VBUS-04 - USB-over-IP hub: flash and reset boards remotely

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Stop walking to your bench to flash and reset.

Your boards stay on the bench. You don't have to.

VBUS-04 is a 4-port USB 2.0 hub on your network. Each port attaches to your machine as a local USB device, wherever you work. Every port's power is independently switchable, with reset and boot GPIO per port. Your workflow stays the same - erase, flash, monitor as you've always done.

Early access $129 · Retail $249 · Ships Feb 2027

Reserve yours now for $10

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OptionsVBUS-04DIY<br>Unified controls✓-<br>Per-port power switching✓maybe*<br>Network attach✓✓<br>Reset + boot GPIO✓plumb*<br>Price$129~$150 + your weekends

*compatible hub · plumbing

Early-access price, first 100 units.

How it works.

Install

$ curl -LsSf https://vbus.dev/install.sh | sh

Discover

Power the box on.

$ vbus search<br>SERIAL HOSTNAME<br>ab12cd vbus-ab12cd.local

$ vbus setup ab12cd<br>default box set to ab12cd

Plug in

Plug a board into any port. The box powers the port (all ports on by default, configurable), then enumerates it.

$ vbus ls<br>PORT NAME STATE POWER<br>1 esp ready on<br>2 - empty off<br>3 jlink ready on<br>4 - empty off

$ vbus attach esp<br>port 1 attached -> /dev/ttyUSB0 (esp)

The target attaches as a normal USB device. Your toolchain doesn't know the difference.

Flash

$ idf.py erase-flash -p /dev/ttyUSB0<br>$ idf.py flash -p /dev/ttyUSB0<br>$ idf.py monitor -p /dev/ttyUSB0

Bootloader

$ vbus bootmode esp<br># holds boot, pulses reset - then flash as usual<br>$ idf.py flash -p /dev/ttyUSB0

Power

Cycle a target's power from anywhere - no walking to the bench.

$ vbus power cycle esp<br>esp power cycled

Config

$ vbus config<br>$ vbus config apply board.json

Spec.

VBUS-04 - USB-over-IP hub<br>Downstream ports4× USB 2.0, power switched per port<br>Per-port GPIO2× GPIO (reset + boot)<br>Data isolationD+/D− cut when a port is off<br>Per-port current1 A max<br>Ethernet1 Gbps<br>Remote attachUSB/IP over Tailscale (included)<br>Power in5 V DC, 4 A total<br>StatusPer-port LEDs

Why reserve now?

$129 early access, $249 retail. Pay $10 now, $119 when it ships. Ships by Feb 2027 with biweekly build updates starting when you reserve.

Reserve now for $10

Fully refundable until it ships. One email, no questions.

FAQ

Why $10 instead of a full preorder?<br>Because we're not asking you to fund the project. We're asking who is actually in. Ten dollars filters out the maybe, and it's refundable, so the risk sits with us. That's where it belongs.

Do I need to ssh in to flash? Or to cycle power?<br>No to both. The target attaches as a local USB device, so you flash with the tools you already use. Power is one command: vbus power cycle esp. The CLI runs on your machine and talks to the box over your LAN or tailnet.

What does the WebUI do? When do I use the CLI, and when ssh?<br>The WebUI handles setup: see what's attached on each port, join your tailnet, name ports, update firmware. Runtime control is the CLI, run anywhere on your tailnet. ssh is for admin.

My target board draws more than 1 A. Will it work?<br>Most debug probes, JTAG adapters, and serial bridges draw 200-500 mA, well within the 1 A per-port limit. A target that spikes above that (some RF SoCs under transmit load, anything with an active display) should be powered from a bench supply; VBUS handles the data side.

Does it work with Windows?<br>Yes, via WSL2. USB-IP attach is native there, and your tools have Linux versions that run unchanged inside WSL. The device appears inside WSL, so you flash with those Linux tools, not the Windows GUI. WSL2 is the supported route today.

Can I cancel and get my money back?<br>Yes. 100%, no questions asked, any time before your unit ships. One email. After it ships: 30 days to return it, and dead on arrival means a replacement.

Does it do USB 3?<br>No. USB 2.0 control channel: serial, HID, DFU, debug probes. If you need 5 Gbps throughput, this isn't the box for it.

Why not just build one myself with a Pi, a smart hub, and uhubctl?<br>Sure, you can - if you love building, go for it. But you'll need the right hub, the software stack, and the time to keep it working. If you want to be free from your bench, reserve your box now.

Can an AI agent use it?<br>Yes, deliberately. The control surface is a single binary with a small command set, so anything that can run a shell one-liner can drive it: a cron job, a pipeline, a tool-using agent. vbus ls --json speaks to them in plain structured data.

Does it phone home?<br>No account, no telemetry, no cloud. The box runs Linux and it belongs to you. Reach it over your LAN or Tailscale.