Setting up Armbian on a Rock Pi 4B can be a straightforward process if you follow the right steps. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the initial setup, from logging in for the first time to installing essential software. Let’s dive in!
Logging in as Root
The first time you log in, use the username root
and the password 1234
. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new user, select your timezone, choose a shell, and set the locale.
Updating Packages
Before doing anything else, it’s crucial to update your packages. Open a terminal and run:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
This ensures you have the latest software and security updates.
Installing Software for ROCK Pi 23W PoE HAT
To fully utilize the ROCK Pi 23W PoE HAT, you’ll need to install some additional software. Here’s how:
-
Install necessary packages to build the mraa library:
apt update && \ apt -y install git build-essential swig4.0 python3-dev libnode-dev cmake libjson-c-dev
-
Download the “user overlay” from Radxa:
mkdir -p /boot/overlay-user cd /boot/overlay-user curl -sL https://rock.sh/rockpi-poe-dtbo -o rockpi-poe.dtbo
-
Update
/boot/armbianEnv.txt
:Add the following line to enable the overlay:
user_overlays=rockpi-poe
-
Compile and install mraa packages:
cd ~ git clone https://github.com/eclipse/mraa mkdir mraa/build cd mraa/build cmake .. \ -DPYTHON3_INCLUDE_DIR=$(python3 -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_path('include'))") \ -DPYTHON3_LIBRARY=$(python3 -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR'))") make -j7 # Adjust based on available cores+1 make install ldconfig
-
Install the PoE package from Radxa:
cd /tmp wget https://cos.setq.me/rockpi/deb/rockpi-poe-0.13.deb dpkg -i rockpi-poe-0.13.deb systemctl enable rockpi-poe.service
-
Reboot the device:
reboot
After the reboot, the fan should spin rapidly and then slow down, indicating that it is working correctly.
-
Check the service status:
Run the following command to ensure the service is active:
systemctl status rockpi-poe.service
You should see an output similar to this:
● rockpi-poe.service - Rockpi PoE-FAN Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/rockpi-poe.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Sat 2024-06-22 21:24:47 +08; 3min 8s ago Main PID: 11117 (python3) Tasks: 1 (limit: 4447) Memory: 4.6M CPU: 182ms CGroup: /system.slice/rockpi-poe.service └─11117 /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/rockpi-poe.py start
Enable PCIe Gen2 mode to get max speed
By default, the PCIe on the Rock Pi 4B runs in Gen1 mode to ensure maximum compatibility. However, if you’ve confirmed that your NVMe drive is working well, you can enable PCIe Gen2 mode to significantly boost its speed, achieving read/write speeds of over 1000MB/s.
To enable PCIe gen2 mode, add the following lines to /boot/armbianEnv.txt
:
overlays=rk3399-pcie-gen2
After saving the changes, reboot your Rock Pi 4B. This will apply the new configuration and you should see a noticeable increase in NVMe performance.
Changing the Hostname
Customizing your device’s hostname can make it easier to identify on your network. To change the hostname, use the following command:
hostnamectl set-hostname new-host-name
Replace new-host-name
with your desired hostname.
Set a Static IP
Setting a static IP in Armbian is straightforward. Follow these simple steps:
-
Open
/etc/network/interfaces
file and modify the configuration:-
For a wired connection (
eth0
):auto eth0 iface eth0 inet static address 192.168.1.100 netmask 255.255.255.0 gateway 192.168.1.1 dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
-
For a wireless connection (
wlan0
):auto wlan0 iface wlan0 inet static address 192.168.1.100 netmask 255.255.255.0 gateway 192.168.1.1 wpa-ssid "YourSSID" wpa-psk "YourPassword" dns-nameservers 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4
-
-
Restart networking:
systemctl restart networking
-
Verify the configuration:
ip addr show eth0
(Replace eth0
with your interface name if different.)
Copying SSH Key to Server
For secure, password-less login, copy your SSH key to the server:
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/mykey user@host
Replace ~/.ssh/mykey
with the path to your SSH key and user@host
with your server’s username and address.
Installing Tailscale
Tailscale is a useful tool for creating secure networks. Here’s how to install and set it up:
-
Install Tailscale:
curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
-
Start Tailscale:
tailscale up
If you encounter the error
failed to connect to local tailscaled
, reboot the system and try starting Tailscale again.
By following these steps, you’ll have your Rock Pi 4B running Armbian smoothly and efficiently. Happy hacking!