Device information
- Model: Mecool KM7
- SoC: Amlogic S905Y4 (Meson S4)
- Original purpose: Android TV box, now I want to turn it into a VPN gateway running Linux.
Problem
I have tried other Linux builds (like Devmfc_Debian-Trixie_6.18.28-meson64_Minimal) booted from an SD card, but none of the network interfaces work – no internal Wi-Fi, no Ethernet, and even USB-to-Ethernet adapters are not recognized.
My research suggests that Mecool used a non-standard GPIO power routing for the network controllers. Standard mainline Linux kernels (including Armbian) do not have the correct Device Tree to enable power on those pins, so the hardware is never turned on.
Additional context (partial success with CoreELEC)
I also tested CoreELEC (a Kodi-oriented Linux distribution). In that build, the internal Wi‑Fi works, but the built‑in Ethernet and USB‑to‑Ethernet adapters still do not function.
This indicates that CoreELEC’s kernel or Device Tree manages to enable the Wi‑Fi chip correctly, while the Ethernet controller and USB power delivery remain problematic.
What I need
I found this repository but could not find any image specifically for S905Y4 among the release assets.
- Is there a recommended image I should download for my box?
- If not, could you advise how I could use or build a proper .dtb for this board?
- Is the Khadas VIM1S DTB (
meson-s4-s905y4-khadas-vim1s.dtb) a good starting point, or is there a better one?
I would really appreciate any guidance, as I’m stuck without network connectivity and can’t proceed with my VPN gateway setup.
Thank you for your work on this project!
Device information
Problem
I have tried other Linux builds (like
Devmfc_Debian-Trixie_6.18.28-meson64_Minimal) booted from an SD card, but none of the network interfaces work – no internal Wi-Fi, no Ethernet, and even USB-to-Ethernet adapters are not recognized.My research suggests that Mecool used a non-standard GPIO power routing for the network controllers. Standard mainline Linux kernels (including Armbian) do not have the correct Device Tree to enable power on those pins, so the hardware is never turned on.
Additional context (partial success with CoreELEC)
I also tested CoreELEC (a Kodi-oriented Linux distribution). In that build, the internal Wi‑Fi works, but the built‑in Ethernet and USB‑to‑Ethernet adapters still do not function.
This indicates that CoreELEC’s kernel or Device Tree manages to enable the Wi‑Fi chip correctly, while the Ethernet controller and USB power delivery remain problematic.
What I need
I found this repository but could not find any image specifically for S905Y4 among the release assets.
meson-s4-s905y4-khadas-vim1s.dtb) a good starting point, or is there a better one?I would really appreciate any guidance, as I’m stuck without network connectivity and can’t proceed with my VPN gateway setup.
Thank you for your work on this project!