Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global User manual

Digi XBee® Cellular 3G Global
Embedded Modem
User Guide

Revision history—90001541
Revision Date Description
AJune, 2017 Baseline release of the document.
B June 2017 Updated the cellular service information.
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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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Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 2

Contents
Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide
Applicable firmware and hardware 9
Purchase the correct SIM cards 9
Getting started with the XBee Cellular Modem Development Kit
Identify the kit contents 11
Cellular service 11
Connect the hardware 12
Configure the device using XCTU 13
Add a device 13
Update to the latest firmware 13
Software libraries 13
XBIB-U-DEV reference 15
Check for cellular registration and connection 16
Flow control 17
Connect to the ELIZA server 17
Connect to the echo server 19
Connect to the Daytime server 20
Connect to a TCP/IP address 22
Perform a (GET) HTTP request 23
Get started with MQTT 24
Example: MQTT connect 25
Send a connect packet 26
Example: send messages (publish) with MQTT 28
Example: receive messages (subscribe) with MQTT 29
Use MQTT over the XBee Cellular Modem with a PC 30
Get started with CoAP 33
CoAP terms 33
CoAP quick start example 34
Configure the device 35
Example: manually perform a CoAPrequest 35
Example: use Python to generate a CoAP message 36
Configure the XBee Cellular Modem using Digi Remote Manager 37
Create a Remote Manager account 37
Get the XBee Cellular Modem IMEI number 38
Add a XBee Cellular Modem to Remote Manager 38
Update the firmware 38
Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 3

Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 4
Get started with MicroPython
About MicroPython 41
Why use MicroPython 41
MicroPython on the XBee Cellular Modem 41
Use XCTU to enter the MicroPython environment 41
Use the MicroPython Terminal in XCTU 42
Example: hello world 42
Example: turn on an LED 42
Exit MicroPython mode 43
Other terminal programs 44
Tera Term for Windows 44
Use picocom in Linux 45
Technical specifications
Interface and hardware specifications 48
RF characteristics 48
Networking specifications 48
Power requirements 49
Power consumption 49
Electrical specifications 49
Regulatory approvals 50
Hardware
Mechanical drawings 53
Pin signals 53
Pin connection recommendations 54
SIM card 54
The Associate LED 54
Antenna recommendations
Antenna placement 57
Design recommendations
Power supply considerations 59
Add a capacitor to the RESET line 59
Heat considerations 60
Add a fan to provide active cooling 60
Cellular connection process
Connecting 62
Cellular network 62
Data network connection 62
Data communication with remote servers (TCP/UDP) 62
Disconnecting 62
SMS encoding 63

Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 5
Modes
Select an operating mode 65
Transparent operating mode 65
API operating mode 66
Bypass operating mode 66
Enter Bypass operating mode 66
Leave Bypass operating mode 67
Restore cellular settings to default in Bypass operating mode 67
Command mode 67
Enter Command mode 67
Send AT commands 68
Apply command changes 68
Make command changes permanent 68
Exit Command mode 68
Sleep modes
About sleep modes 71
Normal mode 71
Pin sleep mode 71
Cyclic sleep mode 71
Cyclic sleep with pin wake up mode 71
Airplane mode 71
The sleep timer 71
MicroPython sleep behavior 72
Serial communication
Serial interface 74
Serial data 74
UART data flow 74
Serial buffers 75
CTS flow control 75
RTS flow control 75
AT commands
MicroPython commands 77
PS (Python Startup) 77
PY (MicroPython Command) 77
Special commands 78
AC (Apply Changes) 78
FR (Force Reset) 78
RE (Restore Defaults) 79
WR (Write) 79
Cellular commands 79
PH (Phone Number) 79
S# (ICCID) 79
IM (IMEI) 80
MN (Operator) 80
MV (Modem Firmware Version) 80
DB (Cellular Signal Strength) 80

Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 6
AN (Access Point Name) 80
AM (Airplane Mode) 81
Network commands 81
IP (IP Protocol) 81
TL (SSL/TLS Protocol Version) 81
TM (TCP Client Connection Timeout) 82
DO (Device Options) 82
EQ (Device Cloud FQDN) 83
Addressing commands 83
SH (Serial Number High) 83
SL (Serial Number Low) 84
DL (Destination Address) 84
P# (Destination Phone Number) 84
DE (Destination Port) 84
TD (Text Delimiter) 85
MY (Module IP Address) 85
LA (Lookup IP Address of FQDN) 85
OD (Operating Destination Address) 85
C0 (Source Port) 86
Serial interfacing commands 86
BD (Baud Rate) 86
NB (Parity) 87
SB (Stop Bits) 87
RO (Packetization Timeout) 87
FT (Flow Control Threshold) 88
API Enable 88
PD (Pull Direction) 88
PR (Pull-up/down Resistor Enable) 89
I/O settings commands 90
D0 (DIO0/AD0) 90
D1 (DIO1/AD1) 90
D2 (DIO2/AD2) 91
D3 (DIO3/AD3) 91
D4 (DIO4) 91
D5 (DIO5/ASSOCIATED_INDICATOR) 92
D6 (DIO6/RTS) 92
D7 (DIO7/CTS) 93
D8 (DIO8/SLEEP_REQUEST) 93
D9 (DIO9/ON_SLEEP) 94
P0 (DIO10 Configuration) 94
P1 (DIO11/PWM1 Configuration) 95
P2 (DIO12 Configuration) 95
I/O sampling commands 95
TP (Temperature) 96
SM (Sleep Mode) 96
SP (Sleep Period) 96
ST (Wake Time) 97
Command mode options 97
CC (Command Sequence Character) 97
CT (Command Mode Timeout) 97
GT (Guard Times) 97
Firmware version/information commands 98
VR (Firmware Version) 98
VL (Version Long) 98
HV (Hardware Version) 98

Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 7
AI (Association Indication) 98
HS (Hardware Series) 99
CK (Configuration CRC) 99
Diagnostic interface commands 99
DI (Device Cloud Indicator) 99
CI (Protocol/Connection Indication) 100
Execution commands 102
NR (Network Reset) 102
!R (Modem Reset) 102
IS (Force Sample) 103
Operate in API mode
API mode overview 105
Use the AP command to set the operation mode 105
API frame format 105
API operation (AP parameter = 1) 105
API operation with escaped characters (AP parameter = 2) 106
Frame descriptions 109
AT Command - 0x08 109
AT Command: Queue Parameter Value - 0x09 110
Transmit (TX) SMS - 0x1F 111
Transmit (TX) Request: IPv4 - 0x20 112
AT Command Response - 0x88 113
Transmit (TX) Status - 0x89 114
Modem Status - 0x8A 115
Receive (RX) Packet: SMS - 0x9F 116
Receive (RX) Packet: IPv4 - 0xB0 117
Socket behavior
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate checking 119
Socket timeouts 119
Enable incoming TCP sockets in API mode 119
Troubleshooting
Cannot find the serial port for the device 121
Condition 121
Solution 121
Correct a macOS Java error 123
Condition 123
Solution 123
Unresponsive cellular component in Bypass mode 124
Condition 124
Solution 124
Not on expected network after APN change 125
Condition 125
Solution 125
Syntax error at line 1 125
Solution 125
Error Failed to send SMS 125
Solution 125

Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 8
Regulatory information
Modification statement 127
Interference statement 127
Antennas 127
FCC (USA) exposure notice 127
ISED (Canada) exposure notice 127
FCC Class B digital device notice 128
Labelling requirements for the host device 128

Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User
Guide
The XBee Cellular Modem integrates an embedded Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA)
cellular module and enables original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to incorporate 3G cellular
technology into their devices and applications without painful, time-consuming, and expensive FCC
and carrier end-device certifications.
With the full suite of standard XBee API frames and AT commands, existing XBee customers can
seamlessly transition to this new device with only minor software adjustments. When OEMs add the
XBee Cellular Modem to their product, they create a future-proof design with flexibility to switch
between wireless protocols or frequencies as needed.
Applicable firmware and hardware
This manual supports the following firmware:
n113xx
It supports the following hardware:
nXBC-M5-UT-xxx
Purchase the correct SIM cards
The XBee Cellular Modem requires a 4FF (Nano) size SIM card. The SIM interface supports both 1.8 V
and 3 V SIM types.
Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 9

Getting started with the XBee Cellular Modem
Development Kit
This section describes how to connect the hardware in the XBee Cellular Modem Development Kit, and
provides some examples you can use to communicate with the device.
Identify the kit contents 11
Cellular service 11
Connect the hardware 12
Configure the device using XCTU 13
Software libraries 13
XBIB-U-DEV reference 15
Check for cellular registration and connection 16
Flow control 17
Connect to the ELIZA server 17
Connect to the echo server 19
Connect to the Daytime server 20
Connect to a TCP/IP address 22
Perform a (GET) HTTP request 23
Get started with MQTT 24
Get started with CoAP 33
Configure the XBee Cellular Modem using Digi Remote Manager 37
Digi XBee Cellular 3G Global Embedded Modem User Guide 10