Overview

The Leica 3D Disto connects to your PC or tablet via USB, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi depending on your model. If the software cannot detect the instrument, work through the steps below before contacting support.

General Checks (All Connection Types)

• Ensure the 3D Disto is powered on and the display is active.
• Confirm the 3D Disto software is installed and your license key is valid. An expired or missing license may prevent the software from initialising connections.
• Restart both the 3D Disto instrument and the PC/tablet before troubleshooting further.
• Check that you are running the software as administrator (right-click → Run as administrator).

USB Connection

USB is the simplest and most reliable connection method. If the instrument is not detected:

1. Try a different USB cable — cable faults are a common culprit.
2. Try a different USB port on your PC.
3. Check Device Manager (Windows) for any driver errors. The 3D Disto should appear as a recognised device. If you see a yellow warning triangle, the driver may need to be reinstalled — download it from the Leica Learning Centre.
4. Avoid USB hubs if possible — connect directly to the PC.

Bluetooth Connection

1. Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your PC or tablet (Windows Settings → Bluetooth & devices).
2. Put the 3D Disto into pairing mode (refer to your hardware quick guide).
3. In Windows, pair the device before opening the 3D Disto software. Once paired, open the software and select the Bluetooth COM port in the connection settings.
4. If the COM port is not listed, check Device Manager → Ports (COM & LPT) to find the assigned port number.
5. Remove and re-pair the device if the connection was previously working but has stopped.

Wi-Fi Connection

1. The 3D Disto creates its own Wi-Fi access point. Connect your PC/tablet to the 3D Disto's Wi-Fi network (SSID will be something like 3DDisto_XXXX) before launching the software.
2. Do not connect to another network while using the Wi-Fi connection — your PC needs to remain on the 3D Disto network.
3. If the network doesn't appear, power cycle the instrument and wait 30 seconds for the access point to initialise.
4. Ensure Windows Firewall is not blocking the 3D Disto software. You may need to add an exception for the application.

Software Cannot Find the Instrument (Any Connection)

• In the 3D Disto software, go to Settings → Connection and verify the correct port/connection type is selected.
• Close any other applications that may be holding the COM port open.
• If you recently upgraded from v5 to v6, ensure you're using the correct v6 connection settings — some defaults changed between versions.

Still Not Connecting?

Open a support ticket at support.advanceddimensions.com. Please include: your OS version, connection type, 3D Disto serial number, and a description of what you see in the software when the connection fails.