MANUAL CONNECT
If your CrossFire CNC electronics box is plugged into your computer but fails to auto-connect, the first thing you will want to try is manually connecting the device. Next to ‘Machine’, click the ‘Connect’ button to drop down a list of available machine connections and select CrossFire from this menu. If connected properly, this field should turn green like the previous auto-connect image representing a positive connection.
CONNECTION TROUBLESHOOTING
For a Windows computer, the drivers for your CrossFire USB Motion Control Board should automatically download when you first plug the electronics box into your computer. If this driver installation becomes corrupted, it may be necessary to delete the driver and start from the beginning. To do this, navigate to Control Panel in Windows and select Device Manager. Here you will see a subheading titled ‘Ports (COM & LPT)’. Click the downward arrow next to this subheading to collapse the devices within this category. Next, note the devices in this category and unplug and plug back in your electronics box to see which of these devices disappeared from the list when you removed the electronics box USB cable. Plug the cable back in and highlight this device in the drop-down. Next, right click this device and click ‘Uninstall Device’. Next, check the box next to ‘Delete the driver software for this device’ and click Uninstall. After uninstalling the driver, plug the device back in and let Windows automatically download the appropriate drivers without interruption and follow the steps above for connecting to FireControl.
If you are experiencing issues connecting to your CrossFire or CrossFire PRO in FireControl, please follow the below steps.
- Ensure that the CrossFire machine you are attempting to connect to is a Gen 2 FireControl-compatible CrossFire. FireControl-compatible machines have an electronics enclosure with Z-Axis motor port. Legacy CrossFire machines require the use of Mach3 as control software.
- Ensure that if you are using a Windows 7 or 8 computer, you have installed the proper drivers available for download on our Downloads Page.
- Plug in your CrossFire machine via USB directly (without any USB extensions or Hubs) to your computer, open the FireControl application, and wait for FireControl to Auto-connect to your machine.
- If FireControl fully connects you will see 'CrossFire' and the Firmware version (such as v1.2ls) in the Machine Connection window. You are now fully connected.
- If FireControl does not fully connect and the 'CrossFire' text is slightly greyed out without listing the Firmware version:
- Wait 10 seconds with FireControl open for the Connection Help button to appear. Click this button and select the option to re-flash the firmware. Occaisonally firmware and EEPROM memory can become corrupted on the boards and needs to be reset. You may need to restart FireControl after this operation.
- Open Windows Device Manager. You can search the Start menu for 'Device Manager' to locate this application.
- The expected devices are shown in the image below. Note: COM Port numbers will be different on your computer but the Device Names should be the same. The CrossFire Motion Control Board will be shown as 'USB Serial Device' and the LS-THC module will be shown as 'USB-SERIAL CH340'
- If there isn't 'USB Serial Device' or you see a 'Device Descriptor Failed' message on a connected USB Serial Device in Device Manager, try using:
- A different printer-style (USB-A Male to USB-B Male) USB cable
- A different USB port on the same computer
- A different computer
- If FireControl does not auto-connect and shows 'No Connections' in the Machine Connection window, try using:
- A different printer-style (USB-A Male to USB-B Male) USB cable
- A different USB port on the same computer
- A different computer