Troubleshooting Guide for ShowNET / Laser mainboard connections for lasers with DIP switch board
This troubleshooting guide helps to get started with ShowNET / the laser mainboard, if the connection cannot be established between the computer and the laser.The Admin Tool is used to check on general connectivity. Further down this page there are instructions on Showeditor and Showcontroller software troubleshooting.
A. First connection attempt: Admin Tool
Start the Admin-Tool
Check the network connection to the laser
To check if the network connection has been successfully established, use the Admin Tool. Download the Admin Tool.
IMPORTANT: On first start of the Admin-Tool, Windows asks to grant the Admin-Tool permission to use the computer's network.
It is ESSENTIAL that you tick ALL BOXES and allow connection, otherwise the Windows Firewall may block the Admin-Tool and it won't detect the laser!

After having granted permission to all networks, close the Admin-Tool that loaded in the background, and start it again.
It now should detect the laser:

If it does NOT, please see the TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE FOR SHOWNET
Learn more about how the ShowNET Admin Tool works and its powerful features:
Check the network connection to the laser
To check if the network connection has been successfully established, use the Admin Tool. Download the Admin Tool.IMPORTANT: On first start of the Admin-Tool, Windows asks to grant the Admin-Tool permission to use the computer's network.
It is ESSENTIAL that you tick ALL BOXES and allow connection, otherwise the Windows Firewall may block the Admin-Tool and it won't detect the laser!

After having granted permission to all networks, close the Admin-Tool that loaded in the background, and start it again.
It now should detect the laser:

If it does NOT, please see the TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE FOR SHOWNET
Learn more about how the ShowNET Admin Tool works and its powerful features:
If all instructions given for the use of the Admin Tool have been followed, but no connection is possible, follow these troubleshooting steps to get going.
- The laser must be powered on. Give the mainboard some seconds to boot. Without power, the mainboard does not work and thus cannot respond.
- Make sure the LAN cable is plugged into the correct port and that it is not accidently plugged into an Interlock-port. Check it again.
- Check again if it's not plugged into the wrong port!
- How are the Dip switch settings at the laser? Try Auto-IP - to do so, set DIP 6 to ON, rest to OFF. Computer must not have a static address (so if no changes have been made to the network settings of the computer, this should be fine)
- Have all boxes been ticked when starting the Admin Tool the first time? No? Oh, that's why there were the instructions ... now, 99% the Windows firewall blocks out the Admin Tool from connection.
Easy solution:- Move the Admin Tool to a different folder.
- Open it again
- Then tick all the boxes in the Windows Firewall dialog before you hit "OK".
- Restart the Admin Tool and it should detect the laser.
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