Here is a short tutorial on how to build libftdi git under Ubuntu 12.10, But it is similar on other Linux distros. 1) Install the build tools sudo apt-get install build-essential (yum install make automake gcc gcc-c++ kernel-devel) sudo apt-get install git-core (yum install git) sudo apt-get install cmake (yum install cmake) sudo apt-get install doxygen (for building documentations) (yum install doxygen) 2) Install dependencies sudo apt-get install libusb-1.0-devel (yum install libusb-devel) (if the system comes with older version like 1.0.8 or earlier, it is recommended you build libusbx-1.0.14 or later). sudo apt-get install libconfuse-dev (for ftdi-eeprom) (yum install libconfuse-devel) sudo apt-get install swig python-dev (for python bindings) (yum install swig python-devel) sudo apt-get install libboost-all-dev (for C++ binding and unit test) (yum install boost-devel) 3) Clone the git repository mkdir libftdi cd libftdi git clone git://developer.intra2net.com/libftdi If you are building the release tar ball, just extract the source tar ball. 4) Build the git source and install cd libftdi mkdir build cd build cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="/usr" ../ make sudo make install 5) carry out some tests cd examples mcuee@Ubuntu1210VM:~/Desktop/build/libftdi/libftdi/build/examples$ ./find_all_pp -v 0x0403 -p 0x6001 Found devices ( VID: 0x403, PID: 0x6001 ) ------------------------------------------------ FTDI (0x8730800): ftdi, usb serial converter, ftDEH51S (Open OK) FTDI (0x8730918): FTDI, FT232R USB UART, A8007Ub5 (Open OK) mcuee@Ubuntu1210VM:~/Desktop/build/libftdi/libftdi/build/examples$ ./eeprom 2 FTDI devices found: Only Readout on EEPROM done. Use VID/PID/desc/serial to select device Decoded values of device 1: Chip type 1 ftdi_eeprom_size: 128 0x000: 00 00 03 04 01 60 00 04 a0 16 08 00 10 01 94 0a .....`.. ........ 0x010: 9e 2a c8 12 0a 03 66 00 74 00 64 00 69 00 2a 03 .*....f. t.d.i.*. 0x020: 75 00 73 00 62 00 20 00 73 00 65 00 72 00 69 00 u.s.b. . s.e.r.i. 0x030: 61 00 6c 00 20 00 63 00 6f 00 6e 00 76 00 65 00 a.l. .c. o.n.v.e. 0x040: 72 00 74 00 65 00 72 00 12 03 66 00 74 00 44 00 r.t.e.r. ..f.t.D. 0x050: 45 00 48 00 35 00 31 00 53 00 02 03 00 00 00 00 E.H.5.1. S....... 0x060: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........ ........ 0x070: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 16 02 ........ ........ VID: 0x0403 PID: 0x6001 Release: 0x0400 Bus Powered: 44 mA USB Remote Wake Up Manufacturer: ftdi Product: usb serial converter Serial: ftDEH51S Checksum : 0216 Enable Remote Wake Up PNP: 1 Decoded values of device 2: Chip type 3 ftdi_eeprom_size: 128 0x000: 00 40 03 04 01 60 00 00 a0 2d 08 00 00 00 98 0a .@...`.. .-...... 0x010: a2 20 c2 12 23 10 05 00 0a 03 46 00 54 00 44 00 . ..#... ..F.T.D. 0x020: 49 00 20 03 46 00 54 00 32 00 33 00 32 00 52 00 I. .F.T. 2.3.2.R. 0x030: 20 00 55 00 53 00 42 00 20 00 55 00 41 00 52 00 .U.S.B. .U.A.R. 0x040: 54 00 12 03 41 00 38 00 30 00 30 00 37 00 55 00 T...A.8. 0.0.7.U. 0x050: 62 00 35 00 c9 bf 1c 80 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 b.5..... ........ 0x060: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........ ........ 0x070: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0f 23 ........ .......# 0x080: 2c 04 d3 fb 00 00 c9 bf 1c 80 42 00 00 00 00 00 ,....... ..B..... 0x090: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 41 32 52 4a 33 47 4f ........ 8A2RJ3GO VID: 0x0403 PID: 0x6001 Release: 0x0000 Bus Powered: 90 mA USB Remote Wake Up Manufacturer: FTDI Product: FT232R USB UART Serial: A8007Ub5 Checksum : 230f Internal EEPROM Enable Remote Wake Up PNP: 1 Channel A has Mode UART VCP C0 Function: TXLED C1 Function: RXLED C2 Function: TXDEN C3 Function: PWREN C4 Function: SLEEP