Thanks, galfert for this comprenhesive discussion.
Just to make it complete, I would like to look at the common part of both setups, which I call network bootstrap. In both cases you need to start with WS View, because up to date, this is the only way to integrate a Fine Offset wifi-PWS into an existing Wifi network. The app needs to be installed on an Android or IOS device, because the PWS must be set in a special mode to connect via hotspot to WS View in a specific Wifi environment. This is only needed for writing the configuration data into the wifi console in order to connect to the wifi router at home, such ass SSID and passphrase. So, only the WS View and, of course the sensors, have write access to the console. Further writing of some configuration is done, when you want to push data to weather services, for which there are currently four predefined configurations, for Ecowitt, Wunderground, Weathercloud, and WeatherObservationWebsite. In addition there is one, and only one "Customized" preset, where to choose between Ecowitt OR Wunderground protocol. So, in summary, the console can push data up to five web services in parallel.
Concerning the predefined setups, Ecowitt connection provides another feature: Time syncronisation. As soon as the console interacts with your registered account at Ecowitt.net, it automagically syncronizes its local time. At that point, besides sensors and WS View, a third lane, from outside the home net, exists, which can write to the console. I am wondering, why time syncronization is not realized the "normal" way via the dhcpd server option for NTP. And how is Ecowitt realizing this?
If I should want to stop the connection with the Ecowitt server (e.g. because of the superior features WeeWx in the near future, or other solutions discussed here), I would still prefer to have the console syncronizing its time from the net. So, would it be possible to imitate this feature in the customized "Ecowitt mode"?
I am afraid, this could be a challenge for the interceptor method, but maybe not for the local network API method?
Once you have GW1000 connected to your router which has access to internet, then GW1000 will aquire its UTC time from NIST or microsoft time server. So if you need GW1000 to have time updated, you will need GW1000 having internet access.