Getting Started

Getting Started

Total time: roughly 10–15 minutes of hands-on work, plus the time it takes to download and flash Pi OS.

There's no prebuilt Sentry USB SD image yet. You flash stock Raspberry Pi OS Lite first, then run the installer over SSH. A bundled image will come later — for now this is the only supported install path.

1. Flash the SD card

You'll use Raspberry Pi Imager to write Pi OS to your microSD card.

1. Download Raspberry Pi Imager and open it.
2. Insert your microSD card into your computer.
3. Click Choose Device → pick your Pi model.
4. Click Choose OS → Raspberry Pi OS (other) → Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit).
5. Click Choose Storage → pick your SD card.
6. Click Next → Edit Settings when it asks about customization.

In the customization screen:

• General tab:
  • Set a username and password. Write them down.
  • Tick Configure wireless LAN and enter your WiFi name and password.
  • Set your wireless LAN country.
• Services tab:
  • Tick Enable SSH → Use password authentication.

Leave the hostname blank. Sentry USB sets its own hostname during install.

Click Save, then Yes to apply, then Yes to erase the card.

2. Boot the Pi

1. Eject the SD card from your computer and put it into the Pi.
2. Power on the Pi with any USB power supply. (Later you'll move the Pi to the car and power it from the Tesla using the same port.)
3. Wait about 60 seconds for it to boot and join your WiFi.

3. Find the Pi's IP address

Open your router's admin page in a browser. The address is usually http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.0.1 — check the sticker on the bottom of your router.

Log in and find the device list (sometimes called "Connected Devices", "DHCP Clients", or "LAN Status"). Look for a device named raspberrypi and note its IP address (something like 192.168.1.47).

4. SSH in and install

From your computer's terminal (Terminal on Mac, PowerShell on Windows):

ssh <your-username>@<the-IP-from-step-3>

Type the password you set in Pi Imager.

Once you're in, run:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo -i
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Sentry-Six/Sentry-USB-Rusty/main/install-pi.sh | bash

Don't skip the apt update && apt upgrade step. Pi OS images carry an apt cache from whenever the image was built. If Debian has published a point release since then, the cache points at .deb files that no longer exist on the mirrors and you'll see 404 Not Found errors mid-install. The upgrade can take a couple of minutes — that's normal.

The installer itself then takes 2–5 minutes. It downloads the Sentry USB binary, sets up the system service, installs mDNS, and renames the Pi to sentryusb. Your SSH session may drop near the end when the hostname changes — that's expected.

5. Open the web UI

Open your browser and go to:

http://sentryusb.local

The Setup Wizard will walk you through the rest — picking your archive method, configuring notifications, etc.

6. Connect to your Tesla

After you finish the Setup Wizard:

1. Power down the Pi (run sudo poweroff over SSH, then unplug it from your power supply).
2. Plug your USB 3.0 cable into your Tesla's glovebox USB port (newer Teslas) or one of the front USB ports (older Teslas).
3. Plug the other end into the Pi.
4. The Pi boots from the car's power. Within a few seconds, your dashcam icon will appear and start recording to the Pi.

Need help?

• Troubleshooting — common install issues
• FAQ
• Discord — fastest answers