Digi XLR PRO User manual

User Guide
XLR PRO®
Radio Frequency (RF) Modem

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 2
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide (90002202 E)
This guide describes the XLR PRO and XLR PRO INTL Radio Frequency (RF) Modems. The following table lists the
revisions for this guide.
Product documentation
To find the most up-to-date documentation for all Digi products, visit www.digi.com/resources/documentation.
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.
© 2016 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
View the product warranties online: http://www.digi.com/howtobuy/terms
Customer support
If you need assistance, contact Digi Technical Support:
Telephone (8:00 am — 5:00 pm U.S. Central Time)
866.765.9885 toll-free U.S.A. and Canada
801.765.9885 Worldwide
Online: www.digi.com/support/eservice
Revision Date Description
A September 2014 Initial release.
B March 2015 •Removed the data sample RX indicator frame type.
•Updated descriptions for the DN, ND, and FN commands; added
clarification note to the WR command documentation.
C May 2015 •Updates to web configuration and Device Cloud configuration options
available with XLR PRO firmware version 1006, including updates to Device
Cloud brand name and login URLs.
D December 2015 •Added certifications for Mexico and Australia.
•Added USB support available with XLR PRO firmware version 1007.
E February 2016 •Noted that this user guide applies to both the XLR PRO and XLR PRO INTL
models of RF modems.

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 3
Contents
About XLR PRO® Radio Frequency (RF) Modem
Technical specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Data rates and sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Operational modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Hardware interfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Reset button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Antenna port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
XLR PRO documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
XLR PRO hardware
XLR PRO kit contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Front panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
RJ45 serial port pinout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Hardware setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Connect the hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Mount the XLR PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Mounting guidelines 17
Antenna placement 18
XLR PRO operation
XLR PRO operational design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Ethernet RF bridging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Serial mode selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
USB mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Serial mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
RS-232 21
RS-485/422 21
IP socket mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Controlling parameters 22
Operational description 22
Serial communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
XLR PRO serial buffers 23
XLR PRO serial interface protocols 23
AT Command Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 4
Firmware updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
XLR PRO networking methods
Ethernet RF bridging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Related parameters: ID, PL, RR, MT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Ethernet RF bridging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
64-bit addresses 29
Unicast 30
Broadcast 30
XLR PRO serial addressing basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Related parameters: SH, SL, DH, DL, TO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
64-bit addresses 30
Unicast 30
Broadcast 30
Delivery method 30
Point-to-point/multipoint (P2MP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Repeater/directed broadcast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Related parameters: CE, NH, NN, BH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Transmission timeouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Transmitting a broadcast 32
XLR PRO AT command reference tables
Special commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
MAC/PHY level commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Diagnostics commands (MAC statistics and timeouts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
RF network commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
RF addressing commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Addressing discovery/configuration commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
RF security commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Serial interfacing commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Hardware diagnostics commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Ethernet and IP socket mode commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Device Cloud commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Web configuration commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Ethernet RF bridging commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
AT command options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Firmware commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
XLR PRO API operation
API frame format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
API operation (AP parameter = 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
API operation with escape characters (AP parameter = 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Escape characters 51
Length 51
Frame Data 51
Checksum 52
XLR PRO API serial exchanges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
AT commands 52
Transmitting and receiving RF data 53
Remote AT commands 53
Supporting API . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 5
XLR PRO frame descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
AT command—apply changes 54
AT command—queue new parameter value 54
TX request 55
Explicit TX Request 56
Remote AT command request 58
The above example sends a remote command to change the baud rate for the serial port on a remote device
to 3 (9,600b/s), and apply changes so the new configuration value immediately takes effect. In this ex-
ample, the 64-bit address of the remote is 0x0013A200 40401122. 58
AT command response 58
Modem status 59
Transmit status 59
RX indicator 60
Explicit rx indicator 61
Remote command response 62
XLR PRO advanced application features
Remote configuration commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Sending a remote command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Applying changes on remote devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Remote command responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Network commissioning and diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Device configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Device placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Loopback testing 64
Device discovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Network discovery 64
Neighbor polling 65
General purpose flash memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Accessing general purpose flash memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Working with flash memory 71
Over-the-air firmware upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Distributing the new application 71
Verifying the new application 72
Installing the application 72
Keep in mind 73
Configuring the XLR PRO using XCTU
Download and install XCTU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Download and install USB driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Connect XLR PRO to your PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Launch XCTU and add the XLR PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Configure parameters using XCTU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Determine or assign an IP address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Update firmware with XCTU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Configuring XLR PRO using the web configuration interface
Access the XLR PRO web configuration interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Set general options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Set Ethernet network options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Set Ethernet RF bridging options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 6
Set Device Cloud connectivity options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Set XLR radio options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Set XLR radio serial options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Set XLR radio IP socket (Ethernet) options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Update firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Set web configuration options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Reboot an XLR PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Restore factory default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Configuring XLR PRO using Device Cloud
Create a Device Cloud account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Get the MAC address for the XLR PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Add a Digi XLR PRO to Device Cloud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Update firmware with Device Cloud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Configure XLR PRO with Device Cloud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Configure Device Cloud connectivity options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Configure Ethernet network options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Configure Ethernet RF bridging options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Configure IP Socket Mode options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Configure serial mode options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Configure system options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Configure web configuration options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Configure XLR radio configuration options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Schedule configuration changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Troubleshooting
Serial interface issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
No data on serial port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
RS-485/422 does not work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Ethernet issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
LAN stopped working when XLR PRO was plugged in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
General issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
All of the LEDs are lit on the XLR PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Safety notices and certifications
RF exposure statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Class I, Division 2 (CID2) certification—USA and Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
FCC (United States) certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
FCC Part 15 Class B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Radio Frequency Interface (RFI) (FCC 15.105) 100
Labeling requirements (FCC 15.19) 100
Modifications (FCC 15.21) 100
Industry Canada (IC) certifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
RF Exposure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Mexico IFETEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
XLR PRO approved antennas
Omni-directional antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Yagi antennas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 7
About XLR PRO® Radio Frequency (RF) Modem
The XLR PRO RF Modem is a high performance, industrial grade long-range radio solution that offer serial, Ethernet
socket, and Ethernet bridging connectivity to ensure reliable wireless data communications over long distances.
There are two models:
•XLR PRO RF Modem for North American distribution
•XLR PRO INTL RF Modem for international distribution
In this guide, the term XLR PRO refers to both models.
Packaged in a sturdy, ruggedized enclosure and using patent-pending Punch2™ Technology to maximize range and
significantly increase immunity to interference, the XLR PRO 900 MHz radio can connect a variety of devices across
many industrial applications.
Punch2 Technology leverages chirp spread spectrum (CSS) modulation to provide better receiver sensitivity,
multipath performance, and interference rejection than is available through commonly used frequency hopping
spread spectrum (FHSS) or direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) systems. The advantages of Punch2 Technology
arise from the characteristics of the chirp signal as well as several digital-signal-processing techniques that enhance
performance and reliability. With Punch2 Technology, data is spread to a higher bandwidth by multiplying each
transmit modulation symbol with a chirp signal. Operating at an expanded bandwidth provides several benefits:
•Greater receiver sensitivity
•Interference immunity
•Improved multipath performance
•Adjustable data rates
Flexible configuration and management options allow you to quickly set up and deploy one or more XLR PROs, as well
as apply firmware updates, get device status information, and more.

Technical specifications
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 8
Technical specifications
The following table summarizes XLR PRO technical specifications.
XLR PRO Specifications
General
Dimensions 18 x 13 x 3.8 cm (7.1 x 5 x 1.5 inches)
Weight 0.68kg (1.5 lbs)
Ethernet protocols UDP/TCP, DHCP client
Ethernet physical layer 10/100BASET-T/TX
RoHS Compliant
Performance
Frequency range
USA & Canada ISM 902 to 928 MHz
Mexico ISM 902 to 928 MHz
Brazil, Australia ISM 915 to 928 MHz
RF data rate 9.4 kb/s to 3.2 Mb/s
Maximum transmit power (software
selectable)
+30 dBm (1 watt)
Rural range line of sight 1.2 Mb/s up to 100+ miles1
Urban range line of sight 9.4 kb/s up to 25 miles1
141 kb/s up to 8 miles2
591 kb/s up to 3.6 miles
3.2 Mb/s up to 1 mile2
Receiver sensitivity 9.4 kb/s -120 dBm
141 kb/s -112 dBm
3.2 Mb/s -98 dBm
Receiver selectivity 141 kb/s 70 dB (below 908 MHz, above 922
MHz)
40 dB (908 MHz to 922 MHz)
UART Interface data rate (software
selectable)
460.8 kb/s (TCP/UDP socket)
921.6 kb/s (serial RS-485)
460.8 kb/s (serial RS-232)

Technical specifications
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 9
Networking and security
Modulation Chirp Spread Spectrum
Supported network topologies Point-to-point/point-to-multipoint
Encryption 128-bit AES
Power requirements
Supply voltage 9VDC to 26VDC
Receive current @ 9 VDC 300 mA
@ 12 VDC 230 mA
@ 26 VDC 120 mA
Transmit current @ 9 VDC 950 mA
@ 12 VDC 840 mA
@ 26 VDC 400 mA
Environmental
Operating temperature -40° C to 70° C
Regulatory approvals
Emissions/immunity FCC Part 15B
Hazardous locations Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B, C, and D
Mexico Safety
Mexico Radio
NOM NYCE Safety
NOM-121
Australia RCM
Connectors
Antenna RPTNC
Power supply Phoenix
Ethernet (2) RJ45
Serial (1) RJ45
Configuration port Mini USB
1. Based on 100-mile range results. Other data rates scale based on sensitivity levels. Results will vary based on noise levels
and line of sight quality.
2. Estimated based on 3.6-mile range results.
XLR PRO Specifications

Data rates and sensitivity
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 10
Data rates and sensitivity
The following table lists XLR PRO available data rates along with the corresponding receiver sensitivity.
Power supply
The XLR PRO must be powered by a UL-listed power supply rated between 9 and 26V DC. Refer to the following table
for the required input current settings.
Operational modes
XLR PRO offers three operational modes:
•Serial (RS-232/RS-485): In serial mode, the front panel serial port provides connectivity to the XLR PRO via RS-
232 or RS-485/422.
•Ethernet (IP socket): In IP socket mode, an XLR PRO can transmit and receive serial data via a TCP or UDP
connection from either of the front panel Ethernet ports.
•Ethernet RF Bridging: In Ethernet RF bridging mode, an XLR PRO functions as an Ethernet cable replacement,
supporting point-to-multi-point transmission for a maximum of 16 XLR PRO RF modems. By default, bridging
mode is disabled. Serial data from serial or IP socket mode operates concurrently with Ethernet RF Bridging. If
serial and Ethernet traffic are sent at the same time, there will be some latency.
RF data rate setting
(ATBR) Data rate
Receiver sensitivity
(dBm, 25°C)
0 9.4 kb/s -120
1 28 kb/s -118
2 66 kb/s -116
3 141 kb/s -112
4 291 kb/s -109
5 591 kb/s -106
6 1.2 Mb/s -103
7 2.4 Mb/s -100
83.2Mb/s -98
Input voltage DC Minimum current rating
9 to 15 3 Amps
15 to 20 2 Amps
21 to 26 1.5 Amps

Hardware interfaces
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 11
Hardware interfaces
XLR PRO offers the following hardware interfaces.
•Serial (RF45) port: The XLR PRO serial port (RJ45) supports RS-232 or RS-485/422 protocols.
•USB (mini USB): The mini USB port is used for configuration and basic serial communication with a host PC. XLR
PRO can act as a USB client only and requires drivers (Windows only) to operate. The XLR PRO USB driver is
available here:
www.digi.com/support/productdetail?pid=5603&type=drivers
•Ethernet: The Ethernet interface is 10/100 Base-T with a two-port Ethernet switch. XLR PRO does not support
Power over Ethernet (PoE) and must be externally powered through the DC power jack.
LEDs
The following table describes XLR PRO LED behavior. (For a diagram of the XLR PRO LEDS, see Front panel on page 14.)
Reset button
You can use the Reset button to reset the XLR PRO and to restore factory default settings.
To reset the XLR PRO:
1Hold down the Reset button for up to five seconds. The serial data in and serial data out LEDs flash three times to
indicate that five seconds have passed.
2Release the Reset button. The XLR PRO resets.
Action LED Status Description
Startup Power Solid Power LED glows solid red.
Link margin
indicators (RSSI)
Solid All of the link margin indicator LEDs show green for one
second.
Serial Data In
(green)
Solid On initial power on, if the green serial data in LED shows solid
for three seconds, the XLR PRO is in serial mode.
Serial Data Out
(yellow)
Solid On initial power on, if the yellow serial data out LED shows
solid for three seconds, the XLR PRO is in IP socket mode.
Data
transmissions
Power Solid While power is on, the power LED shows solid red.
Link margin
indicators (RSSI)
Solid The link margin indicator LEDs illuminate for four seconds to
show the signal strength of the last valid RF packet received.
3 LEDs = Very strong signal (> 30 dB fade margin)
2 LEDs = Strong signal (>20 dB fade margin)
1 LED = Moderate signal (>10 dB fade margin)
0 LED = Weak signal (<10 dB fade margin)
Serial Data In
(green)
Flashing Serial data in LED shows flashing when serial data is being
transmitted.
Serial Data Out
(yellow)
Flashing Serial data out LED shows flashing when serial data is being
received.

XLR PRO documentation
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 12
To restore factory default settings:
1Hold down the Reset button for about eight seconds. While you are holding down the reset button, the serial data
in and serial data out LEDs flash three times to indicate that five seconds have passed. Continue to hold down the
Reset button until the serial data in and serial data out LEDs flash six times.
2Release the Reset button. The XLR PRO is restored to factory default settings.
Antenna port
The antenna port is a 50 ohm RF signal connector for connecting to an external antenna. The connector type is
Reverse Polarity TNC (RPTNC) female. The connector has threads on the outside of a barrel and a male center
conductor.
XLR PRO documentation
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) family of products includes the following publications:
Title
Part
Number Description
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF)
Module User Guide
90001407 Provides complete information on all XLR PRO Radio
Frequency (RF) Module features; describes how to configure
XLR PROs using XCTU; provides reference information on all
supported AT commands and API frames.
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF)
Modem Quick Start Guide
90002204 Provides a brief summary of the XLR PRO Radio Frequency
(RF) Modem kit.
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF)
Modem Getting Started Guide
90002203 Provides step-by-step instructions for setting up a pair of
XLR PROs to test over-the-air communications between the
radios.
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF)
Modem User Guide
90002202 Provides complete information on all XLR PRO Radio
Frequency (RF) Modem features; describes how to configure
XLR PROs using XCTU, the Web configuration interface, and
Device Cloud; provides reference information on all
supported AT commands and API frames.

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 13
XLR PRO hardware
XLR PRO kit contents
The following figure shows the XLR PRO accessories kit.
Item Description
1XLR PRO
2Power supply
3Ethernet cable
4Mini USB cable
1
2
4
3
5
7
6
6

XLR PRO kit contents
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 14
Front panel
The following figure shows XLR PRO front panel connectors and LEDs.
WARNING! Use the serial port for serial connections only. Do not connect the serial RJ45 port to any Power
over Ethernet (PoE) device. Doing so can permanently damage the XLR PRO or PoE device and void
the XLR PRO warranty.
5RJ45/DB9F adapter
6Antenna
7Note Australian kit only: Power plug adapter kit (UK, EU, AS)
Item Description
213
5
4
6
8
109
7
Item Description
1Ethernet port 1
2Ethernet port 2
3Mini USB
4Serial data out LED
5Serial data in LED
6Power LED
7Serial port
8Link margin indicator LEDs (RSSI)
9Reset button
10 DC power jack

XLR PRO kit contents
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 15
RJ45 serial port pinout
WARNING! Use the serial port for serial connections only. Do not connect the serial RJ45 port to any Power
over Ethernet (PoE) device. Doing so could permanently damage the XLR PRO or PoE device and
void the XLR PRO warranty.
Pin RS-232 RS-485 (4-wire) RS-485 (2-wire)
1 RXD TX+ TX/RX+
2CTS TX- TX/RX-
3TXD RX+ Unused
4 GND GND GND
5 GND GND GND
6RTS RX- Unused
7 DSR/DCD Unused Unused
8 DTR Unused Unused

Hardware setup
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 16
Hardware setup
Connect the hardware
The following figure shows how to connect the XLR PRO cables and antenna.

Hardware setup
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 17
Mount the XLR PRO
CAUTION! You must install the XLR PRO in a Restricted Access Location. In addition, you must restrict access to
personnel who have been instructed on potential hazards, as well as physically restrict access
using a tool, or lock and key, or other means controlled by a responsible authority.
The XLR PRO provides mounting holes in the bottom of the unit by which you can mount the unit directly on a
wall or attach mounting brackets.
There are two mounting brackets for the XLR PRO, one for a flush mount and another for a right angle mount. The
following illustrations show the dimensions of each option.
DIN rail bracket, right-angle (not to scale)
Flush-mount bracket (not to scale)
Mounting guidelines

Hardware setup
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 18
Follow these general guidelines when mounting the XLR PRO:
•Use the pre-drilled mounting holes located on the bottom of the XLR PRO unit to attach the XLR PRO to the
wall of an enclosure or DIN Rail bracket. Do not alter or move the mounting holes.
•To attach brackets to the XLR PRO, use four (4) 6-32x3/8” screws. Do not use screws that are longer than 3/8”.
Antenna placement
•Mount the XLR PRO antenna vertically—that is, pointed directly up or down.
•If the XLR PRO is mounted within a metal enclosure, use an antenna external to the enclosure connected to
the XLR PRO using a a 50 ohm coaxial cable, suitable for 900MHz UHF radio transmission.

XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 19
XLR PRO operation
XLR PRO operational design
The XLR PRO uses a multi-layered firmware base for data flow. The flow of data depends on the hardware and
software configuration you choose. The configuration block diagram below shows the host serial interface as the
physical starting point and the antenna as the physical endpoint for transferred data. As long as an interface block is
able to touch another block above or below, the two interfaces can interact. For example, if the XLR PRO is using API
mode, Transparent Mode is not available.
API Mode
ConĮguraƟon
Command Handler
Antenna
MAC/PHY
Packet Handler
NWK (Repeater/Directed Broadcast)
Ethernet
RF
Bridging
Ethernet Interfaces
Serial Port
Device
Cloud
Web UI
IP Socket
Mode
Serial ConnecƟon Manager
Transparent
Mode
AT Command
Mode

XLR PRO operational design
XLR PRO Radio Frequency (RF) Modem User Guide 20
Ethernet RF bridging
In Ethernet RF bridging mode, the XLR PRO functions as an Ethernet cable replacement, supporting point-to-
multipoint transmissions for up to 16 XLR PROs. It is configured by these parameters:
•BE (Bridge Enable): This parameter must be set to 1 to enable bridging, but it is disabled by default.
•BA (Destination RF MAC address for Ethernet bridging): Default value is 0xFFFF which is the broadcast address. If
pairing XLR PRO devices is desired, then this should be set to the RF MAC address of the opposing XLR PRO. This
can be identified by querying the SH and SL parameters on the opposite XLR PRO (example:
BA=0x0013A20012345678).
With bridging enabled, the XLR PRO radios on the RF network should be treated as if they were a single Ethernet
cable. Consult a qualified network administrator to evaluate the radio deployment if multiple XLR PRO radios will be
used on the same LAN or if bridging multiple large networks together.
Serial mode selection
At any given time, only one serial mode can be selected. The XLR PRO selects the serial mode based on cable
connections detection and configuration options.
•USB
XLR PRO detects DTR on the USB virtual COM port.
•RS-232
XLR PRO detects DTR on the RS-232 serial port.
•RS-485/422
RS-485 configuration option is enabled or disabled via the 4E (enable RS-485 mode) parameter.
•IP socket
P Socket configuration option is enabled or disabled via the ES (enable IP socket mode) parameter.
The following flow chart depicts how the XLR PRO selects serial mode:
Reset / Power On
USB DTR?
USB
RS-232 DTR?
Yes
ES Set?
RS-232 IP Socket RS-485
4E Set?
No
Yes
No
No
(default)
No
Yes
(default)
Yes