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Linux - Run payload sender without root

This section details how to add an udev rule to let you send a payload to the Nintendo Switch without needing to use sudo.

The following instructions only work if you have a system that implements udev. Most modern distros come with systemd already installed, which includes a udev implementation.

Do the following instructions while your Switch is not connected to your computer.

 

Option 1: Manually adding rules and group

The following instructions are not for beginners. Only do this if you understand what you are doing.

Creating a new group

To start, we will create a new group and add ourselves to it. The group the Nintendo Switch device will be owned by on Linux will be set to this group.

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Enter the following command: sudo groupadd nintendo_switch.
  3. Enter your password when prompted.
  4. Enter the following command: sudo usermod -a -G nintendo_switch $USER. Make sure that the G is capitalized!
  5. Close the terminal.

Adding a udev rule

Next we're gonna add a new udev rule. udev is a device manager for the linux kernel. The rule we're gonna specify is that if the Switch is connected in RCM mode, the group the Switch belongs to will be the group we made in the previous section.

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Change to the root user with the following command: sudo -i. Enter your password when prompted.
  3. Enter the following command: mkdir -p /etc/udev/rules.d.
  4. Enter the following command: echo 'SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS{manufacturer}=="NVIDIA Corp.", ATTRS{product}=="APX", GROUP="nintendo_switch"' > /etc/udev/rules.d/10-switch.rules.
  5. Enter the following command: udevadm control --reload.
  6. Enter the following command: udevadm trigger.
  7. Logout and log back in.

You should now be able to run the payload sender without having to use sudo.

 

Option 2: Installing a package with the rules

Note:

These rules will actually allow ANY user to access your Switch via USB, not only your user.

You may just follow the instructions at nx-udev, or if you're on Ubuntu / Debian:

  1. Download nx-udev_latest_all.deb.
  2. Open a terminal in the same directory as your download.
  3. Run sudo dpkg -i nx-udev_latest_all.deb to install the package

You should now be able to run the payload injector and homebrew with USB communication without having to use sudo.