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@distolma
Last active October 25, 2025 03:43
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Ubuntu setup for Radxa Zero 3W
# This file is generated from information provided by the datasource. Changes
# to it will not persist across an instance reboot. To disable cloud-init's
# network configuration capabilities, write a file
# /etc/cloud/cloud.cfg.d/99-disable-network-config.cfg with the following:
# network: {config: disabled}
network:
ethernets:
eth0:
dhcp4: true
optional: true
version: 2
renderer: networkd
wifis:
wlan0:
dhcp4: true
optional: true
access-points:
"NETWORK-NAME":
password: "NETWORK-PASSWORD"

I had problems with setting up an official image that I could not solve even with the support of the Radxa team.

I found unofficial Ubuntu images for Rockchip RK35XX chips, which I managed to get running. Here I describe a small guide on how I managed to do it. The biggest challenge is that I run Radxa Zero 3W in headless mode and connect only via SSH. To do this, you need to configure WiFi before the initial boot (or even after the initial boot).

(here are ArchLinux images for Rockchips)

To configure WiFi on the SBC without the ability to interact with the operating system itself, I configured the file /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml where I set the parameters of my WiFi network. Then I start SBC and monitor my network, waiting for a new device to connect. Having found the connected device, I connect to it via SSH using the default user for Ubuntu - ubuntu with the password - ubuntu.

In the end, I have a working Ubuntu on Radxa Zero 3W

$ neofetch
            .-/+oossssoo+/-.               ubuntu@ubuntu 
        `:+ssssssssssssssssss+:`           ------------- 
      -+ssssssssssssssssssyyssss+-         OS: Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS aarch64 
    .ossssssssssssssssssdMMMNysssso.       Host: Radxa ZERO 3 
   /ssssssssssshdmmNNmmyNMMMMhssssss/      Kernel: 5.10.160-rockchip 
  +ssssssssshmydMMMMMMMNddddyssssssss+     Uptime: 2 mins 
 /sssssssshNMMMyhhyyyyhmNMMMNhssssssss/    Packages: 703 (dpkg) 
.ssssssssdMMMNhsssssssssshNMMMdssssssss.   Shell: bash 5.1.16 
+sssshhhyNMMNyssssssssssssyNMMMysssssss+   Terminal: /dev/pts/0 
ossyNMMMNyMMhsssssssssssssshmmmhssssssso   CPU: (4) @ 1.800GHz 
ossyNMMMNyMMhsssssssssssssshmmmhssssssso   Memory: 165MiB / 7686MiB 
+sssshhhyNMMNyssssssssssssyNMMMysssssss+
.ssssssssdMMMNhsssssssssshNMMMdssssssss.                           
 /sssssssshNMMMyhhyyyyhdNMMMNhssssssss/                            
  +sssssssssdmydMMMMMMMMddddyssssssss+
   /ssssssssssshdmNNNNmyNMMMMhssssss/
    .ossssssssssssssssssdMMMNysssso.
      -+sssssssssssssssssyyyssss+-
        `:+ssssssssssssssssss+:`
            .-/+oossssoo+/-.
@foxjony
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foxjony commented Aug 30, 2024

Speed ​​test Radxa Zero 3W
radxa-build/radxa-zero3#21

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