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Setting Up a Repeater in a Digi Mesh Network

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:04 am
by Ezzie
I am using your X-bee radios (PRO 900HP) in a mesh network to monitor a number of remote Omnimeter V4's. One of the remotes is challenging to get reliable communications with due to the topology. I have deployed an extra radio as a remote in a location that is LOS to both the end point and my base station assuming that it will function as a repeater to relay information bidirectionally (how a Mesh network is supposed to operate). Problem is, it does not seem to work. Is there something special I need to do with the Digi Utility called XCTU to configure that radio as a repeater??

Re: Setting Up a Repeater in a Digi Mesh Network

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 1:56 am
by Jameson
Hello Ezzie,

No there is nothing special you should do for the 485Bee (or xBee) to act as a repeater. Did you buy the xBee from us? If you bought everything from us, it should just work. But if you bought some parts from a 3rd party you would want to make sure that all xBees are on the same channel and have the same firmware (you can do this using XCTU).

But you should be able to just setup your 458Bees in a way that each one can "see" at least one other 485Bee, then they should all form their own mesh network and automatically route the data from the meters back to the EKM Push or USB Converter.

Here are some layouts showing how "repeater" 485Bees can be used to extend the network around obstacles (the "repeater" 485Bee does not necessarily need to be connected to an EKM Omnimeter for it to function as a repeater):

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