5-Axis CNC Setup with LinuxCNC + Mesa Boards

Hi everyone,I’ve been working on a CNC project for a while and I’d like some advice before committing to hardware. Here’s my situation:

• I originally built a 3-axis CNC router running on GRBL (ESP32) + a custom PCB. I used that setup for a long time and gained good experience with it.
• Later, I decided to upgrade to 5-axis by adding A and C axes to the same GRBL-based system. While it functions, I quickly discovered a limitation: ESP32 GRBL doesn’t support TCP, so the machine can’t act as a proper 5-axis system.
• Because of this, I started looking into LinuxCNC. At first I wanted to use my Raspberry Pi 5, but I read that the Pi version of LinuxCNC can’t really handle full 5-axis control.
• I then tried installing LinuxCNC on an old laptop, but since it has no parallel port, I searched for hardware solutions that use Ethernet. That’s how I found Mesa boards.

From what I’ve gathered so far:

• The 7i76 series supports 5 axes and spindle control, but its encoder inputs are only for the spindle, not for axes.
• The 7i95 series seems more suitable because it supports encoder inputs for the axes as well. My thinking was that even though steppers usually work fine, it would be good to have encoder feedback to check for missed steps.

Where I’m at now:

• When testing LinuxCNC setup, I couldn’t find any 7i95 options in PNCconf, which left me confused.
• My current hardware: 2.2 Nm NEMA 23 steppers with DM556 drivers on all axes (6 motors total, since Y has dual rails).
• I don’t have encoders yet, I was waiting to see which types are actually supported by the mesa boards.
• As another option, I do have a couple of 400 W Delta B3 servos, but not enough to equip all axes. I’ve considered using them if steppers turn out too weak, but that would mean buying more servos.
• My main goal with encoders is simply to check for missed steps on the steppers.

My questions to the community:

1. Am I on the right track with the 7i95 + LinuxCNC setup for a 5-axis machine with encoder feedback?
2. Would you recommend a different Mesa board or configuration for this?
3. Are there any guides/resources for setting up a 4+ axis machine with Mesa boards and LinuxCNC?

Thanks in advance for any advice!Ozan T.