How to Program Xbee modules?

[Dinuwan]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post, so excuse me if I'm posting in the wrong place, and kindly let me know where I should actually post this.

First of all a brief description of what I want to do :

I am making an independent portable device that would be able to transmit and receive from many other devices such as itself. That is it should broadcast some message within a given period of time. This device will mainly consist of a PIC MCU and an XBEE module for wireless transmission.

The problem that i'm facing is that, in order to make communication as I have described above, the device should be able to switch between a Coordinator and an end device. Can someone please advice me if this is possible with the xbee modules, and how i can actually achieve this.

Any help would be very valuable...

thanks..

Dinu1.

[Plater]

Which series of XBEE modules are you using?
It is pretty easy with the ones refered to as "XBee® & XBee-PRO® 802.15.4 OEM RF Modules"
It may also be simple with zigbee series too, but I have no experience with them.

With the 802.15.4 models you can use the XBEE API to send broadcast packets and directed packets (see the manual). There is no need to make specific coordinators and/or non-coordinators

[alexis4]

I don't get it... Why would you switch your node between Coordinator and End Device? It doesn't make any sence to me!
You want to receive back the messages you send? If this is the case I think there are many other ways to achieve this (a Router for example could retransmit this message to Coordinator) but actually I don't think you need it. And even if you succesfully make this switch, are you sure that the new ED will join the network AND receive an old broadcast message?
Just broadcast your message and do not wait for ACK. I do not have XBee experience, but as far as I know ZigBee specification does not demand ACK for broadcasting.