question

The alternative to removing the front cover every time is to simply plug in two ethernet cables and use just one at a time (which means you could unplug the CCGX at the CCGX - in my case that's easier.

I also have to admit, that I often forget to remove the CCGX and stuff still works with my MK2/MK2b - or I have been just lucky.

@blond2silver, yes - you can connect the MK3 to the second port now... early Multi interfaces required the controller (CCGX) to be unplugged first, but the new interface and -perhaps more importantly- the new Multi F/W supports connecting the MK3 while the remote is still connected.

And, if the back of your CCGX is readily accessible, I'll do you one better: you can connect your MK3 directly to the second VE.Bus connector on the back of the CCGX and, as long as the CCGX is properly connected to your Multi, you can program directly from there without even having to remove the front cover of the Multi.

The VE.Bus system is a direct pass-through, so plugging into the second VE.Bus port on the back of the CCGX is, for all effective purposes, the same as plugging into the VE.Bus port on the Multi itself.

I have not personally tested this in installations requiring the use of VEConfigure (such as Assistant programming and etc.), but I can confirm that it works for a typical system setup using VictronConnect.

Hello and thank you for the replies. What seems to work so far, is having the MK3 plugged into the Multi's first ethernet port, and the CCGX into the second. When trying the other way around, I could not manuever the mouse pointer - it was just erratic. Also, the MK3 could not auto-detect the port. I found that by manually selecting com port 3, the MK3 connects, and VEconfigure is functional. So I've wired it all up, close the Mult front cover with the MK3 connected to the Multi's first port, and the CCGX into the second port.

While for some, plugging the MK3 into the back of the CCGX is the way to go - with this system, the CCGX is mounted where gaining access to the back is just not practical.

To answer edgargw22 question, yes you've interpreted what I was trying to convey regarding the Multi's ethernet ports. Meaning, when looking straight on at the Multi, ethernet port 1 is the left port, and ethernet port 2 (which "I think" is typically used as the slave port for multiple VE.bus Multi's) is to the right of port1. Hope that clarifies.. So far, the CCGX is functioning nominally as connected to ethernet port2, and the MK3 is mounted, connected, and ready for the next VEconfigure session.