Reflecting on our recent Helium migration & the road ahead
TL;DR! If you are experiencing connectivity issues with your Helium weather station, try rebooting the station through the mobile app, or by pressing the reboot button underneath the station.
As we enter 2025, we want to take a moment to personally address some of the challenges we’ve faced over the past few days during our transition to Helium’s new LoRaWan Network Server (LNS) infrastructure. Despite the difficulties, these experiences also serve as a reminder of our resilience and the strong community we’ve built around WeatherXM. Below, We’ll walk you through what happened, why it mattered, and how we’re pressing on to maintain the reliability and innovation you’ve come to expect from us.
The Helium Network Migration
Transitioning our WeatherXM stations to Helium’s updated LNS was a significant step forward. It positions us to be more agile, scalable, and in line with a rapidly evolving weather data ecosystem. However, the sheer volume of devices—including many from other projects—joining at the same time put a strain on the Helium network. As one of its largest users, we felt the brunt of that strain.
What this means for you:
- Some Helium (H1 & H2) stations appeared offline or failed to transmit data.
- A portion of data from January 30th was lost due to transmission interruptions.
We realize how frustrating it can be to see your station disconnected or missing data. We believe transparency is key, and acknowledging this issue is our first step toward preventing it from happening again.
US915 Region & ADR Challenges
Shortly after the migration, we discovered that stations in the US915 region were particularly affected. The root cause was a mismatch in Adaptive Data Rate (ADR) settings—an artifact of moving from Helium’s legacy console to a ChirpStack-based LNS. Some of our stations ended up in an unexpected state, leaving them offline.
Our Response
We collaborated closely with our partners to roll out a fix that stabilizes ADR settings in the US915 region. In most cases, a station reboot forces it to rejoin the network with the correct configuration, restoring full connectivity.
Temporary Reward Distribution Postponement
Amid these network challenges, we also postponed reward distribution by up to 24 hours for scheduled internal maintenance. We know that timely rewards are an essential part of the WeatherXM experience, and we appreciate your patience while we completed the necessary updates to our systems.
Key Takeaways:
- The rewards of February 1st were distributed together with the rewards of February 2nd once maintenance was concluded.
- Unfortunately, data that wasn’t received (particularly on January 30th) could not be rewarded retrospectively.
Finding Solutions & Moving Forward
From the start, WeatherXM has embraced a philosophy of resilience and rapid iteration — much like how major tech firms have built huge data centers using consumer-grade components, then used software to handle inevitable failures. We apply a similar approach to building the world’s most diverse, decentralized weather station network.
Restart Your Station
If you’re still seeing your station offline, please try a quick reboot—either through the WeatherXM app (for phones that have previously claimed or paired with your station) or by quick pressing the physical reboot button on the station itself.
Continuous Monitoring & Support
Our team will keep a close eye on network performance to address any lingering issues quickly. If your station remains offline after a reboot or if you encounter any other issues, we encourage you to reach out to our support channels.
As the Helium Network Stabilizes
We’ll continue to invest in improving our infrastructure. WeatherXM’s ability to adapt rapidly—both technically and organizationally—will help us prevent similar incidents in the future and support a seamless experience for all station owners.
Looking Ahead
While these recent disruptions were undoubtedly challenging, they also reflect the dynamic environment in which we operate. Our mission is to democratize weather data, pushing the boundaries of what a decentralized weather network can achieve. These minor setbacks are part of a larger journey toward a stronger, more resilient WeatherXM.
We want to thank each and every one of you for your patience, feedback, and commitment to our shared vision. As the network evolves, we’ll keep refining our processes, working with our partners, and finding ways to enhance the value and reliability of the WeatherXM platform. Together, we’ll continue growing our global network of weather stations—bringing actionable insights to everyone who depends on accurate, localized weather data.
Sincerely,
The WeatherXM Team