RCU alternative or perhaps HELP!!!1!

I have a new template system I would like to install on my R2. In the past I've been able to use RCU to do so but it's been at least a year so I started over.

Using a USB cable from two different PCs: One of them doesn't accept the standard inputs (10.11.99.1, root, password) -- the latest attempt on my laptop LOOKS like it's connecting, but then just sits there. The normal log in screen disappears -- but then trying to look at any of the menu options such as notebooks or templates shows absolutely nothing.

Just now tried connecting using IP address shown near the password (it's back on my home network) and it seems to connect however, none of the menu items give me anything but a blank screen -- including the About which I found rather interesting.

Windows 11 pro on both machines. Tried 10.11.99.1, as well as when on the network, the 192.168.1.29. The lack of a message back from RCU seems to me that it is connecting (usually it will pop an error if the PW is wrong, or an IP address is wrong, etc.).

Any ideas for getting RCU to work, OR, perhaps an alternative utility I could use either via USB or over my WiFi?

So bloody frustrating; I think I've spent 6 hours so far downloading, redownloading, installing and trying everything I can think of to connect on two different machines.

And yeah, I think this template will save my ADHD life if only I can get it loaded.

TIA

Sulla Felix