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)

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

4) Connect an NI USRP-2901 / B200-family device

The machine connected to the radio must provide the UHD 4.10.0.0 Python module. HostRF publishes the full USRP schema even when UHD is unavailable, but opening a real Dynamic v2 session requires that exact supported UHD API.

Add a serial-bound inventory entry:

hostrf --device --add --usrp 7:usrp2901_lab:31A2B3C
hostrf --device --show

Equivalent devices.yml:

devices:
  - device_id: 7
    device_type: usrp
    name: usrp2901_lab
    init:
      serial: 31A2B3C

Run hostrf --serve after the RemoteRF server has been upgraded with tunneled Dynamic v2 support. Control calls, opaque handles, and SampleDataV1 binary IQ frames then use the existing authenticated host tunnel. HostRF closes native USRP sessions automatically when a reservation ends or the tunnel disconnects.

Custom usrp schemas under ~/.config/remoterf/drivers/ take precedence over the packaged default. No usrp_policy.yml file is required.