Hi,
I've set up an LXC with KDE and Steam on a Framework Desktop. GPU seems to be working and Steam Link (Remote Play) also works.
But I cannot get the Steam Controller (2015) to work. The Controller dongle is connected to the host and I have added all devices I can find to the LXC config. But steam does not recognize the controller or the dongle at all.
If I connect with steam link and the controller connected to the client, I can control Steam, but the controller does not work in the games.
I've tried a lot of other permission variants, but to my understanding the device config should take care of all permissions.
This is a privileged LXC, I have also tested unprivileged, it does not seem to make a difference at all.
Now I don't know if this is an issue with the LXC permissions or with debian/KDE/steam in general. Since I don't have another machine to test the same software on a hardware machine, that's difficult to determine.
Has anyone gotten a Steam Controller to work inside an LXC? Am I missing something?
Preparation on the host:
- installed "steam-devices" package
LXC config:
- template: debian-12-standard_12.12-1_amd64
- installed packages sudo kde-standard xrdp usbutils
- added user "user" with groups sudo input xrdp
- installed steam from steam_latest.deb
This is the lxc config:
~/.steam/steam/logs/controller.txt:
some debug info:
Disclaimer: I am currently evaluating a gaming setup on LXC. I do not need input on how that is a bad idea, on the security issues or recommendations to use a VM instead. If I later need help with one of those topics, I'll open another thread.
I've set up an LXC with KDE and Steam on a Framework Desktop. GPU seems to be working and Steam Link (Remote Play) also works.
But I cannot get the Steam Controller (2015) to work. The Controller dongle is connected to the host and I have added all devices I can find to the LXC config. But steam does not recognize the controller or the dongle at all.
If I connect with steam link and the controller connected to the client, I can control Steam, but the controller does not work in the games.
I've tried a lot of other permission variants, but to my understanding the device config should take care of all permissions.
This is a privileged LXC, I have also tested unprivileged, it does not seem to make a difference at all.
Now I don't know if this is an issue with the LXC permissions or with debian/KDE/steam in general. Since I don't have another machine to test the same software on a hardware machine, that's difficult to determine.
Has anyone gotten a Steam Controller to work inside an LXC? Am I missing something?
Preparation on the host:
- installed "steam-devices" package
LXC config:
- template: debian-12-standard_12.12-1_amd64
- installed packages sudo kde-standard xrdp usbutils
- added user "user" with groups sudo input xrdp
- installed steam from steam_latest.deb
This is the lxc config:
Code:
arch: amd64
cores: 8
# this is the dongle usb device
dev0: /dev/bus/usb/001/003,gid=0,mode=0664,uid=0
dev1: /dev/dri/renderD128,gid=0,uid=0
dev10: /dev/input/mouse0,gid=101,uid=0
dev11: /dev/uhid,gid=0,mode=0600,uid=0
dev12: /dev/dri/card0,gid=0,uid=0
dev2: /dev/kfd,gid=0,uid=0
# steam controller devices
dev3: /dev/hidraw0,gid=0,uid=0
dev4: /dev/hidraw1,gid=0,uid=0
dev5: /dev/hidraw2,gid=0,uid=0
dev6: /dev/hidraw3,gid=0,uid=0
dev7: /dev/hidraw4,gid=0,uid=0
dev8: /dev/uinput,gid=0,mode=0666,uid=0
dev9: /dev/input/event2,gid=101,uid=0
features: fuse=1,keyctl=1,mknod=1,nesting=1
hostname: kde2
memory: 8192
ostype: debian
rootfs: local-zfs:subvol-113-disk-0,size=200G
swap: 4096
tags: usb-28de-1142
unprivileged: 1
lxc.mount.entry: /dev/tty10 dev/tty8 none bind,optional,create=file
lxc.mount.entry: /dev/tty11 dev/tty0 none bind,optional,create=file~/.steam/steam/logs/controller.txt:
Code:
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Client version: 1782866176
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw1
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Interface: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw1
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw2
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Interface: 2
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw2
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw3
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Interface: 3
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw3
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw4
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Interface: 4
[2026-07-13 18:29:58] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw4
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw1
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Interface: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw1
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw2
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Interface: 2
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw2
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw3
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Interface: 3
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw3
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Local Device Found
type: 28de 1142
path: /dev/hidraw4
serial_number: - 0
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Manufacturer: Valve Software
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Product: Steam Controller
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Release: 1
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Interface: 4
[2026-07-13 18:29:59] Unable to open local device: /dev/hidraw4
[2026-07-13 18:30:22] Opted-in Controller Mask for AppId 0: 1000
[2026-07-13 18:30:36] Opted-in Controller Mask for AppId 0: 1000some debug info:
Code:
root@kde2:~# lsusb
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 05e3:0625 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB3.2 Hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 0e8d:0717 MediaTek Inc. Wireless_Device
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:0424 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 2-Port USB 3.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 28de:1142 Valve Software Wireless Steam Controller
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0bda:5424 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 2-Port USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
root@kde2:~# ls -l /dev/input/
total 0
crw-rw---- 1 root input 13, 66 Jul 13 18:24 event2
crw-rw---- 1 root input 13, 32 Jul 13 18:24 mouse0
root@kde2:~# ls -l /dev/uinput
crw-rw-rw- 1 root root 10, 223 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/uinput
root@kde2:~# ls -l /dev/uhid
crw------- 1 root root 10, 239 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/uhid
root@kde2:~# ls -l /dev/hidraw*
crw-rw---- 1 root root 238, 0 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/hidraw0
crw-rw---- 1 root root 238, 1 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/hidraw1
crw-rw---- 1 root root 238, 2 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/hidraw2
crw-rw---- 1 root root 238, 3 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/hidraw3
crw-rw---- 1 root root 238, 4 Jul 13 18:24 /dev/hidraw4Disclaimer: I am currently evaluating a gaming setup on LXC. I do not need input on how that is a bad idea, on the security issues or recommendations to use a VM instead. If I later need help with one of those topics, I'll open another thread.
