Author Topic: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi  (Read 2412 times)

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Offline msollars

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Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« on: January 17, 2019, 09:56:27 AM »
I'm thinking of buying and installing my first weather station. (probably a 2902A or a ws-2000) but have some questions about connectivity to my wifi.

The house is currently on a new Google Mesh Wifi setup (3 stations) and we've really liked the improved speed and range we've seen over our old router. 

My question is this, how will a 2.4ghz specific station work with the google mesh system.  I don't have any idea if it's 2.4 or 5 ghz.  or any idea of how to change that setting, etc. 

Would the systems that i'm looking at just work if setup and powered on?  type in my wifi password and off it goes?  how would i know if it's not working with the system, or how well it's working, etc.

thank you all, great board.

Matt

Offline broadstairs

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2019, 10:15:50 AM »
That mesh WiFi is dual band so your weather station will work once ithas the correct credentials.

Stuart
Ecowitt GW1003 with ultrasonic wind gauge, lightning sensor and PM2.5 sensor with Personal Weather Tablet as a console.

Offline msollars

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2019, 11:20:14 AM »
how does it get the correct credentials?

Offline broadstairs

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2019, 11:44:40 AM »
how does it get the correct credentials?

Not knowing the systems you suggest but like every other wireless station there must be a way of setting the correct network and password, or you use WPS - Wi-Fi Protected Setup (assuming the Google system has that and I cannot think it does not). Have you read the user manuals for the weather stations you are considering, they must detail how you set them up?

Stuart
Ecowitt GW1003 with ultrasonic wind gauge, lightning sensor and PM2.5 sensor with Personal Weather Tablet as a console.

Offline msollars

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2019, 12:20:19 PM »
Admittedly, I haven't read the manuals for the ones I'm only considering at this stage, but it's the 'switching/ dual range' aspect of the system that I'm concerned about.
Anybody have a PWS with a Google Mesh system care to weigh in on the 5ghz home wifi also being able to handle (simultaneously) a constant 2.4ghz feed from the PWS?
thanks all

Offline broadstairs

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2019, 12:32:03 PM »
I have a mesh wifi setup although not a Google one but a BT (UK) one which works flawlessly out of the box on both 2.4ghz and 5ghz straight out of the box. I cannot see the Google one not doing the same.

Perhaps someone with one can help you.

Stuart
Ecowitt GW1003 with ultrasonic wind gauge, lightning sensor and PM2.5 sensor with Personal Weather Tablet as a console.

Offline galfert

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2019, 01:38:15 PM »
Ambient's stance is that WiFi mesh is not supported. But that doesn't mean it won't work. Every manufacturer does mesh differently and there could or not be compatibility issues. This was more of an issue with the first generation WS-2902 and improvements were made in the setup with the newer WS-2902A. But yiu can upgrade a WS-2902 to a WS-2902A with a firmware update. The WS-2000 never had these issues because it joins the WiFi network in a different way (direct console setup vs needing awnet app for the WS-2902A). The Ambient stations only support 2.4GHz. Most WiFi networks today are dual band 2.4GHz and 5GHz at these time. The trouble comes when your wireless device running awnet can see the WS-2902 during setup because your device is set to use the 5GHz band. The solution was to disable temporarily the 5GHz band during setup. But that was technically above a lot of people's heads. With the WS-2902A the setup is different and 5GHz doesn't come into play. Because you first connect to the WS-2902A's own MiFi hotspot with your mobile device and then pass anong the 2.4GHz credentials without worrying about 5GHz.

So that was a lot of talk about frequencies and setup issues that plagued the original WS-2902. But the question you raise is about mesh. With mesh a similar issue with frequency comes up. Some mesh have some issues where awnet app and weather console can see each other because of the nature of how mesh work there are some technical complexities. I don't fully understand these issues. But there are probably latency issues or MAC address inconsistencies if the mobile device is linked to one mesh node and the weather console is attempting to pair to another mesh node. I think these are all issues for the WS-2902A. I think a WS-2000 should have no problems with a mesh network... I think. I haven't yet heard of setup issues with the WS-2000 and mesh.

So I'd advise going with the WS-2000 and I think you should be okay.

I have an Asus mesh and I have a working WS-2902A. But I first turned off my mesh nodes and only keeped the main one up during setup. After you are linked up I set the mesh back up. I did it out of precaution and I don't know if it would have worked with the mesh up. But there are no issues now.

Ive ordered a WS-2000 console to upgrade the WS-2902A display. It comes via UPS today. I'll set it up with Asus mesh up and running and I'll let you know how it goes. I think it will work with no problems. My WS-2000 should attempt to link up to my 2nd mesh node as it is in the same room.

My mesh has a wired back haul. It is capable of wireless back haul. But I set it up wired because I can and that is better. Some mesh are 5GHz back haul and some are 2.4GHz back haul. The back haul method should not really matter but I'm sure it affects latency depending on method and environment. Again I think these are only issues for using the awnet app during setup, which is only a concern for the WS-2902A.
« Last Edit: January 17, 2019, 01:42:39 PM by galfert »
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
Tele-Pole

Offline msollars

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2019, 08:57:39 AM »
Thanks for the in-depth response.  I was leaning toward the ws-2000, but the savings by going with the 2902A is pretty hard to pass up.  I like the idea of adding more sensors as I get to know the system as well. The WS-2000 will probably win out.
It seems like something I'm just going to have to figure out when I get it. 
Thanks again for the help,
Matt

Offline ANPweather

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2019, 02:05:11 PM »
FWIW, I have A Davis Vantage Vue with Wifi Logger and Google Wifi. They work just fine together.

Davis Vantage Vue, Davis Pro 2 Console with Wifi Logger
Weather Display software
WU: KAZNEWRI17
PWS: ANTHEMNP
CWOP: EW7526

Offline galfert

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2019, 11:20:13 AM »
I was able to connect my WS-2000 to my Asus WiFi mesh with no problems. I didn't need to disable 5 GHz WiFi and I have my 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz set to the same SSID and key password.
Ecowitt GW1000 | Meteobridge on Raspberry Pi
WU: KFLWINTE111  |  PWSweather: KFLWINTE111
CWOP: FW3708  |  AWEKAS: 14814
Windy: pws-f075acbe
Weather Underground Issue Tracking
Tele-Pole

Offline Theo

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2019, 11:36:29 AM »
I have and Eero mesh network, which is less flexible about 2.4ghz vs 5ghz connections and it worked without issue on my WS-2000.

Offline msollars

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Re: Weather station (2.4ghz) with Google Mesh Wifi
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2019, 12:25:25 PM »
Thanks for the input guys.
Matt