Ch340 Driver Linux

Manfrys

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Jun 15, 2024

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CH340 Driver for Linux

The CH340 is a popular USB-to-Serial converter chip often found in devices like Arduino boards, GPS modules, and other microcontroller-based projects. This chip requires a driver to be installed on your Linux system in order to properly communicate with the device.

Installing the CH340 Driver on Linux

1. Identify the Kernel Version:

First, you need to determine the Linux kernel version you are running. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

uname -r

2. Download the Appropriate Driver:

The CH340 driver is available for download from various sources. You can find the latest driver version on the CH340 official website. Ensure you download the driver file for your specific kernel version.

3. Extract the Driver Files:

Once you have downloaded the driver file, extract it to a suitable location on your system. Typically, you will find a .tar.gz or .tar.bz2 archive.

4. Install the Driver:

Depending on your Linux distribution, there are a few ways to install the driver:

a. Using the cp command:

• Copy the driver file (ch341.ko) to the drivers/usb/serial directory in your Linux kernel source tree.
• Run the following commands:

  sudo cp ch341.ko /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/usb/serial/
  sudo depmod -a
  sudo modprobe ch341
  

b. Using dkms (Dynamic Kernel Module Support):

• This is a more convenient way to manage drivers, especially if you frequently update your kernel.
• Install the dkms package on your system:

  sudo apt install dkms (for Debian/Ubuntu)
  sudo yum install dkms (for Fedora/CentOS)
  

• Create a DKMS directory for the CH340 driver:

  sudo dkms add -m ch341 -v 1.0.0 
  

• Build the driver:

  sudo dkms build -m ch341 -v 1.0.0
  

c. Using a package manager (for some distributions):

• Some Linux distributions might have pre-built packages for the CH340 driver.
• Check your distribution's package repository and install the appropriate package if available. For example:

  sudo apt install ch341-driver (for Debian/Ubuntu)
  sudo yum install ch341-driver (for Fedora/CentOS)
  

5. Verify Driver Installation:

After installing the driver, you can verify its successful installation by running the following command:

lsmod | grep ch341

If the driver is successfully loaded, you should see an output similar to:

ch341             16384  0 

6. Test the Device:

Finally, plug in your CH340-based device and test if it's working properly. You can use a terminal emulator like minicom or screen to communicate with the device.

Troubleshooting

• If you encounter issues, make sure you are using the correct driver version for your kernel.
• Ensure you have proper permissions to write to the kernel directory.
• If the driver is not loading, check the system logs for any error messages.

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully install the CH340 driver on your Linux system and enjoy using your CH340-based devices.