USB to Ethernet

[G6GUH]

Hi,
Is it possible to use an usb to Ethernet adaptor from the datelogger on the Pro 2 to connect to my router then connect Cumulus to the router? I will soon need to move my computer and weather station and the ability to be able to have the P 2 in a remote location ( the garage) and the laptop in the sitting room would be ideal, the distance would be too fa rfor an usb cable. Any thoughts please

Regards Pete

[steve]

I think it's unlikely. As I understand it, USB to Ethernet adapters are for PCs and require drivers. Assuming that's the case, you can't use one on a weather station because you wouldn't be able to install the drivers.

[G6GUH]

Thanks Steve, I thought that it was not going to work but if you don't ask the question you will never know !

I will have a rethink on equipment locations and see if I can get around it.

Regards Pete

[steve]

I seem to remember that Davis do some kind of 'server' device which I think is effectively a USB to Ethernet adaptor, but with 'intelligence' built in. There may even be a 'generic' device rather than Davis-specific which would work. And there's Weatherlink IP, of course, which replaces your USB data logger completely and achieves a similar effect.

[bruce45]

if you are wanting to extend the range of the usb port check out this post https://cumulus.hosiene.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=10641

I use one for a webcam which so far has not had any problems

bruce

[G6GUH]

Hi Bruce, thanks for the info, that looks like a good solution and at a very good price so I will look into it soon.

Pete

[prodata]

You could try something like this:

http://www.tradescanners.com/silex/sx2000wg.php

I've used one of these with a USB logger and it worked fine. But this is a non-mainstream product and I can't guarantee that you might not hit some sort of issue specific to your network or configuration. So this is more an indication that it certainly is feasible than a specific recommendation. Silex also do a cabled-only version (in fact I might have a cabled one for sale if anyone is interested). I thought that Belkin might also be doing something similar but I've never seen any definite reports of use with eg a WL logger, so be cautious.

Edit: Note that with the SX2000WG you do need to be experienced enough at configuring WiFi to troubleshoot any potential configuration problems. It ought to work fairly easily (almost out of the box, once the PC driver has been installed), but if it doesn't then you need to confident about how you might go about fixing things.

[BCJKiwi]

A cautionary tale;

I have come badly unstuck trying one of those devices.
Firstly they are repackaged/resold by many at widely varying prices for what appears to be the same thing.

Most seem to incorporate a chipset from the same company. Earlier versions are no longer upgradeable and do not work with current windows Server or PC OS versions but seem to be OK with Win7. Later versions claim to be compatible with later OSs. This manufacturer has email addresses on their website which no longer work, and those that do work, they do not respond to.
There is no technical information of value on the their website.

They will only run one device at a time (despite the claims - you actually have to turn one off and turn the other on).
There is no way to have them start up automatically on reboot as you have to do the manual selection through the software after the driver front end software loads.

I emailed one of the more reputable suppliers of these devices and they recommended they not be purchased for the application.

Now that is just my experience, and I cannot speak for all the brands out there, some of which may well use other chipsets / drivers / software to operate and work perfectly.

So, caveat emptor.

[prodata]

I'm not sure that we're quite talking about the same thing here, but certainly for the Silex device I referred to, this was used for 2-3 years without - so far as I can recall - a single problem with a 6510USB logger. Indeed it was quite an attractive way around the USB port dropout issue. In this context I'm not sure why you might want to attach additional USB devices (ie if you were using it solely as as a means to link a 6510USB logger to a LAN).

But, as per my post above, I agree that these don't seem to be mainstream devices and are probably better suited to more experienced users. I don't know about other makes, but the Silex unit referred to did work well in my experience.

[BCJKiwi]

Well, yes and no.
The Silex product is in the same case as the model after the ones I was testing so may be the later version which I have not tested.
It is in the same case as many being sold on ebay which have varying descriptions depending on the seller.
Who knows if they are actually the same product? Some of these do show more info which suggests that they used the chipset I referred to earlier. However Silex's documentation, such as it is, seems to have different software.

As I said before, Caveat Emptor.