Wi-Fi equipped MFDs not communicating with Wi-Fi hotspot using Class A Private Netwo

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Wi-Fi equipped MFDs not communicating with Wi-Fi hotspot using Class A Private Network Addressing

With the exception of the recently introduced CAM220IP, CAM210IP, CAM200IP, and FLIR thermal cameras (these products support DHCP), all Raymarine products featuring Ethernet communications interfaces manufactured since 2005 have been designed to function in a Class A Private Network (IP address range 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255). During production, Raymarine products are each programmed with a unique IP address within the IP address range listed above to create a plug and play installation experience for the installer. The IP addresses within all products except for the CAM220IP, CAM210IP, CAM200IP, and FLIR thermal cameras are not designed to be changed by their owners.

Communications products such a the Wirie Pro Access Point employ Class A Private Network IP addressing which may cause a conflict with the Raymarine products described above. Additionally, out of concerns of latency, bandwidth, and compatibility, Raymarine recommends that its Ethernet network not be combined with any other Ethernet network(s) installed onboard a vessel. This same conflict may arise in marinas, other public locations, or home Wi-Fi access point which have been configured to use Class A Private Network IP addressing. As a workaround, it would be recommended that the owner of the Wi-Fi router be asked to configure the Wi-Fi access point's settings to not use Class A Private Network IP addressing (i.e. IP addresses within the range 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255). A feature request has been submitted to consider support for connecting via Wi-Fi to third party networking products using Class A Private Network IP addressing within a future LightHouse 3 software update (no further LightHouse II software updates are currently planned) as well as withing future product designs.

As workaround to this limitation, one may configure one's smartphone as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot and then command the MFD to connect to the smartphone's portable Wi-Fi hotspot to access the Internet for software updates, Theyr weather, etc.. To exercise this workaround, the smartphone's Wi-Fi will need to be configured OFF (this action will occur when the smartphone's portable Wi-Fi hotspot is configured ON). The smartphone's Internet access will be via wireless mobile telecommunications technology (ex. 3G, 4G). While this alternative means of checking for Raymarine product software updates, downloading Theyr weather GRIBs may be satisfactory with respect to downloading smaller files, you may want to consider other software update options (ex. download to computer and then extract the software update files from the downloaded compressed folder to a microSD memory card) for more very large data downloads such as MFD software update files.

Regarding conflicts with marina Wi-Fi utilizing Class A Private Network IP addressing, Raymarine occasionally receives complaints of such conflicts, but they are relatively few in number when compared with the total number customers owning Wi-Fi equipped MFDs. This is because overwhelming the overwhelming majority of public Wi-Fi hotspots utilize Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) rather than Class A Private Network IP addressing. Accordingly, the overwhelming majority of Raymarine's customers using the Wi-Fi features of their Wi-Fi equipped MFDs to check online for updates, for Theyr Weather downloads, and supported apps are not encountering public Wi-Fi hotspots using Class A Private Network IP addressing. Such incompatibility with public Wi-Fi hotspots utilizing Class A Private Network IP addressing is considered a limitation of the Wi-Fi communications features of Raymarine's Wi-Fi equipped MFDs rather than a bug. That said, Raymarine has logged a feature request to address such conflicts with Wi-Fi hotspots using Class A Private Network IP addressed and is investigating options for elimination of such conflicts via a a LightHouse 3 software update.

A "captive portal" is a Web page that the user of a public-access network is obliged to view and interact with before access is granted. i.e. enter name, password, check box for acceptance of service or other valid credentials. At the time that this FAQ was posted, the Wi-Fi equipped MFDs did not support Internet access via a public networks utilizing captive portals. Customers encountering this issue are encouraged to contact the administrator of the public-access network regarding an alternate means of being granted access to the public-access network. Raymarine has logged a feature request to include support for captive portals within a future LightHouse 3 software update as well as within future MFD designs.

In the interim, should the features of a Wi-Fi hot spot listed within this FAQ prevent your MFD from accessing the Internet to download software update files and/or to download Theyr Weather GRIB files, then it is recommended that the software update files and/or Theyr Weather GRIB files be downloaded to a computer. These files may then be copied to a microSD memory card which will then be inserted into your MFD's memory card reader to support updating the MFD's software and/or to be used by the MFD's Theyr Weather app.

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