WH2950 weather station timeline

Timeline of events concerning my purchase of a PanTech WH2950 weather station
Last update: 23 September 2018

16 May, 2018

Order placed with ebay seller floralivings for a PanTech model PT-WH2950 weather station.
Cropped screenshot of ebay order

22 May, 2018

Notified that my purchase was ready for pickup from BigW, Cessnock.
screenshot of ebay message

23 May, 2018

Collected the weather station.

05 June, 2018

After struggling with the recommended WS Tool app, I messaged the vendor:
I can't see my device in the WSTool software. It shows up in my router's DHCP list as "Client Name: ESP_2054A2" and has a valid IP address.
What can I do?
Is there PC software that will work with this model?

06 June, 2018

Vendor responded:
Thank you for contacting Floralivings.
If possible could you kindly send us some screenshots of how you operate on your device? Our technician will have a check and get back to you asap.
Please ensure your mobile device connects to the router at frequency band 2.4ghz, not 5ghz and then you can connect the console to the router with WS TOOL on your device. The easiest way is to turn off the 5ghz because the console cannot connect with 5ghz. According to our experience, the IOS system is better to operate. Once your console connected to your router, you don't need WS TOOL anymore.
And we are sorry there is no PC software.
Please kindly advise us if it works.

07 June, 2018

From me:
Thanks for that. I found another app "WSView" that could see my console. It successfully updated the device with weather underground and weathercloud details, but the sites still aren't updating.

I'm really not all that interested in uploading data to the web. If you can recommend Linux or Windows software that will allow me to access the console from my PC and download data from it, then I'll be happy.

08 June, 2018

From vendor:
Thanks for your info. Very glad to see your console successfully connected to the router.
Could you kindly advise us your ID on the Weather Underground? Our technician will take a look at the website.
Once your weather station starts to upload data to the websites, you can download the data from the Weather Underground or other websites we mentioned in the product description. But very sorry that we do not have Linux or Windows software because it is a cloud-based weather station.
Thanks for your understanding.

08 June, 2018

My reply:
Thanks for the prompt response. My Weather Underground Station ID is INEWSOUT████.

11 June, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thanks for your info and very sorry for the delay our staff did not work during the weekend.
Our technician has checked your ID on the WU and noticed your weather station is not updating.
The regular procedure is to register your device in WS TOOL, when you get the username and password, fill in the info and select the WU on the other page. Please kindly advise us if you have done all the steps and also your device system since the Android and IOS system are different to operate.
If possible, please provide the screenshots of the register page and 'fill in the info' page. That could help us identify your problem.

12 June, 2018

My reply:
The WS Tools app doesn't show my device (screen shot attached). I've managed to get the console attached to my network and input Weather Underground registration through the WS VIew app (screen shots attached).

The console is displaying data from the sensor unit, so the wireless connection between the units is operating satisfactorily.

Network diagnostics show a solid connection from the console. A port scan shows all ports closed, except 45000 (screen shot attached).

Which username and password do you think might be not correct?

14 June, 2018

Response from vendor:
Many thanks for your info and sorry for the delay we have been waiting for Pantech technician's reply.
Pantech technician has checked your screenshots and could you kindly help us confirm whether you click the ‘save’ in the attached photo after you fill in the ID and password? Pantech technician said that have to click 'save' and go to the next step.
Sometimes our customer would register on the website and fill in ID and password of the website on the phone page, it would not work. So we have to rule out this kind of case first.
Please kindly have one more try and check if it works.

15 June, 2018

My reply:
Yes, I've always pressed the "Save" button. I've also consistently received a "Success" message.

To make doubly certain, I sourced a new Android device. As before, WS Tool showed nothing. WS View showed my device. Surprisingly, it also showed the Station ID and Station Key without needing me to fill in the details. Just to be sure, I pressed "Save" again and got "Success" again.

I really just want to log data from the sensor unit. Can you supply a simple 433MHz USB receiver/logger? I can probably build one, but I'd need signal and data encoding specifications.

15 June, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thanks for your info.
1 I really just want to log data from the sensor unit. Can you supply a simple 433MHz USB receiver/logger? I can probably build one, but I'd need signal and data encoding specifications.
We are very sorry but we do not have USB receiver or logger and we can not get data encoding specifications from Pantech.

2 For the first problem, both our technician and Pantech technician are confused after they checked your description and screenshots. But since your device is connected to the router, we think it is not very difficult to solve the problem.
Would you kindly send us a video of the whole process of how you try to connect the console to the WU on the phone and the info of the setting and device list since we may miss some info in the writings, video, on the other hand, will show more details? Please kindly send the video to our email address as the attached pic shows.
Many thanks for your understanding and sorry for the inconvenience caused.

23 June, 2018

My reply:
I couldn't figure out how to attach a video in ebay's system, so I sent it via email. I hope that works.

25 June, 2018

Email from Flora Livings Customer Service Team:
Thank you for your reply but we are sorry we checked all emails and the video is not received. Please kindly reply this email and attach the video.
Also we have a similar case recently and works out by following the steps below, could you kindly have a try in the WS VIEW?
Please kindly follow the steps:
1 choose Your Device in the setting ( as the attached 1st pic shows)
2 choose your device in the list (2nd screenshot)
3 press Check Firmware and OK for update(3rd screenshot). Then enter your ID and password and press Save.
If it not work, please kindly send us the video and both our technician and Pantech technician will have a check.

26 June, 2018

My reply:
I've uploaded the video to Google Drive. You should be able to access it at:
[
I've deleted the video. It revealed a bit too much private information]

The Android app doesn't show a "Check Firmware" option. The first time I ran the app, I did upgrade the firmware to version 1.2.2 though.

27 June, 2018

Vendor's response:
Many thanks for your video. Both our technician and Pantech technician are confused at this stage since your steps seem correct and the firmware is the latest one and they would like to see more video after you press "save". Please kindly send us another video for them to check.
And once again please kindly help us confirm if you click the Register in the app( please kindly check the attached pic) and get the ID and password.
Many thanks for all the effort to take the video and offer us all the info. And very sorry for the inconvenience caused.

28 June, 2018

My reply:
Now I'm confused. There's no screen like your picture in the Android app. What exactly am I supposed to register and with whom? My device is already registered with Weather Underground.

From here, it looks like you have a choice:
- replace the hardware or;
- refund the purchase price.

28 June, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thank you for contacting Floralivings. We have double checked with Pantech technician.
Please kindly help us have a try to follow the steps from page 33-38 of the latest manual. We will also send you the manual to your email address for your reference. And the screenshots on the manual is the Android system, please kindly have a check.
Pantech technician told us usually they do not suggest customers follow these steps since they are complicated, but it is easier to connect to WIFI.
Since your console has connected to your router, we assume the
[message ends there]

29 June, 2018

My reply:
I've done my best. The menu options are not as shown on pages 35 & 37.
Screenshot

EasyWeather-WiFi connected successfully.
Screenshot

In the absence of "Provisioning Your Device", I used "Configure Device". It's still not reporting.

The only anomaly I can see is that the WiFi indicator on the console is pulsing, about once per second. The instructions indicate that it should be solid.
Video

03 July, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thank you for all the efforts and very sorry for the delay.
We have forwarded all the info to Pantech technician and are waiting for their reply.
Since we have done almost everything to try to connect to WU and all failed, and if you do not mind, could you please kindly allow us to use your ID and password and try on our device? It will also help us to find out if your hardware is faulty or not. We will also take a video of the whole process and send to you for a check, maybe you will find out there may be something missed in your operation.
Please kindly help us to try.
Many thanks for your understanding and patience.

03 July, 2018

My reply:
Comments on Weather Underground indicate that others with similar weather stations have been having problems getting them to report to the site:
http://disq.us/p/1tfx6xu
So I tried weathercloud again. The first thing I noticed was that the ID and key, which I'd already input, weren't recorded in the console. That seems to be fixed now. Sadly, it still isn't reporting.

By all means, try my details on your device. If it works, at least it makes a hardware fault on mine more likely.

04 July, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thank you for your reply. We have checked all our messages, we can only find your WU ID but the password is covered.
Please kindly send us the WU ID and password in a screenshot.
As soon as we receive it, we will ask our technician to have a test and take a video.
Many thanks for your cooperation and patience.

05 July, 2018

My reply:
Attached is a grab from the Weather Underground web site. It's clearer than anything I get from Android.

I've tried Weathercloud:
ID. ████████████████
and WOW:
Site ID. ████████-████-████-████-████████████
Neither seems to be working.

I've also tried software that should reportedly access the device from my Windows PC. Cumulus doesn't receive data, though I've given it the IP address. EasyWeatherIP doesn't even see the device on my network.

I won't be publishing the screen grab.

10 July, 2018

Vendor's response:
Very sorry for the late reply.
Our technician has been testing the weather station with your ID and took a video of how to connect to the WU for your reference.
We will send you the Youtube link tomorrow or day after tomorrow.
Please kindly have a check then. Again sorry for the delay.

13 July, 2018

Follow-up message from vendor:
We are very sorry for the late reply. It took our technician time to take the videos.
1 Please kindly check the youtube link and operate as the video shows. The app on IOS and Android are similar.
Part 1. Register your PanTech PWS on Weather Underground
https://youtu.be/cwil62v4VRc
Part 2. Connect your PWS console to router and link to WU
https://youtu.be/z5MOnTplw6s
Part 3. Check your PanTech weather data from WS View from Weather Underground
https://youtu.be/9b07GaI0kj8

2 Please have a try to log in the WU with our ID and password.
Weather Station ID: IVCTM

Password:

Please kindly note the upper and lower case letter are sensitive, please also check with your password when you enter it.

We will wait for your update and forward you info to both our technician and Pantech technician and get back to you asap.

The videos proved hard to follow, but I did my best.

20 July, 2018

My reply:
I followed the videos as best I could. The process seems identical to what I've done many times before. The outcome was also identical.

Using your ID and password proved no better.

I provided a screenshot, which I will not publish.

25 July, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thank you for your effort to try and sorry for the late reply we have been working on the videos.
Please have one last try with our new ID and password since our staff accidentally delete the one you used last time. So it did not work.
ID:
IVCTM
Password:

And please follow the steps in the youtube link below.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7R30WUJgwvMvDbJ4HDL-2aDx1xuPqrpj
If it does not work this time, then please kindly send the console back to us for a check, if our technician believes it is faulty, we will cover all the cost that occur including the postage. But if our technician successfully update the data to the WU, then the postage we send to you would occur. We will provide you with a video to prove.
Again we are very sorry since it has been a pretty long time for this case.

29 July, 2018

My reply:
If anything, this is getting worse. It's taking too much of my time. I want a refund.

I managed to register my device (yet again) through the WS View app. Sadly, all else failed.
I provided video evidence, which I won't publish, but here's a frame grab:
frame grab
Something similar happened when I tried your Id:
IVCTM.

On the plus side, the new videos are far clearer than your first effort.

29 July, 2018

Follow-up:
I've just tried again, with the original details:-
Station ID: INEWSOU

Key/Password:

I got the "Connected fail" message.
This was working. It looks like the WS View app has made a complete mess.

Your only option now is a refund.

03 August, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thank you for your info and sorry for the late reply, I am on an overseas trip having limited access to the internet. Again we are very grateful since you have done many efforts to try to solve the problem.
Please send the whole item back to us and our technician will have a check first if it is faulty or not.
And to clarify in the first place, there would be 2 possible situations after their check.
1 The item is faulty. Then we will issue you a full refund asap.
2 The item is not faulty. Our technician will take a video of how they operate on your item for your reference. Then there would be some cost occur.
1) if you still want the item, please transfer $12 postage for us to send it back to you and $12(return label).
2) if you do not want the item, then $12 postage( we sent to you on 16/5)+$12(return label) +20-30% of the original price for the depreciation expenses of the outdoor unit
Please kindly have a check and advise if you agree with the condition or not. If you agree, we will send you a return label.
Again many thanks for your understanding and patience, and sorry for the inconvenience caused.

12 August, 2018

My reply:
Sorry for the late response.

Given that the best I can hope for is to be able to do something that I'm not interested in doing (upload data to the cloud), I don't see any sense in spending more money. If you want to examine the unit, I'm willing to send it back, at your expense, after I've received a replacement.

I've begun to recount my experiences and review the weather station here:
http://david.boxall.id.au/201808/

13 August, 2018

Vendor's response:
Again we are very thankful for your cooperation and all the time you spent to try to help us identify the problem, your understanding and patience during the 2 months.
And to clarify in the first place, there would be 2 possible situations after their check.
1 The item is faulty, of any functions. Then we will issue you a full refund or send you a replacement on your request.
2 The item is not faulty. Our technician will take a video of how they operate on your item for your reference. Then there would be some cost occur. ( we have listed the details in the last message.)
Please kindly confirm you can accept the conditions and we will send you a return label asap.
Again sorry for the inconvenience caused.

16 August, 2018

My reply:
As documented at the link I sent earlier, I've decided to give up on getting the console to connect to "the cloud". Instead, I'll concentrate on logging data directly from the outdoor sensor array. You've said that you can't help with that:
http://david.boxall.id.au/201808/timeline.html#0615b
but any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I'm no longer pursuing a refund but it does seem that the console is defective. The fact that only a high-range non-standard port is open strongly indicates a fault:
http://david.boxall.id.au/201808/images/nmap1.jpg
From my research, it seems these devices commonly communicate on port 80, which is not open on the console. That would prevent it accessing the "cloud". As I said, if you want to check the console, then I'm prepared to send it back at your expense, provided you first send me a replacement.

16 August, 2018

Vendor's response:
Our technician came up with a new idea after they checked your message. Could you please advise your router's model No.? We have a case before, one of our customers also had an issue of connecting to WU and finally found out that it is his router, one of the ASUS high-end series, prevented uploading the data to the Internet.
Please kindly check and advise.

20 August, 2018

My reply:
There are two routers in the network path. The wireless access point is a TP-Link Archer C7 https://www.tp-link.com/au/products/details/cat-9_Archer-C7.html and the gateway is a D-Link DIR-850L https://www.dlink.com.au/home-solutions/DIR-850L-dir-850l-wireless-ac1200-dual-band-gigabit-cloud-router

21 August, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thanks for your info. And sorry for the delay, our technicians have an overall look upon our messages.
Could you please advise which router directly connects to the broadband? And does the console directly connect to the router which directly connects to the broadband? If possible, please confirm if the routers have the security function or not.
We assume it is the time for us to check the console ourselves and identify if the console is faulty or not. Please kindly understand the questions and test we ask you to do, just want to save your time. And we are also surprised that all the steps failed.
As we mentioned before and it is the best we can do. We can send you a return label and please send the console back. If the console is faulty, we will organise a new console to you asap.
If the item is not faulty. Our technician will take a video of how they operate on your item for your reference. Then there would be some cost occur, including the return label($12) and the postage($12) we send back to you.
Please kindly check and advise your thoughts. And again we are very grateful for your time and effort during our communication.

26 August, 2018

My reply:
The term "gateway" refers to a device that joins two networks. In this case, my home network and the National Boradband Network (NBN).
https://www.lifewire.com/definition-of-gateway-817891
The "wireless access point" allows wireless access to a wired network.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_access_point

In the past, I've built my own gateway hardware. NBN fixed wireless proved incompatible with the network interface that I had useed, so I swapped in the old D-Link. The D-Link has interfaces which work better with the NBN.

As the TP-Link provides DHCP services and wireless access for my network, both are turned off in the D-Link. While trying to get the console working, I've turned off all security functions on both routers.

The network path is:
Console <WiFi> TP-Link <wired ethernet> D-Link <wired ethernet> NBN Fixed Wireless NTD <NBN fixed wireless> local tower <NBN microwave> remote tower <NBN optical fibre> Internet (via my ISP).
Details of the NBN setup can be found here:
https://www.internode.on.net/pdf/products/nbn/nbn-wireless-users-guide.pdf
and
https://www.nbnco.com.au/content/dam/nbnco2/documents/network-design-rules.pdf

If you want to check for faults in my hardware, I'm quite willing to send the console back at your expense, provided you first supply a replacement. If the hardware is not faulty, then the problem is with the design.

29 August, 2018

Vendor's response:
Many thanks for so many details.
Unfortunately according to our store policy and our standard procedure to handle the case(reported within 30 days)
, we cannot supply a replacement first, the best we can do is to send you a return label for you to send back the console and prioritize your case, we will ask our technician to check asap once they receive your console and take a video record. We will test the console in 2 different places, one is the Telstra NBN in our office and the other is with Telstra cable.
As we mentioned to you before:
1 If the item is faulty. Then we will send you a console replacement asap.
2 If the item is not faulty. Our technician will take a video of how they operate on your item for your reference. Then we would charge $12(a return label)+$12(the postage we send back to you).
If you can accept the conditions, we will send you the return label asap and find out if there is any problem or not.
Please kindly understand and advise your thoughts.

04 September, 2018

My reply:
My principles remain unchanged. If you want to find out whether the issue springs from faults in the design of the product or whether there's a problem with the unit supplied to me, then you will need to change your policy.

Meanwhile, I will continue logging events on the public record:
http://david.boxall.id.au/201808/timeline.html#0829a

04 September, 2018

Vendor's response:
Thank you for contacting Floralivings.
Please kindly understand changing store policy is a slow process would take a long time.
And we need to handle your case with the current store policy since your purchase from our store means you accept our current store policy.
Please kindly understand as a customer service, I am very thankful for all your efforts, cooperation and patience during our communication even though it did not go very smooth but I also need to follow the policy to handle the case.
Please kindly have a check and consider our option.
Thanks and have a nice day.
____________
Kindest Regards,
Emma
4-9-2018
Flora Livings Customer Service Team

06 September, 2018

My reply:
Noted and logged:
http://david.boxall.id.au/201808/timeline.html#0904a

If the case has progressed beyond your authority, then perhaps you need to hand it off to someone with more authority, Emma.

06 September, 2018

Vendor's response:
The options we offered before was approved by our manager. And we double check with our manager today. We think the key point of this case is to confirm if the console is faulty or not. So we can send you a replacement console on your request, but please kindly understand we need $95 as the earnest money. 
1 if our technician tests the console and believes it is faulty, you can keep the new console and we will refund the earnest money.
2 please also consider there is a chance that the console is not faulty, our technician will take a video of the whole process form unpacking to testing as an evidence for you. Then there are much unnecessary cost for you to pay for. 
$12 return label we send to you
$12 postage we send your console back to you
$12 postage we send you the replacement console
$20-25 postage you send the replacement back to us
Approx $60 unnecessary cost would occur that waste your time and money.
So please kindly re-consider the options we offered before, it will save much money and time for you and we will try our best to solve the problem.

16 September, 2018

My reply:
I have no intention of sending any more money. In the absence of countervailing evidence, I conclude that the product is not fit for purpose. You might find some incompatibility with Australia's fixed-wireless National Broadband Network.
http://david.boxall.id.au/201808/

20 September, 2018

Vendor's response:
We still suggest that you can send the console back to us for a check when our offer is still effective until 30/9. After that, if there is any problem with the weather station, we will handle it as a standard warranty case. If the outdoor unit or console needs to be returned and fixed, we can only cover the postage after we fix and dispatch.

23 September, 2018

My reply:
As I've said repeatedly, I'll send back anything you want, at your expense and provided you first send a replacement.

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