<p>Lego's <a href="http://aux.legoeducation.us/sharedimages/PDF/Catalog/2011LEGOEducationMain.pdf">education catalog</a> implies that the WeDo software is required for the hub to work. It states:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The two-port hub controls motors and sensors, transmits power and data
  to and from the computer, and is automatically detected by the WeDo™
  Software when connected to the computer.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I found some info regarding WeDo software, the <a href="http://ro-botica.com/img/WeDo/pdf/WeDo_FAQ_new_2010.pdf">manual</a> has this to say:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Q</strong>: What is the full detailed information on the compatibility with different platforms?</p>
  
  <p><strong>A</strong>: The WeDo™ software 1.1 is supported on Windows XP and Vista operating systems with the latest service packs. It is also supported
  on the Mac 10.5.xx operating system with Mac Intel processors. A
  minimum of 512 MB Ram is required and 300 MB of hard disc space. The
  WeDo software 1.2 is supported on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7
  operating systems with the latest service packs, as well as the Mac
  10.5.xx and Mac 10.6.xx operating systems with Mac Intel processors.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In general, Lego software seems to be supported only on OS X and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. All of the software mentioned in the Lego catalog (Lego Mindstorm Education NXT Software) indicated support for OS X 10.4 or later, and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Linux support was not mentioned.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-11T17:57:28.950Z
The hub doesn't have any intelligence on its own and so can't work independently. It doesn't even have a power source, as a matter of fact. To be honest, compared to the NXT, is seems a bit pointless, but I suppose it's a good start for kids.
Joubarc
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-11T17:36:37.600Z
2011-11-11T17:36:37.600Z
JW8
<p>You can use WeDo with MIT Scratch 1.4 according to <a href="http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo" rel="nofollow">http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo</a>, and Scratch runs on Linux- and this thread <a href="https://lists.launchpad.net/scratch/msg00269.html" rel="nofollow">https://lists.launchpad.net/scratch/msg00269.html</a> indicates that the Linux Scratch does work with WeDo.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-06-11T00:20:38.260Z
2013-06-11T00:20:38.260Z
Lucas Walter
<p>I've just discover that the WEDO USB Hub just send to the motors 5V instead of 9V, so that's stopping me for doing a lot of stuff. Does anybody know how to add a separate source power and only send and read data from the USB Hub? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-09T21:56:38.520Z
I think this would be better posted as its own question, rather than as an answer here...
retracile
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-10-09T21:02:16.843Z
2012-10-09T21:02:16.843Z
salaboy
<p>For what it's worth, I have recently found that the LEGO WeDo hub connection works just fine on the Raspbian distro that comes with a Raspberry Pi, but it's not working on an Ubermix (Ubuntu) distro that I put on some Dell laptops.</p>

<p>See my post on this at <a href="http://scratched.media.mit.edu/discussions/bugs-troubleshooting-suggestions/scratch-wedo-linux-distro-specific-issues" rel="nofollow">http://scratched.media.mit.edu/discussions/bugs-troubleshooting-suggestions/scratch-wedo-linux-distro-specific-issues</a> .</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-07T01:42:17.083Z
2014-04-07T01:42:17.083Z
Ms. G
<p>I haven't found a lot of detail on the <a href="http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=33718&amp;in=S" rel="noreferrer">WeDo USB hub</a>.  Is this device usable with Linux?  I found <a href="http://www.olpcnews.com/software/third_party/lego_mindstorms_nxt_xo_laptop.html" rel="noreferrer">one article</a> that indicated the OLPC XO had support for it, but it implied there was custom support added for that particular system.  And <a href="http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/pub/p/id/596" rel="noreferrer">this ad</a> implies it will work with Linux.</p>

<p>Has anyone used this with a regular Linux distribution?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-11T16:29:36.660Z
Is this a questions for [super user](http://superuser.com/) ?
RedRiderX
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-11T18:51:41.097Z
@JeoWreschnig: I don't think the Mindstorms tag is appropriate for this question; WeDo appears to be completely independent from Mindstorms.
retracile
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-11-11T19:30:18.737Z
@retracile, you raise a good point. From this post that I came across (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261433), WeDo's relationship to Mindstorms is similar to Duplo's relationship to regular Legos.
JW8
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-22T15:05:15.373Z
I'm using the LEGO WEDO HUB with pure JAVA controlling the USB (Linux, Mac, Win), if someone is interested please write back
salaboy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-09-24T15:54:48.757Z
Yes please.  A link to sources would also be useful...
retracile
<wedo>
Can I use the WeDo USB hub with normal Linux distributions?
retracile
# Can I use the WeDo USB hub with normal Linux distributions?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2011-11-11)

I haven't found a lot of detail on the [WeDo USB hub](http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=33718&in=S). Is this device usable with Linux? I found [one article](http://www.olpcnews.com/software/third_party/lego_mindstorms_nxt_xo_laptop.html) that indicated the OLPC XO had support for it, but it implied there was custom support added for that particular system. And [this ad](http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/pub/p/id/596) implies it will work with Linux.

Has anyone used this with a regular Linux distribution?

**Tags:** wedo

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is this a questions for [super user](http://superuser.com/) ?  
> **username_0**: @JeoWreschnig: I don't think the Mindstorms tag is appropriate for this question; WeDo appears to be completely independent from Mindstorms.  
> **username_2**: @username_0, you raise a good point. From this post that I came across (http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261433), WeDo's relationship to Mindstorms is similar to Duplo's relationship to regular Legos.  
> **username_3**: I'm using the LEGO WEDO HUB with pure JAVA controlling the USB (Linux, Mac, Win), if someone is interested please write back  
> **username_0**: Yes please.  A link to sources would also be useful...  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2011-11-11. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Lego's [education catalog](http://aux.legoeducation.us/sharedimages/PDF/Catalog/2011LEGOEducationMain.pdf) implies that the WeDo software is required for the hub to work. It states:

> The two-port hub controls motors and sensors, transmits power and data
> to and from the computer, and is automatically detected by the WeDo™
> Software when connected to the computer.

I found some info regarding WeDo software, the [manual](http://ro-botica.com/img/WeDo/pdf/WeDo_FAQ_new_2010.pdf) has this to say:

> **Q**: What is the full detailed information on the compatibility with different platforms?
>
> **A**: The WeDo™ software 1.1 is supported on Windows XP and Vista operating systems with the latest service packs. It is also supported
> on the Mac 10.5.xx operating system with Mac Intel processors. A
> minimum of 512 MB Ram is required and 300 MB of hard disc space. The
> WeDo software 1.2 is supported on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7
> operating systems with the latest service packs, as well as the Mac
> 10.5.xx and Mac 10.6.xx operating systems with Mac Intel processors.

In general, Lego software seems to be supported only on OS X and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. All of the software mentioned in the Lego catalog (Lego Mindstorm Education NXT Software) indicated support for OS X 10.4 or later, and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Linux support was not mentioned.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: The hub doesn't have any intelligence on its own and so can't work independently. It doesn't even have a power source, as a matter of fact. To be honest, compared to the NXT, is seems a bit pointless, but I suppose it's a good start for kids.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2013-06-11. Score: 3

You can use WeDo with MIT Scratch 1.4 according to <http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo>, and Scratch runs on Linux- and this thread <https://lists.launchpad.net/scratch/msg00269.html> indicates that the Linux Scratch does work with WeDo.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2012-10-09. Score: 1

I've just discover that the WEDO USB Hub just send to the motors 5V instead of 9V, so that's stopping me for doing a lot of stuff. Does anybody know how to add a separate source power and only send and read data from the USB Hub?

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I think this would be better posted as its own question, rather than as an answer here...  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2014-04-07. Score: 0

For what it's worth, I have recently found that the LEGO WeDo hub connection works just fine on the Raspbian distro that comes with a Raspberry Pi, but it's not working on an Ubermix (Ubuntu) distro that I put on some Dell laptops.

See my post on this at <http://scratched.media.mit.edu/discussions/bugs-troubleshooting-suggestions/scratch-wedo-linux-distro-specific-issues> .


---

