orangepi-ssh

name	orangepi-ssh
description	Interface with the Orange Pi payload computer over SSH for development and debugging. Use when connecting to the Orange Pi, running commands remotely, deploying code, checking system status, or troubleshooting the payload computer.
license	MIT
compatibility	Claude Code, Codex CLI, VS Code Copilot, Cursor
metadata	{"author":"ncssm-robotics","version":"1.0.0","category":"hardware"}

Orange Pi SSH Interface

This skill helps you interface with the Orange Pi payload computer over SSH for the NCSSM HPR 2025 Payload project.

Connection Details

Parameter	Value
Host	192.168.137.70
User	orangepi
Password	orangepi
Protocol	SSH

Quick Connect

Basic SSH Connection

ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70

When prompted for password, enter: orangepi

Using sshpass for Non-Interactive Sessions

sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70

Running a Single Command

sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'command_here'

Example:

sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'uname -a'

Common Operations

Check System Status

# System info
sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'uname -a && cat /etc/os-release'

# CPU and memory
sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'top -bn1 | head -20'

# Disk usage
sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'df -h'

# Running processes
sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'ps aux'

File Transfer with SCP

# Copy file TO Orange Pi
sshpass -p 'orangepi' scp local_file.txt orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/

# Copy file FROM Orange Pi
sshpass -p 'orangepi' scp orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/remote_file.txt ./

# Copy directory TO Orange Pi
sshpass -p 'orangepi' scp -r local_dir/ orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/

# Copy directory FROM Orange Pi
sshpass -p 'orangepi' scp -r orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/remote_dir/ ./

File Transfer with rsync

# Sync directory TO Orange Pi (more efficient for large transfers)
sshpass -p 'orangepi' rsync -avz --progress local_dir/ orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/remote_dir/

# Sync directory FROM Orange Pi
sshpass -p 'orangepi' rsync -avz --progress orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/remote_dir/ ./local_dir/

Patterns

• Always check connectivity before running complex commands: ping -c 1 192.168.137.70
• Use sshpass for automated/scripted operations
• Use -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no to skip host key verification in automated scripts
• Prefer rsync over scp for large file transfers or directory syncs
• Use nohup or screen/tmux for long-running processes that should survive disconnection

Anti-Patterns

• Never store the password in version-controlled files
• Avoid running commands without checking if the device is reachable first
• Don't use -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no in production/security-sensitive contexts
• Don't run destructive commands (rm -rf, dd, etc.) without double-checking the target

Examples

Good: Check if Orange Pi is reachable before connecting

ping -c 1 192.168.137.70 && sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'echo "Connected!"'

Good: Deploy and run a script

# Copy script to Orange Pi
sshpass -p 'orangepi' scp my_script.py orangepi@192.168.137.70:/home/orangepi/

# Make it executable and run
sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'chmod +x /home/orangepi/my_script.py && python3 /home/orangepi/my_script.py'

Good: Run a long process in background

sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'nohup python3 /home/orangepi/data_collector.py > /home/orangepi/output.log 2>&1 &'

Bad: Running without connectivity check

# May hang indefinitely if Orange Pi is not reachable
sshpass -p 'orangepi' ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70 'some_command'

Troubleshooting

Connection Refused

If you get "Connection refused":

1. Verify the Orange Pi is powered on
2. Check that SSH service is running: the Orange Pi should have sshd enabled by default
3. Verify network connectivity: ping 192.168.137.70
4. Check firewall settings on the Orange Pi

Permission Denied

If you get "Permission denied":

1. Verify the password is correct: orangepi
2. Check that password authentication is enabled in /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Host Key Changed

If you get a host key warning:

# Remove old key (only if you trust the device)
ssh-keygen -R 192.168.137.70

# Then reconnect
ssh orangepi@192.168.137.70

Network Configuration

The Orange Pi is configured on the network 192.168.137.x. Ensure your development machine is on the same network or has a route to it.

If using a direct connection, you may need to configure a static IP on your machine in the 192.168.137.x range (e.g., 192.168.137.1).