The NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi Gateway allows you to see data from a NMEA 2000 marine digital network on a PC or smartphone. With it, you get marine network data including vessel course, speed, position, wind speed and direction, water depth, AIS messages from vessels and aircrafts and other navigation data in popular software applications.
The Device creates its own Wi-Fi network (with range of about 30 meters in open spaces) or it can be connected to an existing Wi-Fi network. In the second case, the coverage depends on coverage of the base network; laptops and PCs can be connected to Wi-Fi routers (and the Gateway) by Ethernet; and you can configure remote access to a Gateway over the Internet.
Picture 1. EDO Instruments and AirMar OnSiteWX on iPad4 Mini
To configure the Gateway, you need any Wi-Fi enabled device (laptop or smartphone) with any web browser. The Device's settings can be reset to the factory values using the hidden reset button.
The Gateway supports TCP and UDP network protocols (both can be enabled at the same time). For UDP protocol, the number of clients (physical devices or software applications) is unlimited.
Picture 2. SEAiq Open IPhone app connected to YDWG-02
The Device has a bi-directional converter between NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 protocol. NMEA 0183 protocol is widely supported in marine applications dating back to last millennium. So the Device is compatible with virtually all marine mobile applications (except applications especially designed for use only with specific hardware) and with most popular PC applications.
Pictures 3-7. Built-in web gauges (IPhone screenshots)
Moreover, you do not need to install applications to view realtime vessel data. We added colorful, web-based gauges to built-in administrative web site, and now you can view wind, engines and fuel rate, pressure of oil, coolant and fuel, tanks and batteries (or using circular gauges), course, speed, depth and other data right from a browser. You can customize any page's layout and its sets of data bars. You can even watch NMEA logs! Save on apps, save on additional instrument displays and monitor your boat from your sofa with a smartphone! No internet connection is required and it is free. See this guide to learn more about the built-in web gauges. Or see this video!
Pictures 8-12. Screenshots of administrative web site (use slider)
The Gateway also supports RAW protocol, which is supported in a popular Expedition software and CAN Log Viewer. It allows transferring of any NMEA 2000 messages (including proprietary) to application and in reverse direction. You can record messages to a .CAN file and/or monitor in real time with free CAN Log Viewer software (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux). It can be useful for NMEA 2000 or J1939 networks setup and troubleshooting.
The recorded .CAN file can be converted to a .DAT format and processed with YDVR Converter software to convert NMEA 2000 data to GPX tracks, spreadsheets and other formats. Of course, it is not as convenient as recording data with the Voyage Recorder, but it is suitable for tests and trials, etc.
The RAW protocol is open and is supported also in our USB Gateway. We hope that it will become popular among software developers, because it is very simple and free.
The Gateway:
- can duplicate or replace broken instruments or complement obsolete instruments;
- has built-in web gauges, only a browser is required to view realtime vessel data and manage digital switching loads;
- can act as a NMEA 2000 wireless extender and allows joining of two or more physical networks;
- can be paired with our NMEA 0183 Wi-Fi Gateway to remotely connect NMEA 0183 devices to NMEA 2000;
- can pass any message (including proprietary) between NMEA 2000 and a PC application by RAW protocol;
- with NMEA 0183 protocol, provides compatibility with virtually all marine applications, including Navionics;
- allows to control Raymarine SeaTalk NG autopilots from NMEA 0183;
- is compatible with NMEA 2000, J1939 and Volvo Penta EVC networks;
- supports TCP and UDP protocols, works as a Wi-Fi Access Point or can be connected to an existing Wi-Fi network;
- supports firmware updates over Wi-Fi and diagnostic data logging;
- free diagnostic software for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux is supplied;
- contains an internal web server for diagnostics and configuration.
The Gateway is designed for operation in an NMEA 2000 network and is compatible with a wide range of equipment supporting this protocol. Raymarine SeaTalk NG, Simrad SimNet, and Furuno CAN networks are branded versions of NMEA 2000 and differ only by connector type. Garmin uses the NMEA 2000 Micro connector in its devices, which is compatible with the DeviceNet Micro connector.
Gateway is supplied with different types of connectors (see the User Guide), making it possible to connect it to networks of different manufacturers without any adapters.
Picture 13. Drawing of YDWG-02N and YDWG-02R models of Gateway
The Wi-Fi antenna is located inside under the LED. For additional technical details, please see the User Guide and FAQ.