Lowrance network help

[Ozark88]

I've probably pestered the boys over at Walleye Central enough, thought I would post here too. The more I research Lowrance networking, I think the more confused I have become. Please bear with me as I explain the situation. I must say I'm relatively new to all of this but am starting to grasp it some. I have purchased LMS 520c to put on the bow of my boat and a LMS 525c for the console. I want to get them networked so that I can basically share waypoints and trails between the two and I also want to share a gps puck. In order to to this, do I just need to connect the two head units together with an Lowrance Ethernet cable? Or do I need to set up an NMEA 2000 network also?

The LMS 525 came with a black double tee connector. It connects to the head unit and the gps puck. Would I just need a red tee connector to add to this and then plug the network cable from the 520c into it? Also read that NMEA should only have one power source, so should I just connect the nmea wires from one head unit to a power source? I know lots of questions, any insight would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[CatFan]

You need the NMEA 2000. The Ethernet on the 52X seris will primarily allow you to share transducers.

Are you going to use two pucks?

[Ozark88]

I have two pucks, but only want to use one if I can. Will NMEA allow me to share waypoints etc.. and am I thinking right in that I only need to get one red lowrance tee to hook up the 520 to the network? Would that allow me to share a puck?

[CatFan]

You'd pull one of the terminators off the T and replace it with a cable to go to a new T. The cable would go into a "bus" connection on the new T, and the terminator would go on the other bus port of the new T. The 520 would go on a cable connected to the device port on the new T.

That will share the puck and let you mark waypoints on both units at the same time. Your waypoints would be more accurate if you used two pucks mounted near the transducers. You'd need one more T and a cable to do that.

[Ozark88]

Or I could just hook the new T up to one of the existing tees correct? So if I got an ethernet cable would that allow the displays to share screens so to speak?

[Ozark88]

Oh yeah, forgot to ask about wiring. Both head units have wires coming of the power cable for NMEA network power. I read that the NMEA network should only have one power source. So should I only hook the power up for NMEA from one of the head units?

[Ozark88]

Apparently that wiring just powers the NMEA at the head unit, so I need a Lowrance Net Power cable and another tee to power the network? Do you put an on and off toggle for this source too?

[CatFan]

Oh yeah, forgot to ask about wiring. Both head units have wires coming of the power cable for NMEA network power. I read that the NMEA network should only have one power source. So should I only hook the power up for NMEA from one of the head units?

Right.

[CatFan]

Or I could just hook the new T up to one of the existing tees correct? So if I got an ethernet cable would that allow the displays to share screens so to speak?

The cable going to the new unit would connect the two Ts together. They won't join directly.

Ethernet allows transducer sharing between the units.

[Ozark88]

One last question..........hopefully, if I hook up the nmea wires from one of the head units to power, then that's all the network needs for power? Or do I need the LowranceNet Power Cable as well? Sorry, to be such a pain in the butt.