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Guide OBDLink EX

Fix "No adapter found" with OBDLink EX and FORScan on Windows

Dan Newcomer Published

Difficulty
Beginner
Estimated time
30 minutes

"No adapter found" with a wired OBDLink EX in FORScan has three common explanations in the sources below: a missing USB driver, the wrong connection settings, or an adapter that needs a reset or firmware update. Work through them in that order, because the first two are quick and change nothing on the adapter. OBDLink's own support article describes the settings, reset and firmware steps, and FORScan forum posts fill in the driver side.

Safety: do all of this with the vehicle parked. Do not troubleshoot a laptop connection while driving.

Before you start

Three quick checks can save you time:

  • Your laptop's processor. FORScan's home page says its Windows version supports x86/x64 only, and that ARM is not supported. A Windows laptop with an ARM processor is a dead end for this software, whatever the adapter.
  • Your Windows version. OBDLink lists the EX as supported on Windows Vista or newer, connecting over USB 2.0.
  • Your vehicle. OBDLink says the EX has an electronic MS-CAN/HS-CAN switch for FORScan, and FORScan lists OBDLink EX among the adapters it supports for Ford MS CAN. That is a statement about the adapter, not a promise about your car, so confirm support for your exact vehicle and the function you need before you spend time on anything else.

Step 1: Close anything else using the adapter

OBDLink states that its adapters can only connect to one app at a time, and it names FORScan alongside its own OBDLink and OBDwiz apps as an example of programs that cannot run together. Close every OBD app, reopen only FORScan, and try again.

Step 2: Check the USB driver

In a 2021 post on the FORScan forum, the OBDLink support team said the USB drivers should normally install by themselves when you plug the EX in. If Windows reports "USB not recognized" or something similar, it suggested three fixes:

  1. Try a different USB port.
  2. Connect through a USB 2.0 hub.
  3. Install the FTDI USB driver by hand.

To see whether the driver is the problem, open Device Manager and switch the view to devices by connection. A FORScan forum contributor explains that Windows may install only a generic USB-to-serial entry for these adapters, and that a yellow triangle on that entry means the driver is not loaded, which can produce the "no adapter found" message.

If you see that triangle, get the FTDI Virtual COM Port driver from the Drivers page on OBDLink's site or from FTDI's own site, and run the installer. The same contributor advises restarting Windows before you carry on.

Step 3: Set the FORScan connection options

Open FORScan's settings (the gear icon) and go to the Connection tab. OBDLink's article gives two settings to check under the COM options:

  • Baud rate set to 115.2 Kbps
  • The Auto-increase box ticked

If FORScan asks whether to turn on Auto-increase, OBDLink recommends answering Yes.

Settings come up repeatedly as the cause. On the FORScan forum, one EX owner reported that "no adapter found" remained after firmware and software updates, and that changing the baud rate to 115.2 connected straight away. Another poster in an EX driver thread said the problem turned out to be their settings, even though the adapter showed a solid green light, so a green LED does not rule settings out.

Forum advice on the rest of this tab varies. One contributor recommends a connection type of FTDI or COM with COM settings on Auto and the HS/MS CAN option on Auto for the EX, while another lists connection type FTDI, baud rate 115200, Auto-increase on and auto-connect off. Those are user suggestions rather than manufacturer instructions, and COM on Auto differs from what OBDLink specifies. Start with OBDLink's two settings, then try the connection type if you are still stuck.

If you get a message saying FORScan needs the vehicle to be on, switch the ignition on with the vehicle parked. One forum user reported seeing that prompt, though OBDLink's article does not specify an ignition state.

Step 4: Factory reset the adapter

If the settings make no difference, OBDLink suggests a factory reset using its OBDLink USB Factory Reset tool, linked from the same support article:

  1. Unplug the adapter from both the vehicle and the PC.
  2. Plug it into the PC only.
  3. Run the reset tool. OBDLink says the LED should blink red rapidly several times and then return to steady yellow.
  4. Connect the adapter to the vehicle. The LED should now be steady green.
  5. Optionally, test the connection with OBDwiz, then close OBDwiz before opening FORScan.
  6. Check the Step 3 settings again.

OBDLink gives the same reset as the first remedy for a different message: "Error connecting: Error setting baud rate (FT_INVALID_BAUD_RATE)". If that is the error you see, go straight to this step.

Step 5: Update the firmware

If the reset does not help, OBDLink's next step is to check that the firmware is current. Its Windows procedure is short:

  1. Download the STN Firmware Updater from the link in OBDLink's firmware article and run the installer.
  2. Connect to your OBDLink adapter in the updater.
  3. Click Upload.
  4. When the updater shows the adapter is up to date, click Disconnect and close it.

A 2022 setup guide on the CyanLabs community forum adds two sensible precautions: use a computer with a reliable power source, and preferably have no other USB devices connected. So plug in your laptop's charger first. That guide also describes older updater versions and firmware numbers, so follow OBDLink's current instructions where they differ.

Only use firmware from OBDLink's own download pages. Links to files posted elsewhere are not worth the risk when the official source is available.

If it still will not connect

At this point, try to narrow down which part is failing:

  • Does OBDwiz connect? One forum poster reported that OBDwiz worked while FORScan did not, and that a firmware update made no difference. In that situation the adapter and driver are probably working, and FORScan's settings are the place to keep looking. This is a reasonable inference, not a guarantee.
  • Does another laptop connect? One user reported in 2024 that a Windows 11 laptop with USB-C failed while an older Windows 11 laptop with USB-A worked. Drivers, firmware and Windows updates did not change it for them. This is a single report and its cause was not established, but trying a second computer is an easy test.
  • Could the problem be on the vehicle side? In that same thread, a reply attributed to FORScan support said there was no active CAN bus on the adapter, and that either the connection or OBD-II port on the car was at fault or the adapter had died. Trying the adapter on another vehicle can help separate the two.

If none of these point to an answer, OBDLink's forum post directs you to contact its support team, and its site offers a downloadable troubleshooting guide. Have your Windows version, firmware version and exact error message to hand. OBDLink's product page states a 3-year warranty, so check your purchase details if the adapter seems to have failed.

Once you are connected

The CyanLabs guide suggests that after connecting you create the vehicle profile FORScan offers, and review the fault codes (DTC) page before making any changes. That way you know which codes were already there.

Sources

Written by an AI agent from the sources listed above and not checked by a technician. Confirm against your vehicle service information before acting on it.

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