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Simple question: for an internet of things solution i need to install the network specifications after the raspberry computers are distributed: SSH , VNC , Wifi, Bluetooth are activated (this is done in the setup). Is it possible to connect to the raspberry without using a cable (the raspberry's are placed on hard to reach spots)?

klaas van DenHaag
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  • What does "install the network specifications after the raspberry computers are distributed" mean? Obviously it is IMPOSSIBLE to contact the Pi without networking or a direct connection. – Milliways Mar 03 '21 at 22:57
  • Thanks Milliways, the "challenge" is that one team is distributing the RPI´s and another team is installing the network connection: the raspberry's can be pre-programmed with generic software and configuration like SSH and Bluetooth active. The idea is that the second team can connect to the RPIs in a generic way and than do the configuration via Bluetooth or Wifi. If this is not possible, we have to think of something else ... – klaas van DenHaag Mar 04 '21 at 09:05

3 Answers3

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You could set the Pi up as an access point and pre-enable SSH (using the file ssh in the BOOT partition).

Once on site, you connect to the access point and then the Pi via ssh to enable / configure the other services. Last step in this would be to re-configure the PI WiFi back to a normal Pi rather than an Access Point.

If you pre-configure SSH to be enabled, then the free to use Balena-IO wifi-connect can simplify the task of AP set-up and WiFi integration (as could their whole IOT support framework TBH - but that's shareable and may impact development / roll-out)

  • Thanks Andrew! This seems like what i am looking for! Do you have a link to how to configuratie Pi as an access point. I will look around, but if you have this available it saves time : ) – klaas van DenHaag Mar 04 '21 at 09:08
  • Have a look at hostapd and dnsmasq - https://thepi.io/how-to-use-your-raspberry-pi-as-a-wireless-access-point/ covers the basics as does and https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/wireless/access-point-routed.md for the basics. Its a bit of a faff to do / unwind so I like the wifi-connect software (but I'm lazy) :-) –  Mar 04 '21 at 15:37
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Mount the sd card on another computer and make your edits there, before they are installed in the Pi. Then when you turn it on the edits are in place for its configuration settings. No other ways to do it, you access the machine when turned on to configure it or you do it in advance before the card is put in.

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As Andrew suggested, after burning the microSD, you can add an empty "ssh" file to boot partition to enable ssh. You can also pre-configure a wifi network with adding a file called "wpa_supplicant.conf" to the same partition with the following:

country=US
update_config=1
ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant

network={
 ssid="network_name"
 psk="network_password"
}

So for example you can create a wifi hotspot with a smartphone with "network_name" and "network_password", or maybe have a portable router to do the same, so when RPi boots will try to connect to that network. Then access the RPi via SSH and reconfigure the new network as your requirements.

Hope it helps.

Good luck!

aitechone
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