Would like to move to all/mostly wireless connections

[seapop]

Just got my new/used Catalina 2005 c320 and the old Raymarine electronics need to be upgraded. In an effort to take advantage of modern electronics and do things smarter not harder, I am hoping to start replacing things using more wifi and less cabling.. this should also be hopefully cheaper and more flexible.

I have started the process with a new tablet -- Asus Zen 3 with great display and a data card and built in GPS. I know its not real weather proof, but thats what backups are for.

I have bought and downloaded OpenCPN on it and now I would like to start connecting the wind, depth, radar, speed, "existing" instruments and make it the new chartplotter.

Here is where it gets a bit fuzzy to me.

1. do I need a new wifi hub router device to connect the tablet to the existing "seatalk" network ?

2. could I have more than one active chartplotter online at a time?

3. eventually I want to tie in existing 'sensors' from all over the boat and add new ones and monitor from a central tablet to manage all alarm conditions

4. since I want AIS in my future, does the Vesper XB8000 with its built in wifi go a long way to solving my problem?

Any and all suggestions, diagrams, or alternate methods are greatly appreciated. thanks

[mickt243]

Just because something CAN be wifi, does not mean something SHOULD be wifi...

Wherever possible, I much prefer to run wire, more reliable, more secure, usually cheaper...


Tbh, the vesper may well be the answer... run all your sensors etc on standard n2k wired network, the vesper will transmit all the n2k data over wifi or USB to your tablet/laptop/shipspc