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Using Core Pi

What is Core Pi used for?

Description

Core Pi acts as the central point in providing Internet and initial setup for other pies in a wifi only environment. Core Pi connects to the Internet via wifi, provides a wifi access point, and acts as a DHCP router for a pi direct connected with Ethernet cable.

Next up?

After reading this guide, you may be interested in reading:

Overview

This how-to covers the various uses of a Core Pi. Of course, in order to use the Core Pi, one must be connected to it.

  1. Connect the Core Pi
  2. Setup other pies

Connect the Core Pi

Since your pi already acts as a wifi access point, connect to its SSID.

SSH

Now use SSH to connect to it using either hostname.local or its IP address. If you used the settings given in RPi WiFi Access Point Guide, the IP address is 192.168.42.1.

VNC

VNC was discussed in RPi Initial Setup Guide - Connect to the Pi using VNC.

  • vncserver :1
  • From your browser connect to the pi's VNC

Connect Core Pi to your WiFi Internet

From the VNC desktop, use the dialogs to connect to your Internet wifi SSID.

Setup other pies

Core Pi makes it easy to set up a new pi, starting with an image written to a microSD card inserted into the new pi.

  • Connect an Ethernet cable between the Core Pi and the new pi
  • Power up the new pi

From Core Pi's command line

  • arp -i eth0, which will list IP addresses served by DHCPd on eth0.
  • Use the IP address to connect to the new pi, ssh pi@192.168.84.10
  • Note: If you receive WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED!, it is because the IP address is now associated with a different pi.
    • To remove the stored key, ssh-keygen -f "/home/pi/.ssh/known_hosts" -R 192.168.84.10
    • To prevent Core Pi from storing the key edit or create a config file
      • nano ~/.ssh/config with the following lines (see ssh config for full details)
Host raspberrypi
  StrictHostKeyChecking no
  UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null
  • Run the setup as you usually would