This is optional, but makes things more convenient.
Creating proper udev rules allows you to access your Smoothieboard without needing root privileges.
Create a file /etc/udev/rules.d/90-smoothie.rules and add the following to it:
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d50", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6015", MODE="0666"
SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d50", ATTRS{idProduct}=="6015", SYMLINK+="smoothie%n"
After you’ve done that, you need to reload the udev rules to get them working:
udevadm control --reload-rules
# or
sudo service udev restart # ubuntu
Then plug in Smoothie, and it should appear as /dev/smoothie0.
If you have two USB serial devices configured, the second one will be /dev/smoothie1.
Under Fedora, Smoothieboard is handled by the modem manager (as an Openmoko).
To avoid this, add the following to the udev rule:
ENV{ID_MM_DEVICE_IGNORE}="1"
If you want to be able to communicate with /dev/smoothie0 using your regular non-superuser login, then you need to add your user to the dialout group.
To be able to flash via DFU as a regular user, add the user to the plugdev group too.
This can be done with:
sudo adduser <username> dialout
sudo adduser <username> plugdev
or by editing the group file directly:
sudo vigr
and adding the username to the end of the line for dialout and plugdev.
To be able to communicate with the Smoothie on Arch Linux, you need to be in the uucp group:
usermod -a -G uucp <username>
Replace <username> with the name of your user.
To be able to upload firmware using make upload without needing to use sudo, you need the udev rule shown above.
It sets the permissions for all users to read/write (0666).
If your PID and VIDs are 0000, take a look at this forum post.
Some kernel versions may cause connection issues with Smoothieboard.
One user has found that one kernel version caused his machine to disconnect, while other kernel versions didn’t.
Here’s what his tests showed:
Linux octoprint 4.19.0-8-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.98-1 (2020-01-26) x86_64 GNU/Linux - worksLinux zen 5.3.18-2-pve #1 SMP PVE 5.3.18-2 (Sat, 15 Feb 2020 15:11:52 +0100) x86_64 GNU/Linux - disconnectsIf you have weird Linux issues where it disconnects, try a different kernel version and see if that helps.