Thread: Lowrance network help

With the 52X series, one of those units will power the bus, so you don't need the Power Node. You'll want a switch on the bus power. The easiest way is to connect the network power lead to a line that is switched by your master switch.

Thanks for all of your help CatFan!!

Ozark88:

The network only needs one power source - providing power to the network via one of your head units will work.

Here is what I understand about Lowrance networking; there are two generations of Lowrance networks:

1) The first generation (roughly 2003-2007) was proprietary to Lowrance and used "blue" (actually, blue/gray) network cabling accessories/components. During this period Lowrance manufactured and sold units that used the "blue" network components. Examples of these units are the LMS-330c/332c/334c/X102c/Globalmap 3500c/3600c, etc. (none of these products have the "fourth" ethernet jack)

2) The second generation (roughly 2008-present) is based on the NMEA 2000 standard where the products are more interchangeable between brands (Lowrance vs. Hummingbird). Lowrance's initial NMEA 2000 cable accessories/components were red and gray in color. The newest Lowrance.NMEA 2000 cable accessories/components are all black. These NMEA 2000 compliant products are functionally interchangeable even though they are different colors. i.e. red/gray and black components work perfectly together. Examples of these units are the LMS-520c/522c/525c/527c/X510c/Globalmap 5200c/5300c, etc. (ALL of these products have the "fourth" yellow ethernet jack). Note: most simple networks need to be terminated on each end by 120 ohm resistors.

Thus you will hear people referring to their Lowrance's network as either being "blue" (first generation) or "red/black" (second generation). All of the above products shipped with either the Lowrance PC-26BL or PC-27BL power cords - which has the integrated network power supply cable. Up until this point the network was designed to be powered by one of the networked units. When Lowrance introduced the HDS units, this changed - Lowrance now designed the network to be powered using a separate power node (N2K-PWR-RD) which supplies DC power directly to the network backbone.

Network versus Ethernet:
Like CatFan noted, the NMEA network allows all networked mapping units to share one GPS antenna, share new waypoints (as new waypoints are saved, they are transmitted and shared with other mapping units), and allows sharing of some basic digital data. The network does not allow the sharing of any SD card (Navionics, Lakemaster, Fishing Hot Spots) map information between units.

Again as CatFan noted, an ethernet connection allows the sharing of the actual sonar information. The simplest setup involves plugging one transducer into one unit. Run one ethernet extension cable (yellow ends) between the two units with ethernet capability. The second unit sees the exact same sonar read-out as the source unit. In other words, when you have two ethernet units like you do LMS-520c/525c, you no longer need the Lowrance transducer switch box (SB10-BL). Sweeeeet! The broadband sonar unit, expansion ports, etc. have numerous ethernet output jacks. With this additional investment one transducer can be shared with three+ units.

Best wishes - and keep your lines tight!