What would be the best way for someone to learn what these software options look like/what they offer AND how to physically integrate them into the WLL unit. I would assume whatever way I went would have to be wifi or have available ethernet connection to access the WLL?
It doesn't matter if you set your WLL via Ethernet cable or via WiFi. You'll get the same capabilities with any 3rd party software you choose to run. Such is the nature of computer networking. When your computer sends a print job to a network printer the computer has no idea if the printer is WiFi or Ethernet. Either way it is just sending the print job to an IP address. The same is true for the laptop computer itself as it doesn't matter if it is on the network via Ethernet cable or WiFi....an Ethernet cable connected computer can print to a WiFi connected printer....because the WiFi printer has an IP address just the same as if the printer were connected via Ethernet cable. The same is true for your WLL and connectivity with 3rd party software. Things don't connect into each other. Things connect to a network and then everything can talk to everything.
The confusion may be that there are other weather station connectivity options that are not computer networking related....like USB or attaching a logger to the back of a weather console. This doesn't apply to you with the WLL...nor would it apply to a Raspberry Pi....as these are network devices.
Is using a RPi the typical way folks integrate the software?
Yes you could say it is one of the typical options, but a Raspberry Pi is not the only option.
I was reading meteobridge has options including using a dedicated mini-router flashed with software, direct connection to the expansion port on the VP2 Console and a Meteobridge Pro that appears to be connected via Wifi?
Meteobridge software exists in several hardware options. For you with a WLL I would certainly recommend the RPI version. The Meteobridge RPI can be physically connected to your network via Ethernet cable or WiFi. It doesn't matter in which way the WLL is connected to the network. How a device connects to a network does not matter.
The Meteobridge NANO connects to the back of the Davis console....then to your network via WiFi.
The Meteobridge PRO can get sensor data via two methods; direct sensor transmitter RF or from the network of your WLL. Then the Meteobridge PRO will connect to your network via WiFi or Ethernet cable.
Does Cumulus MX and others require a pc running 24/7? (Really would like to avoid unless something like a RPi)
You can run Cumulus MX on any hardware computer you want. This can be a regular PC running 24/7 or it can be a single board computer such as a Raspberry Pi. Your choice.
Thanks. Trying to figure this stuff out. I'm not a technology neophyte, but to be honest, a lot of it looks a bit intimidating!
You are doing fine and asking the right questions. You got this. One step at a time. You got the WLL. This allows you to have as many different weather software on different computers as you want. You can run them all at the same time all getting live data. But you need to decide if your Raspberry Pi is going to run Meteobridge or Cumulus MX as it can't run both. But if you get two Raspberry Pi computers then each can run their own thing and both simultaneously can get data from the the WLL. The issue is the Meteobridge as that software is designed as a hardware appliance and thus it cannot run anything else. But the Raspberry Pi with Cumulus MX can run other things...like WeeWX or Weather-Display or even other things not weather related.
* The Meteobridge RPI version has some hardware requirements; RPi 3 or 4 (but I recommend a 4 unless you just have an old 3 laying around). You also need a special type of microSD card that is of SLC type. You can't buy a SLC SD card from Amazon (at least not one that I would recommend). I recommend getting the SDSDQED-016G-XI from Mouser.com.