EDIT: Regarding Linux distribution, we always use the latest. Never had problems. Are you using a normal computer or some RaspPi or Beaglebone for the Linux Setup?
Tried it on both a regular laptop and a RPi. I suspect the RPi is out of date with the drivers, but the laptop I had fully updated with ubuntu and all of the bfgminer dependencies, so I am not really sure what's up with it.