Maretron's NBE100 (Network Bus Extender) allows you to extend the maximum node count, network trunk length and cumulative drop length of any NMEA 2000^® network. The NBE100 solves bus errors and other electrical issues caused by exceeding any of these limitations and makes design of large networks easier. NMEA 2000^® networks have a maximum of 50 nodes allowed on a single network, a maximum network trunk length of 200m and a maximum cumulative drop length of 78m.

If you have a network that exceeds any of these specifications, you can simply disconnect the network trunk in the middle and connect the ends to the NBE100, along with additional termination resistors. This will split the network into two electrical segments, each of which can have up to 50 nodes, for a total of 100 nodes on the logical network. The NBE100 will transparently route NMEA 2000^® messages between the two network segments, making them work as a single logical NMEA 2000^® network.

The NBE100 (firmware revision 2.3.1.2)

• Segments a single large NMEA 2000® network into two smaller electrical segments.
• Allows you to exceed the 50-node limitation on a NMEA 2000® network.
• Allows you to exceed the 200m trunk length limitation on a NMEA 2000® network.
• Allows you to exceed the 78m cumulative drop length limitation on a NMEA 2000® networks.
• Allows all NMEA 2000® devices to operate as if they were still on a single NMEA 2000® network.
• Priority-based message routing ensures higher-priority messages get through the bus extender first.
• Optically isolates network segments, increasing signal integrity and network reliability.
• Features one user configurable PGN (Parameter Group Number) “Pass filter” per NMEA2000® Interface where 32 PGNs per interface can be forwarded from one NMEA2000® Interface to the other.

This feature allows you to select the traffic you want to send from one network to another & visa Versa.

This is extremely handy (for example) when you are bridging a navigation network to a digital switching network. You may want Time & Position transferred to the digital Switching network for Alert times & Geofencing but do not need to flood the digital switching network with higher priority Navigation data that can slow down the reaction of a digital switch.

Or you may want Alert messages or engine data, tank levels, fuel flow data, brought from a monitoring network to your Navigation Network so that Alerts can show up on your NMEA-2000 Nav screens or tank & Engine data can be seen on the Navigation screens as well, without flooding this network with unwanted Digital switching PGN’s.

These are just some examples of how the PGN filter can work within the NBE-100.

If the filter is Enabled, then the PGN list must be populated, or nothing will pass through other than essential data from each Node.

If the Filter is Disabled, then all data & PGN’s will pass through making the NBE-100 a true Bridge.