Getting Started

For Axon, Vicharak has provided all the necessary accessories and information to get started with the board. This section will guide you through the initial setup process and provide you with the necessary information to get started with Axon.

What’s in the box?

1. Axon

2. PD cable

3. Pre-installed eMMC

What else do you need?

1. Micro HDMI to HDMI cable or adapter

2. USB Keyboard and Mouse

3. Monitor with HDMI input

4. USB-C to USB-A Male cable (optional)

5. SD-card (optional)

6. Internet Connection (optional)

7. USB to UART Serial Cable (optional)

Note

The items listed above are not included in the box.
You can purchase them from the Axon Accessories page.

Getting Started with eMMC

Turning board on

Axon comes pre-loaded with Ubuntu (Jammy) operating system on its eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) storage, and it offers support for SD-card boot mode.

If users wish to explore different operating systems, they must utilize the appropriate firmware to program the board accordingly.

In the boot priority, SD-card takes the highest precedence, followed by eMMC. In practical terms, if there’s a SD-card attached to Axon, it will initiate the boot process from it. In the absence of an SD-card, the default boot destination becomes the eMMC storage.

For the purpose of this guide, we will focus on the eMMC storage and the pre-installed Ubuntu (Jammy), omitting detailed instructions for SD-card boot configurations.

Connect the PD cable to the Axon board and the PD adapter to the power socket. Once the power is connected, the board will automatically turn on.

Danger


12V Power Input only! Do not use 5V power input.

Using a 12V power input is crucial for the proper functioning of the Axon.
The board is designed to operate with a 12V power supply, and using a 5V power
input may lead to instability and potential damage.
Ensure that you use the provided 12V/5A Power Adapter with PD cable to
power the Axon SBC.
../../../_images/axon-power-option.webp

Axon is pre-installed with Ubuntu (Jammy) on its eMMC storage. So, when you power on the board, it will boot from the eMMC storage by default.

Warning

Remove SD-card if inserted

Verify the power LED

Upon connecting the power cable, the activation of the Red LED serves as an immediate visual indicator of the board’s power status. This LED signifies that the Axon is receiving power, and its illumination provides users with a tangible confirmation of the successful power connection.

../../../_images/axon-power-led.webp

Verify the status LED

The activation of the white LED, marked by a blinking pattern, signifies the completion of the booting process. This visual cue assures users that the Axon has successfully booted from its storage medium and is ready for further configuration.

../../../_images/axon-leds.webp

Warning


Please ensure you wait for the system to complete its reboot.
This is necessary because the system requires configuration adjustments
before you proceed to the next step. Taking the time to allow the system to
finish restarting ensures that it is fully set up for the subsequent tasks.

Available Boot Modes

Booting from SD card

To boot from SD card, please follow below document.

How to access your Axon board ?

There are multiple ways to access your Axon. You can connect the Axon SBC to a monitor using the micro HDMI port, or you can connect it to your computer headless using SSH or serial console.

For the initial setup process, we recommend connecting the Axon to a monitor using the micro HDMI port. Once the initial setup is complete, you can connect the Axon to your computer using the USB-C port.

Note

If you want to access the serial console, Skip to the Serial Console section.

If you want to access the Axon using SSH, Skip to the SSH section.

1. Using Micro HDMI port

Axon is equipped with two micro HDMI ports, which allows for easy connection to a display. By using a micro HDMI to HDMI cable or adapter, users can connect Axon to a monitor or TV with an HDMI input.

This enables direct visual access to the graphical user interface (GUI) or command-line interface (CLI) on the connected display.

../../../_images/axon-hdmi.webp

Connect the Micro HDMI to HDMI cable to the Axon and the monitor. Once the cable is connected, the Axon will automatically detect the monitor and display the output.

Check out Linux Start Guide

Once the Axon is connected to the monitor, you can follow the Linux Start Guide to complete the initial setup.

2. Using Serial Console

Axon also provides a serial interface, typically in the form of UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter) pins.

Users can access the system’s console or terminal interface by connecting to these serial pins using a serial cable or adapter. This method is often used for debugging, troubleshooting, or accessing the system when other interfaces are not available.

Preparation

To access Axon through the serial interface, you will need the following:

  • A computer with a serial terminal application installed (such as PuTTY or minicom).

  • A USB to UART serial cable or adapter (such as FTDI or PL2303).

  • Micro USB or USB-C cable.

Hardware Setup

  1. Connect the USB to UART serial cable or adapter to your computer.

  2. Connect the serial cable or adapter to Axon.

Serial FTDI Pin

Header GPIO Pin

Schematic Name

GND

Pin 6

GND

TX

Pin 4 (GPIO0_B5)

UART2_TX_M0_DEBUG

RX

Pin 2 (GPIO0_B6)

UART2_RX_M0_DEBUG
../../../_images/axon-serial-uart-pins.webp

Note

When accessing Axon through the serial interface, it is important to configure the serial parameters correctly. For RK3588-based systems, the following parameters are typically used:

Baud rate: 1500000
Data bit: 8
Stop bit: 1
Parity check: none
Flow control: none

Warning


During the first boot you will see a warning on your serial console.
So, please ensure that you wait for the system to complete its reboot.
This is necessary because the system requires configuration adjustments
before you proceed to the next step. Taking the time to allow the system to
finish restarting ensures that it is fully set up for the subsequent tasks.

Running the Serial Console Program

  1. Download and install the PuTTY program.

  2. Open the PuTTY program and configure the serial parameters as shown

    in the image below.

../../../_images/Putty_step.webp

  1. Click on the Open button to open the serial console.

  2. You will now be able to access the serial console.

  1. Download and install the

    TeraTerm program.

  2. Open the TeraTerm program and configure the serial parameters.

  • On the Setup menu, click on Serial port.

  • Select the serial port number and configure the serial parameters as shown in the image below.

../../../_images/teraterm-configuration.webp

  1. Click on the OK button to open the serial console.

  2. You will now be able to access the serial console.

  1. Install the GTK-Term program using the following command:

sudo apt-get install gtkterm

  1. Open the GTK-Term program and configure the serial parameters.

  • On the File menu, click on Port.

  • Select the serial port number and configure the serial parameters as shown in the image below.

../../../_images/gtkterm-configuration.webp

  1. Click on the OK button to open the serial console.

  2. You will now be able to access the serial console.

Note

Read minicom configuration from Linux Minicom guide.

3. Using SSH

Board supports SSH (Secure Shell), which allows for secure remote access to the system. By establishing an SSH connection, users can remotely connect to the board from another device, such as a computer or smartphone, over a network. This method provides a secure command-line interface to administer, configure, and execute commands on the board.

Install OpenSSH server

You can install both OpenSSH components on Windows devices using the Windows Settings.

To install the OpenSSH components, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings menu and click on Apps, then select Optional Features.

  2. Look through the list to check if OpenSSH is already installed. If it’s not, at the top of the page, click on Add a feature and then:

    • Find OpenSSH Client and click on Install.

    • Find OpenSSH Server and click on Install.

  3. After the installation process is complete, go back to Apps and Optional Features to verify that OpenSSH is listed.

  4. Open the Services desktop app.

Click on Start, type services.msc in the search box and then click on the Service app or press ENTER.

  1. In the details pane, double-click on OpenSSH SSH Server.

  2. On the General tab, choose Automatic from the Startup type drop-down menu.

  3. To start the service, click on Start.

Verify OpenSSH server

Once installed, you can connect to OpenSSH Server from a Windows device with the OpenSSH client installed.

From a PowerShell prompt, run the following command.

ssh username@ip_address

Example:

ssh vicharak@192.168.29.69

Tip

To find your IP address on Windows, use the following command: ipconfig

For Linux users, use the following command: ip a

Accessing Board through SSH

To access the board through SSH, you can use either of the following commands:


  1. SSH using the IP address

ssh username@ip_address

Tip

Replace “username” with the appropriate username for the board and “ip_address” with the actual IP address assigned to the board on the network.

  1. SSH using the PC name (hostname)

ssh username@pc-name.local

Tip

Replace “username” with the appropriate username for the board and “pc-name” with the actual PC name assigned to the board on the network.

For Linux users, you can find your username using whoami command and, hostname using cat /etc/hostname

4. Set up automatic Wi-Fi connection on boot

In the following example, we will set up automatic Wi-Fi connection on boot for the wlan0 interface. This will be useful if you are using a headless system. That means you will not need to connect a monitor, keyboard, or mouse to your system to connect to WiFi.

1. Edit the ** ``/usr/lib/vicharak-config/conf.d/before.txt`` ** file and add the following lines:

connect-wi-fi <network name> <password>

Example:

connect-wi-fi vicharak_5g vcaa_g123

2. Reboot the system.

Axon Boot modes

Boot Mode

Description

Normal Mode

Normal boot mode is the default boot mode. In this mode, the board boots from the eMMC or SD-card. Each partition loads in order and enters the system normally.

Loader Mode

Loader mode is used to upgrade the bootloader. In this mode, the bootloader will wait for the host command for firmware upgrade. On success, the board boots from the eMMC or SD-card, and the board enters the system normally.

Maskrom Mode
Maskrom mode is used to repair the board. In a situation where the bootloader is damaged, the board can enter the maskrom mode. In general, there is no need to enter Maskrom mode. In this mode, the bootrom code waits for the host to transmit the bootloader code through the USB-C port, load and run it.
Learn more about maskrom mode.

See also

Axon Downloads