LeMaker Documentation

Summary

This site publishes practical documentation for single-board computers (SBCs), ARM Linux systems, and edge computing platforms. Every page focuses on repeatable checks, clear assumptions, and step-by-step procedures you can verify directly from a terminal session. Whether you're setting up your first Banana Pi, deploying a HiKey960 for development, or troubleshooting boot issues on a Banana Pro, you'll find concrete guidance with real commands and expected outputs.

LeMaker hardware has served thousands of developers, educators, and hobbyists worldwide for projects ranging from home automation and media centers to edge AI and network appliances. This documentation preserves the institutional knowledge built over years of community deployment, ensuring that both new and experienced users can achieve stable, reproducible results.

For a practical explainer of modern web transport, see this guide to HTTP/3 and QUIC explained.

What you'll find here

This documentation site provides:

Hardware specifications and connectivity guides - Detailed interface breakdowns for Ethernet, USB, GPIO, serial console, and storage options
OS installation and first-boot procedures - Step-by-step instructions for flashing images, verifying checksums, and confirming successful boot
Troubleshooting procedures - Systematic diagnostics for power, storage, network, and boot failures
Maintenance routines - Regular checks to prevent disk-full incidents, update breakage, and storage wear
Command references - Copy-paste ready commands with explanations of expected outputs
Download resources - OS images, utilities, and verification tools for all supported boards

Supported hardware platforms

Documentation covers the following LeMaker single-board computers:

Banana Pi - Original Allwinner A20 dual-core board with SATA, ideal for network storage and home servers
Banana Pro - Enhanced version with WiFi, Bluetooth, and microphone input for multimedia projects
HiKey - ARM Cortex-A53 octa-core development board with HDMI and PCIe, designed for Android and mainline Linux
HiKey 960 - High-performance board with HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor, 3GB RAM, and extensive I/O

Getting started (new users)

If this is your first time working with LeMaker hardware, follow this sequence:

Choose your board - Read the product overview page to understand capabilities, use cases, and hardware requirements
Gather prerequisites - Obtain a quality power supply (5V 2A minimum), reliable microSD card (Class 10, 8GB+), Ethernet cable, and optionally a USB-to-serial adapter
Download and verify your OS image - Visit the downloads hub and verify checksums before flashing
Flash the image - Use a proven tool like Etcher, dd, or Win32DiskImager with the correct target device
Perform first boot - Connect Ethernet first, then apply power and monitor for LED activity
Establish access - Connect via SSH or serial console and run the initial health checks below
Update and validate - Apply system updates, reboot under supervision, and confirm stable operation

Prerequisites for all procedures

To successfully use these guides, you should have:

Basic command-line familiarity - Ability to execute commands in a terminal and interpret simple output
Network access - Working Ethernet connection for downloads and updates (WiFi setup comes later)
Quality power supply - Proper voltage and current capacity prevents mysterious failures
Reliable storage media - Use reputable brand microSD cards or eMMC modules; cheap cards cause silent corruption
Serial console adapter (recommended) - USB-to-TTL adapter enables low-level debugging when network fails

First-boot validation checklist

After successful boot, run these commands to validate system health. Each should complete without errors:

# Confirm kernel version and architecture
uname -a

# Check network interfaces and IP assignment
ip a

# Verify storage mount points and free space
df -h

# Check for failed services
systemctl --failed

# Review boot messages for errors
journalctl -b -p err --no-pager | head -n 50

# Confirm system temperature (if sensors available)
cat /sys/class/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp

# Test DNS resolution
nslookup www.kernel.org

Troubleshooting quick reference

Most issues fall into these categories:

No boot / no LED activity - Check power supply voltage and current rating; try different microSD card
Board boots but no network - Verify Ethernet cable, check switch port, try DHCP then static IP
SSH connection refused - Confirm SSH service running with systemctl status sshd
Random crashes or corruption - Test different microSD card and power supply; check system temperature
Slow performance - Verify adequate swap space, check for thermal throttling, review running processes

Operating system options

LeMaker boards support multiple Linux distributions and Android variants:

Raspbian for Banana Pi - Debian-based, Raspberry Pi compatible distribution
Lubuntu for Banana Pi - Lightweight Ubuntu desktop environment
Arch Linux for Banana Pi - Rolling release for advanced users
Android for Banana Pi - Mobile OS for multimedia applications
Gentoo for Banana Pi - Source-based distribution for customization

Support boundaries and expectations

When seeking help or reporting issues, follow these guidelines:

Hardware first - For stability problems, always suspect power supply quality and storage media before software
Reproducible steps - Document what you did, what you expected, and what actually happened
Include specifics - Mention exact image name, file size, SHA hash, kernel version, and error messages
Provide logs - Run journalctl -b and dmesg to capture diagnostic output
Community resources - Visit forums and wikis for community-supported troubleshooting

Maintenance best practices

Keep your SBC system healthy with these regular checks:

Weekly - Check disk space (df -h), review failed services (systemctl --failed), scan error logs
Monthly - Apply security updates, verify backup procedures work, test reboot behavior
Quarterly - Review storage health, update documentation, test disaster recovery
Annually - Replace microSD cards proactively, audit running services, review access controls

Frequently asked questions

Which board should I choose for my project?

Banana Pi suits network storage, home servers, and GPIO projects. Banana Pro adds WiFi and Bluetooth for wireless applications. HiKey and HiKey 960 target development and computing-intensive workloads.

What power supply do I need?

Minimum 5V 2A for Banana Pi/Pro, 5V 2.5A for HiKey boards. Use quality supplies with stable voltage; cheap adapters cause mysterious failures.

Can I use any microSD card?

Use Class 10 or UHS-I cards from reputable brands. Minimum 8GB for most OS images. Cheap or counterfeit cards cause corruption and performance issues.

How do I access the board after first boot?

Connect via SSH over Ethernet (default IP assigned by DHCP) or use a USB-to-serial adapter on the debug UART pins.

Why won't my board boot?

Check power supply voltage and current capacity, try a different microSD card, verify image was flashed correctly, and inspect for LED activity patterns.

How do I update the operating system?

Use the distribution's package manager: apt update && apt upgrade for Debian/Ubuntu, pacman -Syu for Arch Linux.

What if I need GPIO access?

Install the appropriate GPIO library for your language (WiringPi for C, RPi.GPIO for Python) and refer to the WiringPi documentation.

How do I enable WiFi on Banana Pro?

Configure wireless settings in /etc/network/interfaces or use NetworkManager. Ensure firmware is loaded with dmesg | grep brcm.

Can I run Docker containers?

Yes, Docker works on ARM Linux. Install docker.io package and use ARM-compatible container images.

Where do I find additional community resources?

Visit the LeMaker Wiki for community-contributed guides, forum threads, and project examples.

Next steps

Once you're comfortable with the basics:

Explore custom kernel compilation for hardware-specific optimizations
Learn about Fex configuration for customizing hardware initialization
Set up maintenance routines for long-running deployments
Review security hardening before exposing services to the internet

Documentation continuity

This documentation site maintains stable URLs and preserves historical content to ensure long-term reference availability. Pages remain accessible at their original locations, supporting ongoing projects and educational materials that link to these resources. We update content regularly while maintaining compatibility with bookmarks and citations from external sources.

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-01-10