I have two usb-webcams on them machine, but at bot they some switch /dev/video number. The solution to this problem seems to be new udev rule. I have added this rule in/etc/udev/rules.d/jj-video.rules: Fix webcam 1 KERNEL=="video1", SUBSYSTEM=="video4linux", SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d6b", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0001", SYMLINK+="webcam1" Fix webcam 2 KERNEL=="video2", SUBSYSTEM=="video4linux", ATTR{name}=="Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000", KERNELS=="0000:00:1d.0", SUBSYSTEMS=="pci", DRIVERS=="uhci_hcd", ATTRS{vendor}=="0x8086", ATTRS##{device}=="0x2658", SYMLINK+="webcam2" but the symlinks are not created. I have tried many different combinations in this file. The present ones are just my lates attempts. I found the parameters in: jjk@eee-old:~$ udevadm info -a -p $(udevadm info -q path -p /class/video4linux/video1) Udevadm info starts with the device specified by the devpath and then walks up the chain of parent devices. It prints for every device found, all possible attributes in the udev rules key format. A rule to match, can be composed by the attributes of the device and the attributes from one single parent device. looking at device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/video4linux/video1': KERNEL=="video1" SUBSYSTEM=="video4linux" DRIVER=="" ATTR{name}=="Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000" ATTR{index}=="0" ATTR{button}=="0" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0': KERNELS=="2-2:1.0" SUBSYSTEMS=="usb" DRIVERS=="Philips webcam" ATTRS{bInterfaceNumber}=="00" ATTRS{bAlternateSetting}==" 9" ATTRS{bNumEndpoints}=="02" ATTRS{bInterfaceClass}=="0a" ATTRS{bInterfaceSubClass}=="ff" ATTRS{bInterfaceProtocol}=="00" ATTRS{supports_autosuspend}=="0" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2': KERNELS=="2-2" SUBSYSTEMS=="usb" DRIVERS=="usb" ATTRS{configuration}=="" ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 3" ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1" ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="a0" ATTRS{bMaxPower}=="500mA" ATTRS{urbnum}=="371076" ATTRS{idVendor}=="046d" ATTRS{idProduct}=="08b0" ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0002" ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="00" ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00" ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00" ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1" ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="8" ATTRS{speed}=="12" ATTRS{busnum}=="2" ATTRS{devnum}=="2" ATTRS{devpath}=="2" ATTRS{version}==" 1.10" ATTRS{maxchild}=="0" ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0" ATTRS{avoid_reset_quirk}=="0" ATTRS{authorized}=="1" ATTRS{serial}=="01402100A5000000" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2': KERNELS=="usb2" SUBSYSTEMS=="usb" DRIVERS=="usb" ATTRS{configuration}=="" ATTRS{bNumInterfaces}==" 1" ATTRS{bConfigurationValue}=="1" ATTRS{bmAttributes}=="e0" ATTRS{bMaxPower}==" 0mA" ATTRS{urbnum}=="34" ATTRS{idVendor}=="1d6b" ATTRS{idProduct}=="0001" ATTRS{bcdDevice}=="0302" ATTRS{bDeviceClass}=="09" ATTRS{bDeviceSubClass}=="00" ATTRS{bDeviceProtocol}=="00" ATTRS{bNumConfigurations}=="1" ATTRS{bMaxPacketSize0}=="64" ATTRS{speed}=="12" ATTRS{busnum}=="2" ATTRS{devnum}=="1" ATTRS{devpath}=="0" ATTRS{version}==" 1.10" ATTRS{maxchild}=="2" ATTRS{quirks}=="0x0" ATTRS{avoid_reset_quirk}=="0" ATTRS{authorized}=="1" ATTRS{manufacturer}=="Linux 3.2.0-29-generic uhci_hcd" ATTRS{product}=="UHCI Host Controller" ATTRS{serial}=="0000:00:1d.0" ATTRS{authorized_default}=="1" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0': KERNELS=="0000:00:1d.0" SUBSYSTEMS=="pci" DRIVERS=="uhci_hcd" ATTRS{vendor}=="0x8086" ATTRS{device}=="0x2658" ATTRS{subsystem_vendor}=="0x1043" ATTRS{subsystem_device}=="0x82d8" ATTRS{class}=="0x0c0300" ATTRS{irq}=="23" ATTRS{local_cpus}=="ff" ATTRS{local_cpulist}=="0-7" ATTRS{dma_mask_bits}=="32" ATTRS{consistent_dma_mask_bits}=="32" ATTRS{broken_parity_status}=="0" ATTRS{msi_bus}=="" looking at parent device '/devices/pci0000:00': KERNELS=="pci0000:00" SUBSYSTEMS=="" DRIVERS=="" jjk@eee-old:~$ And tested the setup: sudo udevadm --debug test /sys/class/video4linux/video1 main: runtime dir '/run/udev' run_command: calling: test adm_test: version 175 This program is for debugging only, it does not run any program, specified by a RUN key. It may show incorrect results, because some values may be different, or not available at a simulation run. parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-crda.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-fuse.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-gnupg.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-hplip.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-ia64.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-inputattach.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-libgphoto2-2.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-libsane.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-ppc.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-usb_modeswitch.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/40-xserver-xorg-video-intel.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/42-qemu-usb.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/50-firmware.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/50-udev-default.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/55-dm.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/56-hpmud_support.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-cdrom_id.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-pcmcia.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-alsa.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-input.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-serial.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-storage-dm.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-storage-tape.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-storage.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-v4l.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/61-accelerometer.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/64-xorg-xkb.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/66-xorg-synaptics-quirks.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/69-cd-sensors.rules' as rules file add_rule: IMPORT found builtin 'usb_id', replacing /lib/udev/rules.d/69-cd-sensors.rules:76 parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/69-libmtp.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/69-xorg-vmmouse.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/69-xserver-xorg-input-wacom.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-cd.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/70-persistent-net.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/70-printers.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/70-udev-acl.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/75-cd-aliases-generator.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/75-net-description.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/75-persistent-net-generator.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/75-probe_mtd.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/75-tty-description.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-ericsson-mbm.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-longcheer-port-types.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-nokia-port-types.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-pcmcia-device-blacklist.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-platform-serial-whitelist.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-qdl-device-blacklist.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-simtech-port-types.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-usb-device-blacklist.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-x22x-port-types.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-mm-zte-port-types.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/77-nm-olpc-mesh.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/78-graphics-card.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/78-sound-card.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/80-drivers.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/80-mm-candidate.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/80-udisks.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/85-brltty.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/85-hdparm.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/85-hplj10xx.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/85-keyboard-configuration.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/85-regulatory.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/85-usbmuxd.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/90-alsa-restore.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/90-alsa-ucm.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/90-libgpod.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/90-pulseaudio.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-cd-devices.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-keyboard-force-release.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-keymap.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-udev-late.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-battery-recall-dell.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-battery-recall-fujitsu.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-battery-recall-gateway.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-battery-recall-ibm.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-battery-recall-lenovo.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-battery-recall-toshiba.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-csr.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-hid.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/95-upower-wup.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/lib/udev/rules.d/97-bluetooth-hid2hci.rules' as rules file parse_file: reading '/etc/udev/rules.d/jj-video.rules' as rules file udev_rules_new: rules use 259284 bytes tokens (21607 * 12 bytes), 37913 bytes buffer udev_rules_new: temporary index used 67520 bytes (3376 * 20 bytes) udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x215103e0 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/video4linux/video1' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x21510758 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/video4linux/video1' udev_device_read_db: device 0x21510758 filled with db file data udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x21510e10 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x21511b10 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x215132f8 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x21513650 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x21513980 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00' udev_rules_apply_to_event: GROUP 44 /lib/udev/rules.d/50-udev-default.rules:29 udev_rules_apply_to_event: IMPORT 'v4l_id /dev/video1' /lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-v4l.rules:7 udev_event_spawn: starting 'v4l_id /dev/video1' spawn_read: 'v4l_id /dev/video1'(out) 'ID_V4L_VERSION=2' spawn_read: 'v4l_id /dev/video1'(out) 'ID_V4L_PRODUCT=Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000' spawn_read: 'v4l_id /dev/video1'(out) 'ID_V4L_CAPABILITIES=:capture:' spawn_wait: 'v4l_id /dev/video1' [2609] exit with return code 0 udev_rules_apply_to_event: IMPORT builtin 'usb_id' /lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-v4l.rules:9 builtin_usb_id: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0: if_class 10 protocol 0 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_VENDOR=046d udev_builtin_add_property: ID_VENDOR_ENC=046d udev_builtin_add_property: ID_VENDOR_ID=046d udev_builtin_add_property: ID_MODEL=08b0 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_MODEL_ENC=08b0 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_MODEL_ID=08b0 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_REVISION=0002 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_SERIAL=046d_08b0_01402100A5000000 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_SERIAL_SHORT=01402100A5000000 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_TYPE=generic udev_builtin_add_property: ID_BUS=usb udev_builtin_add_property: ID_USB_INTERFACES=:0aff00:010100:010200: udev_builtin_add_property: ID_USB_INTERFACE_NUM=00 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_USB_DRIVER=Philips webcam udev_rules_apply_to_event: LINK 'v4l/by-id/usb-046d_08b0_01402100A5000000-video-index0' /lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-v4l.rules:10 udev_rules_apply_to_event: IMPORT builtin 'path_id' /lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-v4l.rules:16 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_PATH=pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0 udev_builtin_add_property: ID_PATH_TAG=pci-0000_00_1d_0-usb-0_2_1_0 udev_rules_apply_to_event: LINK 'v4l/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-video-index0' /lib/udev/rules.d/60-persistent-v4l.rules:17 udev_rules_apply_to_event: RUN 'udev-acl --action=$env{ACTION} --device=$env{DEVNAME}' /lib/udev/rules.d/70-udev-acl.rules:74 udev_rules_apply_to_event: LINK 'webcam1' /etc/udev/rules.d/jj-video.rules:2 udev_event_execute_rules: no node name set, will use kernel supplied name 'video1' udev_node_add: creating device node '/dev/video1', devnum=81:1, mode=0660, uid=0, gid=44 udev_node_mknod: preserve file '/dev/video1', because it has correct dev_t udev_node_mknod: preserve permissions /dev/video1, 020660, uid=0, gid=44 node_symlink: preserve already existing symlink '/dev/char/81:1' to '../video1' link_find_prioritized: found 'c81:2' claiming '/run/udev/links/v4l\x2fby-id\x2fusb-046d_08b0_01402100A5000000-video-index0' udev_device_new_from_syspath: device 0x21516748 has devpath '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.1/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/video4linux/video2' udev_device_read_db: device 0x21516748 filled with db file data link_find_prioritized: found 'c81:1' claiming '/run/udev/links/v4l\x2fby-id\x2fusb-046d_08b0_01402100A5000000-video-index0' link_update: creating link '/dev/v4l/by-id/usb-046d_08b0_01402100A5000000-video-index0' to '/dev/video1' node_symlink: atomically replace '/dev/v4l/by-id/usb-046d_08b0_01402100A5000000-video-index0' link_find_prioritized: found 'c81:1' claiming '/run/udev/links/v4l\x2fby-path\x2fpci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-video-index0' link_update: creating link '/dev/v4l/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-video-index0' to '/dev/video1' node_symlink: preserve already existing symlink '/dev/v4l/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-video-index0' to '../../video1' link_find_prioritized: found 'c81:1' claiming '/run/udev/links/webcam1' link_update: creating link '/dev/webcam1' to '/dev/video1' node_symlink: preserve already existing symlink '/dev/webcam1' to 'video1' udev_device_update_db: created db file '/run/udev/data/c81:1' for '/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/video4linux/video1' ACTION=add COLORD_DEVICE=1 COLORD_KIND=camera DEVLINKS=/dev/v4l/by-id/usb-046d_08b0_01402100A5000000-video-index0 /dev/v4l/by-path/pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0-video-index0 /dev/webcam1 DEVNAME=/dev/video1 DEVPATH=/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-2/2-2:1.0/video4linux/video1 ID_BUS=usb ID_MODEL=08b0 ID_MODEL_ENC=08b0 ID_MODEL_ID=08b0 ID_PATH=pci-0000:00:1d.0-usb-0:2:1.0 ID_PATH_TAG=pci-0000_00_1d_0-usb-0_2_1_0 ID_REVISION=0002 ID_SERIAL=046d_08b0_01402100A5000000 ID_SERIAL_SHORT=01402100A5000000 ID_TYPE=generic ID_USB_DRIVER=Philips webcam ID_USB_INTERFACES=:0aff00:010100:010200: ID_USB_INTERFACE_NUM=00 ID_V4L_CAPABILITIES=:capture: ID_V4L_PRODUCT=Logitech QuickCam Pro 3000 ID_V4L_VERSION=2 ID_VENDOR=046d ID_VENDOR_ENC=046d ID_VENDOR_ID=046d MAJOR=81 MINOR=1 SUBSYSTEM=video4linux TAGS=:udev-acl: UDEV_LOG=6 USEC_INITIALIZED=18213768 run: 'udev-acl --action=add --device=/dev/video1' jjk@eee-old:~$ (and correspondingly for video2) It looks to me like my rules are read, but not respected. What am I doing wrong?