Comar Systems AIS i320W User manual

USER MANUAL i320W
BIDIRECTIONAL NMEA WIFI INTERFACE
SKU: 001-1061
i320W-MA-v06r01
2019-11-17
ENGLISH

i320W
3
CONTENTS
1 I320W BIDIRECTIONAL NMEA WIFI INTERFACE...................................................... 4
2 DOCUMENT.................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 About This Manual........................................................................................................... 5
3 NOTICE............................................................................................................................ 6
3.1 Copyright.......................................................................................................................... 6
4 GENERAL NOTICES...................................................................................................... 7
5 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 8
5.1 Parts List.......................................................................................................................... 8
6 MAJOR DIMENSIONS.................................................................................................... 9
7 INSTALLATION ............................................................................................................ 10
7.1 Before you Start............................................................................................................. 10
7.2 Installing the Unit........................................................................................................... 10
7.3 Installation Step 1.......................................................................................................... 10
7.4 Installation Step 2.......................................................................................................... 10
7.5 Installation Step 3.......................................................................................................... 11
7.5.1 Connection Diagram....................................................................................... 12
8 OPERATION.................................................................................................................. 13
8.1 LED Indicator description .............................................................................................. 13
8.2 Default settings.............................................................................................................. 13
8.3 Setup Tool...................................................................................................................... 14
8.3.1 Installing the i320W Setup Tool...................................................................... 14
8.3.2 Connecting to your i320W / Read Data.......................................................... 14
8.3.3 Changing the configuration / Write Data........................................................ 14
8.4 Factory Reset................................................................................................................. 15
8.5 WiFi Modes.................................................................................................................... 16
8.5.1 Access Point Mode......................................................................................... 16
8.5.2 WiFi Client Mode ............................................................................................ 17
8.5.3 WiFi Client Mode –Mobile phone as access point........................................ 18
8.5.4 Bridge Mode.................................................................................................... 19
9 FAULT FINDING........................................................................................................... 20
9.1 No green ON LED is displayed ..................................................................................... 20
9.2 No DATA LED flashing.................................................................................................. 20
9.3 Unable to see the i320W Network................................................................................. 20
9.4 Unable to connect to the unit......................................................................................... 20
10 SPECIFICATION......................................................................................................... 21
10.1 Physical........................................................................................................................ 21
10.2 Electrical....................................................................................................................... 21
10.3 Operational .................................................................................................................. 21
10.4 Environmental.............................................................................................................. 21
10.5 Additional Information.................................................................................................. 21
11 SAFETY AND SECURITY.......................................................................................... 22
12 LIMITED WARRANTY................................................................................................ 22

i320W
4
1 i320W BIDIRECTIONAL NMEA WIFI INTERFACE

i320W
5
2 DOCUMENT
2.1 About This Manual
This Manual provides installation, operating Instructions and fault-finding procedures for the
equipment to which it relates.
After installation, this manual should remain with the vessel to which it relates.
This manual may also be made available in electronic Portable Document Format (PDF). In PDF
format, the following categories are all enabled as active hyperlink references: (1) The titles of
each section; (2) document cross-references; (3) the table of contents.
This document may therefore be navigated quickly and effectively by using a mouse or other
pointing device to activate each of these hyperlinks. This is a printer friendly document, designed
to be printed 2-sided as a booklet with A5 pages on A4 stock paper.
Document name:
Date:
Details:
Author:
i320W-MA-v06r01
2019-11-17
First issue
JV / TSI

i320W
6
3 NOTICE
3.1 Copyright
The copyright and all rights of a like nature in respect of this publication in any part of the world
are the property of COMAR SYSTEMS LTD. (COMAR).
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, whether
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, nor stored in any information
retrieval system of any kind, nor used for tendering or manufacturing, nor communicated to any
other person without the written permission of COMAR.
The recipient of this document, as its registered holder, must exercise due diligence in ensuring
that the above conditions are observed (Errors and Omissions Excepted).
Any enquiries relating to this document or its contents should be addressed, in writing, in the first
instance to COMAR SYSTEMS LTD.
COMAR SYSTEMS
Vittlefields Technology Centre
Forest Road
NEWPORT
Isle of Wight
PO30 4LY
UNITED KINGDOM
tel: [phone]
email:
[email protected]
web: www.
comarsystems.com
COMAR SYSTEMS reserves the right to make changes to its products and specifications without notice

i320W
7
4 GENERAL NOTICES
SAFETY: Make sure the power supply is switched off before you make any electrical
connections to the unit.
INSTALLATION: This equipment must be installed in accordance with the instructions
provided in this manual. Failure to do so could result in poor performance, personal injury
and/or damage to your vessel and/or connected equipment.
CABLES: The supplied cables should only be cut, shortened or lengthened by an
appropriate supplier.
COMPASS: The compass safe distance of this unit is 0.5 m or greater for 0.3° deviation.
In accordance with a policy of continual development and product improvement, hardware and
software may be upgraded from time to time, and future versions of equipment may therefore not
correspond exactly with this manual.
When necessary, upgrades to the product will be accompanied by updates or addenda to this
manual. Information contained in this manual is liable to change without notice.
Comar Systems Ltd. disclaims any liability for consequences arising from omissions or
inaccuracies in this manual and any other documentation provided with this product.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept
any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.





i320W
8
5 INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on the purchase of your Comar i320W Bidirectional NMEA WiFi Interface.
The i320W Bidirectional NMEA WiFi Interface provides a low cost method of setting up a wireless
network on-board. This will enable you to use marine navigation programs or apps on your
smartphone, tablet or PC to display all your electronic data including position, AIS data, depth,
wind, compass heading and more.
This manual describes the installation and operation of the i320W.
Before operating the unit you should familiarise yourself with this user manual.
5.1 Parts List
On delivery, carefully inspect the contents of the packing case. Note any damage or any missing
items. Ensure that the correct parts are included for your application:
Item:
Description:
No.
included:
COMAR
SKU Number:
1
i320W Bidirectional NMEA WIFI Interface
1
001-1061
2
WIFI Antenna
1
004-7116
3
i320W Manual
1
004-7667
4
USB Cable
1
002-1006

i320W
9
6 MAJOR DIMENSIONS
All dimensions in mm:

i320W
10
7 INSTALLATION
7.1 Before you Start
You will need the following items and tools to complete the installation:
i320W Bidirectional NMEA WiFi Interface
Access to 12 V dc or 24 V dc power supply where the unit is to be installed, via a 1 A rated fuse
or circuit breaker / or alternatively a USB cable connected to a USB power source.
Four screws or other fixings appropriate to the mounting location
7.2 Installing the Unit
The i320W unit is not waterproof and should be installed in a dry location. The unit can be secured
by the 4 mounting holes in the end flanges. It should ideally be installed in a location suitable for
connection to power and NMEA cables. When installing the unit you should consider:
•The best location for WiFi transmission, ideally within sight of the device you wish to
connect to (Mount the device away from obstructions, that can have a negative impact on
wireless performance. Also avoid mounting the unit behind any metal structures.)
•Nearby interference that can impact your i320W Interface installation
•Routing of the power cables to the unit
•Provision of sufficient space behind the unit for cable connections
•Maintaining the compass safe distance of 0.5m
•Visibility of the front panel indicators
7.3 Installation Step 1
Secure the i320W to a flat surface in the selected location. Use four 5mm wood screws, or other
fixings suited to the material the unit is being fixed to
The unit may be installed in any orientation
7.4 Installation Step 2
Refer to section 7.5.1 Connection Diagram. Make the electrical connections to the i320W:
Connect 12 V dc or 24 V dc power supply cables to the power terminals. The positive power
supply wire should be connected to the positive terminal via a 1A rated fuse or circuit breaker.
The negative power supply connection should be connected to the negative terminal. /
Alternatively you can power the device through the USB socket connected to a USB power
source.
The i320W Bidirectional NMEA WiFi has two NMEA 0183 Inputs, NMEA IN 1 and NMEA IN 2.
Per default, the NMEA IN 1 port is set up to a baud rate of 38400 and the NMEA IN 2 port to 4800
baud. Both ports can be configured to different baud rates via the i320W Configuration Tool.

i320W
11
AIS Receivers and Transponders normally use a baud rate of 38400. Most other NMEA 0183
devices usually use 4800 baud (such as a GPS, Chart Plotter or Instruments).
If the equipment that you are connecting to has a pair of NMEA cables, normally marked NMEA
Output Positive (A) and Negative (B) these should go to the respective NMEA input on the WiFi
unit.
If the equipment has only one Positive NMEA output wire this should go to the A NMEA Input and
a wire from the B NMEA Input should then be taken to the common ground/negative of the other
equipment.
Connect an AIS source to the “NMEA IN 1” port, observing the correct polarity.
7.5 Installation Step 3
Apply power and verify that the unit is operating:
Apply power to the i320W and all connected devices.
Verify that the green power LED on the i320W is illuminated
Use a WiFi enabled device like a smartphone, tablet or PC and search for WiFi networks. Your
device should find the i320W network and you should be able to connect without a password.
Wait for the connected AIS receiver to receive the first AIS messages (usually indicated by
flashing LEDs). Once the AIS receiver is sending NMEA 0183 AIS data to the i320W you should
see the NMEA IN indicator LED flashing yellow.
Now, open a marine navigation program / app that is able to process AIS messages on your WiFi
enabled device that you have connected to the i320W WiFi network. In the settings page of the
program / app set the AIS settings as follows:
Protocol: TCP
IP Address: 10.10.100.110
Port: 10110
Once sucessfully connected you should see the AIS data displayed on your screen.

i320W
12
7.5.1 Connection Diagram
Note: Input can be from any receiver or transponder with a serial NMEA output. The
R200U shown above is used as an example.

i320W
13
8 OPERATION
Operation of the i320W is automatic and requires no user intervention.
8.1 LED Indicator description
LED Indicator Description
8.2 Default settings
The i320W Bidirectional NMEA WiFi Interface comes preset with the following settings:
LED:
Description:
WIFI CON
Indicates if a device is connected to the i320W through WiFi
PWR
On when powered
NMEA
IN 1
Flashing once with every NMEA message received at NMEA input 1
NMEA
IN 2
Flashing once with every NMEA message received at NMEA input 2
NMEA
OUT
Flashing once with every NMEA message sent through NMEA output
ERROR
Indicates that an Error occurred
Setting:
Default Value:
WiFi Mode
Access Point
SSID
i320W
WIFI Key
None (open)
IP Address
10.10.100.110
Net Mask
255.255.255.0
Protocol
TCP
Mode
Server
Port
10110
USB Data enable
On
Bidirectional Mode enable
Off
NMEA IN 1
38400
NMEA OUT
38400 (Always same as IN 1)
NMEA IN 2
4800

i320W
14
8.3 Setup Tool
The i320W Setup Tool allows you to configure your i320W. The Tool is compatible with Microsoft®
Windows®.
The system requirements are as follows:
•Microsoft® Windows® XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 10 (32 and 64 bit)
8.3.1 Installing the i320W Setup Tool
The application is installed from our website in the software downloads section:
https://comarsystems.com/download/i320w-software/. Download and unpack the file, navigate to
the i320W Setup Tool folder. Double click the setup.exe item to start the installation and follow
the on-screen instructions.
8.3.2 Connecting to your i320W / Read Data
Before launching the i320W Setup Tool, first connect your i320W to your computer using the USB
cable. Allow some time for the drivers to be automatically installed in the background. This can
take a few minutes. After the device drivers have been successfully installed, you can launch the
i320W Setup Tool.
Select the serial port corresponding to your i320W from the drop down menu at the bottom right
of the i320W Setup Tool window, and click the "Read Data" button.
The i320W Setup Tool is now communicating with your i320W and will display the current setup
of your device.
8.3.3 Changing the configuration / Write Data
Make changes to the configuration data as desired.
Click the "Write Data" button to set up your device with the new configuration.
A message box confirms the successful configuration of your device. Press “Exit”and disconnect
your device. The new configuration becomes active after power cycling the unit.

i320W
15
8.4 Factory Reset
To reset the i320W to default factory settings, disconnect all power sources from the unit (power
cables as well as USB cable). Using a paper clip, push the reset button (a click will be felt), power
on the device either through the power connection or the USB cable and hold down the reset
button for at least 5 seconds, after which the factory defaults will be restored.

i320W
16
8.5 WiFi Modes
The i320W can be set up to multiple modes. This section should give an overview how to set your
device to one of the main modes.
8.5.1 Access Point Mode
Access Point Mode is set up as default. Use this mode if the i320W is the only WiFi Access Point
on your vessel. Mobile devices can connect directly to the interface and stream NMEA data over
IP. In this mode the i320W can be set up as a TCP server, TCP client, UDP server or UDP client.

i320W
17
8.5.2 WiFi Client Mode
If you want to install your i320W alongside an existing WiFi Access Point, use the “Client Mode”.
To set the device into “Client Mode”, select “WiFi Mode” > “Client” in the i320W Configuration
Tool. In the SSID and WiFi Key fields, fill in the settings of the Access Point you want to connect
your i320W to.
In this mode the i320W can be set up as a TCP server, TCP client, UDP server or UDP client.

i320W
18
8.5.3 WiFi Client Mode –Mobile phone as access point
If you have no existing WiFi Access Point on your vessel but want to use the existing data option
on your mobile phone, use this mode.
Similar to 8.5.2, set the device into Client Mode by selecting “WiFi Mode” > “Client” in the i320W
Configuration Tool. In the SSID and WiFi Key fields, fill in the settings of the Access Point you
want to connect your i320W to.
Set up your phone as a WiFi Access Point (also known as tethering). Your mobile phone will now
have access to the internet and the AIS data at the same time, providing your mobile device is
connected to the internet.
In this mode the i320W can be set up as a TCP server, TCP client, UDP server or UDP client.

i320W
19
8.5.4 Bridge Mode
If you have a situation where you cannot run a cable for a NMEA 0183 connection you can forward
a NMEA 0183 connection through WiFi and then back to NMEA 0183 with this mode.
For Bridge Mode you need two i320W units. Set up one i320W to “WiFi Mode” > “Access Point“
and the other i320W to “WiFi Mode” > “Client”. The SSID and WiFi Key fields have to be the same
info for both units.
Set one unit up as a TCP client, and the other unit as a TCP Server. In the "Server IP" field of the
i320W that is configured as TCP client, enter the IP address of the TCP server (the other i320W).
The port has to be identical for both units.
Enable “Bidirectional Mode”.
Once the devices have sucessfully established a connection, you should be able to forward NMEA
0183 data through WiFi.

i320W
20
9 FAULT FINDING
9.1 No green ON LED is displayed
Check power supply connections and fuse or circuit breaker
Check polarity of power supply connections
Check power supply voltage
9.2 No DATA LED flashing
Check that the NMEA equipment is switched on
Check polarity of the NMEA cables: A –A (or +), B –B (or -)
9.3 Unable to see the i320W Network
Move closer to the unit to improve radio reception
9.4 Unable to connect to the unit
Retry connecting, initially the device may take a while to negotiate with the network, as a radio
device, it is possible to suffer from interference in a busy marina, moving closer to the device will
improve the signal and give a more reliable connection.