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Classroom Setup Guide

This guide is for teachers, TAs, and lab assistants who are setting up Cirkit Designer with physical microcontrollers for a class. Following this guide before class will prevent the most common issues students run into.

Pre-Class Checklist​

On Each Student Machine​

  1. Install the Cirkit Create Agent — download and install from Cirkit Designer. Ensure only one copy is installed
  2. Test the connection — open app.cirkitdesigner.com, confirm the agent is detected, and plug in an Arduino board to verify it shows up in the port list
  3. Allow browser permissions — when prompted, click Allow. If the prompt was previously dismissed or blocked, follow the Browser Permissions guide to reset
  4. Check USB cables — make sure every station has a data-capable USB cable (not charge-only). Label known-good cables if possible
  5. Verify drivers — if using clone Arduino boards (CH340 chip), ensure drivers are installed. See Board Not Detected for details

Network/IT Considerations​

  • The agent runs on localhost ports 8991–9000. If the school's firewall or endpoint security software blocks local port connections, work with IT to whitelist these
  • No internet traffic is sent to or from the agent — it only communicates between the browser and local USB devices
  • If student machines are reimaged or restored between sessions, the agent and its permissions may need to be set up again

During Class: Quick Triage​

When a student reports an issue, walk through this in order:

  1. Check browser permissions — did they block the prompt? See Browser Permissions
  2. Run the universal fix — close all agents, close all Cirkit tabs, restart one agent, open one tab. See Universal Fix
  3. Check the USB cable and port — swap the cable, try a different port
  4. Check drivers — especially relevant for clone boards

Most issues are resolved by steps 1 or 2.

Common Classroom Pitfalls​

  • Students opening multiple tabs — each tab tries to connect to the agent independently, which can cause conflicts. Instruct students to use only one Cirkit Designer tab at a time
  • Charge-only USB cables — these look identical to data cables but won't work. Pre-test cables and label or replace charge-only ones
  • Multiple agent installations — if students have installed the agent themselves previously, they may have multiple copies. The Universal Fix covers how to check for this
  • Shared computers with multiple user accounts — the agent may be installed under a different user's account. Install it system-wide or ensure it's installed for the correct user