Topic: Setting up my new VP2+ with Meteobridge Pro

[TraderGary]

I did a partial setup on my new Meteobridge Pro in preparation for setting up my new VP2+ tomorrow.
I never touched anything on the weather network tab, but somehow I blew away my current WU connection.
When I go to my router setup at 192.168.1.1, I find that my weather station is now set to be the new meteobridge!
So much for wanting to do a setup that kept a continuous WU connection.
Looks like WU will be down until tomorrow.!!
Oh well, I've been down for power outages before.

[TraderGary]

I thought that when I started up the Meteobridge Pro it would be recognized by my router and DHCP would assign it an IP number. This was not to be. I had to use the magicip tool to find the IP and then log in to it.

I see now that I should have waited until I had the new VP2+ set up before doing anything with the Meteobridge Pro. As it is I'm not sure how to re-establish my current WU connecting with the WS-1400-IP. At this point it probably isn't worth the time and effort to do it. I was once down for 5 days during an ice storm that took out our power. So it really isn't a big deal to wait until tomorrow to finish the new setup.

This certainly isn't how I had the new installation planned.

[galfert]

I do not think you could have affected the ObserverIP by simply plugging in the Meteobridge and configuring it for your network.

I would troubleshoot the ObserverIP as normal. Something must have changed on it. Maybe you knocked the power out of it. Maybe it froze up (they do that). Maybe you knocked the Ethernet cable loose on the ObserverIP.

[TraderGary]

I checked all the cables.
I cut the power on the device that talks to the WS to reboot it.
This has reestablished communications whenever I had a power outage.
The center light labeled "Server" is no longer lit.
And my WU site stays dead.

[TraderGary]

I couldn't think of anything else, so I rebooted my router.
I have a NetGear RBR20 Mesh router.
I changed out the network cable between the router and the ObserverIP.
Nothing.

[TraderGary]

OK. I'm now communicating with the ObserverIP 3.0. !!!

[TraderGary]

The "Live Data" tab on ObserverIP shows that I'm communicating with the WS-1400-IP.

So why am I not communicating with WU?

[galfert]

You mentioned that the ObserverIP is 3.0... WOW that is old! Over 3 years old. You should have been updating the versions on that thing. I'm not much of a fan of the ObserverIP (I used to have one and no longer use it), but there were definitely some flaky versions.
https://help.ambientweather.net/help/observerip-firmware-update/

I tested a bunch of 4.x versions and marked which were good and which were bad. But wow I never went back so far as 3.0 versions.
https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=34948.msg356928#msg356928

I stopped testing these ObserverIP versions after I switched over the the GW1000 to feed my Meteobridge. I'm sure a lot of your troubles are due to the ObserverIP. The GW1000 is only $36 and it is night and day a different experience. Only trouble is that the GW1000 will not upload to Ambientweather.net and instead it will upload to Ecowitt.net. But it will upload to WU. I'm sure this doesn't matter now though that you are about to set up a VP2+.

Still if your ObserverIP is flaky I would just factory reset it and then reprogram it. I remember having to do that a few times. There is a reset button on the back. Then just add back your WU station ID and device key. But before you factory reset you should make note of the calibrations page to see if you make any calibrations so that you can easily enter them back in. You also probably want to make note of your rainfall totals on the bottom of the Live Data configuration page enter those back in too after the factory reset.

[TraderGary]

None of that is probably worthwhile.
It is a rather ancient WS and I've been wanting to replace it for some time.
I'm amazed its lasted this long.
UPS has my delivery of the VP2+ set for between 9 and 1 tomorrow morning.
Since this stupid thing has been down for a half day already I'll just chalk it up to experience.
And when the Davis VP2+ is installed tomorrow, the old Ambient Weather goes in the trash container.

[TraderGary]

I have my WU install Key and my station ID.
I have my Longitude and Latitude and Elevation.
I think that's all I will need.

[galfert]

Set time zone. Maybe make a DHCP reservation so its IP doesn't change. Or you can just always use the magicip address, but that only works if the Internet is working I believe.

[TraderGary]

Yes, I've done that already.
I'll just get a good night's sleep so I'm fresh to have fun tomorrow.
I think I'll go through the Meteobridge menus again right now.
The photocopied docs Ambient Weather sent are fuzzy and tiny.
Sure wish there were PDF docs so I could make them a decent size for these old eyes.

[davidmc36]

Wouldn't you find all you need in the WIKI?

https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Meteobridge_PRO

[ConligWX]

Yes, I've done that already.
I'll just get a good night's sleep so I'm fresh to have fun tomorrow.
I think I'll go through the Meteobridge menus again right now.
The photocopied docs Ambient Weather sent are fuzzy and tiny.
Sure wish there were PDF docs so I could make them a decent size for these old eyes.

Plenty of help here too: https://forum.meteohub.de/viewforum.php

[TraderGary]

UPS site says my VP2+ is "Out For Delivery"!
Meteobridge Pro is set up on my network and waiting.

[TraderGary]

Installation is 90% finished..
I'm online as KGALOGAN20.
Everything checked out when I tested everything in the house.
All systems are go on the VP2 panel.
Not so with my Meteobridge Pro connection to WU.
It's raining hard right now and VP2 panel reads everything just fine.
What's wrong with Meteobridge Pro connection to WU?

[galfert]

What data does the Meteobridge Live Data tab show?

What settings do you have in the Meteobridge Weather Station tab?

[TraderGary]

All is working as it should now.
I spent several hours trying to find what was happening.
The last thing I did was take the Meteobridge Pro in to the room that is just 12 feet from the VP2+.
Same problem. Nothing working.
So I went through everything I had done piece by piece.
And one of the things I had done after noticing that the internal thermometer in the MBP was always about 30.5 degrees high was to set an offset of -30.5 degrees.
So I changed that to the default of 0.0 about 20 minutes ago and Karamba!
If you look at KGALOGAN20 everything is working as it should.
The orange LED on the MBP that indicates data coming in from the VP2+ now lights every few seconds!
I suppose I did something that put the data out-of-bounds and the programmer didn't error check for such a crazy temp offset!
Anyway, I'm now happy I spent such an outrageous sum of $$$ for the Meteobridge Pro and VP2+! 

[ConligWX]

All is working as it should now.
I spent several hours trying to find what was happening.
The last thing I did was take the Meteobridge Pro in to the room that is just 12 feet from the VP2+.
Same problem. Nothing working.
So I went through everything I had done piece by piece.
And one of the things I had done after noticing that the internal thermometer in the MBP was always about 30.5 degrees high was to set an offset of -30.5 degrees.
So I changed that to the default of 0.0 about 20 minutes ago and Karamba!
If you look at KGALOGAN20 everything is working as it should.
The orange LED on the MBP that indicates data coming in from the VP2+ now lights every few seconds!
I suppose I did something that put the data out-of-bounds and the programmer didn't error check for such a crazy temp offset!
Anyway, I'm now happy I spent such an outrageous sum of $$$ for the Meteobridge Pro and VP2+! 

FYI regarding Indoor Temp Offset:

Indoor Temp Offset
This allows to add or subtract a few degrees from/to your indoor temp sensor. When you are using a Meteostick or a Meteobridge PRO you have indoor sensors on board which are impacted by heating in the box. To compensate for that please select about -7° Celsius for Meteostick and -17° Celsius for Meteobridge PRO operation (as this box warms up more than the USB stick like Meteostick). When unit is operating a few hours, just check with an indoor thermometer, which adder fits to your setup. If you have a Meteobridge PRO, indoor temperature correction will also change indoor humidity readings accordingly.

https://www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Select_Station

[TraderGary]

Thanks! Unfortunately I've been in the hospital since Sat morning. I seem to have a systemic infection they're trying to get under control. All I have is my Pixel phone, but I can look at my WS and see that all is working like it should. And of course I can see the forum. Thanks again everyone! This is a really nice forum.

[galfert]

Sorry to hear. Hope you get well soon.

[ConligWX]

yes, Sorry to hear your not well. hope you recover soon

[TraderGary]

Home from four days in the hospital and infection controlled. Feeling good.

I registered at AWEKAS and I'm quite pleased with how the site works.
https://www.awekas.at/en/instrument.php?id=16965

So there ARE alternatives to Weather Underground! 

[galfert]

Good to hear!

[davidmc36]

So there ARE alternatives to Weather Underground! 

With my camera going from Meteobridge to Windy now about the only thing of value I would lose from WU is Rapid Fire.....Hmmmmm