Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

John2344

I had a eS127 and a e125 on the same network, my autopilot is a SPx30 (v. 3.0) connected by StNG and also a remote control unit for it plus the p70, AIS 650 transceiver, DST800 transducer, 2 StNG SeaTalk converter, 4kW 18" color radar, windvane on a iTC5, RS130 GPS, 3x i70, raymarine VHF, VHF splitter, StHS switch, and some other N2K devices from other brands (YDGW-02 WiFi gateway, B&G V7 display with forward scan) .

Unfortunately the touchscreen of the eS127 ceased to work and was not repairable due to lack of parts supply, so I've got a new Axiom Pro 12 as replacement on the helm and still have the e125 as backup on the nav station, also have OpenCPN on my tablets, windows notebook and Raspberry Pi onboard PC, all receive N2K wirelessly.

I had to remove the e125 from the HS backbone and have it now only on standby or to show AIS and nav data, since it cannot share the chart any more with the Axiom. This also makes it useless for radar dispay inside the salon and forces me to look for alternatives.

Checked the Raymarine apps with 2 different tablets (Samsung Tab A, Huawei M5 media pad), they work for a while, but drop the connection, the navstation is 3..4m away from the helm. Same for miracast, it works for a while, then stops.Tried even with shutting down all other wireless devices on board including the MiFi 4G router for internet access.

Miracast is working not too bad when I have the 2nd display in direct proximity of the Axiom (1m away) or with extension cabling for the HDMI and usb power, having the receiver nearby. I had to trick the Axiom to connect, because the Miracast adapter requires a secure password protected WPA2 connection, but the axiom does not offer entering a password. I could circumvent that by connecting the Axiom to the dongle as infrastructure router first to enter the password and then connect to my real WiFi router without deleting the first connection credentials. The Axiom then uses the cached password to connect to the miracast display. Axiom definitely needs some improvements on the software so.

I may have to wire HDMI cables across the vessel and a USB power source near the Axiom to locate the miracast dongle there instead on the display, not an elegant solution. BTW it is not the dongle that has range problems, I can cast HD videos from my devices at the helm to the dongle and display inside flawlessly.

Another option could be to add a wireless repeater at the HS switch to have this network accessible to PC, notebook and tablets as well as create a miracast connection inside, but I doubt the Axiom would use the private HS network for video sharing.

It would be all not necessary if the e125 was nicely treated by the Axiom Pro and could share charts and radar as it does with the eS127, all this problems come from lack of backward compatibility. I would even accept the old e125 as master and the Axiom as slave on the StHS not using the fancy features and apps, but having a reliable integrated system. I am not willing to throw a lot of money for another new plotter and autopilot, replacing working devices, just because one replacement component is not backward compatible.