Install Raspberry Pi OS Lite
We’re going to use Raspberry Pi Imager to install Raspberry Pi OS Lite onto your microSD card. Raspberry Pi Imager is available for free for Windows, macOS, Ubuntu for x86 and Raspberry Pi OS, and can be downloaded here.
Open the Imager application and connect your microSD card to your computer
Connect your microSD card to your computer using an SD card adapter. We recommend a minimum storage size of 16GB.
Install Raspberry Pi OS to your microSD card
In Raspberry Pi Imager:
CHOOSE OS: Raspberry Pi OS can be found under Raspberry Pi OS (other). We’re using the smaller-sized Raspberry Pi OS Lite, as we do not need the desktop environment for our project.
Open advanced menu: press Ctrl-Shift-X to bring up the Raspberry Pi Imager advanced menu, or click the Advanced Menu button.
Enable SSH: check the Enable SSH box and set a username and password. You’ll need these details to access your Raspberry Pi and network storage.
Select save to close the advanced menu.
CHOOSE STORAGE: select your microSD card.
Finally, select Write.
Once complete, you can remove your microSD card from your computer and insert it into your Raspberry Pi.
Storage options
For this tutorial, we’ll be using a portable USB hard drive and an internal hard drive with a SATA-to-USB adapter. You can also use a USB flash drive if you prefer. We recommend clearing your drive of data, as you may need to format it later on in the process.
To maintain a consistent power supply to your external hard drives, it is best to use a powered USB hub to connect your storage to your Raspberry Pi.
Setting up your Raspberry Pi
Your Raspberry Pi needs to be connected to your network via an Ethernet cable. For most people, this means connecting the device directly to your router. Once connected, attach your storage to the powered USB hub, and the hub to your Raspberry Pi. Lastly, connect your Raspberry Pi to the mains power via a USB-C power supply unit.
Retrieving your IP address
In order to access your Raspberry Pi via SSH from your usual computer, you’re going to need the Raspberry Pi’s IP address. An IP address is a unique string of numbers that identifies a device on your network. The easiest way to find it is to access your home router and check what devices are connected via Ethernet (LAN). The login details for accessing your router should be printed on it (look for a sticker on the side or the base), or alternatively you will be able to find them on the website of the router’s manufacturer (or of your ISP if they provided the router).
Connect via SSH
Open Terminal on your computer and run the following, replacing “pi” with your previously chosen username, and XXX.XXX.X.XXX with your Raspberry Pi’s IP address to access it:
ssh pi@XXX.XXX.X.XXX
When asked for your password, use the password you created in Raspberry Pi Imager.
To ensure your Raspberry Pi is set up correctly for networking, run:
sudo rm -f /etc/systemd/network/99-default.link
When finished, run the following to reboot your Raspberry Pi:
sudo reboot
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