I'll start at the end, where I think the final bit of trouble is :


With the ESS plugin installed and and Camtronics XML file also installed, if I go into Mach 3 menu - Plugin Control / ESS... Ethernet IP Setup/ I see that the Smoothstepper board's IP address is 255.255.255.255 and everything else, including the MAC address is blank. If I correct the IP address and close the menu, and immediately reopen it, the 255.... address is back

I have a second network card installed and used Warp9's SCU to ensure the NIC address was ok ( 10.9.9.2) and the ESS address was at its default value ( 10.9.9.9 ). Lots of good pings.

The ESS LED's are solid and blinking as described in the warp9 Youtube video ( although the blinking LED looks to be blinking about twice per second.)

The computer is a brand new desktop running Windows 10. The CNC control box built buy Camtronic with the ESS and Gecko G540. I have had some really quirky Win10 issues so I'm not sure if that's my problem here or something else.

Firewall turned off temporarily but Mach3 allowed both private and public when turned on.

Network card IP4 properties : IP 10.9.9.2, Subnet 255.255.255.0, Default Gateway 10.9.9.9, WINS - Disabled Netbios over TCPIP

I hear a very muted "Thunk" when I start Mach3. I get something like that on my other, older CNC control box using older Gecko's and parallel port breakout board so the sound makes me somewhat hopeful that there's some communication happening.

I'm stumped. Any help would be gratefully accepted.

I'd suggest reposting on the Warp9 forum and Andy will walk you through the setup (if required) the 255.255.255 is a bug and to be ignored.
http://www.warp9td.com/index.php/kunena/index


The suggested route is to use the SCU tool for the setup and get the pings etc.
http://www.warp9td.com/index.php/gettingstarted/setting-up-my-pc

Thanks Robert.

I think I now have it under control. I talked to Dan at Camtronics and he walked me through a couple of setting changes. Plus, the Jog setting on the new installation was set to "Off". This was something that I had not used in over 10 years with my other Mach3 mill setup so that really took my by surprise. I'm not completely there yet but I'm on the right track.

Thanks again.