RemoteRF Host (hostrf) — Linux Setup

HostRF Installation

The guide is done/verified for Ubuntu Server/Desktop 24.04 LTS.

0) If Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi Imager → Install Ubuntu Server 24.04 LTS → Boot Raspberry Pi from SD card.

1) System Prerequisites (APT)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y curl ca-certificates bzip2 git build-essential
sudo apt install -y libusb-1.0-0 udev

Optional: confirm architecture:

uname -m

• x86_64 → Intel/AMD
• aarch64 → ARM64 (Raspberry Pi 64-bit, some servers)

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2) Install Miniconda

2.1 Download the installer

x86_64

cd /tmp
curl -fsSLO https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh

ARM64 (aarch64)

cd /tmp
curl -fsSLO https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/Miniconda3-latest-Linux-aarch64.sh

2.2 Install (non-interactive, recommended)

x86_64

bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh -b -p "$HOME/miniconda3"

ARM64 (aarch64)

bash Miniconda3-latest-Linux-aarch64.sh -b -p "$HOME/miniconda3"

2.3 Enable conda in your current shell

source "$HOME/miniconda3/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
conda --version

If you want conda available automatically in new terminals:

"$HOME/miniconda3/bin/conda" init bash
source ~/.bashrc

2.4 Install mamba (default solver)

conda install -n base -c conda-forge -y mamba
mamba --version

Might have to accept anaconda TOS.

conda tos accept --override-channels --channel https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main

conda tos accept --override-channels --channel https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r

3) Create the Environment (with mamba (faster))

mamba create -n hostrf -y -c conda-forge -c defaults  python=3.10 pip setuptools wheel grpcio protobuf python-dotenv numpy scipy libiio pylibiio libusb

conda activate hostrf
python -m pip install -U pip
python -m pip install pyadi-iio remoterf-host

sudo reboot now

HostRF Config

Run the below for a comprehensive overview:

hostrf --help

To get hostrf up and running:

1) Point to a RemoteRF server

HostRF requires a RemoteRF Server already setup. See RemoteRF-Server for additional details.

hostrf stores its host config under: ~/.config/remoterf/host/

Custom device drivers are loaded from: ~/.config/remoterf/drivers/

hostrf --config --addr <host:port>
# example:
hostrf --config --addr 164.97.201.67:5000
hostrf --config --show

2) Set host parameters

On the remoterf server, run the below:

Example uses 'lab-host-01' as the host name. It will return a valid command you can just copy and paste into the host CLI.

serverrf --host --token-create lab-host-01 --length 8

Given the parameters/tokens returned, run the below:

hostrf --host --set <hostname> \"TOKEN\"
#example:
hostrf --host --set lab-host-01 "UTzhag"

3) Connect devices (Adalm Pluto)

To connect plutos to the server:

iio_info -s

If the pluto doesn't show up, yet the below works:

sudo iio_info -s

Run the below and reboot after:

sudo groupadd -f plugdev
sudo usermod -aG plugdev "$USER"

sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/53-adi-usb.rules >/dev/null <<'EOF'
# Type the below in
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="0456", MODE="0660", GROUP="plugdev"
EOF

sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger
sudo reboot now

Look for a 'hw_serial: 104473'. Keep note of said serial per device.

Add pluto to device list. Understand that the device_id (int) needs to be GLOBALLY unique!

hostrf --device --add --pluto <id>:<device_name>:<hw_serial>

#Example
hostrf --device --add --pluto 10:"hostrf pluto 0":104473

For a Pluto running the MIMO schema, configure devices.yml with the schema device type:

devices:
  - device_id: 11
    device_type: adalm_pluto_mimo
    name: hostrf pluto mimo 0
    init:
      serial: "104474"

Remove device:

hostrf --device --remove <id>

Show devices:

hostrf --device --show

Clear all device config:

hostrf --device --wipe

Run to start the host. You should be able to see host on the server if setup properly.

hostrf --serve