[ale] USB port identification

Chris Fowler cfowler at outpostsentinel.com
Thu Nov 19 12:07:13 EST 2015


> From: "Jim Kinney" <jim.kinney at gmail.com>
> To: "Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux!" <ale at ale.org>
> Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2015 11:36:50 AM
> Subject: Re: [ale] USB port identification

> That's the PORT device ID not the device ID. That number changes on insertion
> until it rolls over (around 40 something I think). 148f:5370 is the device ID
> that is embedded in the device chip itself. It doesn't change.
Bingo. On my other two pieces of hardware that number DOES NOT change. Now I need to figure out if it is possible to identify the specific USB port a USB->Serial dongle is attached to on this hardware. 

I may be able to see an order at boot where if I have 4 USB ports on the hardware you must attach your devices in these ports by order. Meaning use the first one on the back first. No one will unplug and plug. They will always do that before a restart. I've instructed them to start from boot. Easier on me. 

All I need to do is see a pattern that occurs 100% at boot and I'll write scripts udev executes to figure it all out. 
If I can't figure out where the RT5370 is attached I may just abandon the support for station mode and make it an AP in any. 
AP mode is used when they need to access my device via IP, but: 

1. They are one a network where switchports are disabled and my device has been assigned 1. 
2. They have no LCD or keyboard. They took a train and have no car. 
3. The serial port that normally runs getty is pre-configured to monitor a serial device and getty is off. 

How would they access it? Borrow the workstation of someone onsite? Nope, plug this RTL8188CUS in the USB port and look for the SSID. The devices MAC address is the password and printed on a sticker on the box. Now they can use putty, firefox, chrome, etc to access the device and configure it. 
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