Ubuntu PC to PC USB to USB serial communication
Referenced python serial library
- In Windows-Windows environment, data communication from PC to PC is possible by using a USB to USB bridge cable.
- Usually in Ubuntu, some pairs like Arduino-PC, Raspberry Pi-PC, etc are used to exchange data through UART, SPI, or I2C.
- Most of Googled sites and posts said
- that it is impossible to communicate via USB to USB with a general Ubuntu PC to Ubuntu PC.
- that instead, Ethernet should be used.
- But I wonder if it’s because RX (receiving side) and TX (sending side) are not well set for USB to USB cable.
- I implemented it with a converter module (USB to TTL, USB to RS232, USB to UART)
- I checked the modules are caught as /dev/ttyUSB0 on both Ubuntu PCs, and data is exchanged with Python serial library code.
- Plug the TX line from one side to the other RX as shown in the picture
- In the same way, plug the RX line into the other side’s TX line, it works.
- When USB is plugged into the PC, 5V is automatically applied, so only GND is connected.

- I tested this using the example code from the library.
- The receiver code is as below.
- It opens serial port on /dev/ttyUSB0 at 19200 baud_rate.
- It reads and prints data in 10-byte size.
#!/usr/bin/env python
import serial
import sys
if __name__== '__main__':
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 19200, timeout=1)
while 1:
try:
d=ser.read(10)
print(d)
except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
ser.close()
sys.exit(0)
- The transmitter code is as below.
- In the same way with the receiver code, the port is set to /dev/ttyUSB0.
- Open the serial with the same baud_rate.
- Every 0.2 seconds(at 5Hz), it writes ‘hello’.
- It is said that the prefix b is only needed for Python3.
#!/usr/bin/env python
import serial
import time
import sys
if __name__ == '__main__':
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 19200, timeout=1) # open serial port
print(ser.name) # check which port was really used
while 1:
try:
ser.write(b'hello') # write a string
print("sent \n")
time.sleep(0.2)
except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt) :
ser.close() # close port
sys.exit(0)
- Connect each USB to both PCs and run each code
- TX and RX of the converter module twinkle blue respectively, and ‘hello’ will be printed on the terminal of receiving side.
- Now, I am considering to apply this to the SBC attached to the rosbot, and other PCs additionally mounted on it to communicate ROS data.