator status codes 65
Direct and indirect transmission 65
Configure an indirect messaging coordinator 66
Send indirect messages 66
Receive indirect messages 66
Encryption 67
Maximum payload 68
Maximum payload rules 68
Maximum payload summary tables 69
Working with Legacy devices 69
Network commissioning and diagnostics
Remote configuration commands 72
Send a remote command 72
Apply changes on remote devices 72
Remote command responses 72
Node discovery 72
About node discovery 73
Node discovery in compatibility mode 73
Directed node discovery 73
Directed node discovery in compatibility mode 73
Destination Node 74
Sleep support
Sleep modes 76
Pin Sleep mode (SM = 1) 76
Cyclic Sleep mode (SM = 4) 76
Cyclic Sleep with Pin Wake-up mode (SM = 5) 77
Sleep parameters 77
Sleep current 77
Sleep pins 77
Sleep conditions 78

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 7
AT commands
Network and security commands 80
CH command 80
ID command 80
C8 command 80
NI command 82
ND command 82
DN command 83
NT command 83
NO command 84
MM (MAC Mode) 84
NP command 85
Coordinator/End Device configuration commands 85
CE command 85
A1 (End Device Association) 85
A2 (Coordinator Association) 86
SC command 87
DA (Force Disassociation) 88
AI command 88
802.15.4 Addressing commands 88
SH command 88
SL command 89
MY command 89
DH command 89
DL command 90
RR command 90
TO command 90
Security commands 91
EE command 91
KY command 91
RF interfacing commands 92
PL command 92
PP command 92
CA (CCA Threshold) 92
RN command 93
DB command 93
MAC diagnostics commands 93
AS command 94
ED command 94
EA command 95
EC (CCA Failures) 95
Sleep settings commands 95
SM command 95
SP command 96
ST command 96
DP (Disassociated Cyclic Sleep Period) 97
SO command 97
FP (Force Poll) 98
UART interface commands 98
BD command 98
NB command 99
SB command 99
FT command 100
RO command 100

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 8
APcommand 100
AO command 101
AZ (Extended API Options) 101
Command mode options 102
CC command 102
CT command 102
GT command 102
CN command 102
UART pin configuration commands 103
D6 command 103
D7 command 103
P3 command 104
P4 command 104
SPI interface commands 104
P5 command 105
P6 command 105
P7 command 105
P8 command 106
P9 command 106
I/O settings commands 107
D0 command 107
CB command 107
D1 command 108
D2 command 108
D3 command 109
D4 command 109
D5 command 110
D8 command 110
D9 command 111
P0 command 111
P1 command 112
P2 command 112
PR command 113
PD command 114
M0 command 114
M1 command 115
RP command 115
LT command 115
I/O sampling commands 116
IS command 116
IR command 117
IC command 117
AV (Analog Voltage Reference) 118
IT (Samples before TX) 118
IF command 118
IO command 119
I/O line passing commands 119
IA (I/O Input Address) 119
IU command 119
T0 command 120
T1 command 120
T2 command 120
T3 command 120
T4 command 120
T5 command 121

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 9
T6 command 121
T7 command 121
T8 command 121
T9 command 122
Q0 command 122
Q1 command 122
Q2 command 122
PT (PWM Output Timeout) 122
Diagnostic commands - firmware/hardware information 123
VR command 123
VL command 123
VH command 123
HV command 123
%C (Hardware/Software Compatibility) 124
%V command 124
TP command 124
DD command 124
CK command 124
FR command 125
Memory access commands 125
AC (Apply Changes) 125
WR command 125
RE command 126
Custom default commands 126
%F (Set Custom Default) 126
!C (Clear Custom Defaults) 126
R1 (Restore Factory Defaults) 127
Operate in API mode
API mode overview 129
Use the AP command to set the operation mode 129
API frame format 129
API operation (AP parameter = 1) 129
API operation with escaped characters (AP parameter = 2) 130
Frame descriptions
TX Request: 64-bit address frame - 0x00 134
TX Request: 16-bit address - 0x01 135
AT Command Frame - 0x08 136
AT Command - Queue Parameter Value frame - 0x09 138
Transmit Request frame - 0x10 138
Explicit Addressing Command frame - 0x11 140
Remote AT Command Request frame - 0x17 144
RX Packet: 64-bit Address frame - 0x80 145
Receive Packet: 16-bit address frame - 0x81 146
RX (Receive) Packet: 64-bit address IO frame - 0x82 147
RX Packet: 16-bit address I/O frame - 0x83 149
AT Command Response frame - 0x88 151
TX Status frame - 0x89 153
Modem Status frame - 0x8A 155
Transmit Status frame - 0x8B 156
Receive Packet frame - 0x90 158

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 10
Explicit Rx Indicator frame - 0x91 160
I/O Data Sample Rx Indicator frame - 0x92 162
Remote Command Response frame - 0x97 164
OTA firmware upgrade process for 802.15.4
OTA/OTB file 166
The OTA header 166
Hardware/software compatibility 167
Parse the image blocks 167
Storage 167
ZCL OTA messaging 167
ZCL message output 168
Image Notify 168
Create the Image Notify request 169
Query Next Image request 170
Query Next Image response 172
Image Block request 174
Image Block response 176
Upgrade End request 179
Upgrade End response 180
OTA error handling 183
Default response commands 183
Upgrade End Request error statuses 184

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide
XBee3 802.15.4 RF Modules are embedded solutions providing wireless end-point connectivity to
devices. These devices use the IEEE 802.15.4 networking protocol for fast point-to-multipoint or peer-
to-peer networking. They are designed for high-throughput applications requiring low latency and
predictable communication timing.
The XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module supports the needs of low-cost, low-power wireless sensor networks.
The devices require minimal power and provide reliable delivery of data between devices. The devices
operate within the ISM 2.4 GHz frequency band.
The XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module uses XBee3 hardware and the Silicon Labs EFR32 chipset. As the name
suggests, the 802.15.4 module is over-the-air compatible with our Legacy 802.15.4 modules (S1 and
S2C hardware).
For information about XBee3 hardware, see the XBee3 RF Module Hardware Reference Manual.
Applicable firmware and hardware 12
Change the firmware protocol 12
Regulatory information 12
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 11

Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide Applicable firmware and hardware
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 12
Applicable firmware and hardware
This manual supports the following firmware:
n802.15.4 version 20xx
It supports the following hardware:
nXBee3
Change the firmware protocol
You can switch the firmware loaded onto the XBee3 hardware to run any of the following protocols:
nZigbee
n802.15.4
nDigiMesh
To change protocols, use the Update firmware feature in XCTU and select the firmware. See the
XCTU User Guide.
Regulatory information
See the Regulatory information section of the XBee3 RF Module Hardware Reference Manual for the
XBee3 hardware's regulatory and certification information.

Get started
This section covers the following tasks and features:
Verify kit contents 14
Assemble the hardware 14
Configure the device using XCTU 16
Configure remote devices 16
Configure the devices for a range test 18
Perform a range test 18
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 13

Get started Verify kit contents
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 14
Verify kit contents
The XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module development kit contains the following components:
Part
XBee3 Zigbee SMT module (3)
XBee Grove development board (3)
Micro USB cable (3)
Antenna - 2.4 GHz, half-wave dipole, 2.1 dBi, U.FL female, articulating
(3)
XBee stickers
Assemble the hardware
This guide walks you through the steps required to assemble and disassemble the hardware
components of your kit.
nPlug in the XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module
nUnplug an XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module

Get started Assemble the hardware
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 15
The kit includes several XBee Grove Development Boards. For more information about this hardware,
see the XBee Grove Development Board documentation.
Plug in the XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module
This kit includes two XBee Grove Development Boards. For more information about this hardware,
visit the XBee Grove Development Board documentation.
Follow these steps to connect the XBee devices to the boards included in the kit:
1. Plug one XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module into each XBee Grove Development Board. When you
connect the development board to a PC for the first time, the PC automatically installs drivers,
which may take a few minutes to complete.
CAUTION! Never insert or remove the XBee while the power is on (either from the
micro USB or a battery)!
For XBee SMT devices, align all XBee pins with the spring header and carefully push the device
until it clicks firmly into the board.

Get started Configure the device using XCTU
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 16
2. Once theXBee3 802.15.4 RF Module is plugged into the board, connect the board to your
computer using the micro USB cables provided.
3. Ensure the loopback jumper is in the UART position.
Unplug an XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module
To disconnect a device from the XBee Grove Development Board:
1. Disconnect the micro USB cable from the board so it is not powered.
2. Remove the device from the board socket, taking care not to bend any of the pins. The surface
mount device uses spring pins rather than a socket and has a rectangular board cutout
designed to help in removing the XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module.
CAUTION! Make sure the board is not powered when you remove the XBee3 802.15.4 RF
Module.
Configure the device using XCTU
XBee Configuration and Test Utility (XCTU) is a multi-platform program that enables users to interact
with Digi radio frequency (RF) devices through a graphical interface. The application includes built-in
tools that make it easy to set up, configure, and test Digi RF devices.
For instructions on downloading and using XCTU, see the XCTU User Guide.
Configure remote devices
You can communicate with remote devices over the air through a corresponding local device.
Note Using API mode on the local device allows you to send remote API commands.
These instructions show you how to configure the LT command parameter on a remote device.
1. Add two XBee devices to XCTU.
2. Load XBee3 802.15.4 firmware onto each device if it is not already loaded. See How to update
the firmware of your modules in the XCTU User Guide for more information.

Get started Configure remote devices
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 17
3. Configure the first device in API mode and name it XBEE_A by configuring the following
parameters:
nID: 2018
nNI: XBEE_A
nAP: API enabled [1]
4. Configure the second device in either API or Transparent mode, and name it XBEE_B by
configuring the following parameters:
nID: 2018
nNI:XBEE_B
nAP: 0 or 1
4. Disconnect XBEE_B from your computer and remove it from XCTU.
5. Connect XBEE_B to a power supply (or laptop or portable battery).
The Radio Modules area should look something like this.
6. Select XBEE_A and click the Discover radio nodes in the same network button .
7. Click Add selected devices in the Discovering remote devices dialog. The discovered remote
device appears below XBEE_A.
8. Select the remote device XBEE_B, and configure the following parameter:
LT: FF (hexadecimal representation for 2550 ms)
9. Click the Write radio settings button .
The remote XBee device now has a different LED blink time.
10. To return to the default LED blink times, change the LT parameter back to 0for XBEE_B.

Get started Configure the devices for a range test
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 18
Configure the devices for a range test
1. Add two devices to XCTU.
2. Select the first module and click the Load default firmware settings button.
3. Configure the following parameters:
ID: 2018
NI: LOCAL_DEVICE
AP: API Mode Enabled [1]
4. Click the Write radio settings button.
5. Select the other module and click the Default firmware settings button.
6. Configure the following parameters:
ID: 2018
NI: REMOTE_DEVICE
AP: Transparent mode [0] (The remote node must be in transparent mode to loop back
packets)
7. Click the Write radio settings button.
After you write the radio settings for each device, their names appear in the Radio Modules
area. The Port indicates that the LOCAL_DEVICE is in API mode.
8. Disconnect REMOTE_DEVICE from the computer, remove it from XCTU, and connect it to a
power supply, laptop, or portable battery.
9. Leave LOCAL_DEVICE connected to the computer.
Perform a range test
1. Go to the XCTU display for radio 1.

Get started Perform a range test
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 19
2. Click to discover remote devices within the same network. The Discover remote devices
dialog appears.
3. Click Add selected devices.

Get started Perform a range test
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide 20
4. Click and select Range test. The Radio Range Test dialog appears.
5. Change the Range Test type to Loopback.
6. In the Select the local radio device area, select radio 1. XCTU automatically selects the
Discovered device option, and the Start Range Test button is active.