Author Topic: WiFiLogger - Connect your Davis console directly to the Internet via WiFi  (Read 109329 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
If anyone here is planning to use a WFL unit with a Mac + Weathercat then could you post here please. No reason that it shouldn't work well, but would be good to have confirmation.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline kobuki

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 838
@johnd: IIRC your company will be the EU distro for this product. Could we know when it's going to be up for purchase?

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
@johnd: IIRC your company will be the EU distro for this product. Could we know when it's going to be up for purchase?

Essentially when we receive stock - hopefully sometime later next week. There should be ordering details online by eg midweek, but we will also be very busy next week with a big show (http://www.cerealsevent.co.uk/ if anyone's interested) so first dispatch is maybe looking like Monday 18th.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline WheatonRon

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1237
    • WUnderground
I received my WiFi datalogger from Ryan at Scaled Instruments yesterday, and after some guidance from the developer of this product (Wojtek), it works as advertised!

It was shipped without instructions, but Wojtek sent me his manual and got it going for me on my VP2 system. The logger has two buttons on the bottom--a red one and a white one. You must press the red one for about 10 seconds which made it look for my router (be sure to disconnect your batteries and AC connection before you insert the logger in the console). After it found my router, and gave it access, it connected to where I wanted it to, again with help from Wojtek--Weather Underground, and PWSweather.com. CWOP is still a work in process but that is CWOP's issue, not Wojtek's. CWOP has to approve my coordinates and since I already post to CWOP, I understand they want different coordinates than what I use on my first station. [Edit: In fact, there is a problem with the logger uploading to CWOP. It requires a firmware update—see later discussion in this thread.]

As the instructions are written right now, you have to be somewhat computer literate, or you will likely fail. I volunteered to provide Wojtek some plain English wording for the manual to help with this process as I want him and the product he developed to be successful. I also hope he has consulted with a lawyer to ensure his rights down the road do not get infringed upon as this product is very good and likely to be successful and is exactly what I was looking for--a logger that does not require a computer to send data to WU, CWOP, etc. I already have Weatherlink and its logger to do that for me! What is interesting, you cannot use Davis' Weatherlink to upload to pwsweather.com, but you can with this WiFilogger--go figure.

Again, well worth the purchase, just need better instructions to get this "puppy" to fly!
« Last Edit: June 10, 2018, 04:46:35 PM by WheatonRon »
Davis VP2 with SHT31 (3 complete VP2 systems—2 with a daytime fan and 1 that has a 24 hour fan); CWOP--CW5020, FW3075 and FW4350; WU--KILWHEAT17, KILWHEAT36 and KILWHEAT39; WeatherCloud.net; CoCoRaHS--IL-DP-132; and Weatherlink 2.0

Offline ocala

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4383
Glad you have it working Ron.
It is a nice addition isn't it. :grin:
As for CWOP why do you have to change the coordinates. If you haven't moved nothing needs to be changed. Just make sure the format with which you reported to CWOP is the same as in the set up. That was my issue at first until Wojtek pointed that out to me.
The blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
This time with CWOP is probably my fault. I have already repair that. You need to upgrade version to 1.12 which you will find on the first post.
I will write here ASAP an instruction how to upgrade WiFiLogger.

Offline ocala

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4383
Just checked CWOP. It's still updating. Do I still need to upgrade to 1.12?
The blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
Ocala you don't have version 1.11 which is in first lot already sent to Scaled Instruments. Units are sealed so Ryan won't open and upgrade them. I have to ask users to make it after proper installation. Version 1.12 has parameter "Pause Duration", especially for you, but Weather Elements is missing in this version.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2018, 04:09:30 PM by WiFiLogger »

Offline ocala

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4383
Upgraded to V1.12. Everything went smooth.
All sites being updated on time.
The blues had a baby and they named it Rock & Roll

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
I have just realize that whole first lot has firmware with this CWOP fault, also this one in Europe, which will be available soon. That is shameful. I am sorry.

On the first post you can find new firmware file "WiFiLogger112.zip" + and instruction how to make update "WiFiLogger update.pdf"
Version 1.12 has additional features:
- wow.metoffice.gov.uk - upload function
- Pause duration parameter
- Weather Underground wind gust fixed

Now. I will try to add MQTT function.

Offline WheatonRon

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1237
    • WUnderground
I have just realize that whole first lot has firmware with this CWOP fault, also this one in Europe, which will be available soon. That is shameful. I am sorry.

On the first post you can find new firmware file "WiFiLogger112.zip" + and instruction how to make update "WiFiLogger update.pdf"
Version 1.12 has additional features:
- wow.metoffice.gov.uk - upload function
- Pause duration parameter
- Weather Underground wind gust fixed

Now. I will try to add MQTT function.

What is MQTT and would that be the basis for firmware version 1.13? Should we wait for that? Finally, if the update process fails, can a user return to the original firmware when bought, in my case version 1.11?
Davis VP2 with SHT31 (3 complete VP2 systems—2 with a daytime fan and 1 that has a 24 hour fan); CWOP--CW5020, FW3075 and FW4350; WU--KILWHEAT17, KILWHEAT36 and KILWHEAT39; WeatherCloud.net; CoCoRaHS--IL-DP-132; and Weatherlink 2.0

Offline WheatonRon

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1237
    • WUnderground
Following your instructions, when I try and install the new firmware in Chrome, I get this blurb:

Calculated file MD5 hash: d3112c9d54a9e05f5ffb232db94bfae0

Is it ok to update using this?
Davis VP2 with SHT31 (3 complete VP2 systems—2 with a daytime fan and 1 that has a 24 hour fan); CWOP--CW5020, FW3075 and FW4350; WU--KILWHEAT17, KILWHEAT36 and KILWHEAT39; WeatherCloud.net; CoCoRaHS--IL-DP-132; and Weatherlink 2.0

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
MQTT It's a protocol suitable for Internet Of Things devices. You can share data with it. I will start with JSON format data share.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MQTT

Yes you can return to old firmware, I will add links to all firmware release.
If upload process will fail, then no update will be done. Nothing will change. Uploaded file is cache in special place in memory, then if MD5sum is ok update will be done.
This process is safe.
To resurrect really bad firmware upgrade, which I did not occur, you need to have usb to uart cable.

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
1. MD5 hash1 is generated by web browser in first step.
2. File is uploaded.
3. New MD5 hash2 is generated inside WiFiLogger after file uploaded.
4. hash1 and hash2 need to be equal.
5. Update + Restart
6. New firmware turns on.

If your web browser won't generate hash1, then hash2 won't be equal, so update will not work, stay with old firmware.
Web browser need to be compatible with this hash1 generator. Not all web browser will do this.

Offline WheatonRon

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1237
    • WUnderground
I tried to update twice and it failed both times using the calculated MD5 hash file referred to below. So I guess I am out of luck, unless you have another idea. I have tried Edge, Chrome and Firefox each with the same result.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2018, 11:07:44 AM by WheatonRon »
Davis VP2 with SHT31 (3 complete VP2 systems—2 with a daytime fan and 1 that has a 24 hour fan); CWOP--CW5020, FW3075 and FW4350; WU--KILWHEAT17, KILWHEAT36 and KILWHEAT39; WeatherCloud.net; CoCoRaHS--IL-DP-132; and Weatherlink 2.0

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
When I am trying to update using smartphone with Chrome I have also fail.
Could you try to use other device? Other laptop, other smartphone, other web browser.

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
What is MQTT and would that be the basis for firmware version 1.13?

Afraid that I'm the culprit here asking Wojtek for this feature. In short, MQTT is a lightweight protocol that provides a way of pushing very frequent data updates to (potentially) many clients simultaneously, while placing only a minimal load on the originating device (ie the WiFi logger in this case). The 'data updates' are simply JSON data objects that will then need interpreting by some client-side browser front-end much as WDL or Steelseries gauges do, so it's an enabling technology rather than an end in itself. But it could open the door to more varied and more interesting front-ends for wx data, especially if we could get any good front-end developers interested .

I see it as a way of easily making real-time weather updates to remote users. I guess you could think of it as a RapidFire-type mechanism.

In the context of WFL it would be an experimental feature to start with - there's no guarantees as yet that it's practicable or that it will work as expected, but it is a protocol that's used increasingly and successfully in the IoT world and there's no obvious reason why it shouldn't work well.

The main downside to MQTT is that it needs a 'broker' to act as an intermediary. But there are several such services out on the web (eg at cloudmqtt.com) that typically operate on a freemium model, ie if you're content with a basic service just to serve 2 or 3 devices or users then it's free; if you want more users or  extra features then there's a small annual subscription.

Edit: Actually that's rather a sketchy description and there's more to it than that. eg one key benefit is that data updates (potentially every 2-3 seconds) are pushed to all subscribed clients, ie there's nothing that the clients need to do by way of polling for data. And there are certainly alternatives to using a commercial broker, eg you can easily (or at least reasonably easily if you're comfortable with computers) run your own broker or eg someone or some business could maybe (just throwing out ideas here) manage one of the higher-priced high bandwidth plans from eg cloudmqtt on behalf of wx users and charge a modest annual sub (I don't know eg $20pa? - it's got to be enough to be worth the admin overheads of collecting but no more than necessary).

Feel free to comment.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2018, 11:27:19 AM by johnd »
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
MD5 d3112c9d54a9e05f5ffb232db94bfae0 is for ZIP file.

You have to unzip WiFiLogger112.zip
Then you will have folder WiFiLogger112 and inside you will find WiFiLogger112.bin and html folder with another 10 files.

BIN file has own form
HTML files has separated area to upload.

Offline WheatonRon

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1237
    • WUnderground
MD5 d3112c9d54a9e05f5ffb232db94bfae0 is for ZIP file.

You have to unzip WiFiLogger112.zip
Then you will have folder WiFiLogger112 and inside you will find WiFiLogger112.bin and html folder with another 10 files.

BIN file has own form
HTML files has separated area to upload.

Firmware updated to 1.12 and 10 uploaded html files! The CWOP location in the uploads file is no longer greyed out! I think we have solved my issue and hopefully others that read this thread will benefit too.
Davis VP2 with SHT31 (3 complete VP2 systems—2 with a daytime fan and 1 that has a 24 hour fan); CWOP--CW5020, FW3075 and FW4350; WU--KILWHEAT17, KILWHEAT36 and KILWHEAT39; WeatherCloud.net; CoCoRaHS--IL-DP-132; and Weatherlink 2.0

Offline WiFiLogger

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 733
Sorry for this mistake in firmware 1.11. Next time I will check once more before release it.

Offline dport

  • Senior Contributor
  • ****
  • Posts: 203
I have wifilogger up and running.  Easy setup and smooth sailing uploading my data.  Firmware upgrade was also very easy.  This is great!  Thank you Wojtek!

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
Does anyone think that there might be enough posts on the WiFi logger to ask The Management here for a separate WFL subforum?
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.

Offline dalecoy

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 6447
    • Lee's Summit, MO
Does anyone think that there might be enough posts on the WiFi logger to ask The Management here for a separate WFL subforum?

I think it's fine the way it is - and we have entirely enough separate fora. 

Offline WheatonRon

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1237
    • WUnderground
Does anyone think that there might be enough posts on the WiFi logger to ask The Management here for a separate WFL subforum?

Have you been able to upload to CWOP with the correct coordinates? I tried and gave up, and Wojtek is working on a fix. Everything else with this logger is working great.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2018, 01:34:06 PM by WheatonRon »
Davis VP2 with SHT31 (3 complete VP2 systems—2 with a daytime fan and 1 that has a 24 hour fan); CWOP--CW5020, FW3075 and FW4350; WU--KILWHEAT17, KILWHEAT36 and KILWHEAT39; WeatherCloud.net; CoCoRaHS--IL-DP-132; and Weatherlink 2.0

Offline johnd

  • Forecaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4827
    • www.weatherstations.co.uk
Does anyone think that there might be enough posts on the WiFi logger to ask The Management here for a separate WFL subforum?

I think it's fine the way it is - and we have entirely enough separate fora.

I know what you mean, but:

1. This obviously isn't a Davis product and so discussion doesn't really belong here. Ditto Weatherlink. I guess the only other potential home might be  'Other weather station hardware' but then it's not hardware in a sensor sense.

2. Right now there's a danger of posts all being joined on to one super-long WFL thread, making it almost impossible to find specific information in future.

3. I wouldn't object to a cull of little-used forums, or at least hiding them, or maybe making them subforums of one main 'Legacy threads' forum. Maybe if a new post hasn't been made within eg 3 or 6 or 12 months then the forum should be automatically relegated.

4. It is obviously possible to hide forums that you're not personally interested in.
Prodata Weather Systems
Prodata's FAQ/support site for Davis stations
Includes many details on 6313 Weatherlink console.
UK Davis Premier Dealer - All Davis stations, accessories and spares
Cambridge UK

Sorry, but I don't usually have time to help with individual issues by email unless you are a Prodata customer. Please post your issue in the relevant forum section here & I will comment there if I have anything useful to add.