RFXBEE Series 1 vs Series 2: Key Differences
wireless communication
zigbee
xbee
mesh network
radio hardware
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The XBEE chip, manufactured by Digi International, comes in different flavors with varying radio hardware. XBEE Series 1 radios utilize a microchip made by Freescale, while XBEE Series 2 radios use a microchip from Ember Networks. XBEE Series 2 is widely popular, especially for Zigbee mesh networking applications.
This article highlights the key differences between XBEE Series 1 and XBEE Series 2 Zigbee radios. Digi also offers Series 2B, which enhances existing functionalities and introduces new features.
XBEE Series 1 vs. Series 2: A Comparison
| Specifications | Zigbee XBEE Series 1 | Zigbee XBEE Series 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Range (Indoor/Outdoor) | 30 meters | 40 meters |
| Best LOS Range | 100 meters | 120 meters |
| Tx/Rx Current | 45/50 mA | 40/40 mA |
| Digital Input/Output Pins | 8 (+1 input only) | 11 |
| Analog Input Pins | 7 | 4 |
| Analog PWM Output Pins | 2 | None |
| Interoperable Mesh Routing, Ad-hoc Network Creation, Self-healing Networks | NO | YES |
| Firmware Available | 802.15.4 (IEEE) DigiMesh | ZB (Zigbee2007) ZNet 2.5 (OBSOLETE) |
| Mesh, Cluster Tree Topologies | NO | YES |
| Requires Coordinator Node | NO | YES |
| Point-to-Point Configuration | SIMPLE | MORE INVOLVED |
| Standard Based Applications | NO | YES |
| Standard Based Networking | YES | YES |
