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# USB/IP

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From the USB/IP site:

  USB/IP Project aims to develop a general USB device sharing system over IP network. To share USB devices between computers with their full functionality, USB/IP encapsulates "USB I/O messages" into TCP/IP payloads and transmits them between computers.

## Installation

Install the usbip package.

## Usage

### Server setup

The server should have the physical USB device connected to it, and the `usbip_host` USB/IP kernel module loaded. Then start and enable the USB/IP systemd service `usbipd.service`. The daemon will accept connections on TCP port 3240.

List the connected devices:

    $ usbip list -l

Bind the required device. For example, to share the device having busid 1-1.5:

Note: The device needs to be bound again after suspending.

    # usbip bind -b 1-1.5

To unbind the device:

    # usbip unbind -b 1-1.5

After binding, the device can be accessed from the client.

#### Binding with systemd service

In order to make binding persistent following systemd template unit file can be used:

    /etc/systemd/system/usbip-bind@.service

    [Unit]
    Description=USB-IP Binding on bus id %I
    After=network-online.target usbipd.service
    Wants=network-online.target
    Requires=usbipd.service
    #DefaultInstance=1-1.5

    [Service]
    Type=simple
    ExecStart=/usr/bin/usbip bind -b %i
    RemainAfterExit=yes
    ExecStop=/usr/bin/usbip unbind -b %i
    Restart=on-failure

    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target

So, e.g., to share the device having busid 1-1, one should start/enable `usbip-bind@1-1.service`.

### Client setup

Make sure the `vhci_hcd` kernel module is loaded.

Then list devices available on the server:

    $ usbip list -r server_IP_address

Attach the required device. For example, to attach the device having busid 1-1.5:

    $ usbip attach -r server_IP_address -b 1-1.5

Tip: To connect to an alternate TCP port use `--tcp-port port`.

### Disconnecting devices

A device can be disconnected only after detaching it on the client.

List attached devices:

    $ usbip port

Detach the device:

    $ usbip detach -p port_number

Unbind the device on the server:

    $ usbip unbind -b busid

Note: USB/IP by default requires port 3240 to be open. If a firewall is running, make sure that this port is open. For detailed instruction on configuring the firewall, go to Category:Firewalls.

## Tips and tricks

### Binding by vendor/device ID

If bus ids are inconsistent and dynamically assigned at each system boot, binding by vendor/device ID can be used alternatively:

    /etc/systemd/system/usbip-bind@.service

    [Unit]
    Description=USB-IP Binding device id %I
    After=network-online.target usbipd.service
    Wants=network-online.target
    Requires=usbipd.service

    [Service]
    Type=simple
    ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "/usr/sbin/usbip bind --$(/usr/sbin/usbip list -p -l | grep '#usbid=%i#' | cut '-d#' -f1)"
    RemainAfterExit=yes
    ExecStop=/bin/sh -c "/usr/sbin/usbip unbind --$(/usr/sbin/usbip list -p -l | grep '#usbid=%i#' | cut '-d#' -f1)"
    Restart=on-failure

    [Install]
    WantedBy=multi-user.target

So, e.g., to share the device having vendor/device ID 0924:3d68, one should start/enable `usbip-bind@0924:3d68.service`.

Note: Such a binding method cannot work correctly for multiple devices with the same vendor/device ID.

Then client setup will be like this:

- Linux clients

    $ usbip attach -r server_IP_address --$(/usr/sbin/usbip list -p -r server_IP_address | grep '#usbid=0924:3d68#' | cut '-d#' -f1)

Note: If the previous command fails, check if -p flag in `usbip list -p -r server_IP_address` is working properly. If not, use the following line instead:

    $ usbip attach -r server_IP_address -b $(/usr/sbin/usbip list -p -r server_IP_address | grep '0924:3d68' | cut '-d:' -f1 | awk '{print $1}')

- Windows clients

    c:\> for /f "tokens=1 delims=:, " %a in ('usbip list -r server_IP_address ^| findstr /r /c:"0924:3d68"') do start usbip attach -r server_IP_address -b %a

### Sharing devices configured with files in /etc/..

usbip-systemdAUR provides systemd service files for binding by vendor/device id and for connecting by hostname and vendor/device id.

#### Server setup

For each device create a device.conf in `/etc/usbip/bind-devices/` with USBIP_DEVICE set to the vendor/product id, e.g.:

    /etc/usbip/bind-devices/example-device.conf

    USBIP_DEVICE=0924:3d68

To bind a cofigured device start/enable the service `usbip-bind@example-device.service`

#### Client setup

For each host/device create a device.conf in `/etc/usbip/remote-devices/` with HOST set and USBIP_DEVICE set to the vendor/product id, e.g.:

    /etc/usbip/remote-devices/example-device.conf

    USBIP_HOST=example-host
    USBIP_DEVICE=0924:3d68

Make sure your server is running and the configured device is bound, then start or stop the service `usbip@example-device.service`

## See also

- Official USB/IP project site
- Linux Kernel "README for usbip-utils"
- "How To Setup and use USB/IP"
- "USB/IP for Windows"
- usbip(8)
- usbipd(8)

Category:

- Storage