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Troubleshooting

This is for USB cable links, and for serial cable links that are being used with a USB to serial converter.

It occasionally happens that a problem using a cable link can be fixed by getting Windows to use a different port number for the cable link or USB converter. We’re not sure why it works; perhaps the problem is caused by another device trying to use the same port number.

Open Device Manager as follows.

1. Under Windows 10 or 11, select Settings. In the main Settings window, there is a search box that says “Find a setting”. Type Device Manager into the search box and then select Device Manager from the list that appears. Under other versions of Windows, open a "Computer" window and select "Control Panel" (it may also be necessary to select "Performance and Maintenance" or “System and Security”) then “System”, “Hardware” and finally “Device Manager”.

2. Make sure View / Devices by type is selected.

3. In the list of devices, double click on "Ports (COM & LPT)".

4. This will produce additional lines in the list of devices, one for each port that the computer has. Each new line will be something like "Communications Port (COM1)”

5. If you are using a USB cable link, look for a port called “USB serial port” or similar. If you are using a USB to serial converter, look for a port called “Prolific USB serial port” or similar.

6. Right click on this device and select Properties / “Settings” or “Port Settings”, and then Advanced.

7. At the top of the dialogue there is a drop-down list of possible com ports, with an indication of whether each port number is already in use. Select a different port number (for DesignaKnit 7 this must be between 1 and 9, but can be any number up to 99 for DesignaKnit 8). Windows can mark a port as being in use when it had been used some time in the past but is no longer in use, so it is often ok to ignore the warning and select a port that Windows says is in use. If some other device stops working you will need to come back to this point and choose a different port number. Click OK, OK again, and close down Device Manager.

8. If your cable is in the following list, you should then be able to use Find Link to see if DesignaKnit 8 can detect the cable’s port number and to set the port in Knitting Machine Setup to that number.

   SilverLink 2, 4, or 5

   USB SilverLink 3

   USB BrotherLink 1, 3, or 5

   Serial BrotherLink 2, 4 or 5

   USB E6000Link 1 or 2

   Serial E6000Link 2

   Serial E8000Link

   USB or serial ScreenLink

If your cable is not in that list, then it will be necessary to enter the new port number manually in DesignaKnit’s knitting machine setup. One way to get there is Interactive Knitting / Options / Knitting machine and then click Setup.

9. Try using the link again.

Changing the Windows port number

To return to Cable Links Troubleshooting, click here.

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