Setting up Raspberry Pi

Install Linux

We recommend Raspbian Lite, but you can also use Raspbian or another Linux. The instructions below are for Debian-based systems like Raspbian.

Options include:

• Buy a microSD card with NOOBS pre-installed and use it to install Raspbian Lite
• Download and flash NOOBS to a microSD card
• Download and flash Raspbian Lite to a microSD card

Note: If you install via NOOBS, it's easiest to log into your WiFi network from NOOBS before installing Raspbian as it automatically passes over the configuration.

Boot & Login

Boot the Raspberry Pi (with a keyboard and display plugged in) and login

• Username: pi
• Password: raspberry

Set up WiFi (Optional)

(If you already set up WiFi using NOOBS or you're plugging in an Ethernet cable you can skip this step)

$ sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf

Add a configuration as below, replacing "my-ssid" and "my-network-key" with your WiFi credentials:

network={
  ssid="my-ssid"
  psk="my-network-key"
}

At this point, wpa-supplicant will normally notice a change has occurred within a few seconds, and it will try and connect to the network. If it does not, either manually restart the interface with sudo ifdown wlan0 and sudo ifup wlan0, or reboot your Raspberry Pi with sudo reboot.

You can verify if it has successfully connected using ifconfig wlan0. If the inet addr field has an address beside it, the Pi has connected to the network. If not, check your password and SSID are correct.

Enable SSH Server (Optional)

This will allow you to log into the Pi remotely so you won't need to keep it plugged into a display and keyboard.

$ sudo raspi-config

You should first change the default password (you can also change the hostname if you wish).

Go to Interfacing Options and select SSH to enable the SSH server.

(more info).

Static IP Address (Optional)

You should be able to log into the pi using the hostname raspberrypi.local (e.g. ssh pi@raspberrypi.local), or by finding its dynamically assigned ip address by typing ifconfig.

Alternatively you might want to set a static IP address.

Add the following to the top of /etc/dhcpcd.conf setting your desired IP address and setting routers & domain_name_servers to the IP address of your router. Replace wlan0 with eth0 if using Ethernet rather than WiFi.

interface wlan0
static ip_address=192.168.1.42
static routers=192.168.1.1
static domain_name_servers=192.168.1.1

Reboot:

$ sudo reboot