Linking Raymarine e series MFD via WiFi to Smartphone/Tablets & GRIB files

[andyp]

I know that Raymarine would prefer us to use their apps (RayView, RayRemote, RayControl, Navionics and RayTech RNS Navigation Software) but has anybody had success using the WiFi capability in the e series MFDs to transfer NMEA data via TCP or UDP to other appplications, such as Imray Instruments/Charts, Navmon PC, SeaClear, OpenCPN etc?

Similarly, Raymarine have clearly partnered with Theyr and the Raymarine Lighthouse II software will easily import GRIB files from an existing Theyr subscription. The documentation says other GRIB-1 format files can be displayed if they are loaded into the MFC via an SD card. Has anybody found a way to access other (non-Theyr) GRIB files over the WiFi connection rather than downloading them to an SD card?

Our work vessels are about to be upgraded to e125 MFDs and I am interested to know their "real" networking capabilities.

 

[maby]

I was asking a similar question recently - nobody seems to know. Clearly, the plotters expose a protocol to the outside world - otherwise the Raymarine applications would not be able to talk to them. I've connected my Windows laptop to the plotter both via wifi and via the wired network port - it does not seem to be running a web server on port 80, at least, but if I telnet to it, it comes back with a Unix style login prompt. I tried a few user names and passwords at random, but it did not accept any of them.

 

[maby]

OK - follow up...

The last time I investigated the network interface of a Raymarine plotter, I didn't have my work laptop with me. I just connected again and ran a port scan - this was the result:


Service Port Response time Description Protocol
- Running (6)
DNS 53 6 Domain Names Server UDP
FTP 21 11 File Transfer Protocol TCP
PING 0 35 PING (Internet Control Message Protocol) ICMP
SSH 22 125 Secure Shell TCP
SSH2 22 108 Secure Shell 2 TCP
TELNET 23 5 Login in to server via Telnet Protocol TCP

Not sure it leaves me much the wiser!

 

[wiseseaman]

OK - follow up...

The last time I investigated the network interface of a Raymarine plotter, I didn't have my work laptop with me. I just connected again and ran a port scan - this was the result:


Service Port Response time Description Protocol
- Running (6)
DNS 53 6 Domain Names Server UDP
FTP 21 11 File Transfer Protocol TCP
PING 0 35 PING (Internet Control Message Protocol) ICMP
SSH 22 125 Secure Shell TCP
SSH2 22 108 Secure Shell 2 TCP
TELNET 23 5 Login in to server via Telnet Protocol TCP

Not sure it leaves me much the wiser!

I am looking for the same information and wondering if you made any progress to share.

 

[wiseseaman]

Would you please share any updates you've made in this problem. I am also interested in the same thing. Thanks

 

[maby]

Sorry, I got no further - and then we changed boats - the new one has Garmin!

 

[SiteSurfer]

Surely the MFD doesnt need to expose anything to do a http session to a remote resource.
The MFD will surely just be employing a call to a remote API and shuffling JSON data down (that's the logical step).

 

[maby]

Surely the MFD doesnt need to expose anything to do a http session to a remote resource.
The MFD will surely just be employing a call to a remote API and shuffling JSON data down (that's the logical step).

The networking on a modern Raymarine plotter is complex. They can connect to a remote server to download firmware updates, they can mirror the screen to a remote device such as a smartphone or tablet and they can function as a wifi aggregator and signal booster. In this last mode, the plotter connects to the marina wifi as a client and relays traffic to shipboard devices as a wireless access point. Oh, and don't forget that they connect to their radar scanners by wifi.