Lightburn not connecting to MacBook Pro OS Sequoia 15.0

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

Hi, I have read virtually issues there is with the USB-C on connecting to Lightburn and my K40 Plus Laser. I used a Mac Mini to connect (also now on Sequoia 15.0) and this connects fine but this is using a USB-A on the Mac. But I have now purchased a MacBook Pro which only has two USB-C ports.

I have used a USB-A to USB-C adapter which hasn’t worked, I then purchased a really cheap one from Amazon because people have said these can bypass the Firewall - Still no luck.

I’ve downloaded the CH340 Drivers so many times that I cannot count them. I’ve also removed them and then reinstalled them, still no luck. I have installed earlier versions of them, still nothing.

I’ve uninstalled Lightburn and re-stalled it twice but nothing.

I can now see 0x1a86 in System Setting > Device > USB. I cannot see tty.wchusbserialx in the Terminal window but neither can I see this on the Mac mini yet it’s working without it there.

In Lightburn the MacMini shows cu.wchusbserial210 by devices but on the MacBook Pro I only get cu.URTO.

I’ve switched on and off the Firewall, I’ve added Lightburn.app and the CH34xVCPDriver.app to allowed connections, still nothing.

I know this is a very common issue for MacBook users and I would appreciate any assistance before everything goes out the window…tia

[MikeyH (Mike Hembrey)]

Not sure what you did with adapters, so I am going offer this.

My understanding is that the new MAC machines with USB-C connectors will not automatically downshift from USB 3.0 (computer) to USB 2.0 (laser). What they found is that by installing a dirt cheap USB hub in the line will solve it by forcing the downshift.

I think the pattern is MAC USB-C to Hub USB-A and Hub USB-A to Laser USB-C (or -A as needed).

Hope this helps.

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

Yer, I already had a USB-C Hub which I tried to use to connect to the laser but that didn’t work. So I have then purchased another one from Amazon which was a couple of quid and that still will not work for me…

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

Hi Lisa

Might need to check what the OS itself sees

Do this tests - with your multiple cables and adapters
But start Without anything connected

Open a Terminal - then type this code in and press enter
(it will list all USB devices)

ioreg -p IOUSB

Get a baseline image and save it with no USB device connected.

Then try the same code as you plug the laser with the multiple cables. If no cable creates a change on the listed devices there might be a USB problem

(Also if possible use a Windows computer for sanity check?)

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

The adapters I am using are these:

Adapter 1:

Adapter 2:

I did perform the test in the Terminal and I’ve attached a file with the outcomes.
Adapter tests.txt (4.1 KB)

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

I don’t have access to a Windows Laptop at all.

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

Note Adapter 2 - with laser shows devices

So LightBurn should show - in the drop-down menu in front of Devices button - at least 1 new serial device.
Can you confirm this?

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

This is what it shows in Lightburn

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

Check here please - when you click on the drop down.
What other devices are listed?

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

The cu.Maker3-F87A is for my Cricut machine.

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

Very strange - really.

Any other computer - even a different mac you could try with?
Because - this results now make me think the controller is not reporting the serial port correctly.

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

Yes, I’ve tried it with my MacMini (desktop) using the same OS (Sequoia 15.0) but this has USB-A ports and connects fine with the laser using the cable they provided.

But it also has one USB-C port which I tried using the adapters and got the same results as the MacBook.

So I feel the cable is working correctly, both adapters seem to be working (I’ve also just ordered another one via Amazon which will be here tomorrow), but something is stopping the laser talking the Lightburn via the USB-C port!!

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

Maybe that Hub is too smart.
It defaults the connections on USB 2.0 though which is the purpose.
Keep us posted, please.

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

I’m not sure what else I can do at this point apart from trying the next new adapter tomorrow, I’ll soon have more adapters than Amazon lol

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

So my new adapter comes today. As you can see it’s very basic.

So, I tried it using the MacBook Pro and also used your previous commands in the Terminal but still no luck getting it working!!

One thing different that has happened today though is I tried the new adapter in the MacMini USB-C port (which has always failed like the MacBook Pro) and it worked straight away…
This is the terminal from the MacMini:

At the moment as far as I can see the two different devices between the two Mac’s is that the MacMini shows cu.wchusbserial210 in devices where as the MacBook Pro shows cu.URTO…

So again, I am totally at a loss as to how I can get the MacBook Pro connected!!

Any help would be appreciated

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

Could you post a screenshot of “About this mac” on the one that is Not connecting?

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

Hi, here it is:

[hitch (Lisa Hitchens)]

Still having no luck with this…! Can anyone help me at all??

[gilaraujo (Gil Araújo)]

I think the problem might be - your hubs are a bit too smart
And the last 2 are not hubs per se is just an adpater
You might need something like this
note that is as “dumb” as you can get it - which is the goal

https://www.amazon.com/Syntech-Adapter-Thunderbolt-Compatible-Chromebook/dp/B08THLZ4K9