Running B&G Radar / Zeus3 Through Ethernet Switch

[Bijoux]

I have a few goals I am trying to pull together with my boats network. If possible I would like my B&G Zeus to be on the same ethernet network as my laptop, iPads, and general data.

Is it possible to plug the B&G Radar as well as the Zeus into a ethernet switch and have them function?
Are they communicating over TCPIP? if so what network numbers?
Can you add a second Zeus and have it also recognize the Radar?

Thanks for all the help in advance.

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Bijoux. Sorry I can't help you - I'm a keep the separate components separate advocate when it comes to nav electronics.

[tkeithlu]

OK, you're not getting a quick response from one of our resident IT folks, so let me give you something to think about.

The more you consolidate your electronics, the more opportunities you have to lose the whole thing with one electrical glitch. It starts with consolidating to one monitor - it can go ping! and emit a small cloud of smoke. As you get back to a wired network, the possibilities multiply.

Now. I'm a hard ass "keep your location on a paper chart" and "always have a plan B and C" person. Most are not, as my wife reminds me when I put one flashlight at each external door on the house. To me, the two best reasons for consolidating electronics are

1. You don't have enough space at your station to display separate radar, AIS, nav, and depth sounder.
2. You have difficulty integrating an AIS, radar, and nav in your head.


I don't have either. If my laptop with OpenCPN goes ping!, I have the backup GPS, AIS, and paper chart to navigate. If the depth sounder goes ping! I can pay particular attention to the chart depths on OpenCPN and the paper chart.
and a third and fourth are

3. You want to impress peoiple with your moon-shot glass cockpit, and
4. You don't mind replacing the whole thing at one time for mucho dollars.
Now, how far do you want to go with integration, particularly given that you are running into electronic compatibility problems that require the advice and counsel of IT folks on the forum?

Design your own best answer, and happy sailing!

Best wishes,

--Tim.

[Bijoux]

I get what you are saying, the more equipment that is introduced the more points for failure. I am using the Zeus in the cockpit and was going to run OpenCPN for my nav station. It was my understanding you can also have radar and AIS data in OpenCPN but need to tap into the radar data. That was the point of adding the ethernet switch.

I have a MiniPlex that can provide the AIS but Radar I think requires the ethernet.

Thanks for your reply, I will keep your points into consideration.

[Bycrick]

I have a $16 Ethernet router as the interface between 2 Simrad MFDs and the Simrad radar. It’s worked fine for 9 years. So the hardware connections are fine. Can you get OpenCPN and all the gadgets to talk over Ethernet? Sure, the question then becomes whether the various software will talk to each other. I’ve never tried.

But I think that a network failure, ie the failure of the network itself, is low probability. In almost every conceivable case, the failure of the network will be attributable to 1) loss of power to the backbone, 2) wiring failure due to a bad connection, 3) a failed device overloading the network with traffic or noise. All easily fixed.

I disagree with the idea that somehow "keeping things separate" improves the overall system reliability. More parts, whether separate or inter-connected, creates more failure surface. If I have a single MFD and a single radar scanner, the failure of either means I’m without radar. The failure of the MFD probably means I’m without a chart plotter too. Critical data can be displayed on a small MFD like the Triton or the Maretron DMS series. If one can’t live without a plotter or radar, then OpenCPN can back up some of it. Or you can pipe most of the data to a tablet if it’s all on the network.

But having "everything integrated" means that you should actually know how it all works, how to move data from one display to another, and how to do without it when it fails.

[bradfordharley]

We have been running our B&G radar, zeus 3 and an old NSS8 to a switch for 3 years flawlessly.
B&G actually sell their own "switch". You just need to modify the B&G ethernet cable for the chart plotters and put a RJ45 jack on it. There is a pinout guide online if you search for it.
You can also get the radar on something like a raspberry pi running opencpn with the radar plugin if you want. I've played with it, but with 2 plotters it's a hobby and not a necessity.
I do understand the risks with consolidation. I carry a spare switch/access point.
Let me know if you want any specifics on my setup.

[Bijoux]

Originally Posted by bradfordharley

We have been running our B&G radar, zeus 3 and an old NSS8 to a switch for 3 years flawlessly.
B&G actually sell their own "switch". You just need to modify the B&G ethernet cable for the chart plotters and put a RJ45 jack on it. There is a pinout guide online if you search for it.
You can also get the radar on something like a raspberry pi running opencpn with the radar plugin if you want. I've played with it, but with 2 plotters it's a hobby and not a necessity.
I do understand the risks with consolidation. I carry a spare switch/access point.
Let me know if you want any specifics on my setup.

Thank you for the information, right now I have a MiniPlex that moves my NMEA 2000 to ethernet and that attaches to a access point that shares it via WIFI. All that is working. My next step was to install the ethernet hub between the B&G and radar and then tie it into the main network.

You are correct, right now the only thing I would loose is the Radar on my Zeus.

I will give it a try since it worked for you...

[bradfordharley]

Originally Posted by Bijoux

Thank you for the information, right now I have a MiniPlex that moves my NMEA 2000 to ethernet and that attaches to a access point that shares it via WIFI. All that is working. My next step was to install the ethernet hub between the B&G and radar and then tie it into the main network.

You are correct, right now the only thing I would loose is the Radar on my Zeus.

I will give it a try since it worked for you...

I see this as particularly low risk, and spares are cheap! I have a spare switch (actually spare 5 port access point) and I made a dongle to allow hardwiring the ethernet back to the plotter. You will have all the bits to do the dongle when you chop off the end of your B&G ethernet cable and put an RJ45 on it. Have fun.

[stgermain45]

I think you already got the confirmation, but just chiming in to also say that I do exactly what you're looking to accomplish. I have an 8 port switch sharing NMEA0183 on the boat. It shares radar from a B&G Halo24 radar with a Zeus3 and in my case also allows it to be displayed and commanded from two Vulcan7 displays on the boat. They don't tell you it's possible in the manual, but it definitely works. As mentioned, the pinout for the RJ45 plug is in the radar manual. But here's a pic attached.


Chris

[MarkI]

Here is another input more consistent with modern factory built boats.

Have two display units, ideally 2 MFDs, and networks to connect individual devices. This allows:
Beautiful and functional displays of complex data like
* History of wind speed, wind direction, boat speed, etc
* Complex renderings of bottom information that require a good display, e.g. forward scan sonar, or side scan sonar
* Radar. including overlays over your map, and other info, like forward scan, Grib, etc
* Camera display if that helps you.

Having 2 MFD means if one dies, then you can access ALL your information at the other MFD. You do not get this from separate instruments.

Yes the network can be a point of failure. For that reason the Zeus has its own GPS so the chart plotter function will continue to work. The NMEA2000 has a passive connection, less likely to fail except individual units. Having a second ethernet switch is a great idea, one poster noted, especially if going offshore.

My new Beneteau 46.1 has a forward scan sonar, Radar, AIS, speed/depth/temp, wind sensor, and radios all integrated and accessible from either MFD, one per helm station. But no fancy "glass" station, just the MFD.

So to answer questions, you can definitely add a second Zeus MFD, but I have Zeus3, if you have an earlier one, read the literature on compatibility between generations.

Note: You can access most NMEA2000 functions over wireless through a Zeus3. No extra switch needed. But that does not include radar or complex sonar. I have this running via avionics chart plotter software on Phone and iPad. I do not yet have OpenCpn talking to the GPS, never mind the radar.

There are some IP addresses involved, but it is not clear that they use them for instrument to instrument communication. I am in the learning phase for that. First goal is getting more programs access via NMEA2000 bridge built into the Zeus3. Navionics made it easy, other programs require more configuration.

Later I will connect the Raspberry running CPN to the wired ethernet. Down the line.

[Bijoux]

Originally Posted by stgermain45

I think you already got the confirmation, but just chiming in to also say that I do exactly what you're looking to accomplish. I have an 8 port switch sharing NMEA0183 on the boat. It shares radar from a B&G Halo24 radar with a Zeus3 and in my case also allows it to be displayed and commanded from two Vulcan7 displays on the boat. They don't tell you it's possible in the manual, but it definitely works. As mentioned, the pinout for the RJ45 plug is in the radar manual. But here's a pic attached.


Chris

Did you setup static IP address or does the Zeus manage the DHCP? Just curious if you know what IP network they are using. Thanks for this information.

[stgermain45]

Originally Posted by Bijoux

Did you setup static IP address or does the Zeus manage the DHCP? Just curious if you know what IP network they are using. Thanks for this information.

The Zeus3 has a static IP setup for it's NMEA0183 over ethernet. However, I can have the Zeus3 powered off and still view and command the radar display from my other Vulcan7 MFDs on the boat which are in client mode.



Sharing radar from the helm Zeus3 with my other Vulcan7 plotters at the nav and aft SR was the original reason I installed the switch (which I already had on hand and just happened to be 12V), but now I use the ethernet switch for a bunch of data sharing reasons - for instance, using any of the B&G MFDs, I can view and remote control Victron battery and charging details of my LiFePO4 bank controlling the Victron VenusOS software running on a Raspberry Pi... and also things like getting wind/boat speed/AIS/etc data from the N2K->0183 networks into Expedition software which I use on longer passages. I can get the data wirelessly via either Bluetooth or WiFi with apps depending on the device, but having the hardwired ethernet switch has proven to be really handy for network integration.



Chris

[bradfordharley]

I use DHCP for the radar and chartplotter provided by my switch/access point. I'm a fan of centralized control of IP's and usually static IP's provided by DHCP rather than static IP's set at the host. That said, that's not really necessary on a small boat system...
If you don't have a switch that will perform DHCP, you can do that on the PI or set everything static. Completely your choice, it will all work.