Networking through USB

This page describes how to set up the networking through USB to avoid to use a RJ-45 wire (and a specific IP address) and a serial wire. As you have a network up between your computer and the fpgarm4u card, you will be able to connect to your card with SSH.

For this you need a special kernel image: uImage-2.6.24.7, with these kernel options enabled:

CONFIG_USB_GADGET=y
CONFIG_USB_GADGET_SELECTED=y
CONFIG_USB_GADGET_AT91=y
CONFIG_USB_AT91=y
CONFIG_USB_ETH=y
CONFIG_USB_ETH_RNDIS=y

Then the network interface on the FPGARM4U is usb0.

If it does not work when you boot the fpgarm4u, then you have to configure this new interface on the fpgarm4u by modifying the file /etc/network/interfaces. Add the following lines and reboot the card.

auto usb0
iface usb0 inet static
address 10.200.0.2
netmask 255.255.255.0
broadcast 10.200.0.255
metric 1
gateway 10.200.0.1
mtu 1500

It is possible to use this tool on GNU/Linux and Windows, but only with administrator rights.

GNU/Linux Operating System

On GNU/Linux, download fpgarm4u_usbnet.tar.bz2 and uncompress it; then run the usbnet.sh script.

Microsoft Windows Operating System

On Microsoft Windows, download fpgarm4u_usb_driver.inf. Then, plug the fpgarm4u card with the USB disk.

Windows will ask you to install a driver, tell it to use fpgarm4u_usb_driver.inf.

After that, you have to share your main connection to the network (usually Local Area Connection). Open the properties and go to the tab "Advanced".

1. Check the checkbox "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection".
2. Select the networking connection of the fpgarm4u (the device name is "Linux USB Ethernet/RNDIS Gadget").
3. Uncheck the checkbox "Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection".
4. Open the Properties and uncheck all.

Now, open the properties of the networking connection of the fpgarm4u that you selected.

1. In the tab "General", open the "TCP/IP Properties" and configure as below
   1. IP address : 10.200.0.1
   2. Subnet mask : 255.255.255.0
   3. Default gateway : write here the default gateway of your main connection (before Local Area Connection)
   4. DNS 1 : 128.178.15.227
   5. DNS 2 : 128.178.15.228
2. In the tab "Authentication", uncheck the checkbox "Enable IEEE 802.1x authentication for this network".

Open PuTTY or another SSH program and connect it to the address 10.200.0.2 .