X680
Contents
- 1 Overview
- 2 Features
- 3 How to Power
- 4 How to Cool
- 5 Packing List
- 6 User Manual
- 7 FAQ
- 8 References
Overview
This X680 is a member of the PiKVM[1] family, it is a 4-port IP KVM Switch empowers you to securely manage up to four computers/servers remotely from almost anywhere using the internet or your local area network (LAN).
Unlike software solutions that require installation and work through your server's operating system, this IP KVM Switch offers KVM control from the BIOS-level onward. Reboot, monitor the entire boot process, and interact with your connected system easily, while the integrated remote ATX power control allows you to switch the machine on/off, reset it, and monitor power & storage LED activity remotely. Featuring 3 additional USB2.0 ports for peripheral sharing (USB storage, CD ROM, etc.), allowing file transfers and disk emulation for remote application and OS installs.
The IP KVM Switch supports direct switching through buttons on front panel and hotkey through keyboard connected to the special USB 1.1 port. it also supports remote hotkey switching between computers for easy monitoring.
About the USB OTG port of X680: The USB OTG port is used to control the keyboard and mouse. However, when the OTG port is in use, it prevents the control of the keyboard and mouse. The X680 utilizes the CM4 and does not have additional USB ports for connecting a USB drive.
Features
- Based on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 and Compatible with all variants
- Designed especially for PiKVM ( Raspberry Pi based KVM over IP)
- Only compatible with PiKVM V3 OS, NOT support V4
- Control up to 4 USB HDMI computers/servers remotely over an IP network or the internet
- Full remote BIOS level control access the BIOS, and have full control over the keyboard and mouse
- Supports four HDMI inputs, four USB inputs and four RJ45 ports for ATX power control
- Integrated USB hub for peripheral sharing and file transfer of USB 2.0 devices (backwards compatible with USB 1.1 and 1.0 devices)
- Disk emulation allows remote application and operating system installations, or transferring files to, or between attached servers
- Supports remote hotkey switching between computers for easy monitoring
- Supports direct switching through buttons and hotkey through keyboard (Keyboard must be connected to USB 1.1 port)
- Supports HDMI input resolutions up to 1920x1080
- 0.96 inch OLED display with name, IP address, temperature, CPU load, and uptime
- Hardware Real Time Clock (RTC) with CR1220 coin battery socket
- Works with PC, Mac, Linux and Sun Systems
- Gigabit Ethernet socket supporting Power over Ethernet (POE) expansion
- M.2 2280 KEYM socket for Nvme SSD storage expansion
- USB Type-B connecor for programming the CM4 eMMC
- HDMI output port supporting 4K display
- Equipped with cooling fan that allows the heat from CM4 to dissipate
- Supports booting from MicroSD, CM4 eMMC and faster M.2 2280 NVME SSD
How to Power
- Power Input: 5.1Vdc +/-5% , ≥4A; (DC5525 5V 4A power adapter with US & EU plug is included!!!)
How to Cool
X680 equipped with an active cooling fan board (X680-A1) that can cool your Raspberry Pi CM4.
X680-A1
If you think it noisy, you can replace it with a C235 heatsink.
Packing List
- 1 x X680 4-port IP KVM Switch Kit
- 4 x USB2.0 A to B Cable (1.5m/59.06inch)
- 1 x DC 5V 4A Power Adapter (With US/EU Plug)
- 1 x Screws Pack
A note about this kit listing:
- 1. X630-A5 is only suitable for devices with ATX CONTROL such as desktops, servers, etc.
- 2. If you are using a device that supports ATX CONTROL, we recommend that you purchase X630-A5 and RJ45 ATX control cable kit;
- 3. X630-A5 is installed inside the ATX CONTROL device, one X630-A5 only supports one device; X680 supports simultaneous control of 4 devices
- 4. ATX CONTROL can support remote startup, shutdown, restart and other functions
- 5. You need to buy the appropriate length HDMI cable by yourself, because we don't know what length HDMI cable you need
- 6. The X680 Kits DO NOT include CM4 module also.
Additional accessories to purchase yourself:
- Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 CM4
- A minimum 16 Gb class 10 memory card is recommended.（In fact, you don't need Micro SD card if you use CM4 with eMMC, because you can flash the firmware into the eMMC.）
ATX Conrol cable(Not included):
You can make your own ATX control cable, in fact, it is a normal Ethernet cable, and the requirements must be 568B line sequence
RJ45 Pinout of KVM:
User Manual
Hardware connection & installation Video
Refer to: https://youtu.be/ukHCz1RsFx4
X680 HDMI port display information, according to the test:
OS Download & Installation
1. Firstly, need prepair a micro sd card, a minimum 16 Gb class 10 memory card is recommended. If you use a CM4 with eMMC, you don't need a micro sd card.
2. Download an appropriate OS image for the PiKVM, the url link is https://pikvm.org/download/ or click this one to download it. (Please use the V3 Pre-Assembled OS image)
- We recommend that you use the 'V3 Pre-Assembled' version, and this image includes OLED display configuration.
- Only compatible with PiKVM V3 platform OS, NOT support PiKVM V4 Plus & V4 Mini platform!!!
Flash OS image
1. Flash OS image to a microSD memory card by following the simple instructions or Official installation tutorial
2. Refer to #How to flash OS onto the eMMC of CM4? (CM4 with eMMC)? if you use the CM4 shield with eMMC.
3. Then power the device, then open explore to login the pikvm web ui.
How to flash OS onto the eMMC of CM4? (CM4 with eMMC)?
1. Short nBOOT Pin, refer to the picture below.
2. Connect CM4 USB port with a Type-A to Type-B cable to your computer as follow:
3. Power the device via PWR DC Jack with 5V Power adaper
4. Then rerfer to this tutorial to flash raspberry pi OS
5. Remove the jumper of nBOOT after flashing is complete, then restart your device;
PS：If you use CM4 with eMMC, then SD card cannot be used.
Enable RTC
Due to different RTC chips with official PiKVM hardware, you still need to configure RTC to make RTC work normally.
Firstly, insert the C1220 button battery. run the following command in web terminal window:
1. switch to 'root' user
su root
then type the password, and the default password is 'root' also.
2. Switch OS to writable mode
rw
3. Edit the /boot/config.txt file, and change line dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,pcf8563 to dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,ds1307 (due to use the different RTC chip).
sudo nano /boot/config.txt
Then save & reboot the device;
4.Test & setting RTC, write&read the time of Raspberry Pi to RTC DS1307
date sudo hwclock -w sudo hwclock -r
5. Swith OS to readonly mode
ro
Enable OLED display
Run the following command in web terminal window to enable OLED display:
rw systemctl enable --now kvmd-oled ro
If you are using PiKVM OS V3 Pre-Assembled, the OLED configuration is already pre-installed, you can ignore this step.
Enable pikvm hdmi audio
Refer to Enable pikvm hdmi audio
How to switch target computers/servers
The IP KVM (X680) Switch supports direct switching through buttons on front panel and hotkey through keyboard connected to the special USB 1.1 port. it also supports remote hotkey switching between computers for easy monitoring.
Computers/Servers Switching
Press to select PC1/PC2/PC3/PC4 through buttons on front panel. the corresponding LED located on the right of the button will be on if a PC is selected. the PC1 will be automatically selected when power applied or restored.
Hotkey switching
- Keyboard must be connected to USB1.1 port (Marked with an icon of keyboard)
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "1" to switch to PC1
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "2" to switch to PC2
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "3" to switch to PC3
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "4" to switch to PC4
Remote hotkey switching
- Access to PiKVM web interface and log in
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "1" to switch to PC1
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "2" to switch to PC2
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "3" to switch to PC3
- Press the "Ctrl" twice quickly, then immediately press "4" to switch to PC4
- If your mouse cursor is not in the area of the PiKVM web interface, it is not functional
How to boot from NVME SSD？
1.Prepare the Win32 Disk Imager tool first, download and install it, refer to:https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/
2. Insert NVME SSD into the USB to NVME ssd adapter or X876
3. Connect USB to NVME SSD adapter or X876 to computer through USB A cable, then a USB drive can be recognized in computer.
4. Open Win32 Disk Imager tool, then select the PiKVM os image file and USB drive, then click Write button
5. Wait a few minutes for the write process to complete.
6. Insert NMVE SSD into the X680, then power on (must remove the micro sd card firstly)
Mass Storage Drive
Refer to: https://docs.pikvm.org/msd/
FAQ
- First of all, we recommend you to get more FAQ information on the official website: official FAQ, or check the following FAQ;
- You can post a issue ticket at Geekworm forum or email to us (support@geekworm.com) and attached your installation pictures or videos to get some help.
- Blog sharing for reference: https://www.andysblog.de/kvm-over-ip-pikvm-als-bausatz
Q: Why is the X680 not working?
A:
1. First you need to make sure your physical connection is correct, or you can email us at support@geekworm.com to confirm your physical connection;(Please make sure the CM4 is rightly and tightly connected.)
2. Make sure to use the right pikvm OS.
3. Make sure CM4 is tightly connected with X680. (This is very important, and this error often occurs)
Q: How to switch to root user?
A: run the following command:
su root
Then type the password, the default password is 'root' also.
Q: Does the x680 support audio?
A: Yes. Refer to Enable pikvm hdmi audio
Q: Why OLED is not display?
A: Please follow the steps below to check
1. Please confirm that your OS is right:
Due to downloading the wrong firmware, the OLED cannot be displayed. We ALSO made such mistakes during testing
2. Please check if the order of OLED screen pins is correct, please email to support@geekworm.com if it's a wrong pin order;
The run the following command to check the I2C address
sudo i2cdetect -y 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f 00: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 10: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 20: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 30: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3c -- -- -- 40: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 50: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 60: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 70: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
3c is a hexadecimal number, it is the I2C address of OLED, if you can’t find this value, please shut down and reconnect shield and OLED, then run this command again, If you still can't find the OLED's I2C address, the OLED screen may be damaged.
4. Then run the following command to enable OLED display:
rw systemctl enable --now kvmd-oled ro
Q: Does x680 support proarammable switch between PC?
A: NO
Q: Does the X680 support PoE power? How to enable PoE Power?
A: The X680 doesn't support POE, but you can use something similar to the PD3005G-3A
Q: Why can't I switch to another PC?
A: You need to make sure that your target computer is not in sleep, because when the computer is sleep, the USB port will stop supplying power
Q: Why NVME SSD cannot be recognized？
A: Login the pikvm web teminal, then type the following command:
lspci
The result of the command should look similar to the following, if you can't find something similar to the following, your NVME SSD is not compatible
References
- ↑ PiKVM © belongs to https://pikvm.org
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