Apex and Solix Gen 1 Networked Issues

[Cougar76]

These things have a mind of there own. Anyone have this combo with Apex and Solix Gen 1 networked with 5 port hub? Also have target lock and mega live along with mega 360. Everything was just rewired by some of the best in the business is why I believe its the software.

So to get the majority of the lost sonar sources warning / found sonar source warning to stop popping up I had to go and take everything off auto config and select manually. 2-days ago everything fired up and everything stayed connected. Then yesterday I fired everything up and after a few minutes of everything on the network it dropped Mega Live and would not come back. I had to power everything down and it came back up. Why are these things so unstable? Is it because I have a mix of Solix Gen 1 and Apex networked is my question? Do they test these combos? Just wondering if it was like the original 360 would not work with Mega Live before last update. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[ntslam]

The gen 1 Solix are pretty temperamental when networked. Worked a lot better as a stand alone unit. The gen 2&3 work a lot better networking

[Cougar76]

The gen 1 Solix are pretty temperamental when networked. Worked a lot better as a stand alone unit. The gen 2&3 work a lot better networking

It also losses it on both Apex's at bow.

[B Holmes]

It has helped me to power up my graphs one at a time. I have 2 Solix gen1s, 2 Solix gen3s, M360, Mlive, Targetlock and a 5 port switch. I power up Mlive and the 5 port switch then start my console graph. After the console graph has booted up completely I confirm it is reading the map card that is installed in it. Then I start 1 of the other graphs and let it boot up completely before starting the next graph. I continue this until all are powered on. I had some of the same problems you are describing before I started doing this. It does take some time to start everything up, but so far I haven’t had any more network issues. Hope this helps.

[SLYDoggie]

It has helped me to power up my graphs one at a time. I have 2 Solix gen1s, 2 Solix gen3s, M360, Mlive, Targetlock and a 5 port switch. I power up Mlive and the 5 port switch then start my console graph. After the console graph has booted up completely I confirm it is reading the map card that is installed in it. Then I start 1 of the other graphs and let it boot up completely before starting the next graph. I continue this until all are powered on. I had some of the same problems you are describing before I started doing this. It does take some time to start everything up, but so far I haven’t had any more network issues. Hope this helps.

I have also found that a consistent startup routine is beneficial in preventing some of the weird network things some people seem to encounter. On the Solix/Apex, one of the units serves as the Master unit and I think it is very important to boot it before the other units.

Here is the startup routine I use for my Apex (and previously Solix) Network:

I always use the same routine for my fishing electronics startup sequence and it works well for my Apex 19 (I have Mega+ transducer, Mega Live, NMEA 2000, and AS GPS HS connected to this unit), Apex 13 (I have Meg 360 connected to this unit), Mega 360, Mega Live, and Cannon Optimum Downriggers. Since the Apex units have 2 Ethernet ports each, I don't have a need for the Ethernet Switch but, if I did, I would power it up before doing anything else.

1. Turn on my Cannon Optimum Bluetooth connected Downriggers
2. If you have a Humminbird Switch, power it up and give it a couple of minutes before powering up anything else.
3. Power up the Mega Live and Mega 360 using my dedicated switches for each (as per the installation guides). I give this a couple of minutes to be sure that the Mega Live is fully booted before moving on to the next step... There is really no way to actually know when the Mega Live is fully booted.
4. Power up my Apex 19. On the Solix and Apex, you designate a network "Master" when you originally Sync the network and my Apex 19 is the "Master". I give this a couple of extra minutes after it appears to be booted to really be fully booted... not everything is up when it gets past the startup logos.
5. Power up my Apex 13.
6. Start my 2008 Mercury Verado Motor. I find that, if I do this before the Apex 19 (which has the NMEA 2000 Connection) is fully booted, I have issues with the Mercury NMEA 2000 Gateway readings.

I think the key is to be sure each "thing" is fully booted before moving to the next step. I believe that the extra time in doing this is what provides me with very stable operations while trolling for many hours at a time.

[Cougar76]

I have also found that a consistent startup routine is beneficial in preventing some of the weird network things some people seem to encounter. On the Solix/Apex, one of the units serves as the Master unit and I think it is very important to boot it before the other units.

Here is the startup routine I use for my Apex (and previously Solix) Network:

I always use the same routine for my fishing electronics startup sequence and it works well for my Apex 19 (I have Mega+ transducer, Mega Live, NMEA 2000, and AS GPS HS connected to this unit), Apex 13 (I have Meg 360 connected to this unit), Mega 360, Mega Live, and Cannon Optimum Downriggers. Since the Apex units have 2 Ethernet ports each, I don't have a need for the Ethernet Switch but, if I did, I would power it up before doing anything else.

1. Turn on my Cannon Optimum Bluetooth connected Downriggers
2. If you have a Humminbird Switch, power it up and give it a couple of minutes before powering up anything else.
3. Power up the Mega Live and Mega 360 using my dedicated switches for each (as per the installation guides). I give this a couple of minutes to be sure that the Mega Live is fully booted before moving on to the next step... There is really no way to actually know when the Mega Live is fully booted.
4. Power up my Apex 19. On the Solix and Apex, you designate a network "Master" when you originally Sync the network and my Apex 19 is the "Master". I give this a couple of extra minutes after it appears to be booted to really be fully booted... not everything is up when it gets past the startup logos.
5. Power up my Apex 13.
6. Start my 2008 Mercury Verado Motor. I find that, if I do this before the Apex 19 (which has the NMEA 2000 Connection) is fully booted, I have issues with the Mercury NMEA 2000 Gateway readings.

I think the key is to be sure each "thing" is fully booted before moving to the next step. I believe that the extra time in doing this is what provides me with very stable operations while trolling for many hours at a time.

I'll turn dedicated switch on first but doesn't make sense since everything was on network for at least 10 - 15 mins then Mega Live / Target Lock dropped off network and didn't even see it on unit its connected to. Had to power everything down and do the Humminbird reset for 90 seconds.

[B Holmes]

I'll turn dedicated switch on first but doesn't make sense since everything was on network for at least 10 - 15 mins then Mega Live / Target Lock dropped off network and didn't even see it on unit its connected to. Had to power everything down and do the Humminbird reset for 90 seconds.

It sounds to me like it could be a momentary cable or connection problem between the Targetlock and the graph it is connected to.
If the unit it is connected to doesn’t see it, the rest of the network certainly will not.
Another possible scenario could be the power to the Mlive/Targetlock dropped out and then re-established on its own.
Momentary wiring issues can be very difficult to troubleshoot. Poor connections can create increased resistance, which in turn creates heat, heat will cause thermal expansion that can temporarily terminate the connection. Once the heat dissipates the connection can re-establish. Usually a correctly sized fuse will blow before all this happens, but I have seen it happen more than once. This can happen in either the positive or negative side of a circuit. Not saying you have bad connections, just relaying some things I have seen before.

[OSP]

These things have a mind of there own. Anyone have this combo with Apex and Solix Gen 1 networked with 5 port hub? Also have target lock and mega live along with mega 360. Everything was just rewired by some of the best in the business is why I believe its the software.

So to get the majority of the lost sonar sources warning / found sonar source warning to stop popping up I had to go and take everything off auto config and select manually. 2-days ago everything fired up and everything stayed connected. Then yesterday I fired everything up and after a few minutes of everything on the network it dropped Mega Live and would not come back. I had to power everything down and it came back up. Why are these things so unstable? Is it because I have a mix of Solix Gen 1 and Apex networked is my question? Do they test these combos? Just wondering if it was like the original 360 would not work with Mega Live before last update. Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I have this exact same setup
2x APEX and a G1 Solix networked through hub.
live but no 360

im having huge connection issues since this last update. It’s been temperamental to a point up until now but I did the latest updates to 4.13 and 1.20 live and can’t keep a connection more than 30 seconds.

not power related as ruled that out by direct connecting power cables to seperate battery.

you have any luck?

[Cougar76]

I would call and report to Humminbird so it gets addressed in next update coming this summer. Only way to get it fixed if enough people report it. But I did get my network somewhat stable other than the two apex units now running slowly in chart view and sometimes will completely freeze and have to kill power to everything to get it to reboot. Below is how we were told to hook things up to get network stable and had to be in certain order on 5 port switch.

Here are some pictures from my setup with pictures and comments for each picture. Please let me know when you receive this so I know you received it. Thanks.


Apex 13 Bow last 3 digits of serial number 086 (left to right):
Power, GPS external Puck, 1st ethernet cable is 5' ethernet jumper to 076 Apex 13 at bow, 2nd ethernet target lock/Mega Live, then a y cable they had Hennessey install to put Mega 360 and external Apex 13 transducer on trolling motor.


Apex 13 Bow last 3 digits of serial number 076 (left to right):

5' ethernet jumper to front Apex on bow, ethernet cable to 5 port switch, power.


5 Port Swicth (Top to Bottom):
Apex Back, Console R Solix 12 SI, Console L Solix 12, Ultrex, open, then power.


Solix 12 SI gen 1 console R (Left to Right):
Power, Guessing my stern GPS Puck, ethernet to 5 port switch, stern transducer.


Solix 12 gen 1 console L (Left to Right):

Power, ethernet to 5 port switch


Apex 13 Bow 086.jpgApex 13 Bow 076.jpgEthernet 5 Port Box.jpgSolix 12 SI Console.jpgSolix 12 Console.jpgFuse Block.jpgElectronic Power Switch.jpg

Hope this helps OSP