Davis+VantagePro2+Connection+to+a+Computer

Problem
How do I connect the Davis Instruments VantagePro2 and Vantage Vue to a computer or the internet?

Solution
To connect your Davis VantagePro, VantagePro2 and Vantage Vue to a computer (or internet), you will need the WeatherLink data logger. This is required to communicate to any software.

WeatherLink consists of the following:
 * 1) A non-volatile memory (NVM) **Data Logger**, which is a hardware device that plugs into the back of the display console (battery compartment). The WeatherLink data logger stores information when your computer is turned off and also processes the data for communication to the computer.
 * 2) **WeatherLink Software** for the PC or Macintosh which communicates to the data logger.
 * 3) The necessary **cables** (Serial, USB or ethernet) to connect to your computer or router.

There are four different WeatherLink packages:


 * 1) [|Davis Instruments 6510SER Serial WeatherLink For VantagePro and VantagePro2] The 6510SER connects to the serial port on your computer. The advantages are that you can run serial cables long distances and serial ports are more stable and do not power down. The disadvantage is newer computers typically do not ship with serial ports and the technology is being phased out.
 * 2) [|Davis Instruments 6510USB USB WeatherLink For Vantage Pro and VantagePro2] The 6510USB connects to the USB port on your computer. The advantage is the USB is universal where the Serial port is not, and computers have multiple USB ports. The disadvantage is you can only run USB cable about 10', and USB power saving features must be turned off to avoid interruption in communication. In addition, the USB port must be cycled after each read and write cycle which increases CPU.
 * 3) [|Davis Instruments 6555 WeatherLinkIP for Vantage Pro, Vantage Pro2] The 6555 connects to your router and communicates to your computer over your Local Area Network and directly to WeatherLink.com, which is a free internet hosting service managed by Davis Instruments. The advantage is the WeatherLinkIP allows you to turn off our computer and continue to report to the internet. The disadvantage is the device is more expensive. WeatherLink.com also supports [|CWOP], [|Globe] and [|WeatherUnderground].
 * 4) [|Davis Instruments 6520 WeatherLink for Mac OSX for VantagePro and VantagePro2] The 6520 connects to the USB port on your Macintosh. This is the only package available for the Macintosh and has some limited functionality. It does not report to the internet and the free hosting servers like WeatherUnderground.com. To publish to WeatherUndergroud.com, add the [|WeatherSnoop] or WeatherSnoop Lite software for the Mac.

Software Discussion
All of the aforementioned data loggers include WeatherLink software, which is written by Davis Instruments, which provides basic data acquistion, creates reports, graphs and will create web pages for upload to the internet.

Ambient Weather produces [|Virtual Weather Station], which works with all of the PC based data loggers (except the Mac). Virtual Weather Station has more advanced display features, report generation and internet publishing, including creating your own website, and communiction to many of the free weather services, including WeatherUnderground.com, WeatherBug.com, WeatherForYou.com and CWOP.