Getting ODB2 (OBD-II) scanner working in Linux

**Sureshot324** · 05-12-2009, 11:08 AM

I have a cheap USB ODB2 scanner that I got off ebay straight from Hong Kong. I has no brand or any other info, so I'm not sure what kind of chip it has. Do nghost and other Linux OBD2 software usually have the drivers for most OBD2 scanners included, or do you need to get them separate? If they're separate, how would I go about finding the drivers for my scanner?

**tdb30_** · 05-12-2009, 08:18 PM

I might be mistaken, but I think the chips that linux needs to deal with isn't the obd-II chips, but rather the serial port chip or serial to usb chip.

How does your scanner hook up to your computer, is it usb or serial?

chances are pretty good if it is usb you should get a /dev/ttyUSBx where x is generally 0 but could be another number if you have other usb serial devices like gps.

**Bugbyte** · 05-12-2009, 09:47 PM

I think most of the inexpensive OBD cables will be ELM knockoffs. They will usually need a USB to serial port driver. Not really sure which one that is, though. Maybe FTDI?

Then, they appear as a device on the com port.

**Sureshot324** · 05-12-2009, 10:21 PM

It's USB and when I plug it in, a device gets added:
/dev/ttyUSB0
So how would I install this USB to serial driver?

Slightly off topic question: What are considered to be the best OBD2 software packages in Linux these days?

**Bugbyte** · 05-13-2009, 01:18 AM

Oops, I was thinking of windows. If it shows up in the /dev folder, then I believe it is recognized. You'll just have to point the software to it.

**tdb30_** · 05-13-2009, 05:45 PM

Yeah if it created the /dev/ttyUSB file then your drivers are already installed. As the poster above pointed out, you just need to point your software to /dev/ttyUSB0