Ethernet ?

Thought I had seen this in a different post but couldn’t find it, after reading on humminbird’s page I’m still not sure, my question is if you have 2 ethernet compatible units (say a 788 and 1198), will the ethernet cable share a single trandsucer between both unit (just the regular high speed not the side imaging one since 788 doesn’t do side image). Or is there another way you can get 2 units to share one trandsucer? I’d like to have a second base at the console so I can bring the 788 off the bow at times and run both units at the console, I’d like both to use the high speed duecer if possible, though I would typically do this to run full screen lake map on the 788 so its not real critical it has sonar capabilities, but as long as I’m doing all the set up, might as well make it as versatile as I can so I’m not modifying it again later down the road.

You’re correct. Your 788 can read the 2D sonar off the side imaging transducer.

I have a 998c HD SI at the console, and a 788ci HD at the bow. If I have my trolling motor down, I have the 788 reading sonar off the US2 sonar on the trolling motor. If I have the trolling motor up, I go to the network tab, and change the transducer to the 998 transducer, and it works great.

The flip side also holds true. I always run my 998c HD SI off the side imaging transducer on the transom. But, if for some reason I wanted the 998 at the console to read the 2D sonar on the trolling motor, I could adjust it to do that.

What’s your boat setup like now? Do you have the 5 port ethernet switch?

To make it MOST versatile, here’s what I would do to accomplish what you described.

A base for the 788 at the bow.

A base for the 788 at the console.

A base for the 1198 at the console.

A 5 port ethernet switch with three ethernet cables (one ethernet cable going to the 788 base at the bow, one ethernet cable going to the 788 base at the console, and one ethernet cable going to the 1198 base at the console).

If you have an I-pilot LINK, you’ll add a 4th ethernet cable to connect the trolling motor to the network.

Camo Hunter is right on. The only thing you cant share is the SI ducer to the 788.
Should be a fairly straight forward set-up from the sounds of what you have!

Thanks guys, didn’t realize the link needs an ethernet port so I’ll have to plan for that. I intend to add it maybe this spring or it might go on next years budget. (80 terrova up front)

Right now I’m basically a blank slate. I had picked up an older 757 on the cheap just to have something last summer thats on the console now and purged my 535 off the old boat to have one at the bow, but its all coming off. So far my olny purchase had been the 788 and a couple LM chips for the new system, just planning everything out and seeing how much I can squeeze out of my budget for toys this year.

Boat is a 2001 lund pro sport 1600.

The I-pilot Link doesn’t NEED the 5-port ethernet, but in order to network your depthfinders together, you’ll want it.

You could get by for a while with not networking the two depthfinders and avoid the extra cost of the added ethernet cables and ethernet switch. But you could only hook up the I-pilot Link to one depthfinder.

But, for optimum performance, you’ll want it all networked together, and the only way to do that is hook them all together to the ethernet hub.

Let me know if you’ve got more questions!

Did some more research last night and I def. want to do all the linking in one shot so I’m not going back again later and running all that wiring. If I do it all at once I can lay it out, do it and be done. It did add some cost I hadn’t thought of, but there are some other things I had in there that I can do without for another year to make sure I get this part complete without busting the budget.

I made a sketch of how I understand the Ethernet to work. Does it look correct? Also, Is that hub something that can be exposed? There is a handy spot on the console behind where the main unit would go that would make easy access if I had to get at the connections, but it would only be partially protected (by the windshield). Advantage there too is its close enough a 2′ cord ought to work for the 2 heads at the console, then I don’t have 6-7′ worth of a 10′ cord strung up if I had it hiding under the console.

Diagram looks right to me. Only thing I would add is that if your 1100 series or any unit ends in 9 (which are all the new units) you will also need an ethernet adaptor for them. The same one as the 700 series adaptor.

If it was me I would not expose the box up by the windshield. I dont know that water or anything would hurt it but I wouldnt take that chance. Most times there is room under the console that you can mount it to.

Are the adaptors the same thing as the us2 sonar adaptor I have on the 535 already?

Nevermind on that last question, answer dawned on me looking at the base of the unit.

The draw up looks right to me also.

Like Eric mentioned, I would try to tuck the ethernet switch under the console just to protect it and connections a little more. It’ll also clean up the look of your boat. You may be able to mount it up high inside the console, so that the 2′ ethernet adapter cables could reach it, and avoid having to buy two more ethernet cables. But that you’ll have to look at and see. It’ll make the connections to the box in a more awkward position, but you shouldn’t have to get to them hardly ever once it is all set up. I hardly ever access my ethernet box, except to connect/disconnect my trolling motor from it. But you won’t have this problem since you’ll be able to disconnect it further up at the bow of the boat.

I think I found a spot just under the console next to where all the wires will pass through that it would fit, with the adaptors added I really will get about 3′ of wire with a 2′ cord so I think I’ll be good.