🛠 Console série (ttyAML0) et SSH sur Le Potato

Objectives

Access the Le Potato via the serial console (essential when boot fails — "red + blue only" is the #1 support issue) and via SSH over its single 10/100 Ethernet port (no built-in WiFi or Bluetooth).

Hardware

• Le Potato AML-S905X-CC running Armbian
• 3.3 V USB-serial adapter (never 5 V on TX/RX) connected to the UART pins on the header — the mainline device tree declares stdout-path = "serial0:115200n8"; Armbian names the port ttyAML0
• Ethernet cable, PC with minicom/picocom and ssh

Full code

# --- Console série (PC Linux) ---
# 115200 8N1, pas de flux ; adaptateur 3,3 V uniquement
picocom -b 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0
# sous Windows : PuTTY, série COMx, 115200-8-N-1

# --- Réseau / SSH (Le Potato est en DHCP par défaut) ---
sudo armbian-config            # Network > IP : DHCP ou IP fixe
ip -br addr; ip route
systemctl status ssh
ssh root@lepotato.local        # premier login Armbian : mot de passe par défaut
                                   # puis création d'un utilisateur (armbian-firstlogin)
# Découvrir la carte sur le réseau depuis le PC :
arp-scan -l | grep -i "libre\|amlogic" || nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24

Expected verification

The serial console displays the U-Boot log then Linux upon power-on (even with an empty SD card: bootrom messages); after boot, ssh connects and uname -a returns a mainline meson-gxl kernel.

Common errors

• 5 V serial adapter or swapped TX/RX: nothing displays — cross TX↔RX and verify the 3.3 V level.
• Wrong baud rate: 115200 8N1, not 9600.
• Board without a screen and without network: SSH is impossible if the 10/100 Ethernet is plugged in after a failed boot — hence the value of the serial connection.
• Weak power supply: hangs without messages, a classic sign of a bad 5 V charger (see official hub t/2188).