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What you need before you start
- A Raspberry Pi, its model-appropriate power supply, and a network connection. Ethernet is straightforward if your board has a port; Wi-Fi is also an option, though some models and wireless adapters do not support 5 GHz networks.
- A microSD card or another boot device supported by your model. Raspberry Pi recommends at least 8 GB for Raspberry Pi OS Lite. The current Lite download listing describes an image requiring 2,920 MB, but that figure is specific to the release shown on the page.
- A second computer with Raspberry Pi Imager and a way to connect the boot device, such as a built-in slot or USB microSD reader.
Check the official Raspberry Pi getting-started guide for your board’s power and boot options. A microSD card is common, while USB, network, or model-specific attached storage may be available on some boards.
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Choose the operating system and boot device
For a minimal headless host, choose Raspberry Pi OS Lite in Raspberry Pi Imager. It has no desktop environment, which is unnecessary when you administer the Pi remotely. Raspberry Pi’s current downloads listing describes the 64-bit Lite release as based on Debian Trixie (Debian 13), using Linux kernel 6.18, and released on 15 September 2026; later listings may differ.
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Use a card of at least the official 8 GB recommendation for Lite. A larger card gives more room for updates and small amounts of local data, but substantial shared or server files are better kept on separate storage. When imaging, select the intended removable device carefully: choosing the wrong target can erase another drive. Raspberry Pi Imager is the official straightforward preparation path described in the getting-started guide.
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Configure the Pi before its first boot
Use Raspberry Pi Imager’s customization options to set the hostname, create a user and password, choose locale and time settings, configure network access, and enable your chosen remote-access method. These choices let you start the Pi without attaching a monitor and keyboard.
- Choose Raspberry Pi OS Lite and the boot device in Imager.
- Open the customization settings and enter a hostname and a non-default account password.
- Set the locale and time zone, then enter Wi-Fi details if you will not use Ethernet.
- Enable SSH if you intend to administer the Pi from a terminal. SSH is disabled by default in Raspberry Pi OS.
- Save the settings, write the image, and safely eject the device when the imaging process finishes.
Raspberry Pi documents SSH and Raspberry Pi Connect as first-boot remote-access options. SSH is suited to command-line administration; Raspberry Pi Connect is another documented route. VNC is incompatible with Raspberry Pi OS Lite. For SSH guidance and security recommendations, see Raspberry Pi’s remote-access documentation and security guidance.
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Connect the Pi and log in remotely
- Insert the prepared boot device into the Pi.
- Connect Ethernet if available, or use the Wi-Fi details configured in Imager.
- Connect the model-appropriate power supply and allow the Pi to boot. The first wireless boot can take several minutes, depending on the model and card.
- From another computer on the same network, connect using the hostname or the local network address assigned to the Pi. With SSH, use a terminal client and the account you created; the exact command and hostname resolution can depend on your computer and home network.
For Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm and later, do not rely on the retired method of placing a wpa_supplicant.conf file in the boot folder to configure Wi-Fi. Set the wireless network in Imager instead.
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Decide where server data will live
If your service stores substantial files, attach a USB hard disk, SSD, or USB stick and keep the operating system on its boot device. Separate data storage makes the layout clearer, but it does not replace a backup. Keep another copy of important files somewhere independent of the Pi and its attached drive.
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Raspberry Pi OS Lite does not automatically mount external storage. The official storage configuration documentation covers identifying a partition, mounting it at a chosen directory, and adding a UUID-based entry to /etc/fstab so it can mount persistently.
- Attach the drive and identify its partition and UUID using the storage tools described in Raspberry Pi’s configuration guide.
- Create a mount point, such as a directory under
/mnt, and mount the partition there. - After confirming that the drive mounts correctly, add its UUID and mount settings to
/etc/fstabas documented by Raspberry Pi. - Test the persistent configuration before relying on the drive for a service, and arrange a separate backup for data you cannot afford to lose.
Secure administration before adding services
Use key-based SSH authentication rather than relying only on a password when SSH is part of your setup; Raspberry Pi recommends this in its operational security guidance. Restrict administrative access to the network or remote-access path you actually intend to use. If the Pi will accept traffic from outside your home, that is a separate security decision: expose only the traffic required by the chosen service, and do not assume a generic router port-forwarding recipe is safe for every network.
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Raspberry Pi’s guidance also describes configuring firewall openings for server traffic and using Fail2Ban to detect suspicious activity such as repeated login attempts. The appropriate firewall rules depend on the application, so do not open ports just in case.
Install the server software for your actual use
The host is ready for a service, but there is no single application that turns every Pi into the same kind of home server. Choose the software after deciding what you want the device to do:
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| Intended role | What to decide next |
|---|---|
| File sharing | Choose a file-sharing service and plan where shared files will be stored. |
| Web hosting | Choose a web server and decide whether it will serve pages only on your home network or be reachable publicly. Raspberry Pi documents Apache as one option and points readers to Apache’s own documentation. |
| Media serving | Select a media server based on your library, client devices, and the Pi model’s capabilities. |
| Backups or another service | Check that application’s current installation instructions, storage needs, and model compatibility before installing it. |
The exact service installation is a separate step because the title does not specify the server’s purpose. Follow the selected application’s current official instructions rather than treating one package or port configuration as suitable for every use.
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