Options for wirelessly connecting monitor to a Pi with no network config

[nbelakovski]

So, I'm using a couple of Pi's for things from controlling my 3D printer to running my JIRA instance (yes I run a personal JIRA instance for my todo list, it's actually pretty great!)

One of the annoying things is that configuring each one is a little bit of a pain. I have to either make custom SD cards for them, or drag them over to my monitor/keyboard and plug up all the wires and then I can configure. Afterwards, if I want to do something like change my wifi password, I'll have to log into each one, save the updated password, then chance my wifi password. And if I made a typo, now we're back to configuring it from scratch. Ugh.

I suppose I could hook up this thing (https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/the-ea ... i-display/), whenever I need to and keep it stored otherwise, although some sort of SSH style setup would be more ideal so that I can avoid having to keep a display manager installed on the Pi.

Would really appreciate any suggestions!

[epoch1970]

Maybe the bluetooth console? It's not an exact equivalent to plugging in a serial console cable I think, but it does help.

[tpylkko]

One thing you could do is make the pi broadcast an access point. Connect other pi to the access point. Then your laptop. That is, if you don't have a wireless router in the area.

Or maybe keep a serial to USB cable in the pi, then just plug it in a laptop when you have to configure it. Not wireless, but sort of solves your problem.

Bluetooth serial.

Edit: wait, you say you need to do things like update a wifi password... So the pi's are already connected to a network? SSH??

[thagrol]

Get yourself an extra pi to keep by your monitor and keyboard then just move the sd card to/from that when you need a monitor.

[thagrol]

Edit: wait, you say you need to do things like update a wifi password... So the pi's are already connected to a network? SSH??

But if the wifi password has changed the pi won't connect anymore...

[tpylkko]

Right, that makes sense.

One way this has been solved by others (Volumio for example) is the access point. So, you have a script that launches an access point in the event that connecting to Wifi router fails. Then the user can ssh in by first connecting to the access point.

[nbelakovski]

Right, that makes sense.

One way this has been solved by others (Volumio for example) is the access point. So, you have a script that launches an access point in the event that connecting to Wifi router fails. Then the user can ssh in by first connecting to the access point.

That sounds like a good idea, I might give it a try. I suppose I could just ping some site like Google once a minute and if it fails, kick off a script to launch the access point. Thanks.

[thagrol]

That sounds like a good idea, I might give it a try. I suppose I could just ping some site like Google once a minute and if it fails, kick off a script to launch the access point. Thanks.

Ping your router. If you ping a site on the internet you'll get a false positive if your net connection is down but your wifi is still up.