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Building a Custom Linux Kernel for Arduino

Step-by-step guide to configuring and building a custom Gentoo Linux kernel with proper USB and CDC-ACM support for Arduino boards, including required CONFIG options, module setup, and verification using dmesg and ttyACM"

This configuration is for Gentoo Linux it can be different on other distros/kernel versions

  • Current kernel in use: 6.12.58-gentoo-x86_64

Kernel Settings

Set the following kernel option to [y] in kernel

  • Those drivers are required to be installed
CONFIG_USB_SUPPORT
CONFIG_USB
CONFIG_USB_DEVICEFS
CONFIG_USB_EHCI_HCD
CONFIG_USB_OHCI_HCD
CONFIG_USB_XHCI_HCD
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_GENERIC
CONFIG_TTY
CONFIG_SERIAL_CORE

Set the following kernel options to [´y´] but those are optional to include

CONFIG_USB_ACM
CONFIG_HID
CONFIG_HID_GENERIC
CONFIG_INPUT
CONFIG_UDEV
CONFIG_HOTPLUG
CONFIG_PROC_FS
CONFIG_SYSFS

Set the following kernel options to [M] in kernel

CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_CDC_ACM
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_FTDI_SIO
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_CH341
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_CP210X
CONFIG_USB_SERIAL_PL2303

Optional (debugging / development / advanced use)

CONFIG_USB_MON
CONFIG_USB_DEBUG
CONFIG_DYNAMIC_DEBUG
CONFIG_DEBUG_FS

If using Arduino as HID (Keyboard / Mouse / Joystick)

CONFIG_USB_HID
CONFIG_HIDRAW

If using native USB boards (Leonardo, Micro, Due, Teensy)

CONFIG_USB_GADGET
CONFIG_USB_GADGET_VBUS_DRAW
CONFIG_USB_CONFIGFS
CONFIG_USB_CONFIGFS_ACM
CONFIG_USB_CONFIGFS_HID
  • Reboot PC after you have configured the kernel

Testing the Arduino after the system has been rebooted.

  • Monitor dmesg output and if everything was correct set you should see something similiar as below

Listening for Ardunio output

$ dmesg -Twx
kern  :info  : [Sat Jan 31 18:15:26 2026] usb 1-9.4: new full-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
kern  :info  : [Sat Jan 31 18:15:26 2026] usb 1-9.4: New USB device found, idVendor=2341, idProduct=0043, bcdDevice= 0.01
kern  :info  : [Sat Jan 31 18:15:26 2026] usb 1-9.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=220
kern  :info  : [Sat Jan 31 18:15:26 2026] usb 1-9.4: Manufacturer: Arduino (www.arduino.cc)
kern  :info  : [Sat Jan 31 18:15:26 2026] usb 1-9.4: SerialNumber: 6ba2b6f84522459f9af1
kern  :info  : [Sat Jan 31 18:15:26 2026] cdc_acm 1-9.4:1.0: ttyACM0: USB ACM device
  • Kernel setup is now completed and you can start use your Ardunio

Misc

Optional - Sanity test (no Arduino IDE required)

echo test > /dev/ttyACM0
echo $?
  • If that doesn’t error with permission denied, userspace access is fine

Optional - Upload test (if using avrdude)

  • Typical Uno upload command:
avrdude -patmega328p -carduino -P/dev/ttyACM0 -b115200 -U flash:w:sketch.hex
  • You are completely done configuring and installing everything that is required for Ardunio

Resource(s)