Frequently Asked Question

Connecting to your ActivBoard
Last Updated 2 months ago

Landmark Baptist School — Classroom Board Setup Guide

Follow this step-by-step guide to connect your laptop, project your screen, and use the interactive pen.

BEFORE YOU START: Choose Your Laptop Setup & Cable

You can place your laptop in one of two locations in the classroom:

Option A: At the Board (Cart/Stand)

  • Unplug the board cable from the wall outlet next to the board.
  • Plug that cable directly into your laptop.

Option B: At Your Teacher Desk

  • Make sure the board cable is plugged INTO the wall outlet by the board.
  • Connect your desk wall port to your laptop using:
    • USB-A to USB-A cable (if your laptop has square USB ports)
    • USB-A to USB-C cable (if your laptop has oval USB ports)

Step 1 Power On Your Classroom Hardware

  1. Turn on the Projector: Press the red/green Power button on the projector remote. Allow 1–2 minutes for the projector bulb to warm up fully.
  2. Turn on the Board: Locate the power button on the front or side control panel of the board and press it. Verify the power light turns on.
???? [PHOTO PLACEHOLDER]
Show photos pointing to the power button on the projector remote and the power button on the Promethean board control panel.

Step 2 Connect the USB Cable

Follow the steps for your preferred setup location:

If working directly at the board:

Plug the thick cable hanging from the side of the board directly into your laptop's USB port (use a USB-C adapter if your laptop only has oval ports).

If working at your teacher desk:

  1. Walk up to the board and confirm the cable coming out of the side of the board is firmly plugged into the wall outlet right next to the board.
⚠️ CRITICAL NOTE: If this cable is unplugged at the board, the wall port at your desk will not work at all!
  1. Go to your desk and take your connection cable (USB-A to USB-A or USB-A to USB-C).
  2. Plug End 1 into the wall port near your desk.
  3. Plug End 2 into your computer.
???? [PHOTO PLACEHOLDER]
Side-by-side comparison photos showing: 1) Cable plugged directly into board, and 2) Board cable plugged into the wall outlet next to the board.

Step 3 Required Software Setup (One-Time Only)

To display video and use the interactive pen, your laptop must have background driver software installed:

Which laptop are you using?

???? [VIDEO / GIF PLACEHOLDER]
Short video clip or animated GIF showing how to click "Next" through the installer wizard.

Step 4 Configure Your Screen Display (Windows & Mac)

Once connected, select how you want your screen to show on the board:

???? Windows Laptops

  1. Press the Windows Key (⊞) + P on your keyboard.
  2. A menu will slide out on the right side of your screen.
  3. Click Duplicate (Recommended) to mirror your screen, or Extend to use the board as a second monitor.

???? Apple Mac Laptops

  1. Click the Apple Logo () → System Settings (or System Preferences).
  2. Click Displays in the side menu.
  3. Choose Mirror Built-in Display (to duplicate) or Use as Separate Display (to extend).
???? [SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER]
Annotated screenshots showing the Windows + P sidebar menu on the left and the Mac Displays control panel on the right.

Step 5 Calibrate the Interactive Pen

If your pen touches one spot on the board but the mouse pointer appears somewhere else, follow these steps to realign it:

  1. Locate the ActivDriver icon (looks like a small person holding a wand or a board icon):
    • Windows: Bottom-right corner of your screen near the clock (click the small ^ arrow if hidden).
    • Mac: Top-right menu bar near the clock.
  2. Click the icon and select Calibrate.
  3. Walk up to the board with your interactive pen.
  4. Calibration crosshairs ( + ) will appear on the board screen one at a time.
  5. Firmly tap the exact center of each crosshair with the pen tip until the setup finishes.
???? [VIDEO / GIF PLACEHOLDER]
Short demonstration showing where to click the system tray icon and how to tap the calibration crosshairs on the board.

Step 6 Adjusting Audio / Sound Settings

If video works but sound plays out of your laptop speakers instead of the classroom board/speakers:

???? Windows Laptops

  1. Click the Speaker icon (????) in the bottom-right corner by the clock.
  2. Click the small arrow next to the volume slider.
  3. Select DisplayLink Audio or your Board/Projector device.

???? Apple Mac Laptops

  1. Click the Control Center icon in the top-right menu bar.
  2. Click Sound.
  3. Select DisplayLink Audio or your Board/Projector device.
???? [SCREENSHOT PLACEHOLDER]
Screenshots highlighting the audio selection dropdown menu on Windows and Mac.

???? Quick Troubleshooting Checklist

Issue What to Check
No picture or "No Signal" 1. Is the projector powered on?
2. If working at your desk, is the cable at the board plugged into the wall outlet next to the board?
3. Are both ends of your USB cable firmly plugged in?
Pen clicks off-target Follow Step 5 above to calibrate the pen targets.
Touch / Pen not responding Verify ActivDriver is running on your laptop. If using a Landmark school laptop, email itsupport@lbcgj.com to ensure drivers are installed.
No audio from board Follow Step 6 to change your sound output device to DisplayLink Audio.
Need additional assistance? Contact IT Support at itsupport@lbcgj.com.
Help Topics
Teaching Infrastructure

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