How to Connect the BeagleBone Black using USB to TTL Serial Converter Cable
The BeagleBone Black (BBB) is a versatile development board that allows users to connect to various devices and peripherals. One effective way to communicate with your BBB is through the serial port using a USB-to-TTL Serial cable. This method is particularly useful for debugging, especially if you encounter booting problems or networking issues.
![Connecting Your BeagleBone Black using USB to TTL Serial Converter Cable: A Step-by-Step Guide](http://embedthreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Getting-Statred-with-BeagleBone-Black-1024x538.png)
Why Use Serial Communication?
While SSH over USB is the preferred method for most applications due to its simplicity and reliability, serial communication offers several advantages:
- Direct Access During Boot: Monitor the boot process and catch any early-stage issues.
- Versatile Connectivity: Connect to devices other than PCs, like other microcontrollers or sensors.
- Troubleshooting: Access your board when network connections are unavailable.
What You Need
To establish a serial communication between your computer and the BeagleBone Black, you need:
- A BeagleBone Black board.
- A USB-to-TTL Serial cable.
- A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
Connecting the BeagleBone Black via Serial on Windows
If you’re using Windows, follow these steps to connect your BBB via serial using PuTTY:
Step 1: Install PuTTY
- Open your web browser and go to the PuTTY download page.
- Click the
putty.exe
file to download it. - Run the
putty.exe
file to install PuTTY.
![](https://embedthreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/putty-setting.png)
Step 2: Make the Physical Connections
- Connect the USB side of the TTL cable to your computer.
- Connect the wires to the J1 headers on your BeagleBone Black:
- Black wire to Pin 1 (GND)
- Green wire to Pin 4 (RX)
- White wire to Pin 5 (TX)
Step 3: Configure PuTTY
- Open PuTTY.
- In the PuTTY Configuration dialog box, select Serial.
- Identify the serial port name:
- Open Device Manager (Press
Windows+R
, typedevmgmt.msc
, and press Enter). - Find the serial port listed under Ports (COM & LPT).
- Type the serial port name in PuTTY.
- Set the speed to
115200
. - Click Open.
Step 4: Power Up and Connect
- Power on your BeagleBone Black with a Mini USB cable.
- You should see the boot process details in the PuTTY terminal.
![](https://embedthreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/boot-process.png)
- When prompted to log in, type
debian
and press Enter. - Type
temppwd
as the default password and press Enter.
Connecting the BeagleBone Black via Serial on macOS and Linux
For macOS and Linux users, the process involves using the terminal:
Step 1: Open the Terminal
- On macOS, navigate to
/Applications/Utilities
and double-click Terminal. - On Linux, press
Ctrl+Alt+T
to open a new terminal window.
Step 2: Identify the Serial Device
![](https://embedthreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/complete-setup.jpg)
- With your BBB unplugged, type
ls /dev/tty*
to list devices. - Connect the USB side of the TTL cable to your computer.
- Connect the wires to the J1 headers on your BeagleBone Black:
- Black wire to Pin 1 (GND)
- Green wire to Pin 4 (RX)
- White wire to Pin 5 (TX)
- Type
ls /dev/tty*
again to see the new device (e.g.,/dev/ttyUSB0
).
![](https://embedthreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-19-161159.png)
Step 3: Establish Serial Communication
- Install screen using
sudo apt install screen
- In the terminal, type
sudo screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200
. - Power on your BeagleBone Black with a Mini USB cable.
- You should see the boot process details in the terminal.
- Enter your computer password if prompted.
- When asked to log in, type
root
and press Enter or Return. - Press Enter or Return when asked for a password (no password by default).
![sudo screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200](https://embedthreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screen-command.png)
Exiting the screen
Session
- To exit the
screen
session, pressCtrl+A
followed byK
. Confirm by pressingY
. - To Learn More About screen visit here: GeeksForGeeks
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