An apparatus includes a streamer cable section and a unit. The streamer cable section includes an associated group of seismic sensors. The unit connects to an end of the streamer cable section and includes a steering device, a controller, a network repeater and a router. The steering device is controllable to position the streamer section; the controller gathers seismic data provided by the associated group of seismic sensors and introduces the seismic data to a telemetry network of a streamer; the network repeater repeats a signal communicated along the telemetry network; and the router is disposed between the controller and the telemetry network.