Looking for a straight answer re Ethernet cables etc

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Big_Chet

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I am mounting an HDS 9 and a 12. I know I need an Ethernet cable to allow then to interact.
1. I’m being told that the Beige and Grey Lowrance Ethernet cables are faulty and pron to failure and the only Lowrance Ethernet cable to buy is their Black Ethernet cable. Seems a Lowrance Black Ethernet cable does not exist but they do have a Black NEMA cable. What’s the real deal?
2. I’m also being told that using an Ethernet cable will not allow ALL info to be shared between units like waypoints, tracking and maps, meaning I would need to purchase one Navico or other brand card for each unit. Is that true? These units are going on the dash of my 21se on RAM mounts. What else will I need?
Thanks in advance gang.
 
You are correct that mapping is shared over ethernet. Please verify the connections on your units for this next part, as I am not familiar with all the Lowrance models.
You need an NMEA 2000 starter kit, tees and drop cables for each unit. They will share a lot of simple data like speed, illumination settings, battery voltage, depth, position etc over the NMEA network, and you will go CRAZY trying to get them to work together correctly without that network. I went through this with a couple Simrad evo2s years ago, until finally someone asked me if I had an NMEA 2K network. That's why you are having problems, they said. Once I added it, all problems were fixed almost instantly. If you add a vhf radio, that will get it's position from your GPS as well through the nmea network if you have a distress button. Simrad makes black Ethernet cables...same thing as Lowrance. The NMEA cables and components are not brand specific. Amazon.com: Lowrance 6Ft/1.82M Ethernet Crossover Cable : Electronics
 
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I am mounting an HDS 9 and a 12. I know I need an Ethernet cable to allow then to interact.
1. I’m being told that the Beige and Grey Lowrance Ethernet cables are faulty and pron to failure and the only Lowrance Ethernet cable to buy is their Black Ethernet cable. Seems a Lowrance Black Ethernet cable does not exist but they do have a Black NEMA cable. What’s the real deal?
2. I’m also being told that using an Ethernet cable will not allow ALL info to be shared between units like waypoints, tracking and maps, meaning I would need to purchase one Navico or other brand card for each unit. Is that true? These units are going on the dash of my 21se on RAM mounts. What else will I need?
Thanks in advance gang.

NMEA will let you share all sensor data. GPS, heading, engine data, etc. is distributed through the NMEA backbone, which you will have to assemble and install. For that, you’ll need the backbone (either a single multi-port tee or multiple individual tees for each sensor or MFD), a power tee that connects to 12v power, and two connectors (one male, one female) for each end.

Network will let you share all high-capacity information, such as radar, transducers, waypoints, etc. I’m unsure about basemaps stored on a chip, but I believe they will share as well. Basically, the network cable will allow both units to act as one, and share all of the transducers/radar scanners/information of the other, SO LONG AS both of them are powered on. Since I believe all of the NAVICO units use the same ports and cabling, you’ll most likely need a single 1.8m, 5-pin yellow network cable to link them.
 
NMEA will let you share all sensor data. GPS, heading, engine data, etc. is distributed through the NMEA backbone, which you will have to assemble and install. For that, you’ll need the backbone (either a single multi-port tee or multiple individual tees for each sensor or MFD), a power tee that connects to 12v power, and two connectors (one male, one female) for each end.

Network will let you share all high-capacity information, such as radar, transducers, waypoints, etc. I’m unsure about basemaps stored on a chip, but I believe they will share as well. Basically, the network cable will allow both units to act as one, and share all of the transducers/radar scanners/information of the other, SO LONG AS both of them are powered on. Since I believe all of the NAVICO units use the same ports and cabling, you’ll most likely need a single 1.8m, 5-pin yellow network cable to link them.
Thank you
 
NMEA will let you share all sensor data. GPS, heading, engine data, etc. is distributed through the NMEA backbone, which you will have to assemble and install. For that, you’ll need the backbone (either a single multi-port tee or multiple individual tees for each sensor or MFD), a power tee that connects to 12v power, and two connectors (one male, one female) for each end.

Network will let you share all high-capacity information, such as radar, transducers, waypoints, etc. I’m unsure about basemaps stored on a chip, but I believe they will share as well. Basically, the network cable will allow both units to act as one, and share all of the transducers/radar scanners/information of the other, SO LONG AS both of them are powered on. Since I believe all of the NAVICO units use the same ports and cabling, you’ll most likely need a single 1.8m, 5-pin yellow network cable to link them.
Just nosing around, and learning stuff!... I am amazed at the amount of knowledge the CP folks provide
 
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Thank you
One point that I want to make again, just so it doesn’t get lost. If you’ve got one unit with a radar, transducer, whatever running directly to that unit, even with a network cable that MFD needs to be powered on to share that sensor.

Example: I have a 12” NSS EVO3s flush mounted in the dash. My radar and transducer are connected directly to that one. I have a 9” EVO3s bracket mounted on the dash. The only inputs to that one are NMEA, Ethernet, and power. If the 12” is powered on, I can share everything between the two units. If it’s off, the 9” will only show its internal sensors and whatever it’s getting from NMEA. Similarly, I had an issue with the internal GPS antenna in the flush mounted unit receiving a signal, so I configured the network to utilize the internal antenna on the dash top unit, since it has a clearer line of sight to the sky. However, with the dash top unit powered off, the antenna is inactive and the flush mount unit loses GPS signal. This was remedied by adding an external GPS antenna, which feeds GPS position to the NMEA network and therefore will work for either unit regardless of powered status.

However, you can avoid the issues with radar/transducers being hooked into an inactive unit by using a device that includes a network switch. For a radar unit, this can be any independently powered network switch, such as the NEP-2 unit. For transducers, especially if you intend to run more than one transducer, it will have to be a sounder module, such as a SonarHub, StructureScan or S5100. These devices receive the input from one or more transducers, and also include a built-in network switch with sufficient ports for a radar input (which uses a network port) and two network output ports for two MFDs (more than two displays will need an additional network switch). By using one of these, all of the network data should be available to any display that is powered on, regardless of the power status of any other display. The possible exception would be base maps installed on a chip in a non-powered unit; I’m still not sure how exactly those get shared.
 
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Not sure if this will help but I have 2 Garmin 741XS units networked together using a homemade crossover ethernet cable.

One unit has the transducer connected, the other has radar unit, and I can share across the units without a direct connection.
 
You are correct that mapping is shared over ethernet. Please verify the connections on your units for this next part, as I am not familiar with all the Lowrance models.
You need an NMEA 2000 starter kit, tees and drop cables for each unit. They will share a lot of simple data like speed, illumination settings, battery voltage, depth, position etc over the NMEA network, and you will go CRAZY trying to get them to work together correctly without that network. I went through this with a couple Simrad evo2s years ago, until finally someone asked me if I had an NMEA 2K network. That's why you are having problems, they said. Once I added it, all problems were fixed almost instantly. If you add a vhf radio, that will get it's position from your GPS as well through the nmea network if you have a distress button. Simrad makes black Ethernet cables...same thing as Lowrance. The NMEA cables and components are not brand specific. Amazon.com: Lowrance 6Ft/1.82M Ethernet Crossover Cable : Electronics
Thanks! You're right on the money!
I am mounting an HDS 9 and a 12. I know I need an Ethernet cable to allow then to interact.
1. I’m being told that the Beige and Grey Lowrance Ethernet cables are faulty and pron to failure and the only Lowrance Ethernet cable to buy is their Black Ethernet cable. Seems a Lowrance Black Ethernet cable does not exist but they do have a Black NEMA cable. What’s the real deal?
2. I’m also being told that using an Ethernet cable will not allow ALL info to be shared between units like waypoints, tracking and maps, meaning I would need to purchase one Navico or other brand card for each unit. Is that true? These units are going on the dash of my 21se on RAM mounts. What else will I need?
Thanks in advance gang.

Not sure how to Thank all the members who gave input BUT THANKS GUYS! Problem solved!
 
Thanks! You're right on the money!


Not sure how to Thank all the members who gave input BUT THANKS GUYS! Problem solved!
I hope I caught you in time, but I wouldn't use ram mounts on those big heavy units. Those bass guys don't get in the rough water like we do and the screens will be shaking. It is just as fast to connect/disconnect from the factory brackets. Just my opinion, learned from Evo2 Simrads on Ram mounts.
 
I have an HDS GEN2 touch and an HDS LIVE. The NMEA cables are a breeze to install. A couple other tips Since there is nothing I need to add to the good advice you have already been given. I run two transducers a standard in the gen 2 and a 3in1 in the live. With the NMEA cables installed you can pick on screen which transducer you want to pull from on each unit. When I installed a new 300 Yamaha in 2020 the dealer was going to install the Yamaha command center (expensive). I connected the smart cable from the motor directly into the lowrance unit with a conversion adapter and all the engine information ie. temp, oil pressure,hours etc are shown on my chart just like depth or position. I just needed to download the Yamaha app into my lowrance unit. Autopilot for a single engine from lowrance is only $999.00 and comes with everything pump,computer hydraulic lines and NMEA cable that’s a bargain. It’s fantastic. I charter by myself and that is my 1st mate when trolling. and getting from point A to point B in a straight line will pay for itself in todays fuel prices. Just some tips , good luck
 
I have an HDS GEN2 touch and an HDS LIVE. The NMEA cables are a breeze to install. A couple other tips Since there is nothing I need to add to the good advice you have already been given. I run two transducers a standard in the gen 2 and a 3in1 in the live. With the NMEA cables installed you can pick on screen which transducer you want to pull from on each unit. When I installed a new 300 Yamaha in 2020 the dealer was going to install the Yamaha command center (expensive). I connected the smart cable from the motor directly into the lowrance unit with a conversion adapter and all the engine information ie. temp, oil pressure,hours etc are shown on my chart just like depth or position. I just needed to download the Yamaha app into my lowrance unit. Autopilot for a single engine from lowrance is only $999.00 and comes with everything pump,computer hydraulic lines and NMEA cable that’s a bargain. It’s fantastic. I charter by myself and that is my 1st mate when trolling. and getting from point A to point B in a straight line will pay for itself in todays fuel prices. Just some tips , good luck
Sweet!
 
I hope I caught you in time, but I wouldn't use ram mounts on those big heavy units. Those bass guys don't get in the rough water like we do and the screens will be shaking. It is just as fast to connect/disconnect from the factory brackets. Just my opinion, learned from Evo2 Simrads on Ram mounts.
Appreciate the advice but I've had 2 Lowrance units of various sizes up to 12" mounted on Ram mounts on my dash for over 12 years on my boat and have never experianced a problem. Some will say that the Ram mounts will allow for some movement in rough going where as mounted to the dash is a solid mount and the MFD's take the full force of the impact. Who knows but thanks for the thought.
 
Appreciate the advice but I've had 2 Lowrance units of various sizes up to 12" mounted on Ram mounts on my dash for over 12 years on my boat and have never experianced a problem. Some will say that the Ram mounts will allow for some movement in rough going where as mounted to the dash is a solid mount and the MFD's take the full force of the impact. Who knows but thanks for the thought.
Alright man. That was on my Sea Pro. The console on the Parker is much thicker.
 
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