raspberry pi zero - connecting over usb (RNDIS Gadget)

optiluca

Hi all. I'm really struggling to connect to a raspberry pi zero over usb (whereby the usb connection gets treated like an ethernet connection, which I can then bridge to my internet connection if needed).

The setup should be easy:

http://blog.gbaman.info/?p=791

but it's not turning out that way!

I've added the kernel modules, and indeed when I plug the raspberry pi I now get.

Ant P. · Watchman Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 6920

If you have a properly configured mDNS/Avahi setup (which it's implied you are, since you said you're using .local addresses) then there's no need for IPv4 to ssh; the v6 link-local addresses should work just the same. It sounds like something else is going wrong.

optiluca · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:09 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the pointer :-)

After setting /etc/nsswitch.conf as per https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Avahi (IPV6 settings) - I can get a connection:

Ant P. · Watchman Joined: 18 Apr 2009 Posts: 6920

You'll probably have to force it to not use udev device names. The kernel ought to name it "usb0" or similar.

pac1 · Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2018 11:13 pm Post subject:

I too am struggling with the Raspberry Pi Zero. I want to connect to the Pi via SSH and have a working internet connection through the usb-ethernet connection.

I'd like to come up with something comprehensive that address the various issues encountered and provides a smooth path for anyone trying this for the first time.

Issues encountered:
- Local Only IP Addresses can't be bridged
- Breaking the main Network Manager connection
- Repeated connect and disconnect messages from Network Manager
- Strange behaviour by certain NICs
- Changing IP and MAC addresses with each reboot
- Using DHCP or Using Static Addresses
- Timing the loading and use of g_ether module on the PI so we don't end up with a random MAC address
- Routing packets from the USB Ethernet connection to the WAN.

There are several individuals in a thread on the Raspberry Pi forum, working on this from various perspectives and with varying skillsets.

You can find a thread of posts on the Raspberry Pi forums under the title
Need Help Improving Zero USB Ethernet Gadget setup / HOWTO

Here's a link to the post: https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=168285

I'm working on a bash script, others prefer python. There's always more than one way to do
Here's my git project: https://github.com/callahanp/raspberrypi-zero-usb-ssh-internet it is currently incomplete.
There are others referred to in the Raspberry Pi Forum Thread.

I don't think there's a comprehensive answer yet, but there are people who have been successful configuring the pi and the connection to achieve a fully connectable Pi-Zero using the following techniques:

- Starting the g_ether module only after the main computer has fully booted and connected to the internet. This has been done by loading g_ether after a timed delay.
- Assigning static mac addresses for both ends of the USB connection.
- Using DHCP to assign ip addresses to both ends of the USB connection
- Using a bridge or IP Masqerade to get the pi on the internet. Note that Local only connections apparently can't be used.
- ssh to the pi is done using the pi's IP address. We can probably configure things to use the pi's hostname with some routing magic.

I think there's several scripts involved:

1. Configure the pi
2. Configure the host
3. Load the module on the pi and get things going
4. Do anything on the host that needs doing after the pi starts up.