Community build: VyOS Rolling for Radxa E52C

ROCK 5 Series E52C
1

I have uploaded two experimental VyOS test images for the Radxa E52C to the following GitHub release:

https://github.com/frogro/vyos-build/releases/tag/v2026.08.10-rock5b-r2

Neither of these images has yet been tested on real Radxa E52C hardware (only validated for Rock 5B). If you have access to an E52C and are willing to test them, your feedback would be extremely helpful.

1, Armbian-based VyOS hybrid image

File:

vyos-2026.08.14-0025-rolling-e52c-profile-c-test.img.xz

This approach combines the VyOS 2026.08.14-0025 rolling userspace with an Armbian-derived hardware base for the Radxa E52C.

It includes:

  • the E52C-specific Linux 7.1.8-edge-rockchip64 kernel;

  • the matching kernel modules;

  • additional firmware and hardware drivers;

  • the rk3582-radxa-e52c.dtb Device Tree;

  • the required Rockchip/U-Boot boot chain;

  • the normal VyOS userspace, CLI, routing, firewall and SSH components.

This image also uses an A/B-style system layout that was intended to provide a basis for future system-image updates.

After booting, it is intended to obtain an address through DHCP and provide SSH access when the E52C is connected to a router by Ethernet. Because the image has not yet been booted on real E52C hardware, this behaviour still needs to be verified.

2. Native VyOS image with board-specific hardware support

File:

vyos-radxa-e52c-candidate.img.xz

This is the newer and preferred approach. It is considerably closer to the official VyOS ARM64 image architecture.

Instead of using an Armbian root filesystem as the hardware base, this image starts with an official VyOS ARM64 rolling raw image and preserves the native VyOS userspace, SquashFS, persistence partition and system-image layout.

Only the hardware-specific components required for the E52C are added or replaced:

  • official VyOS Linux source and complete ARM64 configuration baseline;

  • E52C-specific hardware configuration derived from the Device Tree and Armbian hardware metadata;

  • Linux 6.18.44-vyos;

  • rockchip/rk3582-radxa-e52c.dtb;

  • matching in-tree and VyOS out-of-tree kernel modules;

  • a matching rebuilt VyOS initramfs;

  • an Armbian-built mainline U-Boot boot chain based on U-Boot v2026.07;

  • the board-specific Rockchip boot layout;

  • the original VyOS EFI/GRUB and GPT3 persistence/system-image structure.

Expected boot sequence

The expected boot path is:

Rockchip Boot ROM → U-Boot → EFI/GRUB → VyOS kernel and initramfs → VyOS SquashFS and persistence filesystem

If GRUB presents multiple console options, please select the normal graphical/HDMI console entry for the first test. The exact menu and HDMI behaviour still need to be confirmed on the E52C.

You may need to perform the initial setup locally using HDMI and a USB keyboard. The board should also be connected to your router through Ethernet.

VyOS does not necessarily enable DHCP and SSH automatically. From the local console, try:

configure
set interfaces ethernet eth0 address 'dhcp'
set service ssh port '22'
commit
save
exit

Then display the assigned addresses:

ip -br address

If the Ethernet interface is not named eth0, first check the available interfaces:

ip -br link

Then substitute the correct interface name in the VyOS configuration commands.

From another computer, SSH access should then be possible with:

ssh vyos@IP_ADDRESS

The image is intended to remain compatible with the normal VyOS add system image update mechanism. This has not yet been validated on real E52C hardware and is therefore an important part of the test.

Requested test feedback

Please report:

  • whether the board starts at all;

  • what appears over HDMI;

  • whether the GRUB menu appears;

  • whether the VyOS console becomes usable;

  • whether both Ethernet interfaces are detected;

  • the Ethernet interface names;

  • whether DHCP works;

  • whether SSH works;

  • whether NVMe, eMMC and microSD storage are detected;

  • any firmware-loading or driver errors.

Please also send the output of the following commands:

show version
show interfaces
show system image
uname -a
cat /proc/cmdline
ip -br link
ip -br address
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,FSTYPE,LABEL,PARTLABEL,PARTUUID,MOUNTPOINTS
findmnt
lspci -nnk
lsusb
lsusb -t
sudo efibootmgr -v

For the kernel and firmware messages, please run:

sudo journalctl -k -b --no-pager

If that output is too long, these filtered commands are especially useful:

sudo journalctl -k -b --no-pager | grep -Ei \
'error|fail|timeout|firmware|ethernet|r8169|stmmac|dwmac|phy|pcie|nvme|mmc|usb|drm|hdmi'

Please also run this for every detected Ethernet interface, replacing eth0 and eth1 if necessary:

sudo ethtool -i eth0
sudo ethtool -i eth1

The most important comparison is whether either image boots successfully and, if both boot, whether there are differences in HDMI output, Ethernet detection, storage support or general stability.

Thank you very much for testing.

Frank