Davis serial data-link to wireless solution

[AL Estep]

Gents,
 I have a Davis serial data-link for my Vantage PRO2. the connection is fifty ft long and well withing specs for a serial connection. But I really would like to go wireless with this connection and then be able to not have a cable running thru the trim around the cellar door to get the data to the WX computer.

Does anyone have a solution that would connect to the the Davis serial data logger(RJ) and then go wireless to the Davis computer connector (blue RJ to nine pin)?

[d_l]

Most of the potential solutions aren't going to be cheap.  Maybe something like this would work: IOGEAR's Serial Adapter with Bluetooth?  All I know about it is what I've read on their web pages.

[dalecoy]

Gents,
 I have a Davis serial data-link for my Vantage PRO2. the connection is fifty ft long and well withing specs for a serial connection. But I really would like to go wireless with this connection and then be able to not have a cable running thru the trim around the cellar door to get the data to the WX computer.

Does anyone have a solution that would connect to the the Davis serial data logger(RJ) and then go wireless to the Davis computer connector (blue RJ to nine pin)?

Thanks for moving this to a new topic.  I did a search and didn't find anything that I would call a "good, cheap" wireless solution - but perhaps I missed something and someone will point us to it.

Perhaps if you describe your physical situation a bit more, we could suggest alternatives.  For instance - should we assume that the console is in the cellar and the computer is not?  Or the reverse?  What else is in the cellar?  Phone wires?  Do you have a wired or wireless network in the house?

[Bushman]

http://www.fjord-technology.com/datenlogger_xbp.html  (Need to translate from German)

[xykotik]

German - to - English

[dalecoy]

http://www.fjord-technology.com/datenlogger_xbp.html  (Need to translate from German)

Need to translate the price from Euros - would be something like $325 + shipping.

Need to check, but I'm guessing that the frequencies used would not be legal in the US.

[dalecoy]

Assuming this is a wireless VP2, anything more expensive than the Davis 6316 http://www.davisnet.com/weather/products/weather_product.asp?pnum=06316 would be unreasonable.

$195 list, available cheaper at various other stores.

[johnd]

Does anyone have a solution that would connect to the the Davis serial data logger(RJ) and then go wireless to the Davis computer connector (blue RJ to nine pin)?

You maybe need to specify what sort of wireless you want. I'd have thought that some sort of WiFi Device Server, eg

http://www.lemosint.com/device_servers/device_servers_details.php?itemID=585

might be the cheapest option (and assuming that you might have WiFi available already). It's not a serial to serial link (at least not in a hardware sense) but does the same job. Just don't forget that you'll probably need a modem adapter on the device server input to cross over the Rx/Tx lines.

Of course there are plenty of more costly options like a pair of MaxStream wireless modems

[Bushman]

http://www.fjord-technology.com/datenlogger_xbp.html  (Need to translate from German)

Need to translate the price from Euros - would be something like $325 + shipping.

Need to check, but I'm guessing that the frequencies used would not be legal in the US.

It uses run of the mill 2.5 ghz.  Fine everywhere.

[dalecoy]

http://www.fjord-technology.com/datenlogger_xbp.html  (Need to translate from German)

Need to translate the price from Euros - would be something like $325 + shipping.

Need to check, but I'm guessing that the frequencies used would not be legal in the US.

It uses run of the mill 2.5 ghz.  Fine everywhere.

Ah.  Same band as microwave ovens, etc. 

[Bushman]

2.5?  I meant 2.4  My bad.  And yeah, same as lots of wifi routers etc.

[AL Estep]

ok, more data the console is in the living room  hanging on a wall.
The weather computer is in the cellar in my work from home office.
I want to use a wireless RF connection other than Bluetooth since the distance exceeds what Bluetooth is capable of doing.
in the serial discussion they talked about a little wireless adapter that connected to the serial connector of the VP2 console. I was wondering if that could be adapted to what I wanted to accomplish. That wireless adapter and serial connection is in two parts one for a serial port the other to transmit & receive the data.

[dalecoy]

Perhaps if you describe your physical situation a bit more, we could suggest alternatives. 

  What else is in the cellar?  Phone wires?  Do you have a wired or wireless network in the house?

[AL Estep]

hard wired network, and phone lines

[dalecoy]

hard wired network, and phone lines

So, would it be:

1.  If there are unused wires in your phone lines (i.e., standard wiring and only one incoming phone number), you could use the unused wires to connect the serial logger to the computer.

2.  If the hard wired network is accessible from the console, there are two possibilities:

A.  There are always unused wires in the network cable, that can be used (without interference) to connect the console to the computer.

B.  You could get a WeatherLinkIP logger.
========

And, to answer "in the serial discussion they talked about a little wireless adapter that connected to the serial connector of the VP2 console. I was wondering if that could be adapted to what I wanted to accomplish" ... yes, I believe that it could.  Note that it's not a "finished work, buy it and plug it in" appliance, but if you have technical experience, you could try it.  It's also not a logger, so requires a reliable 24/7 computer.

[johnd]

2.  If the hard wired network is accessible from the console, there are two possibilities:
...

And a third would be to connect a cabled device server (serial-to-ethernet adapter) to the network. Not very expensive and work well.

[d_l]

I want to use a wireless RF connection other than Bluetooth since the distance exceeds what Bluetooth is capable of doing.

The distance exceeds 330 feet??!!!!  The Bluetooth devices I linked to have that distance limit.

[Bushman]

Depends on the class.  Class 1 is supposed to be 100m at optimal conditions but most devices are Class 2 - 20 meters.

[d_l]

.. and the device I linked to is Class 1! Sheesh!

[AL Estep]

Sorry to make this complicated, due to construction of my house a Bluetooth device will not work between floors, I'm lucky to get 30 FT with a Bluetooth device.

[dalecoy]

So, which of the dozen-or-so alternatives that folks have suggested, seems most attractive to you?

[d_l]

If you are certain a Class 1 Bluetooth device can't transmit the distance needed, then Dale's suggestion of an Envoy at your computer is likely the next cheapest method and almost certainly the most reliable choice available. An Envoy can be bought for under $130.

[SLOweather]

I agree. While I'm among the first to want to throw technology at a problem like this, with serial-ethernet adapters and WiFi clients and such, the Envoy is, to me, the best solution for you.