Complete Guide: Ubuntu Server Setup on Raspberry Pi with Lightweight GUI Installation

This guide will walk you through the steps to install Ubuntu Server on your Raspberry Pi, connect to it remotely via SSH, and optionally install a lightweight desktop environment.

Prerequisites

• Raspberry Pi board
• MicroSD card (8GB or larger)
• HDMI screen and USB keyboard (for initial setup, optional if configuring headless)
• Stable internet connection

Installation Steps

1. Download Ubuntu Server Image

   • Visit the official Ubuntu website and download the Ubuntu Server image for Raspberry Pi.

2. Flash Image to SD Card

   • Use a tool like Etcher to flash the downloaded Ubuntu Server image to your microSD card.

3. Initial Boot and Configuration

   • Insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi and power it on.
   • Wait for the boot process to complete. During the first boot, a tool called cloud-init will handle configuration. This process typically takes less than 2 minutes.

4. Connect Remotely via SSH

   • Determine the Raspberry Pi's IP address on the local network.
     • You can find it on your router's dashboard or by running hostname -I on the Raspberry Pi if a hostname is set.
   • Use an SSH client to connect to your Raspberry Pi remotely.

     ssh <username>@<Raspberry Pi's IP address>

     Replace <username> with your username and <Raspberry Pi's IP address> with its IP address.

5. Activate SSH (if not enabled)

   • If SSH is not already enabled, run the following commands on your Raspberry Pi:

     sudo systemctl enable ssh
     sudo systemctl start ssh

6. Install a Lightweight Desktop Environment (Optional)

   • If you want a graphical interface, you can install a lightweight desktop environment like Lubuntu.
   • Access to the terminal via SSH (Recommended) or directly connected keyboard and monitor
   1. Install LightDM

      sudo apt update
      sudo apt install lightdm

   2. Enable LightDM

      sudo systemctl enable lightdm

   3. Install Lubuntu Desktop Environment

      sudo apt update
      sudo apt install lubuntu-desktop

   4. Reboot Raspberry Pi

      sudo reboot

   • Accessing the Desktop Environment

     After rebooting your Raspberry Pi, LightDM will manage the graphical login screen. You can log in with your username and password, and you'll be presented with the Lubuntu desktop environment.

   • Additional Notes

     LightDM provides the graphical login interface. Lubuntu is a lightweight desktop environment based on LXQt. Make sure to perform these steps on a Raspberry Pi with sufficient resources to run a graphical environment.

Troubleshooting

• Network Connection Issues
  • If you encounter network connection issues after boot, you may need to fix the network configuration file.
    • Open the file /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml using a text editor.
    • Ensure the configuration is correct, then apply changes and reboot.
• Network Troubleshooting
  • If your Raspberry Pi is not connecting to the network, try the following:
    1. Check physical connections: Ensure the Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi adapter is properly connected.
    2. Restart networking service: Run sudo systemctl restart networking.
    3. Check IP address: Run ip addr to verify that the Raspberry Pi has obtained an IP address.
    4. Ping test: Use ping command to check connectivity to other devices on the network.
    5. Router settings: Check router settings to ensure there are no restrictions or firewall rules blocking the Raspberry Pi's connection.
• Fix Wi-Fi Configuration
  • If your Raspberry Pi is having trouble connecting to Wi-Fi, follow these steps:
    1. Open the network configuration file:

       sudo nano /etc/netplan/50-cloud-init.yaml

    2. Edit the file to correct the Wi-Fi configuration. Ensure proper indentation for the .yaml file format.

       wifis:
         wlan0:
           dhcp4: true
           optional: true
           access-points:
             "home network":
               password: "123456789"

    3. Save and exit the file with Ctrl + S and Ctrl + X.
    4. Apply the changes:

       sudo netplan apply

    5. Reboot your Raspberry Pi:

       sudo reboot

    6. After rebooting, your Raspberry Pi should be connected to the Wi-Fi network.

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By following these steps, you'll have Ubuntu Server running on your Raspberry Pi, ready to be used for various projects or applications. Enjoy your Raspberry Pi experience!