Frequently Asked Questions

• Place your KestrelMet Wi-Fi station with as much of a clear line of sight between the station and your Wi-Fi router as possible. The unobstructed range with a typical router is 300-1,000 ft line of sight. This line-of-sight range is most influenced by the router’s output power and type of antennas, with 1,000 mW and high gain external antennas providing the best range. Consider that walls, trees and other large dense objects between your station and your router can significantly reduce the range. Positioning the router as high as possible will typically minimize the effects of obstacles between the router and your KestrelMet Wi-Fi station. 
• Confirm that the antenna on your KestrelMet Wi-Fi station is positioned vertically.​
• The KestrelMet 6000 Wi-Fi weather station can ONLY connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. Combination 2.4/5 GHz dual band networks may need to be separated—consult your router manual for details. 
• You can use third party tools such as a Wi-Fi analyzer app to confirm the frequency of a Wi-Fi network, as well as plan an optimal location for your station based on the signal strength. Note that the KestrelMet’s antenna is more powerful than typical cell phone antennas, so even a signal strength reading of -90 dBm on your phone will typically still provide adequate strength for reliable KestrelMet data transmission.​

KestrelMet Wi-Fi Weather Station Operating modes:

The LED status light on the PV power panel will indicate the connection status and operating mode:

• Blinking blue within 1 minute of powering on: Bluetooth initializing
• Flashing magenta (every 10 seconds): Attempting to connect to a Wi-Fi network
• Flashing green (every 10 seconds): Wi-Fi network connected, Standard Operation
• Flashing blue (every 10 seconds): Wi-Fi network connected, Power Saver Mode
• Flashing red (every 10 seconds): Wi-Fi network connected, Logging Mode
• Flashing red (every 20 seconds): Hibernation Mode

The KestrelMet 6000 station is shipped with a fully charged battery, and the station is designed to maintain Normal Operation in subfreezing weather. If solar charging is insufficient due to extended snow cover or installation in a shaded location, the station will change operating modes to conserve power as detailed in the table below:

IMPORTANT: If the station enters hibernation mode due to a depleted battery, the station must be left turned "on" and placed in direct sunlight to recharge. If the station is in hibernation mode for an extended period of time, the red LED will stop blinking. When the battery is charged sufficiently (typically 1-3 days), the station will switch back to Logging mode, then Normal Operation mode as charging allows. You will receive an email notification when the station returns to Normal Operation mode.

Transmission up to 1000 feet line of sight. Obstructions will affect the transmission range.

Recommendations for KestrelMet Wi-Fi Installation:

• The station should be mounted in a location with strong Wi-Fi signal strength.
• The KestrelMet 6000 Wi-Fi weather station can ONLY connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network.
• You can use third-party tools such as a Wi-Fi analyzer app to plan an optimal location for your station. After your station is registered, you can use the signal indicators on AmbientWeather.net/Devices for live Wi-Fi signal readings.
• Avoid obstructions like buildings, trees, and structures in between your router and the KestrelMet Wi-Fi installation site.

1. The KestrelMet Wi-Fi weather station will not connect to a guest account.
2. The KestrelMet Wi-Fi connects to the 2.4 GHz band on your router. Make sure the 2.4 GHz band is operating and connected to the Internet.
3. If you own a Mesh Network or multiple repeaters, power off all of the secondary nodes and leave the primary node (connected to the Internet) on.
4. Reboot the router.
5. Use the Hidden SSID feature to enter your SSID (whether it is hidden or not). Be careful, the SSID and password are both case-sensitive.

The Cellular version uses cellular data. The Wi-Fi version transmits via Wi-Fi up to 1000 ft line of sight.

The cost is $99 per year to continue the coverage which is the lowest plan on the market today.