Resolving VTube-LASER Measuring Device Connection Problems

If you experience increasing trouble with VTube-LASER connecting to a device, we recommend trying the following.

Idea 1 - PING TCP/IP DEVICES

• Some devices (METRONOR and HEXAGON) use TCP/IP at some stage of the connection to VTube-LASER. Open a CMD window, then attempt to ping the device using the known IP address for the connection. If the pings don't work, then a connection will not work.
• For the HEXAGON arm, the IP address of the arm will generally be 192.168.178.1.

Idea 2 - For FARO arms, when the Connection is Made But the DRO is not Changing

• If the DRO does not change when you move the FARO arm, then sometimes the problem is that the FARO arm has not located all the marker pulses in the encoders.  If you know that the marker pulses have been found, often clicking the VTube-LASER LED OFF and then back ON will solve the problem.

Idea 3 - Close and Reopen VTube-LASER

• This sometimes works for HEXAGN issues.

Idea 4 - Reboot the Device (HEXAGON or FARO)

• Rebooting HEXAGON or FARO arms may solve the problem. For HEXAGON AS1 scanners, the green light on the top of the scanner should stop blinking. Also, you will often hear a unique sound after a minute or two, indicating that it is ready.  When it is ready for a connection, the RJ45 port LED should be flashing several times a second.

Idea 5 - UNINSTALL and REINSTALL VTube-LASER

1. Uninstalling and reinstalling VTube-LASER usually fixes the problem. Use the "Add or remove programs" menu to uninstall VTube.  At uninstall, VTube will ask if you want to keep the configuration files. DO NOT DELETE OR  CLEAR THE CONFIGURATION FILES - or you must set up VTube-LASER again after installation. When VTube asks if you should deactivate VTube with our internet license server, then you can say "no."  The server will recognize the newly installed VTube-LASER automatically.
2. If you still experience problems, then please go ahead and redo the uninstall/reinstall, and let VTube DEACTIVATE the license with the internet license server.
3. This solution has worked with HEXAGON RDS and Metronor.

It may be that a virus/malware protection system is blocking VTube-LASER. Reinstalling then possibly clears the block.

Idea 6 - Perform a Clean Re-install of HEXAGON RDS 

• A clean uninstall / re-install of the HEXAGON RDS is the ultimate workaround for HEXAGON connection issues.  See this web page for how to perform this kind of re-install: https://advancedtubular.helpsite.com/articles/122757-hexagon-rds-clean-re-install

Idea 7 -  For Hexagon Arms

• Make sure the RDS Service is running. If it is not, click START in the RDS Control Panel

Idea 8 -  Changing the LAN IP address

• Make sure the IPv4 address matches what is inside the RDS Control Panel. 
• To edit this, go to Start > Settings > Network & internet > Ethernet > "Edit" the IPv4 address to 192.168.178.110