This article describes how to set up a direct connection to the machine which omits routers and switches If you are connecting your laser through a Router, then this article is not the one you need, please see this guide instead.

There are multiple avenues to set your IP. In this guide we have Quick Start Videos, a Configuration Wizard and then a Complete Guide. You only need to use one of them. Then way down below the Complete Guide, there are troubleshooting steps that work for all 3 configuration methods.

Before we begin, please read the following:

Note/Issue	Illustration
Please also consider reviewing this article if terms like IP, Subnet Mask, Host ID and Network ID seem like a foreign language: Why your IP address matters and describing it in terms that are easier to understand
The hardwired Ethernet connection does not need "internet" and neither does the Laser Machine, leave that to your WIFI connection.
If your computer assigns an address like "169.254.xxx.xxx" that is an indication that you have connected a device without a DHCP server present on the Network, you will need to set that connection to manual IP assignment and assign an IP to the PC's Ethernet connection. Typically your router\modem would provide the DHCP server to assign IP addresses to devices but without a router present, you must manually assign the IP.
Cable - The included Ethernet cable will work. You can use longer patch Ethernet cables as well if needed. Ethernet is generally limited to 100meters.  Plug it directly into your computer and directly into the machine, nothing in between (except a USB converter type device) . No need to run it to a router, modem, hub etc.
Find My Laser - The Lightburn function for "Find My Laser" does not work with Ethernet, even if the ethernet is configured. It is a USB only option.

Quick Start Videos:

Scenario 1:

In this video, we cover where to find your WIFI IP address that is specific to your network and how to set up the computer and Lightburn to talk to the Laser when the WIFI network IP addressing does conflict with the Laser's Default IP setting of 192.168.1.100

Scenario 2:

In this video, we cover where to find your WIFI IP address that is specific to your network and how to set up the computer and Lightburn to talk to the Laser when the WIFI  network IP addressing  does NOT conflict with the Laser's Default IP of 192.168.1.100

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Config Wizard:

Alternatively, you can also use this wizard to guide you through the configuration as well.

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Complete Guide:

This section is more of a manual walkthrough with images and text and can be used alternatively from the Quick Start Videos and Configuration Wizard.

Prework and IP Scheme Selection:

      You must complete these steps in order to be able to complete the configuration of the IP properly. If you skip these steps, you will likely have issues. You need to pick out IP's for both your computer, the laser and the one used in Lightburn (matches the laser).

INTERNET NETWORK IP CONFLICT CHECK:

      This is the most critical step of the process. We need to know your Internet IP (can be through WIFI or Hardwired) so that we can set what the Laser and Hardwired Machine Network IP's will be. Without doing this step, you will likely have communication issues. The main goal is to determine if you computer is already assigned an IP in the 192.168.1.xxx network space from the Internet network automatically.

How To Find your Internet Network IP:

Compare your Internet Network IP:

Use this table to compare your Internet IP to the options shown, then use the IP's listed in to set up your hardwired connection.

If your Internet NW IP is 192.168.1.xxx  (xxx is between 001 and 254)	If your Internet NW IP is anything but 192.168.1.xxx  (xxx is between 001 and 254)
In Step 1: Set the Laser machine IP to 192.168.2.100 In Step 2: Set the computer hardwired Ethernet IP to 192.168.2.101 and subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 In Step 3: the Lightburn target device IP to 192.168.2.100	In step 1: Skip, the default IP is 192.168.1.100 already In Step 2: Set the computer hardwired Ethernet IP to 192.168.1.101 and subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 In Step 3: the Lightburn target device IP to 192.168.1.100

Nova\Odin Series Machines:

1. Press the "menu" button on the machine and navigate to the Ethernet IP settings selection. Press Enter.

2. Use the "menu" button to navigate between the IP number boxes. Use the left and right arrows to select a digit and then the up/down arrows to adjust the value.

3. Press enter to save the IP setting.

Nova\Odin	Nova\Odin
Press the blue MENU button and then navigate with the Up and Down arrows to Ip Config+ sub menu. Press the green Enter Button	Use the blue MENU button to move between IP boxes. Select each digit in the box with the Left and Right arrows. Set each digit individually with the Up and Down arrows.  Press the green Enter button to save your settings.

Bolt Series Machines:

1. Press the "menu" button on the machine and then press the IP Internet button

2. In the popup, enter your new IP address and press the OK button

Menu Button	IP Internet Button

If your WIFI IP address was in the 192.168.1.xxx range then:	If your WIFI IP address was NOT in the 192.168.1.xxx range then:

You need to navigate to the prompt of your choice that will let you enter your IP address from the Discovery phase. Note that the Example Images below show 192.168.1.101 but that may not be what you set your Computer IP to, please use what you set in the Discovery phase above.

How to Find Where to Set an IP on my computer

Example of Older IPv4 Setup (Easiest to user)	Example of Windows 11 Updated IP Configuration Prompt	Example of Windows 11 Summary Page
	(If it asks for a Subnet Prefix length and will not accept 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask, try 24 as it is the equivalent shorthand)

When you create a device you can select it as Ethernet and enter the IP. If you need to edit the IP after creation, you can do it from the Edit> Device Settings window in Lightburn.

Method 1: New Device Wizard IP Setup Step in Lightburn	Method 2: Device Edit Prompt in Lightburn:
Create\Edit the device, select Ethernet and then assign your selected IP, could be 192.168.1.100 (default) or your custom IP like 192.168.2.100	Or check the IP by going to Edit>Device Settings

Ok so you have completed the Pre-work and Configuration steps above but it is still not communicating. It could be the software configuration or even hardware(cable, machine port). See below for some troubleshooting steps.

-Check your IP of your connection to the computer, if it reads back a 169.168.xxx.xxx type IP then you have not configured the IP for the computer connection properly. To find your Computers IP, use the CMD window and the command "ipconfig". Sometimes you may have the IP configured right but still get the 169.168.xxx.xxx IP, try disabling and then enabling the connection in the Windows Network Connection window.

Check the cable connection if it is plugged in at both ends and the screen says "Lan Off" . Replace the cable if needed and follow this link to troubleshoot Ruida Communication issues. 

Lan Off (Lower Right Corner)	Lan On (Lower Right Corner)

-User has multiple Devices set up in Lightburn but has not selected the correct one in the Lightburn Laser Control Window.  Rename the Device to have "_Enet" in the name so it is easy to select, delete other unused devices vs just naming them all Ruida.

If the Laser does not connect to your computer, check this list of Common Things Missed

Ethernet Device Selected	USB Device Selected
User has multiple Devices set up in Lightburn but has not selected the correct one in the Lightburn Laser Control Window.  Rename the Device to have "_Enet" in the name so it is easy to select, delete other unused devices vs just naming them all Ruida.	Next to the Device Selection there should NOT be a dropdown for a comm port that usually says "(Auto)"

Kickstart The Communications	Ready in the Lightburn Laser Window
Right Click on the "Devices" button in the laser control window to kickstart the communications, if connected it will say "Ready" above the Pause button

-User did not set computer Ethernet connection to manual IP assignment or set IP correctly. Example for a 192.168.1.xxx network shown:

Double check your setup to make sure you did not assign the same IP of the Laser to your computer as well. In this example, the Computer is 192.168.1.101 and the machine would be 192.168.1.100

(Subnet mask can be 255.255.0.0 or 255.255.255.0, not 255.255.255.255)

-User did not change Laser machine IP (if needed). Use the screen on the Laser Machine to set the IP correctly (generally 192.168.1.100 or 192.168.2.100 but will vary by users network needs)

-User did not set up Lightburn Device with the correct IP to match what they set on the laser. Make sure the IP listed in Lightburn matches the IP listed on the Laser Control Screen

Lightburn Devices Window	Machine Control Screen
Must match what is set on the laser	Must match what is set in Lightburn

-Missed that pressing enter is used to save the machine IP settings on the machine, double check them again. If you set the numbers but then pressed the "ESC" button instead, they were likely not saved

-Ping the laser at the address you assigned to it. Here is a reference video on how to ping.

-Plug USB to Ethernet adapter as directly into the computer as possible, eliminating Hubs and other converters

-Try a different computer

-Turn off WIFI connection for your computer

-Verify no other device is assigned the same IP as your Laser. Turn the laser Machine completely off and "ping" the IP address you assigned to the laser, it should not respond. Here is a reference video on how to ping. If the PING responds with the machine off, then you have a duplicate IP setup and you need to change the Laser Machines IP and redo your configuration

If you are able to ping the controller IP but Lightburn will not connect, lets check this setting. You need to navigate to the Allowed Apps section of your Windows Defender Firewall settings

Ok, so here is a likely scenario. While you were addressing the laser and computer connections, you might have created a "Duplicate IP" scenario where say both devices were assigned the same 192.168.1.100 IP address for example. Well, there tends to be a lockout of that IP address so try this.

-Change the computer IP Address again, like add 2 to the last number, make it .103.

-Change the Machine IP Address again, like subtract two from it and make it .98

-Unplug the cable from the computer and Laser, plug the cable back in to both

-Then change the computer IP back to say .101 and the Machine IP back to say .100. Then confirm that the computer and Laser are talking in Lightburn.

If all of the above does not work, please email tech support at support@thunderlaserusa.com