Startup Guide for Linux Intel Edison Users
What to expect from this guide:
- Understand the basics of Intel® Edison.
- Connect to Edison through a terminal and check firmware.
Edison Overview:
The Intel® Edison is a versatile low power module with wireless connectivity, digital and analog IO’s, and a Linux based operating system called Yocto.
Resources:
- Help through IDZ Forum: here
- Arduino Expansion Board Hardware Guide: here
- Edison Breakout Board Hardware Guide: here *Note: For Edison Pinout see page 9
- Introduction to Yocto: here
Other Guides:
- Eclipse (C/C++) IDE Instructions: here
- Intel® XDK (Java) Instructions: here
- Arduino IDE Instructions: here
Required Hardware:
- Intel® Edison board
- Edison Breakout/Expansion Board, Arduino or similar
- 2 Micro B to Type A USB cables
- OR
- 1 Micro B to Type A USB cable and 7-15V DC supply.
Important Note:
*Only have 1 USB cable and no DC supply? It’s highly recommended you purchase another Micro B to Type A USB cable for debugging, but in the meantime, you can try out the board using the Arduino IDE by going here
Guide Index:
- Assemble
- Connect
- Communicate
- Choose your IDE
Assemble
At the end of this section you should have an assembled Edison board, which should look similar to this (Edison with Arduino Expansion Board shown):
1. Place the Edison board within the white outline on your expansion board (Arduino expansion board shown), lining up the holes on the Edison board with the screws on the expansion board.
2. Press down on the Edison chip just below the words "What will you make?" until you feel a snap.
3. Use the two hex nuts to secure the module to the expansion board. Hand-tighten the hex nuts onto the two screws that protrude through the Edison board.
4. If your expansion/breakout board has plastic legs or spacers, now is a good time to add those.
Connect
At the end of this section your Edison will be connected to your computer via USB cable powered either through the USB cable (Option A) or through a DC supply (Option B).
Important Note:
*Only have 1 USB cable and no DC supply? It’s highly recommended you purchase one (Micro B to Type A) for debugging, but in the meantime, you can try out the board using the Arduino IDE by going here
Option A-
Option B-
Important Notes:
*Edison has two USB ports, the middle port (as shown on the Arduino Expansion Board) serves for:
- Power through USB
- Ethernet over USB
- Uploading Arduino Sketches
- Storage device (like a flash drive), used for updating the Firmware
The edge port is used for a terminal connection by Serial over USB only. It doesn’t provide power.
*Some laptops may not provide enough power for Edison when using Option A, and plugging in your laptop to its power supply may work. If it doesn’t, also try different USB ports on your laptop.
* If you are going to use more power intensive features such as WIFI, the mini servo, or an Arduino shield, it is recommended to use a 7 to 15V DC input.
Option A: Power through USB
1. For Arduino expansion board: Find the microswitch SW1 (shown below) in between the larger and smaller USB ports on the expansion board and switch the microswitch towards the micro-USB (smaller) ports, if it isn't already.
2. Power up the Edison board.
a. Plug one of the micro-USB cables into the middle USB connector on the expansion board.
b. Connect the other end of the USB cable into your computer.
c. A green light should light up on the expansion board. If it doesn't, check your connection.
3. Wait a moment for the Edison board to boot up. You will know that the Edison is fully initialized when your computer mounts a new drive (much like inserting a SD card into your computer).
4. Plug in your second USB cable to the edge USB connector on one end, and to your computer on the other. It should look like this:
Troubleshooting Tip: Do not see a new drive and the LED light (DS1 on the Arduino Expansion board) is occasionally turning on and off? If so, it’s likely that Edison isn’t getting enough power from that USB port. In that case, plug in your AC adapter (if you’re on a laptop), try a different USB port on your computer, or try using a USB hub that has its own power supply.
Option B: Power through DC Plug
1. Plug in the DC power supply to the DC Plug on your expansion board.
2. You should see a green light from the Edison indicating it has power.
3. Plug one of the micro-USB cables into the edge USB connector on the expansion board.
4. Connect the other end of the USB cable into your computer. It should look like this:
Communicate
At the end of this section you will have connected to Edison through a terminal, and checked whether your firmware is up to date.
1. If you haven't already, install the "screen" shell session manager by entering the following in the Terminal:
sudo apt-get install screen
2. Launch the Terminal.
3. Connect to your board by entering:
sudo screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200
4. You may be asked for your root password, If so, type in your root password and press Enter.
5. When you see a blank screen, press the Enter key twice.
6. You should see a login screen.
7. At the login prompt, type "root" and press Enter.
8. The password is empty so just press Enter.
9. Now it should look similar to this:
10. Type in "configure_edison --help" command, then press Enter.
11. If you see "configure_edison: not found", you will need to update the firmware of the board to continue. Instructions to update the firmware are found here.
12. To further configure your Edison name, password, and wifi, run the “configure_edison” command. Naming convention is important in an environment with multiple devices, e.g., Edisons.
13. After completion of “configure_edison”, run “ifconfig” from your prompt, and make note of your “wlan0” IP address. If you need additional assistance, go to Step 5here.
14. Congratulations! You have setup the terminal communication to Edison. You can try out some common Linux commands to get familiar with the system. Lists of common Linux commands can be found by Googling “basic linux commands”.
Choose your IDE (Integrated Development Environment)