HOME BUILT CNC ROUTER

I just picked up a home built CNC router. The issue is the wife sold it to me so i wasn't able to ask all the questions as the Husband who built it wasn't there. I can't seem to get into contact with him now.
inside the electrical enclosure has a arduino mega 2560 with a cnc shield, power supply and fan. It has a power toggle switch and 3 other buttons. 3 axis with nema 23 stepper motors. it all seems to be wired up correctly (assumption).
i have a few questions. i downloaded the Arduino software and GBRL. can't seem to get it connected. Maybe my windows 7 laptop is not compatible. There is also 2 USB cords coming out of the enclosure, i've been using the one that is directly coming from the Arduino, should i be using the one coming off of the CNC Shield? do i need to use both?

what do you all reccommend to get me started and going? i'm open to any and all software as i haven't used any of this before. Is there wire diagrams i can check to make sure this is wired correctly. Just starting out and i have no idea where to begin.

Please let me know if this is not the correct place to post this, i'm new to this forum.

Thank you all in advance!

Programs to run your machine:
bCNC
Universal Gcode Sender
SharpCNC Commander
Io Sender
...

You should use USB cable which is NOT connected to Mega 2560 board (seems that there is nothing connected on Mega board :D
It looks that your controller is Arduino Uno with CNC shield on top of it and all signal wiring is connected to that shield.

so i should not be using the USB cable coming off of the Arduino? i should be using the one coming out of the CNC Shield? the board on the Arduino says Mega 2560. should i be trying to connect using UNO in the arduino application instead of the Mega? the Arduino and CNC shield are on opposite sides of the enclosure. It looks as if the only thing connected to the Arduino is the USB cabel.

Under the CNC shield there is most likely (regarding the size) an Arduino UNO.
The GRBL software (version 1.1f or higher) communicates at a baudrate of 115k2, older version at 9k6
Grbl has a great Wiki https://github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki
for connecting: https://github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki/Connecting-Grbl
for starting https://github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl

On this picture it is obvious that Afduino Mega 2560 is NOT used https://www.cnczone.com/forums/attac...1&d=1616000747

Beneath the CNC Shield is an Arduino UNO https://www.cnczone.com/forums/attac...1&d=1616000747