A pure WiFi based, Web-interface device can be tricky to connect to a network because of the inherent catch-22 of having to use the WiFi connection to configure the WiFi connection. Usually such devices have a fallback interface for the purpose of configuring, such as a hardwired Ethernet port or a USB interface. The station uses a built in USB COM port for this purpose. Note that the station does NOT have a hardwired Ethernet connection. The CAT5 connector on the board is solely for sensor interconnect purposes. Do NOT connect it to your router via a cable.
The station provides three methods of bootstrapping itself onto your WiFi network.
- Using the USB connection in conjunction with the provided Windows utility WX_Bootstrap.exe
- Using the USB connection in conjunction with a Terminal Emulator application.
- Using a known set of WiFi connection parameters and then follow a prescribed procedure, reconfiguring your WiFi router in the process.
Generally speaking method 1 is most preferable while method 3 is most difficult to use.
Your WiFi router must operate in the 2.4Ghz band and it must allow B-Mode communication. Wireless security can be either None , WPA or WPA2.
Using method 1 & 2 requires that your computer can communicate with the USB device on the station. A device driver needs to be installed on PC and Apple computers (Linux includes it already). The USB COM port connection also provides useful boot-up and diagnostic information otherwise not obtainable.
Method 3 involves using a computer with a hard wired connection to your WiFi-router, then having to momentarily switch your WiFi SSID to “linksys” and disable wireless protection . This allows the station to connect to your WiFi network using it’s default connection parameters for initial access, from which you then can continue to configure it using it’s web interface.
Note that the station does not support WPS pin or push button connection mode.
WiFi IoT Weather Station 