AirGradient Forum

Bad software experience for non-cloud users

#1

I’d like to start by saying that this is a lovely product! Thank you for making air monitoring accessible.

However, as someone who didn’t want the dashboard and only wanted polling the device over HTTP WiFi, the first-time experience was very, very confusing.

1. I could not find any information on what the different display readings mean (CO2, PM2.5)

Only after watching some YouTube videos I learned that this type of documentation is only available after logging in to the dashboard and pairing the device. It should be available in the regular documentation for everyone, even those who haven’t bought the product yet. I had to make an account only to be able to see the documentation.

2. Airgradient insists on connecting to the server

On first WiFi setup, the air gradient offers you the option of preventing cloud connection. This option is ignored as of firmware 3.1.21 I-9PSL , and whenever the device connects to WiFi, it will also connect to the server.

3. Configuration options unavailable without the dashboard

I couldn’t find documentation on how to adjust the settings (LED settings, pm2.5 correction formula, etc) without the cloud dashboard.

4. Update without permisssion

After giving up and connecting to the dashboard, for the sole purpose of seeing the docs and adjusting the settings, the device immediately updated from 3.1.13 to 3.1.21, a version not even available in the changelog. I panicked and thought I was being hacked, until I read in the forums this version is real but not yet in the changelog.

5. http routes are poorly documented

After finally setting it all up, I couldn’t find any mention of how to poll the sensor data. I eventually found the /measures/current route in the changelog. And it made me wonder what other routes have I missed. I wish there was a route for adjusting the settings.

All in all, great hardware, great software, but the non-dashboard experience looks like an afterthought, and there’s lots of low hanging fruit you can do to make it a lot better with very little effort. Thanks!

#2

Thank you for pointing these out. I am on my phone, so just some quick answers:

  1. Good point. We will put something directly on our website
  2. This is an unfortunate bug that we already fixed and will be rolled out in the next release.
  3. This is part of the GitHub documentation. See arduino/docs/local-server.md at master · airgradienthq/arduino · GitHub
  4. The firmware can be fixed on the dashboard under Place Administration.
  5. I believe also documented in arduino/docs/local-server.md at master · airgradienthq/arduino · GitHub

I hope that helps.

#3

Does this help with what the different readings mean?
AirGradient Cheatsheet

1 Like
#4

Thank you! The GitHub documentation is great, but as someone who scanned the barcode that came with the product, followed the build instructions, and looked in the “documentation” tab in the website, I did not know it exists!

Proposal: Add two “entry points” to the Github doc:

  1. In the integrations page, add a “HTTP API” section.

  2. In the build instructions, right after the dashboard section, create a “Other integrations / server options” section, which links to the Integrations page.

Sample text for #2

Other than the cloud dashboard, air gradient supports various other integrations such as OpenHab, Home Assistant, an HTTP API, and more. See the integrations page for more information.

Rationale:
The dashboard section in the build instructions is exactly where my confusion started. I was expecting non cloud abilities but couldn’t find an HTTP API in and the dashboard was the focus. Then I looked in the integrations but it didn’t help.

#5

Regarding (4), maybe add a cloudAutoUpdate boolean to /config?

Rationale: Without this, a non-cloud user who decides to enable the cloud (whether permanently or temporarily for testing) might get an unexpected firmware update.