Which Actisense NMEA Gateway is right for you?

NGX-1 vs W2K-1 vs WGX-1: Which one?

Choosing the right NMEA conversion gateway can be tricky with three options available, each designed for different needs. In this article, we’ll break down the differences between the Actisense NGX-1, W2K-1, and WGX-1 gateways to help you understand which one is the best fit for your setup. Whether you’re looking for a cost-effective way to integrate legacy equipment, a wireless solution for mobile devices, or a versatile gateway with both wired and wireless capabilities, there’s an option tailored to your requirements. Let’s explore each one in detail!

NGX-1

The NGX-1 is a dual gateway, capable of being a bi-directional NMEA 0183 / NMEA 2000 converter, or an NMEA 2000 PC Gateway.

The most common usage of the NGX-1 is for connecting legacy NMEA 0183 equipment and converting that data format into NMEA 2000 for use on modern systems and MFDs.

A perfect example is a vessel with NMEA 0183 GPS, Wind and Depth sensors, as well as an NMEA 2000 network with MFDs. Getting the NMEA 0183 data onto the MFD requires the data to be converted and output as NMEA 2000 PGNs.

The NGX-1 will receive, convert and transmit NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 data bi-directionally.

Cost is the main benefit here, where an NGX-1 costs only a fraction of an NMEA 2000 GPS, for example. Save money, time and space by using an NGX-1 and leave your trusted existing legacy equipment in place.

Example #2:
On-board computers running applications such as TimeZero are becoming more common. To get the data into these NMEA 2000 programs, an interface is required between the NMEA 2000 network and the PC. The NGX-1 will transfer all data to/from an NMEA 2000 network and PC, providing additional safety through full isolation.

Many devices also require configuration on the network, which can be done via the Actisense NGX-1 (if the manufacturer specifies our gateway). Our own products such as the EMU-1, NGW-1, and NGX-1 are configured via Actisense Toolkit which can be done using an NGX-1.

This is a purely hard wired, serial and CAN device, with no wireless connectivity.

The NGX-1 came about to replace the previous generation NGW-1 and NGT-1 products and also combine them into one easily configurable product. The device is configured via Actisense Toolkit or NMEA Reader and can be set as a converter or a transfer gateway.

Please note that the device cannot be used as a bi-directional converter and an NMEA 2000 PC gateway at the same time. It must be configured for one or the other depending on the scenario.

W2K-1

Connecting to popular boating apps is a breeze with this plug-and-play NMEA 2000 Wi-Fi Gateway, with added data logging and diagnostics capability.

The only physical connection required for this device is to connect it to a drop cable on your NMEA 2000 network… everything else is done via Wi-Fi connectivity.

The device is capable of outputting data via Wi-Fi in a number of different data formats, including NMEA 0183 over both TCP and UDP, allowing for simple and quick connectivity to applications on phones, tablets, laptops, etc.

 

Alongside this, the device is an incredibly cost-effective data logger, with an internal SD card, which logs every NMEA 2000 PGN, allowing you to have a history of all data for post-journey analysis and processing. The SD card supplied is 8GB, but it can be upgraded with any industry standard SD card up to 128GB.

The demand for wireless connectivity is forever growing in the marine industry, with a significant rise in wireless applications. The requirements vary, from wireless data streaming to a secondary device/display, through to remote connectivity and monitoring of vessels and their logs.

The W2K-1 is most commonly used when the user requires a connection to their mobile phone/tablet to use an application such as Navionics. This is done in a few easy steps where the W2K-1 is set up to output in NMEA 0183 on one of the data servers via TCP. The IP address of the W2K-1 and the Port Number of the Data Server are then entered into the application and the connection is made.

As the W2K-1 can act as a client (connects as a device to an existing IP Network), an IP address can be automatically assigned to it (if DHCP). Using this, if the user has remote access to the network from their office/home, the network can be viewed by connecting to the W2K-1, where the battery status, device list and other pieces of info are all listed as part of the comprehensive Actisense-i diagnostics tools.

WGX-1

The WGX-1 is a combination of the two previous products. Offering both NMEA 0183/NMEA2000 bi-directional conversion, NMEA2000 to PC interfacing, and wireless conversion + output of NMEA data in a number of formats.

Alongside this, the WGX has the same logging capability as that of the W2K-1, however the SD card is not included with the product. Any industrial standard SD card up to 128GB will work in the WGX-1.

This device is capable of outputting data via wi-fi in a number of different data formats, including NMEA 0183 over both TCP and UDP, allowing for simple and quick connectivity to applications on phones, tablets, laptops, etc.

Having the ability to convert, transfer and wirelessly stream data all through one device makes the WGX-1 the ‘ultimate’ gateway. Where other manufacturers require multiple products to achieve all this, we do it with one low-cost, highly intelligent product.

In an example scenario where a boat has a legacy NMEA 0183 GPS, as well as an NMEA 2000 network with MFD and other instruments, plus an iPad running a charting application, the WGX-1 can be used as one device to cover all aspects.

The device can be connected physically (serial) to the GPS and the NMEA 2000 network and then convert the data to NMEA 2000 PGNs for the MFD to receive and display. Combine this with the WGX-1’s wireless capability, and it can be set up to output the various instrument data via NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000 to OpenCPN or similar apps.

 

There is an abundance of choices available depending on your network needs. If you have any questions about these or any of our other NMEA products, contact our friendly team here.