API mode and Transparent Mode

Hardware
1

Looking at the documentation for the 900HF modules, I saw that there is a unicast transmission mode for the devices where you can set a destination device address. When I plug in one of the NCD usb modems and then open digi’s XCTU software to look at the device configuration, I see that it is current set in API Mode Without Escapes [1].

Would setting it in Transparent Mode [0] have an effect on the device and how it communicates with the various NCD nodes?
With it in Transparent Mode [0], can the node still work as “normal” in the Node-Red software with NCD’s library?

Here is the documentation: XBee®-PRO 900HP and XSC RF Modules User Guide - Make a unicast transmission (digi.com)
XBee®-PRO 900HP and XSC RF Modules User Guide - Unicast addressing (digi.com)

2

Hi,

Yes changing the mode will effect how it operates with various NCD devices. Transparent mode is useful for a 1 to 1 communication line. You can set your destination address in both module and pass raw bytes without needing to worry about the DigiMesh API. Although to change which device you want to talk to you’ll need to send AT commands to the attached module to set the destination address, transmit options, etc. I would only recommend using a modem in AT mode for very simple applications.

The Node-Red library expects the attached modem’s module to be in API mode and will not function if it is transparent mode.

3

Ah okay. With the Node-Red library expecting API mode, I’ll probably just keep it in Broadcast transmission.