Lowrance 4G Radar, HDS-Gen3 Wi-Fi, & OpenCPN

[MRArnold]

I'm working through the final stages of Complete Electronics Upgrade for New Moon.....lots of wiring, Ether-networking, N2k-networking......Tons of fun.


I now have Lowrance 4G Radar Ethernet networked to (2) HDS Gen3 MFD's. I have also added a Laptop running OpenCPN.



The laptop can receive its GPS data either over a wired N2k-USB cable, or through Wi-Fi from either one of the HDS Internal Wi-Fi if I connect thru wireless.


What I want to do is get the Radar Data through the HDS Wi-Fi as well.


According to this post it can be done using the GoFree WiFi Module from Navico.

Quote:
Yes, I am using a GoFree WiFi to transmit halo radar data to a PC running openCPN quite successfully. It has not been slow at all (No missing radar spokes with both ranges running) after I enabled the multicast mode in the GoFree router. Based on the info in the advanced set-up guide from Simrad, multicast is disabled by default to keep the radar data from clogging the GoFree bandwidth in case you have many devices using the router. Since the radar data is really what I want, I enabled multicast and the radar data passes through at high speed. I have also made sure there are no slow WiFi devices on the net as the router defaults to the slowest transmission rate of any connected device.

My GoFree is hardwired to the radar control box, and hardwired to the chart plotter, but is wireless to the OpenCPN PC (Windows 10, 802.11N) The usual connection is to hardwire directly from the radar box to the chartplotter, but the GoFree passes the traffic correctly (as it should)
I can control the radar from either the PC or the chartplotter. The display changes on both displays when I make a change on either one. I see no reason the set-up shouldn't work with the other Simrad radars and other Wifi Routers as long as multicast can be enabled.

Cheers, Eric

Navico Radar plugin beta 3.816 released - Page 2 - Cruisers & Sailing Forums


So it would seem: If the GoFree Module will send the Radar over the Wi-Fi, the HDS Gen3 MFD's would do the same thing based on their Internal Wireless capabilities and specs. (802.11b+g)


Can it be done? Has it been done?


I can cut into the Ethernet, add RJ-45 Connectors and a Network Switch and connect the Laptop with a cable if I need to, but would love to figure out how to do it thru the Wi-Fi instead if it is at all possible.


Thanx Crew,
Mark-


P.S. Lots of other stuff hooked up through networks in this system but the rest is irrelevant to the questions about wi-fi.

[Hakan]

Originally Posted by MRArnold

...........
So it would seem: If the GoFree Module will send the Radar over the Wi-Fi, the HDS Gen3 MFD's would do the same thing based on their Internal Wireless capabilities and specs. (802.11b+g)

Can it be done? Has it been done?

I can cut into the Ethernet, add RJ-45 Connectors and a Network Switch and connect the Laptop with a cable if I need to, but would love to figure out how to do it thru the Wi-Fi instead if it is at all possible.

Thanx Crew,
Mark-

Mark..
Yes wifi via GoFree I've seen working. But your wifi net would use 5GHz (Ipv6) to be able to transmit all radar data. So try to connect your laptop to the GoFree/HDS wifi access point and see what's happening.

To see if your laptop set up is correct try a wired RJ-45 connection if the wifi is not working.

I'd suggest to update to OCPN v5.0 and radar_pi to version 5.0 as well. The radar_pi v5.0 is newly updated. https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/info/downloads.html

And if you not have a heading in OpenCPN be sure set the radar_pi option to receive the heading from your 4G radar and transfer it to OCPN.
Håkan

[MRArnold]

Thanx Hakan,


I was already working on upgrading to 5.0 and 5.0 on the radar_pi..... My SLOW internet makes the Downloads take FOREVER...


I know that I am getting GNSS data over the WiFi to the Laptop (Win10) because when I am connected to the HDS Internal WiFi I have my Position Data on OpenCPN. (no position data when not connected because NO GPS receiver built into Laptop)


I also have the laptop set up to Emulate an Android (using NOX) and the GoFree App, so I can view and control which ever HDS MFD I am wifi connected to. This works well to see both Helm & Cockpit MFD at on one location and tells me that ,one way or another, all of the Data is being sent through the Wi-Fi and received by the Laptop.



Part of the trouble is that I am EXTREMELY Electronically Handicapped, so I have to work through each piece of this using a lot of "guess & check" because I don't have a very good grasp of Network Protocols, Speeds, ect... Another hiccup is that there is No Internet or Phone Service where the boat is stored for winter, so I have to drive back & forth each time I learn something new....

But your wifi net would use 5GHz (Ipv6) to be able to transmit all radar data. So try to connect your laptop to the GoFree/HDS wifi access point and see what's happening.

I assume that I do this by connecting to the MFD WiFi and then looking at the 'Properties' of the network on the Networks Window of the laptop? And it needs to be 5GHz? Is this 5GHz something that can be set or changed on the MFD's or Laptop, or is it something that is "set" and whatever I have is what I've got?


Thanx,
Mark-

[Hakan]

I assume that I do this by connecting to the MFD WiFi and then looking at the 'Properties' of the network on the Networks Window of the laptop? And it needs to be 5GHz? Is this 5GHz something that can be set or changed on the MFD's or Laptop, or is it something that is "set" and whatever I have is what I've got?

Mark..
Don't bother to much. Check what wifi(s) your laptop is "seeing". If there is one belonging to the MFD try that. If there are more take the one called something with "...5.." or "Ipv6" or test one at the time. There's mostly nothing you can control unless there are settings in the MFD. The radar can be connected using both wifi types but the radar picture will be very sporadic if not the high performance type. Just test, nothing will be destroyed.
Håkan

[Ivanm]

I am connected via wifi to my MFD Simrad Halo48 use Ais and Gps data from Simrad but Radar just show initializing.
Question : I do have to use the setup as in Connections tab to setup connection
In the Nmea debugwindow I see other data than when using usb from gps an ais I am on Rpi openplotter

[Ivanm]

Picture of Nmea

[Ivanm]

Originally Posted by Ivanm

Picture of Nmea

2

[Hakan]

Ivanm.
I'm not sure the radar_pi plugin supports Halo48. As you can see from the description HALO-3, HALO-4, HALO-6 and HALO24 are listed. https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/plugins/radarPI.html2
I'm not very familiar with the different Halo types but maybe @merrimac can bring lights to this.
Anyhow are the NMEA strings not connected to the radar data traffic. It's transferred via IP network, e.g. the wifi if of correct performance, see discussion some posts above. Could you try a wired connection instead?
BTW: -"Radar just show initializing."- Could you describe this in more details? What do you see and where?

[Ivanm]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Ivanm.
I'm not sure the radar_pi plugin supports Halo48. As you can see from the description HALO-3, HALO-4, HALO-6 and HALO24 are listed. https://opencpn.org/OpenCPN/plugins/radarPI.html2
I'm not very familiar with the different Halo types but maybe @merrimac can bring lights to this.
Anyhow are the NMEA strings not connected to the radar data traffic. It's transferred via IP network, e.g. the wifi if of correct performance, see discussion some posts above. Could you try a wired connection instead?
BTW: -"Radar just show initializing."- Could you describe this in more details? What do you see and where?

I don't have a wired conection at the moment will setup one later on.
The initializing show when I click on the radar icon in the toolbar a window pop up with radars selected and options required by opencpn

[Hakan]

Ivanm..
A screen shot of the radar info window, please.

[Ivanm]

Originally Posted by Hakan

Ivanm..
A screen shot of the radar info window, please.

This

[Hakan]

Ivanm..

So obviously no network found to search for a radar. Start to check your wifi connections.
And maybe try the radar type Emulator to check the O and radar_pi functions.

[MRArnold]

I took the laptop back out to the Boat Storage this AM to try again to get Radar over wifi from the HDS GEN3:


Before I went, I updated to V5.0 on OpenCPN & the Radar_pi.


I power on the MFD & Radar. Radar shows up on MFD so I know it's working.


I connect Laptop to the HDS Wi-fi network.


I start OpenCPN.



Options>Plugins> I get a message that says "The plugin br24radar_pi.dll is not compatible with this version of OpenCPN, please get an updated version." Briefly displayed, then gone. Once gone the plugin screen shows "Radar 5.0 Plugin" at the top of my list of plugins. Click on it & Enable.


(Re-installing the Radar_pi did not change the 'not compatible' message on Plugins window, it still showed up the first time I opener Plugins after each restart of OpenCPN and multiple re-installs.)



Options>Connections>Enable: Type:Network - Direction:Input - Protocol:GPSD - Address:192.168.76.1 - Port:10110 - Priority:1


With this Connection Enabled I have Location & Heading Data now showing up on OpenCPN.



I Click on the Radar Icon and I get a Radar Info Box that says: Top Line: Navico 4G A - Second Line:Scanning Interface 192.168.76.89 - OpenGL checked & greyed out.


I feel confidant that I am 1 or 2 settings away from making this work.....I just don't know which ones.


Your advice this far has been helpful, thanx for your patience as you push me across this Tech-Barrier.


Mark-

[MRArnold]

Options>Plugins>Radar>Preferences>Select Radar Type>Emulator


Click on Radar Icon: I get NOTHING - Not even the Radar Info Box, just a 'greyed out' Radar Icon


?

[Hakan]

MRArnlod..
radar_pi and BR24radar_pi are two different plugins. Please uninstall BR24... since it's not compatible with O v5.0, as you've noticed.


To open hidden radar menus please have a look here: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2865732


Håkan