Connection problem with window and linux computer but not with macbook

Lasers
1

My K40 with Mini-Gerbil controller connects without problems with my Mackbook, the control lamp from Mini-Gerbil goes from fast flashing to slow flashing and I am “online” in LightBurn. However, under windows7 and windows10 there is no usb connection activity, no sound or message from the device manager at all. Led2 from Mini-Gerbil always flashes quickly. The same also applies to a test machine with Linux-Mint, here there is also no reaction from the usb “operating system”.
I have checked and doubled the ground connection from my K40 and from the computer, I have bought double shielded short usb cable with gold plated plug … without result.
In the LigtBurn forum and with Paul from Awesometech I have received well-meaning advice regarding the quality and length of usb cables and good ground connections …
I would like to hear from you if a usb to serial converter cable could be an alternative solution to my connection problems? I’m well aware that Windows10 should automatically find and connect my Mini-Gerbil to the built-in driver - but it does not in my case.
Alternatively, I am of course also very interested in the possibility of manually installing the right drivers under Windows7 / 10 and or Linux.

thank you
Bernd

2

I don’t have a mini-gerbil so I’m flying blind, but…

I don’t know whether the mini-gerbil can be powered from USB; can you connect with the machine powered down from mac, windows, or Linux?

Is the Windows system a laptop or a desktop?
Is the Linux system a laptop or a desktop?

On Linux, try this.

  • Disconnect the USB cable
  • lsusb > /tmp/disconnected
  • Connect the USB cable to the K40 with the K40 powered off
  • lsusb > /tmp/unpowered
  • Power the K40 on
  • lsusb > /tmp/powered

Then post the differences between the files like this:

```
$ diff -u /tmp/disconnected /tmp/unpowered
output from command here
$ diff -u /tmp/unpowered /tmp/powered
output from command here
```

(Cut and paste that including the ``` lines and fill in the output)

3

Thank you very much for the quick response, I appreciate it very much.

For the missing facts, Linux Mint runs on a 64bits Dell Optiplex 380, desktop PC and Wimdows10 on a 64bits HP pro, both machines are a bit older but because there are only the OS itself and LigtBurn installed drivers they are very fine.
The Mini-Gerbil controller can well be “supplied” from the Computers, ie. led1 and led2 are on (flashing)

I’m having a bit of a problem with the Linux commands you’d asked me for, it’s been a long time since I’d used Linux, sorry. It is “output from here” that is causing me problems.

laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ lsusb > /tmp/disconnected
laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ lsusb > /tmp/unpowered
laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ lsusb > /tmp/powered
laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ diff -u /tmp/disconnected /tmp/unpowered
laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ output from command here

Yagi-Uda antenna analysi program output, version 1.19
Written by Dr. David Kirkby Ph.D. G8WRB (email:david.kirkby@onetel.net)

USAGE: output [-cehps] [-E E_max -H H_max -r min -R max -Z Zo] filename

Where options are:

-c Calculate sidelobe levels (slows program considerably).
-e Suppress calculation of 3dB E-plane BW.
-h Suppress calculation of 3dB H-plane BW.
-p Put data into filename.freq, filename.glog and filename.glin for gnuplot
-s Suppress diagnostic output.
-E Max angle to find the 3dB point. Min=90, max=180 (default = 179 degrees)
-H Max angle to find the 3dB point. Min=0, max=90 (default = 60 degrees)
-r Set minimum range on the radial gnuplot log graph (default = -50 dB)
-R Set maximum range on the radial gnuplot lin graph (default = 20 dB)
-Z Set characteristic impedance (default = 50 Ohms)

laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ diff -u /tmp/unpowered /tmp/powered
laser@laser-OptiPlex-380:~$ output from command here

Yagi-Uda antenna analysi program output, version 1.19
Written by Dr. David Kirkby Ph.D. G8WRB (email:david.kirkby@onetel.net)

USAGE: output [-cehps] [-E E_max -H H_max -r min -R max -Z Zo] filename

Where options are:

-c Calculate sidelobe levels (slows program considerably).
-e Suppress calculation of 3dB E-plane BW.
-h Suppress calculation of 3dB H-plane BW.
-p Put data into filename.freq, filename.glog and filename.glin for gnuplot
-s Suppress diagnostic output.
-E Max angle to find the 3dB point. Min=90, max=180 (default = 179 degrees)
-H Max angle to find the 3dB point. Min=0, max=90 (default = 60 degrees)
-r Set minimum range on the radial gnuplot log graph (default = -50 dB)
-R Set maximum range on the radial gnuplot lin graph (default = 20 dB)
-Z Set characteristic impedance (default = 50 Ohms)

4

It might be that the difference between macbook and the windows or linux is that the macbook is electrically isolated, and has nothing to do with the operating system. Linux in particular is famous for not requiring downloading USB drivers for specific devices and using generic drivers that work everywhere.

Please replace output from command here with the literal output from the diff command. The $ indicates to run a command, and leaving it out indicates that it’s output. I didn’t know that you had a command called output installed for antenna analysis!

If you cut and paste the ``` into your response it will format it correctly, too.

5

… I got lost in the translation and my unknown in linux. I installed the antenna program because the command prompt “said” I was missing it.
Will you be so kind and cut it out of cardboard for me … what I just need to write to get that feedback of the difference from the two stages. $ diff -u / tmp / disconnected / tmp / unpowered and $ diff -u / tmp / unpowered / tmp / powered - entered gives no feedback.

6

If neither of those diff command invocations gives any output, then at a very low level the device is not appearing to the computer. It’s below the level of a normal device driver. The lsusb command will list every device that shows up at all to USB, even if no device driver is present.

I suspect that the problem might well be related to electrical isolation. You might try all of the different USB cords with Linux and the K40 unplugged from the wall to see what happens.