Digi XBee3 802.15.4 User Manual

Networking Encryption
Digi XBee3® 802.15.4 RF Module User Guide
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discards the data after SP*2.5 time. It is also important to keep the pin woke device awake for ST
time after receiving indirect messages, otherwise the coordinator could attempt to transmit directly
while the end device is asleep, and the transmission will fail. For this reason we recommend only using
indirect messaging with cyclic sleep.
Encryption
The XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module supports AES 128-bit encryption. 128-bit encryption refers to the
length of the encryption key entered with the KY command (128 bits = 16 bytes). The 802.15.4
protocol specifies eight security modes, enumerated as shown in the following table.
Level Name Encrypted?
Length of message integrity
check
Packet length
overhead
0 N/A No 0 (no check) 0
1 MIC-32 No 4 9
2 MIC-64 No 8 13
3 MIC-128 No 16 21
4 ENC Yes 0 (no check) 5
5 ENC-MIC-32 Yes 4 9
6 ENC-MIC-64 Yes 8 13
7 ENC-MIC-128 Yes 16 21
The XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module only supports security levels 0 and 4. It does not support message
integrity checks. EE 0 selects security level 0 and EE 1 selects security level 4. When using encryption,
all devices in the network must use the same 16-byte encryption key for valid data to get through.
Mismatched keys will corrupt the data output on the receiving device. Mismatched EE parameters will
prevent the receiving device from outputting received data.
Working from a maximum packet size of 116 bytes, encryption affects the maximum payload as shown
in the following table.
Factor
Effect on
maximum
payload Comment
Compatibility
mode
Force to 95 If C8 bit 0 is set, all packets are limited to 95 bytes, regardless of other
factors listed below. This is how the Legacy 802.15.4 module (S1
hardware) functions.
Packet
overhead
Reduce by 5 This penalty for enabling encryption is unavoidable due to the 802.15.4
protocol.
Source
address
Reduce by 6 This penalty is unavoidable because the 802.15.4 requires encrypted
packets to be sent with a long source address, even if a short address
would otherwise be used.

Digi XBee3 802.15.4 Specifications

General

Module Type	XBee3
Protocol	802.15.4
Frequency Band	2.4 GHz
Data Rate	Up to 250 kbps
Range (Line of Sight)	1200 m
Operating Temperature	-40° C to +85° C
Security	AES-128
I/O Interfaces	UART, SPI, I2C
Antenna Options	U.FL
Power Supply	2.1 to 3.6 VDC

Summary

Trademarks and Copyright

Disclaimers

Warranty

Customer Support

Applicable Firmware and Hardware

Firmware Support

Information on supported firmware versions for the module.

Hardware Support

Details on the compatible hardware versions for the module.

Get Started

Verify Kit Contents

Lists the components included in the XBee3 development kit.

Assemble the Hardware

Instructions for assembling and disassembling hardware components.

Configure the Device Using XCTU

Steps for configuring the device using the XBee Configuration and Test Utility.

Perform a Range Test

Procedure for testing RF range and link quality between two modules.

Configure the XBee3 802.15.4 RF Module

Over-the-Air (OTA) Firmware Update

Instructions for updating firmware remotely using XCTU.

Custom Defaults

How to set and manage custom default device configurations.

Modes

Transparent Operating Mode

Device behavior as a serial line replacement for RF transmission.

API Operating Mode

Structured interface for complex communication using packets.

Command Mode

State for interacting with the device via AT commands for configuration.

Serial Communication

Serial Interface

How the module interfaces with host devices via UART or SPI.

Flow Control

Mechanisms to manage data flow and prevent buffer overflow.

SPI Operation

SPI Communications

Details on SPI signals, directions, and functions in slave mode.

Low Power Operation

How sleep modes function with SPI and UART interfaces.

I/O Support

Digital I/O Support

Configuration of digital I/O lines for input, output, and sampling.

Analog I/O Support

Configuration of analog inputs for sampling and PWM outputs.

Periodic I/O Sampling

How to sample I/O pins at a periodic rate.

Digital I/O Change Detection

Triggering samples based on digital pin state changes.

Networking

MAC Mode Configuration

Settings for Digi header and MAC acknowledgments.

Addressing

How source and destination addresses are handled in RF packets.

Encryption

Enabling and controlling AES 128-bit encryption for RF transmissions.

Maximum Payload

Factors affecting the maximum data payload size in packets.

Sleep Support

Sleep Modes

Configurations for Pin Sleep, Cyclic Sleep, and Pin Wake-up modes.

Sleep Parameters

AT commands related to sleep mode configuration and timing.

Sleep Conditions

Factors that prevent the device from entering sleep mode.

AT Commands

Network and Security Commands

Commands for network channel, ID, security, and compatibility settings.

802.15.4 Addressing Commands

Commands for setting source, destination, and network addresses.

UART Interface Commands

Commands for configuring serial communication parameters.

I/O Settings Commands

Commands for configuring the module's digital and analog I/O pins.

I/O Sampling Commands

Commands for reading I/O pin states and generating sample data.

Operate in API Mode

API Mode Overview

Benefits and structure of API mode for device communication.

API Frame Format

Structure and fields of API frames for data exchange.

Frame Descriptions

TX Request: 64-bit Address Frame - 0x00

Frame for sending data to a specific 64-bit address.

AT Command Frame - 0x08

Frame for querying or setting local AT command parameters.

RX Packet: 64-bit Address Frame - 0x80

Frame indicating receipt of data via 64-bit addressing.

AT Command Response Frame - 0x88

Frame indicating the result of an AT Command request.

TX Status Frame - 0x89

Frame indicating the status of a transmitted packet.

OTA Firmware Upgrade Process for 802.15.4

OTA/OTB File

Structure and format of OTA firmware image files.

Create the Image Notify Request

Frame used to inform the client about an available firmware update.

Query Next Image Request

Client request for the next firmware image block.

Image Block Request

Client request for specific bytes of the OTA firmware image.

OTA Error Handling

Troubleshooting common errors during the OTA upgrade process.