Build Instructions

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• 1

  Step 1

  Intro

  This guide goes through the setup of both client and server. It was written with a Debian/Ubuntu GNU/Linux system in mind, however, all of the tools are common to all Linux distributions, instructions can easily be adapted (instructions will happily be accepted and added for other distributions).

  A deb package is available that automates steps 2 & 3, these are available from https://github.com/timsavage/usbip-tools/releases

  This solution uses USBIP to export the USB device and some UDEV rules to automate the exporting when a device is plugged in.
  

  Security

  A note on the security of this solution. usbipd does not include any security mechanisms, similar to other UNIX protocols (eg NFS). To make this solution secure some suggestions would be:

  • Configure your firewall rules to only allow access from white listed IPs
  • Configure usbipd to listen on localhost only and tunnel over SSH
• 2

  Step 2

  Server Setup

  Note: Before continuing ensure you do not have the Debian usbip package installed. This package is out of date and the project has since been merged into the kernel proper.

  Install the USBIP kernel module and tools:
  

  # Install the Linux tools package
  $ sudo apt install linux-tools-generic
  
  # Ensure the kernel module is inserted
  $ sudo modprobe usbip_host
  

  To ensure the module is loaded on restart add the following to the file /etc/modules-load.d/usbip-server-tools.conf
  

  # USBIP Host module loaded
  usbip_host
  

  Finally start the usbip daemon to export the devices:

  # Start USB IP as a daemon (-P will create a PID file /var/run/usbipd.pid)
  $ sudo usbipd -D -P
  

  Add UDEV rules to automatically export devices when they are plugged in, add the following to the file
  /etc/udev/rules.d/91-usbip-server-tools.rules

  # Auto bind any FTDI device (well any product that includes an FTDI interface).
  SUBSYSTEM=="usb" ATTRS{idVendor}=="0403" ATTRS{idProduct}=="6001" RUN+="/usr/bin/usbip bind -b $kernel"
  # Auto bind a USBTiny ISP
  SUBSYSTEM=="usb" ATTRS{idVendor}=="1781" ATTRS{idProduct}=="0c9f" RUN+="/usr/bin/usbip bind -b $kernel"
  

• 3

  Step 3

  Client Setup

  Install the USBIP kernel module and tools:

  # Install the Linux tools package
  $ sudo apt install linux-tools-generic
  
  # Ensure the kernel module is inserted
  $ sudo modprobe vhci-hcd
  

  To ensure the module is loaded on restart add the following to the file /etc/modules-load.d/usbip-client-tools.conf

  # USBIP Host module loaded
  vhci-hcd
  

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