I just got my new Phecda 20W laser, and since it uses a USB-A connection, I’m using a USB-C adapter with my MacBook Pro (Sequoia).
It was working fine at first, but after a couple of hours, Lightburn stopped recognizing the laser. Restarting my MacBook seems to fix it temporarily, but after a few minutes, the laser disappears again.
Here’s what I’ve tried so far:
Turning the laser off, unplugging the cable, and reconnecting it.
Installing the CH340 driver.
Manually adding the device in Lightburn.
At first, Lightburn detected the laser automatically, but now it doesn’t show up in the list—I have to add it manually. When I do, it works for a few minutes and then stops again.
I also tried switching between different port options, and when I go back to the laser port, I get this message: “Port failed to open - already in use?”
The weird thing is that my Mac seems to recognize the laser, so I feel like the issue might be with Lightburn.
Any ideas on how to fix this? I’d really appreciate any help!
Apple devices are and have always been very “sensitive” when it comes to external devices that do not come directly from them. Just as Apple itself decides how much data it allows through “their” USB-C port, for example, their specifications regarding USB in general are a bit “individual”, even though there are international standards for all communication ports. My best bet is to find, buy or borrow different adapters and try them out. You can also try to find a new USB-C cable that fits your laser - and the Mac, without an adapter…but there is no guarantee either. In contrast to “normal” USB plugs, there is quite a bit of electronics in the plugs themselves that Apple sells, I don’t think it’s to make it easier for us consumers…
I had a somewhat similar issue though mine was with a PC. My xTool F1 wouldn’t connect to multiple different PCs until I switched over to (literally) the cheapest USB-A 2.0 cable I could find. Apparently the xTool uses usb 2.0 and isn’t compatible with the higher speeds most ports can deliver. Unsure if this will help but something to try if nothing else seems to be working.
