MeteoBridge FAQs
MeteoBridge support
Primary support for MeteoBridge is provided by the creator of the MB software in two main ways:
- Detailed instructions for setting up and using MeteoBridge can be found at the MeteoBridge home page;
- Any further questions can be asked on the MeteoBridge forum . The author is usually able to answer questions there within a day or so;
All support requests for MeteoBridge should be directed to one of the two resources noted above, But some further notes on MeteoBridge are included below covering some issues that can crop up when setting up an MB unit for the first time. But you will need to refer to the wiki notes for more advanced information about how to configure uploads to weather networks, how to use Push Services etc.
If you’re having problems getting a brand new MeteoBridge unit supplied by us to work correctly then please review the support resources provided here in the first place. If you cannot resolve these problems then please contact us.
Understanding MeteoBridge
Using the MeteoBridge WiFi network connection
The simplest way of using MeteoBridge is via a cabled connection direct to a router or network access point. But if you do wish to use a WiFi connection then please read on. Setting up the WiFi connection should need to be done only once (unless of course your local WiFi parameters change) but must be done very carefully so please take your time over this step.
IMPORTANT: MeteoBridge must be connected via a cabled connection to a network for initial configuration. WiFi will not work out of the box and until it has been configured manually via a cabled connection. This requires connecting to the web interface of the MB unit from another computer on the network, as described in the MB documentation at www.meteobridge.com/wiki/index.php/Getting_Started and in the ‘First Login’ section. (Flashing the firmware is NOT required – this has already been done for you.)
On the Setup Network tab of the MB web interface, the Wifi network option can be selected and the WiFi parameters for your particular local network can be entered. As with all WiFi networks, these parameters must be entered fully and with 100% accuracy. Errors in entering these parameters is the commonest reason for the WiFi access not working so please take great care with this step. Remember also to save the new parameters you have entered.
To activate WiFi mode, the MB unit must be fully rebooted. The simplest option when you have finished entering all the WiFi configuration parameters is to press the Save and Apply and Reboot button on the ‘Setup Network’ tab. If you forget to both save and to reboot then your settings cannot become active and your WiFi connection will not work.
Be aware that the MB unit cannot work on both cabled and WiFi connections at the same time. So if you’re switching to WiFi operation then disconnect the cabled connection when rebooting the unit.
When the unit has rebooted it may then take up to eg 5 minutes to establish the WiFi connection and to reconfigure itself. If you cannot in fact re-establish a connection to the web interface of the MB unit then the chances are that an error has been made entering the WiFi parameters. To recover from this situation you will need to return the MB unit to default settings (see this topic in the MB forum FAQ) and try to reconnect to it via a cabled connection before trying again to enter the correct WiFi parameters.
Updating MeteoBridge
The MeteoBridge software is designed such that each time its host device reboots then the unit will download a fresh copy of the latest version of MeteoBridge. (MeteoBridge is designed to run continuously 24/7 and so rebooting only happens occasionally after e.g. a power outage or deliberate manual rebooting.) Therefore, all that is required to update an MB unit is to power it down fully, wait a short while and then repower the unit.The MB unit will download fresh software, reconfigure itself and then restart automatically. This process takes a couple of minutes to happen, but once completed MB will be up and running again using the latest software and processing weather data as per its previous configuration.
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