Direct DRS Connection

Power Supply Unit Connection (optional on some models)

Some newer DRS (such as the DRS-NXT) do not need any Power Supply Unit and can be connected directly to DC 24V and in some case DC 12v. Other models may come with a power supply unit (PSU-xxx). Please refer to the Furuno DRS installation guide for more information about power connection.

If the DRS model you use requires the PSU012 or PSU013 (Power Supply Unit) to power the antenna (48v), make sure to insert the “J7” jumper inside the PSU (under its cover). If the jumper is not inserted, the PSU will not power ON (the LED will remain OFF) even when 12 or 24v is provided:

Note: If the PSU017 is used (for DRS dome antenna), there is no need to open the cover or insert any jumper.

Network Connection

The DRS radar and the computer needs to be connected on the same local network using the Furuno IP address (172.31.x.x / 255.255.0.0). It is NOT possible to have a router in between the DRS radar and the computer (the DRS and Computer need to be on the same broadcast domain).

Ethernet Network

If the DRS and computer are located close to each other, they can be networked using regular Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cable:

Note that the maximum length for a network cable segment is 100 meters per TIA/EIA 568-5-A. If longer runs are required, the use of active hardware such as a repeater or switch is necessary. Usually, fiber optic media is recommended for longer run than 100 meters.

Fiber Optic

A regular Ethernet network can be easily extended using fiber optic media converters if one run needs to be longer than 100 meters (usually in between the radar tower and the computer):

The below diagram shows a configuration with a DRS and AIS receiver connected to a switch at the base of the tower. A pair of fiber to Ethernet converters are used to extend the run using fiber optic cable:

Wireless Line of Sight bridge

In cases where Ethernet cable or Fiber Optic are not practicable, it is possible to use a dedicated Wireless Line of Sight bridge consisting of two antennas. Please note that the wireless link must support 30Mbps at minimum in order to carry the radar signal. The pair of antennas must be configured as a transparent bridge (they must act like an Ethernet cable without any routing or filtering):

Solutions like the Motorola PtP250 and Ubiquity NanoBridge can create wireless link up to 3KM (at 30Mbps).

IMPORTANT: The signal path in between the two antennas must be absolutely clear from any obstacle (trees, buildings, etc...)

Set the IP of the Computer

The computer needs to have an IP address that “matches” the Furuno Network (172.31.x.x/255.255.0.0) in order to exchange information with the DRS. We highly recommended using 172.31.3.150 as a fixed IP address for the computer with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0.

Click on the Windows “Start” menu and search for “Network”. Under the “Control Panel” category, click on “Network and Sharing Center”. Under Windows 8 you can right click on the Start button and select the Control Panel.

Once the Network and Sharing Center window is opened, click on "Change Adapter Settings". Double click on the Network Adapter connected to the radar (usually “Local Area Connection”).

Note: If you have multiple Area Connections (multiple Ethernet Cards) and if you don’t know which one is connected to the radar, you can temporarily disconnect the Ethernet Cable from the computer and look at which icon will display a red cross. This will indicate the LAN that has been disconnected from the computer, and thus the one that needs to be configured.

Select "Properties" on the "Local Area Connection Status" window. Double click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”. Use the fixed IP address 172.31.3.150 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0:

Once the computer's IP address has been assigned, it is recommended to Ping the IP address of the DRS (172.31.3.18) to make sure the network is correctly set up. For more information on how to ping an Ethernet device, refer to the How To Ping chapter. Once connectivity has been confirmed, launch TimeZero.

Note: Make sure the DRS is turned ON before starting TimeZero. TimeZero will not display the Radar features if the DRS is turned OFF or not present on the network.

DRS Initial Setup

Perform the DRS Initial Settings from the Radar Options in TimeZero. Under "Radar Initial Setup", select the DRS Hostname you want to configure and adjust the following settings:

enter the antenna position (Lat/Lon) and orientation. You can use the Radar Overlay on the chart to help setting the orientation of the radar
enter the antenna height
optional: setup the blank sector to avoid sending electromagnetic energy in area that don't need to be covered by the radar (toward land for example)

If you have two radars connected to TimeZero, please refer to Dual Radar Setup.