Ambient Weather Network Now Supports Up to 16 Soil Moisture Sensors—Here's What That Means for You

April 14, 2025 Chandler Spinelli Comments

If you're someone who loves digging into the details, whether it’s in your garden, greenhouse, or a larger agricultural setup, this update is for you. Ambient Weather Network (AWN) just rolled out support for up to 16 soil moisture sensors, expanding from the previous limit of 10. It’s a major upgrade that opens more data and more flexibility for growers and environmental monitors everywhere.

Why This Update Matters

When it comes to managing soil health, more data points mean better decisions. Whether you're fine-tuning irrigation across multiple grow zones or keeping tabs on conditions in a complex landscape, the ability to monitor more areas independently can make a big difference.

The Ambient Weather Network previously allowed up to 10 soil moisture sensors per setup. That worked well for many users, but for those with broader needs, it sometimes meant choosing which zones to prioritize or having to rotate sensors between locations.

With the new 16-sensor capability, there’s no need to choose. You can track moisture levels in more areas simultaneously, giving you a clearer picture of what’s happening below the surface. The result? Smarter watering, healthier plants, and more efficient use of your time and resources.

No New Sensors Needed—Just New Firmware

Here's the best part: you don't need to replace your current soil moisture sensors. All compatible sensors that worked with the 10-channel system will automatically support 16—no upgrades or purchases required.

If you own a WS-2000, WS-4000, or WS-5000, all you need to do is update your firmware to unlock the full capability:

Wi-Fi firmware: V4.3.6 or greater
Console firmware: V2.0.2 or greater

Once updated, your system will be ready to monitor up to 16 soil channels directly through AWN. Need help updating your firmware?

So, Who's This For?

This update is perfect for:

Gardeners managing multiple flower beds, raised beds, or lawn sections
Greenhouse growers needing precise zone-by-zone data
Farmers and vineyard operators optimizing irrigation
Educators and researchers tracking soil conditions in field experiments

A Smarter Growing Season Ahead

As growing seasons become more unpredictable, the tools you use to monitor your soil need to keep up. This AWN update is a direct response to the growing need for smarter soil monitoring, giving you more capability to measure, more opportunities to improve plant health, and a clearer picture of conditions below the surface.

We're always working to evolve AWN into a more powerful, user-friendly platform. Supporting 16 soil moisture sensors is just one step forward. There’s more to come.

Stay tuned. And in the meantime, start planning your sensor layout—because you've now got room to grow.

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Chandler Spinelli