USB Keyboard not recognized

[tophmey]

I've connected a USB keyboard to my router, it is listed in lsusb but /dev/input does not exist. Is there any way to get the keyboard recognized?

 

[bennor]

I've connected a USB keyboard to my router

What do you hope to achieve by connecting a keyboard to an Asus router? Further it would help if you included your router model and firmware version.

 

[tophmey]

I'm hoping to be able to read the input from the keyboard.
Router: ZenWifi ET8
Firmware: 3004.388.8_4-gnuton1

 

[ColinTaylor]

I'm hoping to be able to read the input from the keyboard.

But why? Presumably you'd then also want a console output device to see what you're typing?

The short answer is no, keyboards (along with most other USB peripherals) are not supported.

 

[bennor]

I'm hoping to be able to read the input from the keyboard.

How do you expect to read the input from a USB keyboard connected to a ZenWifi ET8 USB port?
PS: What are you trying to "input" into the router that requires a USB keyboard attached to the router that using SSH to issue CLI commands to the router wouldn't accomplish?

 

[degrub]

/Humor on
Maybe with a recording O'scope

/Humor off

 

[tophmey]

How do you expect to read the input from a USB keyboard connected to a ZenWifi ET8 USB port?

Using triggerhappy, which I installed with opkg.

PS: What are you trying to "input" into the router that requires a USB keyboard attached to the router that using SSH to issue CLI commands to the router wouldn't accomplish?

I’m trying to “input” keypress events, SSH is no help to me for that.

 

[tophmey]

I’m trying to “input” keypress events, SSH is no help to me for that.

How do you expect to read the input from a USB keyboard connected to a ZenWifi ET8 USB port?
PS: What are you trying to "input" into the router that requires a USB keyboard attached to the router that using SSH to issue CLI commands to the router wouldn't accomplish?

Honestly, I’m not married to a keyboard. Really any user input would do that can fire an event. Keyboard, mouse, camera, barcode scanner. Do any of those things have a chance at being able to fire events?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Honestly, I’m not married to a keyboard. Really any user input would do that can fire an event. Keyboard, mouse, camera, barcode scanner. Do any of those things have a chance at being able to fire events?

Does it have to be USB input as apposed to network input? How many different event types are you triggering on?

 

[degrub]

Are you trying to do a WOL type trigger ?

 

[tophmey]

Does it have to be USB input as apposed to network input? How many different event types are you triggering on?

It doesn’t have to be USB but I’m trying to work with what I have on hand, and I have alot of USB stuff. I don’t think I have a network device that could easily send any input to the router.

I don’t have a specific number of event types that I’d require. 1 is fine, more is better. Just trying to make something fire script without needing a separate computer.

 

[ColinTaylor]

It doesn’t have to be USB but I’m trying to work with what I have on hand, and I have alot of USB stuff. I don’t think I have a network device that could easily send any input to the router.

I don’t have a specific number of event types that I’d require. 1 is fine, more is better. Just trying to make something fire script without needing a separate computer.

Being an embedded device the router's capabilities are stripped down to the bare minimum. I think you'll have to explain what your end goal is if we're to go any further.

 

[sfx2000]

I've connected a USB keyboard to my router, it is listed in lsusb but /dev/input does not exist. Is there any way to get the keyboard recognized?

You likely need to have the HID driver for keyboard/mouse devices...

This is an unusual request, as you can basically do the same thru a terminal app - ssh is preferred, and telnet with some effort...

If one wants serial/tty access, one can always do this thru UART pinouts, but most folks don't need this, as this is more of an interest for developers.

One has to ask -- What is the endgame here?

 

[tophmey]

You likely need to have the HID driver for keyboard/mouse devices...

Coming from a place of ignorance, getting the HID drivers installed sounds trivial to me. Especially when I saw triggerhappy included in the entware repository. But having spent several hours trying to figure it out, I don’t know what I don’t know and I’m nearly ready to give up.

One has to ask -- What is the endgame here?

There’s no greater endgame, it’s just something I thought would be easy to do. As it turns out, I was wrong.

 

[bennor]

Honestly, I’m not married to a keyboard. Really any user input would do that can fire an event. Keyboard, mouse, camera, barcode scanner. Do any of those things have a chance at being able to fire events?

It appears you are trying to use a router, with its customized and limited hardware and firmware, as a computer or SoC (Raspberry Pi or similar) device that has firmware/operating system designed and intended to use various USB devices. With Asus (and Asus Merlin) firmware, generally the USB port is for USB hard drive, USB printers, and USB modems/phones. The Asus firmware contains the drivers for those three USB devices.

Either you would need to find alternate third party firmware, that supports your router, which has the drivers for a USB keyboard (and other USB devices you want to use), or you will need to get the Asus (or Asus Merlin or third party) GPL firmware and try to roll your own router firmware which contains the drivers for USB devices you are trying to use. Rolling your own firmware with new drivers or features tends to involve one having additional skills and knowledge. It is possible and or likely certain features or hardware access within the Asus firmware are closed sourced.

But in the end, one is trying to use a consumer router with it's limited hardware capabilities and limited customized firmware for something it likely was never designed or intended to be used for. One may be better off using (finding or buying) a more capable device to tinker with. One designed for tinkering and that can accept, and has the proper drivers for, a keyboard, mouse, camera, barcode scanner.