Windows 10: The device does not appear in Calibre

[Phibonacci]

After installing the plugin and configuring KOReader the device does not appear in Calibre.

I have:

• Paperwhite 2 (PW2) on the latest Firmware (5.12.2.1.1)
• KOReader 2023.03
• Windows 10
• Calibre 6.14.1

Here is precisely what I did:

• Move calibre_usb_autoconnect.koplugin from the repository, and its content, to koreader/plugins on my Kindle
• Restart KOReader (I also restarted the Kindle later to be sure)
• In Calibre: Connect/share menu, click on Start wireless device connection and set a fixed port
• In KOReader:
  • Settings > Calibre > Wireless settings > Server address and set it, along with the port, to the ones shown in Calibre in Connect/share menu
  • Settings > Calibre > Wireless settings >Set inbox folder long press on a directory to assign it
• Connect the USB Cable to the computer running Calibre
• Nothing happens

I can connect to Calibre from KOReader using the Wifi.

My Kindle Firmware can connect to Calibre without KOReader running.

[mireq]

@Phibonacci network connection working? Can you access kindle with ssh? I forgot to mention in the README that the USB network connection must be configured.

[Phibonacci]

The network connection is working, I can connect to Calibre from KOReader using the wifi.

I can also connect to KOReader through SSH.

What is the "USB network connection" ?

[mireq]

@Phibonacci this package is intended for connection using USB net for paranoid users who don't want enable WiFi connection. If you are using WiFi, it's useless for you. All functions are already available by default.

[Phibonacci]

this package is intended for connection using USB net for paranoid users who don't want enable WiFi

That would be me. I currently disabled Internet access at the router level but it's not a long term satisfying solution.

How can I configure the USB network connection?

[mireq]

@Phibonacci i don't know, i don't have windows. I have just installed USB network hack (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225030), connected cable and assigned IP 192.168.15.243/24 to new network device. Kindle has pre-configured address 192.168.15.244.

Then i have configured koreader and calibre:

[mireq]

@Phibonacci any news? It's working now?

[Phibonacci]

I could not make it work.

I installed the USBNetworkHack Update_usbnet_0.22.N_install_pw2_and_up.bin through MRPI. I can still connect to Calibre from KOReader through wifi but nothing happens when I try it with an USB cable.

[mireq]

@Phibonacci do you see new network card in Windows? Is network card configured. Static IP address should be anything in 192.168.15.xxx/24 range except of 192.168.15.244. I am using 192.168.15.243.

[Phibonacci]

No I don't. I guess I should see a new adapter in Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Network Connections. How is it working on Linux, is Calibre taking care of creating a new interface?

After reading a little about it, it looks like the Linux Kernel handles it.

[mireq]

@Phibonacci this interface is handled by kernel and visible as new network interface:

0525:a4a2 Netchip Technology, Inc. Linux-USB Ethernet/RNDIS Gadget

eth_kindle: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
        inet 192.168.15.243  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast 0.0.0.0
        inet6 ...  prefixlen 64  scopeid 0x20<link>
        ether ...  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
        RX packets 166  bytes 12900 (12.5 KiB)
        RX errors 0  dropped 0  overruns 0  frame 0
        TX packets 179  bytes 15516 (15.1 KiB)
        TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0```

[Phibonacci]

There does not seem to be any support for USB/IP in Windows. However the project which added support for it to the Linux kernel was also targeting Windows, as a client only.

I found this fork which intend to provide both client and server but after binding successfully my Kindle PW2 by following their README.md section on the server install, I did not see it appear in Calibre.

[mireq]

@Phibonacci usbip will not help, it's just USB device sharing over network. You need driver for USB device:
0525:a4a2 Netchip Technology, Inc. Linux-USB Ethernet/RNDIS Gadget

[mireq]

@Phibonacci guide to install wndows driver is on mobileread forum. I have added link to README.