General description
This section is yet to be drafted but will cover the Davis Airlink device.
Configuration of Airlink and operation with weatherlink.com
New airlink sensors
Airlink sensors upload their data via a Wifi network link, but appear to have no user interface (as distinct from a local data API) of their own. Instead, the installation and configuration of Airlink units is managed solely via the Weatherlink smartphone app. In other words, there is no other way to configure Airlink sensors except by using the smartphone app. (Note that the Weatherlink.com browser app does not provide this same functionality.)
A brand new Airlink sensor will not have a working Wifi connection and therefore the very first configuration stage is conducted via a Bluetooth link to the sensor. But, thereafter, subsequent edits to the configuration will be made via the Wifi network, except where Wifi credentials need to be changed. In the latter case,the Bluetooth connection provides a backup method for communicating with the sensor. (NB It may be necessary to use the reset button to re-enable Bluetooth if the blue LED is not showing, as described in the Airlink instruction manual.)
To make changes to an Airlink sensor configuration, you first need to be logged on to your account at weatherlink.com on the Weatherlink smartphone app. This will either happen automatically if you are a regular user of the app or, in the case of new accounts (or if you have more than one account) by manually logging on. So, whatever the logon route, you will be inside your weatherlink.com account before starting any edits to the Airlink configuration.
At weatherlink.com, Airlink sensors can be set up as either a standalone device (ie much like a separate station) or more like a sensor in being ‘attached’ to an existing station. The current Davis installation instructions do not make this distinction very clear so here are the two main scenarios:
- If you do not have any existing stations reporting to weatherlink.com then the only option will be for new Airlink sensors to be standalone devices. In this case then most probably you will set up your Airlink sensor(s) within a new account at weatherlink.com.
- If you do have one or more existing stations at weatherlink.com then you can choose to add each new sensor to one of your stations. This option has two benefits: First, the Airlink data will then be visible within the dashboard of its ‘host’ station. Second, the Airlink data can inherit the plan status of its host station. So, for example, with a Pro station plan, the historical Airlink data can be viewed and downloaded in the same way as the main station sensor data. Up to 3 Airlink sensors can be attached to a single host station in this way.
The choice of standalone or station-associated is made within the Add Device dialogue in the Weatherlink smartphone app when you first set up each Airlink sensor. Be sure to give this option careful consideration as you encounter this step.
Existing Airlink sensors
There may be occasions where you wish to change the role of an existing Airlink sensor, for example from standalone to station-attached or vice versa, or to move from one station to another. (One example of the latter would be if you have purchased a new 6313 Weatherlink console and wish to attach an existing Airlink sensor to the 6313 console so that its data can be displayed on the console screen.)
Such moves can be made fairly easily, although the steps required may not be immediately obvious. In brief, the changes must be made via the Weatherlink smartphone app. Within the account configuration settings (accessed from the person icon at the top right of the initial screen) then under the Devices section you should be able to select the existing stand alone Airlink sensor or the station to which Airlink is currently attached. You should then see an Edit link for the Airlink sensor, within which a Move button should be visible which starts the process to actually make the move.
Davis have released a short FAQ document on how to move Airlink sensors. The main purpose is to explain how to move Airlink sensors so as to be visible on a Weatherlink console display, but it also covers how to move Airlink more generally.
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