B&G Zeus 3

[Sandero]

I have a T7 probably first generation... the user interface stinks... I am not disinclined to upgrade the main MFD to a B&G Touch. I don't like touch screens and prefer real knobs, dials, buttons and key pads.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by fallingeggs

They don't have the manual for the Zeus3 up yet, so it is hard to say what all is different. When you click on the Zeus3, it just brings you to the Zeus2. Silly.

From the pictures and video, the software seems to be the same as the Zeus2. Maybe a higher definition screen (including a 16'' version) with better touch sensitivity. Definitely has more buttons.

The integrated wifi is a slight improvement. It may make it difficult to get GoFree and internet to work on the same network. This, for the Zeus2, required bridging the wifi-1 with another router, which may not be possible with the integrated wifi of the Zeus3. I bet you still need to run an ethernet cable for the radar.

Makes me a little jealous as I just got my Zeus2 in the mail a few weeks ago; although, for only $900, I'm still happy overall.

I just got the Zeus2 7" and wifi earlier this year. Never did get the Visa rebate card from the dealer/installer. So much for customer service.

[bobmcd625]

All very interesting as I just bought the Zeus2 7 with 3G radar bundle. Got it home to discover no built in WiFi and only one ethernet port. So have to get the WiFi and network expander modules. But....there was a $500 rebate card (if it ever comes).
Have ordered the WiFi module but it is Simrad. Hope it works with the Zeus2 7.
Should suit my modest needs. Never can catch up with tech changes!

[Spyderpig]

Thw WiFi module is an expensive option for what is just a normal WiFi router. I just cut the supplied Ethernet cable that goes from the Zeus to the 4G radar and put standard RJ45 connectors on then plugged into a $5 WiFi router and all the Go functions worked great and the radar. It also routed all the NMEA messages onto WiFi for use with your my tablet apps.

[bobmcd625]

Originally Posted by Spyderpig

Thw WiFi module is an expensive option for what is just a normal WiFi router. I just cut the supplied Ethernet cable that goes from the Zeus to the 4G radar and put standard RJ45 connectors on then plugged into a $5 WiFi router and all the Go functions worked great and the radar. It also routed all the NMEA messages onto WiFi for use with your my tablet apps.

Pretty much as I suspected. Which router did you get? Where? What about a similar swap for the NEP-2 to connect several devices to the one Ethernet port on the Zeus2 7?
I am also looking at getting a Vulcan 5 which has built in WiFi. As it has no Ethernet port I realize that the WiFi would not handle radar, but would think that all other data on the N2K network would be available to connected iPads, etc. Comments?
B

[Spyderpig]

Originally Posted by bobmcd625

Pretty much as I suspected. Which router did you get? Where? What about a similar swap for the NEP-2 to connect several devices to the one Ethernet port on the Zeus2 7?
I am also looking at getting a Vulcan 5 which has built in WiFi. As it has no Ethernet port I realize that the WiFi would not handle radar, but would think that all other data on the N2K network would be available to connected iPads, etc. Comments?
B

From remember it was a TP link , not sure of the model. I have since upgraded to a MicroTik router.

Not sure about any other B&G products as I have no experience with them

[Yeti]

For all those waiting on rebates....it takes a very long time.

I purchased the V5 last year when it had a rebate of a free insight chart chip. It took close to 4 months for the rebate to come through. If I remember correctly I bought the unit in April and finally received the rebate item in September.

[deluxe68]

Originally Posted by Yeti

For all those waiting on rebates....it takes a very long time.

I purchased the V5 last year when it had a rebate of a free insight chart chip. It took close to 4 months for the rebate to come through. If I remember correctly I bought the unit in April and finally received the rebate item in September.

The Dealer/Installer who put mine in never gave me any receipts or cartons so I could not submit the rebate. I would not mind so much if their labor rate was not insane. I think they just take the material cost and double it. They also charge more than the list price for the parts.

[bobmcd625]

Originally Posted by Yeti

For all those waiting on rebates....it takes a very long time.

I purchased the V5 last year when it had a rebate of a free insight chart chip. It took close to 4 months for the rebate to come through. If I remember correctly I bought the unit in April and finally received the rebate item in September.

How do you like the V5? How about the Insight charts now that you have them? I just bought the V5 and have to send in the rebate form. Wish me luck!

[bobmcd625]

Originally Posted by Spyderpig

Thw WiFi module is an expensive option for what is just a normal WiFi router. I just cut the supplied Ethernet cable that goes from the Zeus to the 4G radar and put standard RJ45 connectors on then plugged into a $5 WiFi router and all the Go functions worked great and the radar. It also routed all the NMEA messages onto WiFi for use with your my tablet apps.

Well, I have already bought the WiFi module and am about to install it. How critical is the location in order to assure good coverage throughout the boat. Obviously if it were set in plain sight, say, over the chart table that would give clear signals, but all the cables would get in the way of daily life. If it is under the chart table, where I plan to put it, will that be good enough?
I now see that a second module is needed if one wants to be connected to the internet and run the local Wi Fi network at the same time. How much would one need to do that?

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by bobmcd625

Well, I have already bought the WiFi module and am about to install it. How critical is the location in order to assure good coverage throughout the boat. Obviously if it were set in plain sight, say, over the chart table that would give clear signals, but all the cables would get in the way of daily life. If it is under the chart table, where I plan to put it, will that be good enough?
I now see that a second module is needed if one wants to be connected to the internet and run the local Wi Fi network at the same time. How much would one need to do that?

I installed our WiFi1 unit under the deck in front of the lower helm station, in a cabinet. It serves our entire boat well [43 ft ketch] including tablet remotes in the cockpit and on deck.

Before installing it, I moved it around the boat a bit to test signal strength from various potential mounting positions.

Edit: I also have no issues bridging it with our outside mounted WiriePro router.

Best wishes finding a good location you can live with.

Cheers! Bill

[bobmcd625]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

I installed our WiFi1 unit under the deck in front of the lower helm station, in a cabinet. It serves our entire boat well [43 ft ketch] including tablet remotes in the cockpit and on deck.

Before installing it, I moved it around the boat a bit to test signal strength from various potential mounting positions.

Edit: I also have no issues bridging it with our outside mounted WiriePro router.

Best wishes finding a good location you can live with.

Cheers! Bill

Glad I asked! Now I'll look for a good spot further away from the electric wires under the chart table. Maybe on the side of the quarter berth which does not get much traffic. Could you expand on the use of the "bridging" business? Is that to connect the boat's WiFi to the outside internet world? I guess your Wire Pro router serves a similar function to a second WiFi-1. Does that make sense?
Thanks so much Bill.

[wrwakefield]

Originally Posted by bobmcd625

Glad I asked! Now I'll look for a good spot further away from the electric wires under the chart table. Maybe on the side of the quarter berth which does not get much traffic. Could you expand on the use of the "bridging" business? Is that to connect the boat's WiFi to the outside internet world? I guess your Wire Pro router serves a similar function to a second WiFi-1. Does that make sense?
Thanks so much Bill.

Hi Bob,

Regarding bridging the WiFi1 to the Wirie [or any WiFi router for that matter...] It means I 'join' the WiFi1 from the Wirie when I want to broadcast WiFi1 data around the boat using the centralized WiFi system [WiriePro in our case...]

I mentioned it in my last post mainly to reinforce that the signal from the WiFi1 [buried in a wiring cabinet amidships] is strong enough to subscribe the WiriePro [which is above the bimini...]

Example use case: I sometimes bridge the two systems when guests are aboard. That way they can view the main navigation system from their mobile devices [view only, no control...] see other NMEA data, etc. via our 'Guest' network [a sub-WLAN on the Wirie WiFi router...]

That way they just have to connect to one WiFi source, and we control what they can see/do via that source. [e.g., When we have cell or WiFi access from land, we might switche to that so they can use the internet as well... but not both WiFi1 and internet simultaneously...]

I should mention any mobile devices we are using to control the MFD are directly connected to the WiFi1 to eliminate the latency introduced when broadcasting via the centralized router.

I do not subscribe the WiriePro to the Wifi1 to get the WiFi1 on to the internet, as there is no reason in our case. [With our Zeus Touch MFD, all updates are performed through the MFD using the memory card.] That is changing with some of the more recent releases. [e.g., Zeus3 has built-in WiFi and can download updates directly from the internet...]

I hope this helps explain what I meant by 'bridging' [looseley used in this context...] the two WiFi sources...

Cheers! Bill

[bobmcd625]

Originally Posted by wrwakefield

Hi Bob,

Regarding bridging the WiFi1 to the Wirie [or any WiFi router for that matter...] It means I 'join' the WiFi1 from the Wirie when I want to broadcast WiFi1 data around the boat using the centralized WiFi system [WiriePro in our case...]

I hope this helps explain what I meant by 'bridging' [looseley used in this context...] the two WiFi sources...

Cheers! Bill

Hi Bill
Yes, that certainly does help, but also opens my eyes to the Wirie world of which I had been totally ignorant. I'll continue to educate myself on that subject although at first glance I don't expect to jump on board. In my case I plan to have a Vulcan 5 (which does have built in WiFi) as well as a Zeus2 7 (which requires the WiFi-1). I expect that I'll turn off the V5's WiFi and rely on the Z27 plus WiFi-1 to enable mirroring the Zeus display on an iPad (or similar device). I should be able to get updates for the Zeus over the internet (when I am close to an external WiFi network). Perhaps I can do the same with the V5 if I switch off the WiFi-1. Any comments?

[bobmcd625]

Hi Bill and others...
Would it work to use the built-in Wi Fi capability of a Vulcan 5 as the only WiFi access point on a N2K network with data from GPS, Water, Wind and AIS (via a Simrad RS35 VHF radio) with a Zeus2 7 MFD as the main display unit in the cockpit. The main purpose of the Wi Fi would be to mirror the display(s) of the Vulcan 5 and, hopefully, the Zeus2 7 on one or more iPads or similar devices. Eventually I will install 3G radar and understand that the radar images would not show on an iPad since the V5 does not have Ethernet capability.
The driving force to do this is to keep things simple: no WiFi-1 and no NEP-2 to buy and install. Maybe an odd ball way of doing things, but no harm in exploring.
Thanks in advance.
Bob