Get started with Bluetooth® Low Energy

Bluetooth LE is an RF protocol that enables you to connect your XBee (server) device to another (client) device. he latest Digi XBee products include a dual-mode radio that allows the device to communicate through the Bluetooth LE interface and the RF/Cellular network at the same time.

The XBee acts as a Bluetooth LE GATT server and allows client devices, such as a cellphone or a third-party Bluetooth® LE device such as the Nordic nRF and SiLabs BGM, to configure the XBee or transfer data with the User Data Relay frame using the XBee API Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) Service.

The XBee does not support modifying the XBee's GATT database. This means that the XBee cannot be configured to appear as something else, such as a temperature sensor.

On XBee 3 Cellular firmware ending in x16 or newer

The XBee supports the following Bluetooth LE features:

Bluetooth LE pairing and bonding support for GATT client connections.
Ability to authenticate and communicate as a Bluetooth® LE client to other XBee3 devices using the Digi Bluetooth LE service.

On XBee 3 Cellular firmware ending in x15 or newer

The XBee supports the following Bluetooth LE features:

GATT server supporting the XBee API Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) Service and the standard Device Information Service. Note that support for these features was added in firmware ending in x10.
Configurable Bluetooth LE device name in advertisements using the ATBI command.
Configurable Bluetooth LE advertisement payload, such as beacons, using MicroPython.
GAP (Generic Access Profile) discovery (scanning for advertisements or beacons) using MicroPython.
GATT client support in MicroPython.
- Connect to another Bluetooth LE device (such as a sensor) using GAP.
- Discover services, characteristics, and descriptors on the remote device’s GATT server.
- Read and write characteristic and descriptor values. For example, read a temperature sensor.
- Configure notifications or indications on characteristic values.

For more information, see the Digi MicroPython Programming Guide.

On XBee 3 Cellular firmware ending in x14 or older

The XBee supports the following Bluetooth LE features:

GATT server supporting the XBee API Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE) Service and the standard Device Information Service.

The XBee is a GATT server only, which can be used to configure the XBee or transfer data with the User Data Relay Frame.

The XBee does not support the following:

Scanning for advertisements or beacons.
Connecting to another Bluetooth LE device, such as a sensor or another XBee.

Enable Bluetooth LE on an XBee device

This process explains how to enable Bluetooth LE on your XBee 3 device and verify the connection.

Set up your XBee device, and make sure to connect the Bluetooth LE antenna to the device. See Get started with the XBee 3 Cellular LTE-M/NB-IoT.
Enable Bluetooth® Low Energy and configure the Bluetooth Low Energy password using XCTU.
Get the Digi XBee Mobile phone application.
Connect with Bluetooth® Low Energy and configure your XBee device.

Note The Bluetooth LE protocol is disabled on the XBee device by default. To ensure that Bluetooth LE is always enabled, you can create a custom configuration that is used as a new factory default. See Custom configuration: Create a new factory default.