Test system setup
- pb12
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22 Jun 2026 05:45 - 22 Jun 2026 17:37 #347213
by pb12
Test system setup was created by pb12
Hello,
I'm wanting to set up an environment for learning cnc concepts with Linuxcnc
e.g. Machine PC plus development/simulation PC
Goals are to
understand cnc systems
experiment with cnc systems
build a capable hobby machine
Skills
Familiar with Linux (Gentoo)
Basic coding skills. Bash, Python, read, write, loops and if statements
So far I have a working pen plotter built, and based around Openbuilds Acro XYYZ using Fluidnc ESP32 controller.
Linuxcnc installed on old PC (parallel port), in my garage workshop with Aliexpress BOB arriving soon. Plan is to move to Linuxcnc.
Main PC in my house. No network connection yet
Question
What is good set up?
Simulation setup on main PC to sort out configurations... transfer to machine PC? Is this workable.
SSH into Linuxcnc box and used command line tools to work in Linuxcnc?
VNC or something similar?
Phil
I'm wanting to set up an environment for learning cnc concepts with Linuxcnc
e.g. Machine PC plus development/simulation PC
Goals are to
understand cnc systems
experiment with cnc systems
build a capable hobby machine
Skills
Familiar with Linux (Gentoo)
Basic coding skills. Bash, Python, read, write, loops and if statements
So far I have a working pen plotter built, and based around Openbuilds Acro XYYZ using Fluidnc ESP32 controller.
Linuxcnc installed on old PC (parallel port), in my garage workshop with Aliexpress BOB arriving soon. Plan is to move to Linuxcnc.
Main PC in my house. No network connection yet
Question
What is good set up?
Simulation setup on main PC to sort out configurations... transfer to machine PC? Is this workable.
SSH into Linuxcnc box and used command line tools to work in Linuxcnc?
VNC or something similar?
Phil
Last edit: 22 Jun 2026 17:37 by pb12.
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- tommylight
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23 Jun 2026 00:19 #347252
by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic Test system setup
Any official ISO, and any official LinuxCNC deb/install has several included sims (simulators) that you can use on any PC, even without installing them, just boot from the USB stick and use for testing (and even run actual machines).
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- rodw
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23 Jun 2026 06:24 #347257
by rodw
Replied by rodw on topic Test system setup
See if you can install a wifi dongle on your garage pc and get it on your network. Then you should be able to create a network share of your home folder you can reach from your main PC to configure and share Gcode files
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07 Jul 2026 20:34 - 07 Jul 2026 20:35 #347587
by pb12
Replied by pb12 on topic Test system setup
An update for what it is worth.........
LinuxCNC XYYZ (gantry) up and running, at least without hardware attached. i.e reporting parallel port pin status with the Hal Watch. All seems to function as expected. HAL config still brain numbing though.
Had to drop back to V2.7 to get a reasonable jitter number on my old Athlon X2 CPU. (20,000)
No network connection but USB stick for file transfer is OK albeit clunky.
Phil
LinuxCNC XYYZ (gantry) up and running, at least without hardware attached. i.e reporting parallel port pin status with the Hal Watch. All seems to function as expected. HAL config still brain numbing though.
Had to drop back to V2.7 to get a reasonable jitter number on my old Athlon X2 CPU. (20,000)
No network connection but USB stick for file transfer is OK albeit clunky.
Phil
Last edit: 07 Jul 2026 20:35 by pb12.
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- rhscdn
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07 Jul 2026 22:22 #347590
by rhscdn
Replied by rhscdn on topic Test system setup
Just an FYI, Mesa cards make network jitter much less of an issue.
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08 Jul 2026 17:00 #347598
by pb12
I do have another more capable PC. Would need an ethernet card for Mesa. Or parallel port card. Or ethernet card + Mesa for my old Athlon X2 (2 core) hardware
Freight is the killer USD80 just to get a Mesa card to my country.
Many decisions ..............
Phil
Replied by pb12 on topic Test system setup
Yep...... and as I want to understand and experiment with cnc a Mesa card (or Ethercat device) would be the way to go. I was definitely considering a Mesa card (7i96)Just an FYI, Mesa cards make network jitter much less of an issue.
I do have another more capable PC. Would need an ethernet card for Mesa. Or parallel port card. Or ethernet card + Mesa for my old Athlon X2 (2 core) hardware
Freight is the killer USD80 just to get a Mesa card to my country.
Many decisions ..............
Phil
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08 Jul 2026 17:13 #347599
by rhscdn
Replied by rhscdn on topic Test system setup
I had the same issue with shipping/duty. I purchased a 7i96s and I don’t regret it.
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- tuxcnc
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08 Jul 2026 18:07 #347603
by tuxcnc
Wheezy with RTAI has low jitter on some motherboards, but today this is time waste only.
This is 32bit Linux, Python 2.7, no realtime ethernet, and old LinuxCNC not compatible with modern, even at configs level, so you get many useless experiences...
Yesterday I installed Debian13.5 with LinuxCNC 2.10 on my Lenovo M725s SFF Ryzen 3 8GB 128GB M.2 NVMe (not newest but still modern), jitter is 20,000 and all works well.
This model has LPT connector at motherboard, but you can buy cheap second hand PCIex to LPT card.
In my opinion, LPT is obsolete, but if exist, you can serve some auxilary signals by this.
There are cheap 7i92 clones on Aliexpress.
I have model similar to original MESA, and chinese version with I/O drivers, both works well.
In my opinion, the future is ethercat and modbus.
This is more cost and more dificult, but works like in dreams...
Replied by tuxcnc on topic Test system setup
Very bad idea...Had to drop back to V2.7 to get a reasonable jitter number on my old Athlon X2 CPU. (20,000)
Wheezy with RTAI has low jitter on some motherboards, but today this is time waste only.
This is 32bit Linux, Python 2.7, no realtime ethernet, and old LinuxCNC not compatible with modern, even at configs level, so you get many useless experiences...
Yesterday I installed Debian13.5 with LinuxCNC 2.10 on my Lenovo M725s SFF Ryzen 3 8GB 128GB M.2 NVMe (not newest but still modern), jitter is 20,000 and all works well.
This model has LPT connector at motherboard, but you can buy cheap second hand PCIex to LPT card.
In my opinion, LPT is obsolete, but if exist, you can serve some auxilary signals by this.
There are cheap 7i92 clones on Aliexpress.
I have model similar to original MESA, and chinese version with I/O drivers, both works well.
In my opinion, the future is ethercat and modbus.
This is more cost and more dificult, but works like in dreams...
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09 Jul 2026 05:32 #347622
by pb12
Although I didn't realise Linuxcnc 2.7 was 32bit. The process did give me understanding that the config was different enough so as not to be useful for the future..
So now booting iso from USB stick and testing with SIMs.
Phil
Replied by pb12 on topic Test system setup
Yes. I have come too this conclusion too. Linuxcnc has passed the old hardware plus parallel port plus BOB stage, it seems. My old Athlon X2 might have to be reporposed as file server. That will free up an Intel i5 machine.
Had to drop back to V2.7 to get a reasonable jitter number on my old Athlon X2 CPU. (20,000)
Very bad idea...
Wheezy with RTAI has low jitter on some motherboards, but today this is time waste only.
This is 32bit Linux, Python 2.7, no realtime ethernet, and old LinuxCNC not compatible with modern, even at configs level, so you get many useless experiences...
Yesterday I installed Debian13.5 with LinuxCNC 2.10 on my Lenovo M725s SFF Ryzen 3 8GB 128GB M.2 NVMe (not newest but still modern), jitter is 20,000 and all works well.
This model has LPT connector at motherboard, but you can buy cheap second hand PCIex to LPT card.
In my opinion, LPT is obsolete, but if exist, you can serve some auxilary signals by this.
There are cheap 7i92 clones on Aliexpress.
I have model similar to original MESA, and chinese version with I/O drivers, both works well.
In my opinion, the future is ethercat and modbus.
This is more cost and more dificult, but works like in dreams...
Although I didn't realise Linuxcnc 2.7 was 32bit. The process did give me understanding that the config was different enough so as not to be useful for the future..
So now booting iso from USB stick and testing with SIMs.
Phil
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09 Jul 2026 12:56 #347628
by tommylight
Replied by tommylight on topic Test system setup
I still have machines running LinuxCNC (named EMC2 back then) on Ubuntu 8.04, and 10.04 and...
It is all dependent on how you look at things, but i would definitely not discard parallel port as it is extremely reliable, extremely cheap be it as a old PC for 20-50$ or add on card for 10-15$, does not need a BOB (although it is recommended for new users as it adds a bit of safety for wiring).
Overall, when you realize you can have a fully functioning and very reliable machine control for under 50$,that will control whatever contraption you can think of by adding some cheap drives and motors found on old photocopiers, the possibilities rise sky high.
So no, parallel port and 32bit are not obsolete, nor will they be any time soon, they are the perfect setup form learning CNC on a very low budget.
Go out, scavenge some motors and belts and linear rods, build something, then build something else even better, then...
-
Personally i use Mesa cards for everything and by now i have installed over 70 or 80 or 100 (probably more but i have no clue of the exact number), but still sometimes i build machines using a parallel port, even plasma machines that produce huge amounts of interference and THCAD wired directly to parallel port with no BOB, using HF start plasma sources work perfectly but do require very strict wiring and shielding and grounding.
Visit the "show your stuff" section, find topics started by me, plenty of pictures and videos of machines i have built and/or retrofitted, and some other stuff...
It is all dependent on how you look at things, but i would definitely not discard parallel port as it is extremely reliable, extremely cheap be it as a old PC for 20-50$ or add on card for 10-15$, does not need a BOB (although it is recommended for new users as it adds a bit of safety for wiring).
Overall, when you realize you can have a fully functioning and very reliable machine control for under 50$,that will control whatever contraption you can think of by adding some cheap drives and motors found on old photocopiers, the possibilities rise sky high.
So no, parallel port and 32bit are not obsolete, nor will they be any time soon, they are the perfect setup form learning CNC on a very low budget.
Go out, scavenge some motors and belts and linear rods, build something, then build something else even better, then...
-
Personally i use Mesa cards for everything and by now i have installed over 70 or 80 or 100 (probably more but i have no clue of the exact number), but still sometimes i build machines using a parallel port, even plasma machines that produce huge amounts of interference and THCAD wired directly to parallel port with no BOB, using HF start plasma sources work perfectly but do require very strict wiring and shielding and grounding.
Visit the "show your stuff" section, find topics started by me, plenty of pictures and videos of machines i have built and/or retrofitted, and some other stuff...
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