Using the NXP Zigbee Control bridge in Router Mode and send Serial Commands

[dmsherazi]

Regarding the Zigbee ControlBridge Application

My first question would be : whats the diffrence between DeviceType cordinator and router?

Is it that the when we set NXP Control Bridge as router , it can be added to a network that is created by another Control Bridge as a cordinator?
If so will it accept most of the Control Bridge serial commands for example to call a scene or set color of lights etc via the serial port?.

If its so my goal is to use one Control Bridge as a cordinator and another few as routers that are connected to an mcu with a LCD display. From these displays I need to be able to use the UI to control the zigbee devices, but I dont want them to be acting as cordinators!

My Intention is to use the Control Bridge router as a router , but to be able to send the serial commands as well. So my main MCU can send a light ON/OFF command through the serial port to the Control Bridge - Router and the Control Bridge Router will send that command via Zigbee . Is it achievable?

[dmsherazi]

Hi and thanks for the detailed answer. I tried to use zgwui to test my case. When i set the device your to router through the command. It doesn't respond to serial commands like get version. Should i be using the full function device firmware?

[EduardoZamora]

Hi,

Could you please provide more details about your issue? Are you able to establish the connection with your device?

Just to confirm, did you follow step 5.1 Programming the DK006 Device and 5.2.1 Connecting to the Control Bridge (from Control Bridge User Guide)?

Some commands will receive a Status message only, and some of them will receive optional data messages depending on the command. Serial Command Set describes expected responses for each command.

Regards,
Eduardo.

[dmsherazi]

Although it worked for me for the JN5168 module nut when I tried with DK6 kit , and used firmware 

Following your instructions
 

As mentioned in JN-AN-1216 User Guide, section 4.2.2, Control bridge starts as a Coordinator.Instead of

1. Then I set the device type to ROUTER 

2. Now I restart the Control Bridge Device that should work as a router 

please try Erase PD > Set Type to ROUTER > Start Scan,without resetting the device.

I get this error when I press the start Scan button on ZGWUI

[dmsherazi]

Any ways the detailed issue is like

I have used JN-AN-1216 for the router control bridge made  changes to the build variables to build for JN5168 and built ZigbeeNodeControlBridge_JN5168_GP_Proxy_FULL_FUNC_DEVICE_115200.bin firmware , uploaded to the router module.

Now I use ZGWUI and do the following 

1.  Set Up COM PORT 
2. press get version button and I get reply as follows
3. Then I set the device type to ROUTER
    
4. Now I restart the Control Bridge Device that should work as a router 
   
5. Now on my ControlBridge that is having the cordinator firmware , I would set permit join to true for about 3 minutes
6. On ZGWUI which is controlling the JN5168 Full function control bridge and set type as router I press the Start Scan button.
   
7. This should in my knowledge put the Router Control bridge in Network Search mode and the Cordinator should be able to add it , But I dont see any device announce on the Cordinator. If I would put any other zigbee device in network serach mode it will get added
   
8.  

[EduardoZamora · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I apologize for the misunderstanding. Please consider that JN5189/88T is preferred for any new new Zigbee®, Thread design.

Could you please confirm that you followed step 4.1 Programming the JN516x/JN517x Device and 4.2.1 Connecting to the Control Bridge?

Have you already started a network on the Coordinator side (step 4.2.2 Configuring and Starting a Network)? Which are the input parameters you are using for Permit join on your Coordinator?

As mentioned in JN-AN-1216 User Guide, section 4.2.2, Control bridge starts as a Coordinator. Instead of

3. Then I set the device type to ROUTER 

4. Now I restart the Control Bridge Device that should work as a router 

please try Erase PD > Set Type to ROUTER > Start Scan, without resetting the device.

If this issue persists, would it be possible for you to share a sniffer log (using, for example, Wireshark or Ubiqua) of the specific devices involved in this scenario? Also, you can try with Erase PD on both devices and repeating the entire setup procedure.

Regards,
Eduardo.

[dmsherazi]

I have JN5168 and JN5169 as my router control bridge devices and in the Docs the User Guide has no 5.2.1 section.

[EduardoZamora]

Hello @dmsherazi,

Zigbee device types are defined by the ZigBee Alliance, and a device type is a software entity that determines the functionality supported by a node. A network node can support more than one device type.

Coordinator, Router, or End Device are ZigBee node types. Every network must have one Coordinator; this device starts the network, allows child nodes to join the network through it, can have children and can therefore be parents.
On the other hand, a network may have many routers that allows other nodes to join the network through it and can be both a child and a parent.

This is an example of a Zigbee mesh network
 

Control Bridge allows the user to set the node type to Coordinator, Router or End Device. For more information on how to set up the Control Bridge and manage the network devices, please refer to JN-AN-1247 folder > Docs > JN-AN-1247-Zigbee-3-0-ControlBridge-UserGuide.

Regarding to your application, it should be possible to use an MCU instead of the PC/ZGWUI to send commands to Control Bridge. You can find the Serial Command Set in JN-AN-1247-Zigbee-3-0-ControlBridge-UserGuide, Appendix B.

Please consult the Zigbee documentation inside JN5189 SDK folder > docs > wireless > Zigbee.

Regards,
Eduardo.