[CA] [CA11] Connecting eS78 - STNG or RayNet?

[Rdubs]

Hi Chuck,
I just bought an eS78 to install inside the cabin at the nav station. It will go along with the e95 and eS98 that I have at the helm stations. But what are my options for integrating the eS78 into the network? I know that the most straight-forward method would to use a RayNet-to-RayNet cable and connect the Network port on the eS78 into the Network port on one of the other MFD's or the 5-way switch, but it is a very long way from the nav station to another RayNet connection. I know the eS78 also has a STNG connector, and there are numerous STNG 5-way connectors near the nav station. So can I connect the eS78 via STNG cable to the STNG 5-way connector and have it fully integrate into the network? Or do I lose any functionality compared with connecting from the Network port to another Network connection?

Many thanks
'Dubs

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome back to the Raymarine Forum 'Dubs,

Q. Can I connect the eS78 via STNG cable to the STNG 5-way connector and have it fully integrate into the network?
A. While it is certainly possible to interface the new MFD as a spur to the SeaTalkng / NMEA 2000 backbone instead of to the system's Ethernet network, doing so will prohibit the new MFD from sharing system resources requiring high bandwidth communications (cartography, radar, fishfinder sonars, IP cameras, thermal camera, marine Satellite weather/radio, waypoint/route/track data, etc.). When interfaced to the system in the manner which you have suggested the MFD would be limited to function as a chartplotter (if a chart card is present within the MFD's memory card reader) and a monitor of GPS, instrument, and system state data.

[Rdubs]

Chuck thanks so much that reply is very helpful and makes a lot of sense.

Just one last question on this I hope. If I run a network cable from the eS78 to the network connection on the back of either the e95 or eS98, would the e95 or eS98 need to be powered on in order to bridge the network signals? For example, my CP-200 sidescan sonar is plugged into the back of the e95, and the other network cable plug is run to the main network. So if I plug the eS78 into the open Network port on the eS98, can I use the CP-200 sonar with only the eS78 powered up, or both of the bigger MFD's need to be powered up for the network ports to share data?

Thanks.

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

'Dubs,

Q. If I run a network cable from the eS78 to the network connection on the back of either the e95 or eS98, would the e95 or eS98 need to be powered on in order to bridge the network signals?
A. Yes. This is the reason for recommending as a best installation practice that devices having an Ethernet network interface be networked though a network switch(es) rather than via the second Ethernet port of a MFD. In addition to providing greater flexibility with regard to power MFDs when using the system, this practice also supports a level of redundancy should a daisy chained MFD suffer a failure.