Laser Update - Fusion, Donner and Ethernet

Laser
#1

Howdy!

Many thanks to all the people that have reached out to help fix the lasers. It’s greatly appreciated. Tonight @skyspook was able to get our networking situation figured out, so as of now, USB will no longer be used, instead, the lasers are networked.

Instructions for setting up the lasers have been printed and placed next to each computer.

Donner is now operational. Please do some test cuts before running a job, it is cutting quite well for now. Fusion is also back to normal.

Blitzen needs repairs to the air assist, and Big Thunder may be in need of a tube replacement soon (but remains operational).

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#2

way to go guys!

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#3

Came in today and there was no joy on Thunder with this nor with another person trying on Donner. I did a bit of troubleshooting and here’s what I found:

Thunder

  • No link light on the switch and unit was not pingable at 192.168.201.210
  • The Blue ethernet cable was unplugged from the side of the machine and the IP network information in the configuration on the machine where not even close to what was needed - Fixed and now working

Donner

  • The IP network information configured in the machine were not correct. Fixed and now working.

I surmise that some helpful DMS members became frustrated with the new Network approach and arbitrarily decided a roll back would be a good idea.
Thunder (Before I fixed it)

Thunder IP Config
Thunder IP Config4032×3024 3.35 MB

Donner (Before I fixed it)
Donner IP Config
Donner IP Config4032×3024 3.28 MB

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#4

Thanks for checking!

I’ve set the default IP addresses so the settings should be preserved through a power cycle (an oversight of mine from last night). Donner had some issues this afternoon likely because it tried to connect via wireless, so that’s fixed as well.

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#5

I’m glad to see these improvements and came in this evening to run a job on Donner. The step by step instructions are for using Lightburn, which I prefer, but when trying to fire it up I get the request for a valid license. I’m sitting here scratching my head, wondering how all of the effort was put in to networking the lasers, then instructions set out for an application that doesn’t have current licensing. What am I missing here?

#6

You can just click ok and continue to use the software.

The license is primarily useful for software updates, and while the renewal was approved it hasn’t been put on the computers yet.

#7

Thanks for the reply, Michael. I’ve got to say no, you cannot just click through the license request window on the PC that is labeled for Donner. It kicks you out no matter what you do, after you click ok. I tried clicking ok alt the bottom of the registration window after clicking the ok for the warning that there wasn’t a valid license. I tried extending the trial. Tried canceling instead of ok. No matter the choice it would shut down the application immediately upon exiting the registration window.
I did get it to click through the request on the PC to the left, the one tagged for Blitzer, then I just entered the connection info for Donner and cut my job.
I recommend that someone includes specific, step by step instructions on how to get past the license request for Lightburn any time there’s going to be instructions printed ans set out that include the use of Lightburn. And also put those instructions to the test on every computer that has it installed. I’ve run in to this before, and if it were as simple as canceling out of the registration window I wouldn’t be posting here. Admittedly, now that the lasers are connected via IP it’s a little easier to deal with but I’d hope that by now we wouldn’t have to play musical chairs every time just to get the software to work.

#8

Interesting, I’ve seen a half dozen people use the software without issue in the past few days. In any case, you’re more than welcome to create some instructions on how to click through it and print them out if you would like (since you seem to have figured out how to do it on another computer).

#9

Well, that’s not really addressing the issue, which is not being able to use the application on the one computer that is designated for the one laser that’s actually up and running at the moment.
The othe computer worked as you said it would, so no need for instructions. And the only instructions I could write for the Donner PC is ‘don’t try here, use another PC’.
I’m on TALK to appeal to the committee heads or members that have adequate knowledge with this setup so that someone in a position of leadership ans knowledge can resolve the issue, not to cook up a bandaid.
This is a doocracy, where we are all encouraged to do what we can in order to better the Space for ourselves and others. In this situation, my role in that is what I’m doing now, raising the awareness. Please don’t ask me to solve a problem that was left undone by more capable and authorized members.

#10

Can you back up your claim that it’s not useable? I still believe this is user error, since I’ve watched people set use Lightburn on that computer as recently as last night, and, per lightburns website and our experience, a license doesn’t need to be renewed to use the software.

Also, four out of our five lasers that our operational, though one of those is at reduced power. Please don’t discount the work of our volunteers that have stepped up to help keep them running.

#11

Donner is tagged with no Z function but that’s a non issue because it can be manually adjusted for most materials. The next two to the right are tagged, one for no air and the other not sure but its been tagged for a while. The Epilog is also tagged, didn’t read the reason why. So when I say functional, I mean within reasonable functionality.
The initial post of mine here IS my claim that it’s not functional. Here is a relevant question, considering that you don’t believe my claim. Is there any reason that the installed instance of Lightburn on that PC would not allow the bypassing of the license issue for some users and not others? I don’t think it would but just in case I had another member who was waiting for Donner after me to log in to that computer with his info and he tried and also failed to get it to work. After that, I moved over to the other PC on that table and had no problems getting it to work. So, to clarify, two members (myself and one other) experienced the same exact issue on the PC tagged for DONNER. Ans neither of us experienced the same issue on thr other laser computers. He was already using Lightburn on a 3rd computer to set up his job.

#12

Well if it’s just your word against mine then we’re not going to get anywhere. Someone will be by to check on the computer eventually.

#13

Thank you. That’s really all I was asking for to begin with, for someone to fix it.

#14

Or at least prove that it’s not a real problem :stuck_out_tongue:

#15

I’m on the donner computer.

When I open lightburn, it tells me the limit has been reached.
When I click ok, it takes me to this screen

16062379853893223337392029266824
160623798538932233373920292668241512×2016 1.64 MB

When I click ok, it kicks me out.

On the blitzen’s computer, it says the license has expired but it will continue to work, without updates.

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#16

Welp, you’re the second person to report that, which is strange. Someone will be around to take a look. Thank you for posting the screenshot.

#17

What are people clicking on? I swear you can bypass that announcement and still get it to work. Have done that on my laptop before. If I remember right one of the buttons will kick you out.

#18

Definitely my thought as well. Perhaps by some far out chance we’ve been using the demo license during testing and the computer was never properly licensed.

In any case, we should license all of them since renewals were approved, we’d like updates, and should be good neighbors to lightburn since we’re pushing the use of their software.

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#19

I clicked on the lightburn program in the start menu, then it gave me the expired license msg. I clicked “ok”
Then it gave me this screen. When I clicked “ok” on this screen, it kicked me out/shut down lightburn.

#20

As of yesterday evening this was my experience:

  • Lightburn on the PC near Thunder is the newest version at DMS, but not current, and I was able to use it to import a DXF to create new work and load an existing Lightburn saved file. I was also able to print to Donner. WORKING
  • Lightburn on Blitzen’s PC loads but is older and failed to import a DXF or other files correctly for me. NOT WORKING
  • Lightburn on Donner’s PC is INOP; too many activation’s, license can’t be used. NOT WORKING
  • Lightburn on Fusion Pro PC - I didn’t think to try it on that machine. My lightburn job was a cut test and I was targeting Donner. UNKNOWN STATUS

I would be willing to come in and update the software and install new licenses if I had admin access and keys however:

  • Access might not be possible. I’ve maintained the Shapeoko laptop software with local admin rights for a few years but I doubt infrastructure would find that a good option for multiple machines in Laser.
  • I don’t know who is responsible to obtain licenses. I’d be willing to buy and expense but it would probably be much better if a chair or procurement able person did so and could also seek a new discount code for members to use for home use at the same time.
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