configuring a pair of XBees first.
XBee Shield Hookup Guide
June 5, 2014
How to get started with an XBee Shield and Explorer. Create a remote-control Arduino!
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10
Drivers and Assembly
The USB-based XBee Explorers all operate using an
, which converts serial to USB and vice-versa. This is one of our
favorite chips because it supports all computer platforms and it's easy to work with. If this is the first FTDI chip you've ever connected to
your computer (it probably won't be your last), there is some driver installation to get out of the way.
We've written a tutorial detailing
How to Install FTDI Drivers tutorial
. So go ahead and
plug your USB Explorer into your computer
, and
section there. (Ignore the final steps, where Arduino software is invoked.) Regardless of
whether you're on Mac or Windows, once your Explorer's drivers are installed it will be assigned a
unique COM port number
. Take note
of that port number, as you'll need it on the next pages.
How to Install FTDI Drivers
June 4, 2013
How to install drivers for the FTDI Basic on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
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8
Basic Assembly: Plug In an XBee!
Time to "assemble" the XBee Explorer. Grab your XBee of choice. Notice how it has a flat edge and a more angular/diagonal edge?
Match that footprint up to the white lines on your XBee Explorer, and carefully insert! Take care not to bend any of the XBee pins -- be
gentle when you're plugging it in. (And be even more careful if you're removing it!)
Nice work! You've assembled the XBee Explorer. You're ready for the
. Or, if you're a power user, looking to get the most out of
your explorer, you can check out the more "advanced" assembly below.
Advanced Assembly (Totally Optional)
For most basic-use cases, all Explorer boards should be good-to-go once you've installed drivers. If you want to use any of the XBee's I/O
pins, you
can
to the 0.1"-pitch pins inside the XBee headers. This will allow you to plug the board into a breadboard,
so you can wire other components up to the XBee. Each XBee pin is labeled on the bottom side of the board. You can also check out the
for help locating a specific pin.
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