How to setup Xbee without X-CTU(official tool)

Question

I try to make two raspberry pi communicate (text) with each other via XBee S2 module. Instead of using XBee shield, I connected XBee and pi with dupont lines(PIN: 3.3V, Tx, Rx, Ground).

Under pi, install minicom and

minicom -b 9600 -D /dev/ttyAMA0

I could enter XBee command mode, where I got reply 'OK' when I type some commands. My test architecture is shown below.

(C)PI-XBee      (R)XBee-PI

I set same PANID and destination address as source address of each other. However, I cannot get the message from each other in minicom.

Did I miss something? Or I did need to setup with X-CTU.

Answer 1

Did you exit command mode before sending data (I think the command is ATCN, or just let command mode time out)? Are the modules joined to the same network? Check AI (association indicator, should be zero), SC (scan channels, identical on both modules), CH (channel) and OI (operating PAN ID). The read-only CH and OI should be the same on both modules if they're on the same network. Use ATNR to reset the network on the coordinator, and then on the router to force it to rejoin the network. Be sure to use ATWR to write your settings if you want them to stick after power cycling.

Edit: Turns out both modules had Router firmware installed, so they were both trying to join a network. The S2B has different firmware files for Coordinator and Router/End Device node types. The S2C has a single firmware and uses the setting of ATCE to select coordinator (1) or router/end device (0) operation.