Adding second HDS12 Live to Console

[jaderhold]

Ranger 2022 520R -
Lowrance Ghost
HDS12 Live with Active Target at bow. Active Target module mounted in day box in front of console.
HDS12 Live in console. Have 3 in 1 transducer and 2D sonar connected to this channel2 and channel1 respectively.
OP box (This is for Ranger Ride which is a Lowrance product specifically for Ranger)

Want to expand this configuration to dual HDS12 Lives. I have power ran, did not hook up the NMEA wires, I just added a t-joint and normal NMEA wire to existing backbone. I have an ethernet cable hooked up to the OP Box, it adds whatever features it has to the unit.
The existing units seem to be networked together since the maps are shareable. I have not created a waypoint yet to see if they share waypoints.

I am under the impression I need to add a Nep2 network expansion box and then add ethernet cables to all of the units to be networked.
I am not 100% sure how the two existing units are networked together since one has an ethernet cable to OP box (console unit) and the other is connected to the Active Target box.

[MBDiagMan]

I understand that to share Active Target between lives they each need to be connected with an Ethernet cable.

[bgibson]

I understand that to share Active Target between lives they each need to be connected with an Ethernet cable.

This is a fact.

[Sleepy111]

Your live units have 2 yellow Ethernet ports on the back of each one. If one of the existing live units has a Ethernet port not being used you would only have to run a Ethernet cable from existing unit to the new live unit and it will share everything and you will not need a nep2 box.

[jaderhold]

Solution - I spoke with a fellow member, ChuckH, who knows his stuff. He shared some info with me and I decided to do a daisy chain configuration as opposed to a Network hub (NEP-2). Since I had some open ethernet ports, it was very easy to do.
So, my bow unit is connected to one of my console units via yellow ethernet cable. I took another yellow ethernet cable and wired the two console units together.

[MBDiagMan]

Yes, the ability to just simply daisy chain more units on the Ethernet network is one of the conveniences of Ethernet.

BTW, thanks for posting your solution. It is now archived so that it will always be available for someone to take advantage of.