# Headless Raspberry Pi

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [10 December 2018 00:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628 "2018-12-10T00:55:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Andrei](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/andrei/32/10446_2.png) [@Andrei](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Andrei)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2018 00:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/1 "2018-12-10T00:55:37Z")

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I am getting ready to install Node-RED in a new Raspberry pi 3, using Raspbian Stretch Lite, that will run headless. At this time the SD card is ready with the image and nothing else has been installed (eg. Node.js). My question: the installation script from the docs ([https://nodered.org/docs/hardware/raspberrypi](https://nodered.org/docs/hardware/raspberrypi)) is the recommended way to go for installing Node-RED with my setup? Any additional recommendation to ensure that GPIOs and serial interface will run smoothly after installation?

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**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2018 01:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/2 "2018-12-10T01:09:51Z")

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Yes, the script will install nodejs and serialport etc.

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**Author:** ![Andrei](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/andrei/32/10446_2.png) [@Andrei](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Andrei)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2018 01:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/3 "2018-12-10T01:11:17Z")

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Awesome, thank you Dave !

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**Author:** ![Andrei](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/andrei/32/10446_2.png) [@Andrei](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Andrei)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2018 11:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/4 "2018-12-10T11:48:43Z")

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It was a hassle-free installation and took less than 3 minutes. A quite smart script indeed!

 ![rasp-script-end-result](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/c/c9264e51c741f7dec88de173b5b7dae8166e8871.png)

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [10 December 2018 19:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/5 "2018-12-10T19:16:51Z")

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In case anyone is interested in building a Pi headless server I have written a step by step guide on doing this. Done carefully there is no need to ever connect the pi to a display, keyboard or mouse.  
[http://blog.clanlaw.org.uk/pi-headless-server.html](http://blog.clanlaw.org.uk/pi-headless-server.html)

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**Author:** ![drmibell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/drmibell/32/8424_2.png) [@drmibell](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/drmibell)\
**Post date:** [13 December 2018 02:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/6 "2018-12-13T02:18:38Z")

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Just a footnote to @colin's excellent blog post:  
It is actually possible (all things being equal) to set up a headless pi without even a wired ethernet connection. If in addition to the `ssh` file, you also add to the `/boot` directory a configuration file for wireless access (`wpa_supplicant.conf`), the operating system (Raspbian) will move the file to its correct location and use it to connect to your WiFi router. I use a file with a simple WPA configuration,

```
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1
country=US
network={
	ssid="Your_Network_Name"
	psk="Your_Network_Password"
	key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
}

```

If you can't connect at raspberrypi.local, you might have to check your router to find the ip address for the pi, but it's nice not to have any connections to the pi except power.

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [13 December 2018 14:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/7 "2018-12-13T14:07:48Z")

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Thanks @drmibell I was not aware of that. I will give it a go the next time I build one and update the blog accordingly.

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**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [13 December 2018 14:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/headless-raspberry-pi/5628/8 "2018-12-13T14:29:50Z")

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I always add the `ssh` file and `wap_supplicant.conf`. I also add a couple network entries in - one for my network, one for my daughters, one for my son's. That way where ever I bring/install the pi it will work.