How to upgrade a Davis WeatherLinkIP™ data logger to the latest firmware

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Davis WeatherLinkIP™ data logger

This page refers to the original Davis WeatherLinkIP™ data logger (product number 6555), which has been discontinued and which is NOT the same thing as the currently marketed Davis WeatherLink Live wireless logger.

Can you actually upgrade Davis firmware in the macOS environment?

The historical answer to this has always been, "No - get a PC." Davis Instruments has not been Mac-friendly when it comes to firmware updates to the Vantage console or its data loggers. But recently, they say they have changed, at least for the WeatherLinkIP™ data logger (hereinafter referred to as the Logger).

Why would you want to upgrade your Logger firmware?

Normally, we advise against fixing something that ain't broke. In January 2020, Davis notified its Logger users that a firmware upgrade was essential and needed to be done as soon as possible. However, it appeared to WeatherCat forum Logger users the upgrade was only essential if one was uploading data to Davis' new WeatherLink™ Cloud service. At that time, none of us were doing that, so we decided to ignore the upgrade.

Recently, a Davis tech support representative stated the Logger does not recognize the year 2020. It interprets the year to be 1920. This results in having access to current weather data but not to historical data from 2020. He recommended upgrading the firmware.

This is still not a major issue for WeatherCatters using the Logger because WeatherCat properly affixes the 2020 time stamp to the data and life is good. WeatherCat is absolutely the best weather software for macOS!

However, if you feel you need to have the latest firmware on your Logger, read on!

How to upgrade the firmware on your Logger using macOS

The next three lines are a direct quote from Davis:

For our non-windows based friends ... we do have a tool for the MAC that is in beta. If you would like to test it, here is the link:

http://toolbox.davisinstruments.com/downloads/Weather/firmware/MAC/WLIPUpdater115.zip

If you do try this, please give us some feedback as to whether it worked or not. It is critical that this in installed.

Davis says instructions are included in the zip file.

What should you do if you don't want to tempt fate with the beta tool but you do want to update the Logger firmware?

You are in luck! There are five (5) options for doing this, and possibly six (6), five (5) of which involve Micro$oft Windoze:

  1. Find a Windows PC on the same network to which your WeatherLinkIP is connected and update from that PC.
  2. Bring a Windows PC laptop into your network and update from that PC.
  3. Use Parallels or Bootcamp on your Mac to run Windows and the WeatherLinkIP updater program.
  4. Take the console and WeatherLinkIP datalogger to another network and use a Windows PC at that site.
  5. Send your WeatherLinkIP datalogger to the Davis service center and they will update the firmware.
    • You will only need to send in the data logger itself, you can hold on to your console.
    • Call to get an RMA and instructions from Davis at (510) 732-7814 | M-F 7:00 am to 5:30 pm pacific time.
  6. One Davis customer said he was able to run the firmware updater on his Mac using Wine (no, not that kind of wine).

Editorial Comment

Davis has not been Mac-friendly. It is encouraging to see them create this macOS updater tool. However, as one of our fellow WeatherCatters indicated, it is disconcerting to see they solved the Y2K problem for this Logger in 1999 but were rather short-sited in not figuring out they would have a very similar problem in 2020. Let's hope it doesn't crop up again every decade this century.

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