How to keep stable adb connection between multiple android devices and docker container in ubuntu PC

Introduction

This guide will help you maintain a stable ADB connection between multiple Android devices and a Docker container running on an Ubuntu server. This setup is essential for developers who need to test applications on several devices simultaneously in a containerized environment. We will cover how to configure udev` rules, set up the ADB server, and ensure reliable communication between devices and the container. By following these steps, you will have a robust setup for managing multiple ADB connections in a Docker environment, even when multiple users are working on the server.

Solution

1. Allow only the user(s) in plugdev group to have access to the devices

• Get vender id and produce id from the output of the lsusb command.

  $ lsusb
  
  Bus 007 Device 005: ID 04e8:6860 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Galaxy A5 (MTP)
  Bus 005 Device 009: ID 04e8:6860 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Galaxy A5 (MTP)
  Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04e8:6860 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd Galaxy A5 (MTP)
  

• Create the Android udev rules file and add the following line to it.

  $ sudo vi /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules
  
  SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="04e8", ATTR{idProduct}=="6860", MODE="0666", GROUP="plugdev"
  

• Add the user to the plugdev group

  $ sudo usermod -aG plugdev [USERNAME]
  

2. Disable Ubuntu’s USB power saving

• Temporarily disable USB power saving:

  echo -1 > /sys/module/usbcore/parameters/autosuspend`
  

• Permanently disable USB power saving:

  # add `usbcore.autosuspend=-1` option at the end of `GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT` option in `/etc/default/grub`
  $ sudo /etc/default/grub
  
  GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash usbcore.autosuspend=-1"
  
  $ sudo update-grub
  

3. Reboot the server & run docker container with previledge and mounted android devices.

• Kill local ADB server

  $ adb kill-server
  

• Run the Docker container with privileged access and mount the Android devices:

  $ docker run -it --rm --privileged -v /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb --name [container_name] [image_name] /usr/bin/zsh
  $ adb devices
  

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References

1. adb devices => no permissions (user in plugdev group; are your udev rules wrong?) [duplicate]
2. user in plugdev group; are your udev rules wrong or error: insufficient permissions for device: udev requires plugdev group membership?
3. Are all of your usb devices disconnecting periodically, for seemingly no reason? Here’s the fix
4. Connecting to a USB Android device in a Docker container via ADB