Setting up a multiple-Raspberry PI web server: Part 2 (Initial Setup)

This is a continuation of Setting up a multiple-Raspbery Pi web server: Part 1 (What you need).

By the end of this blog post, you will have three working raspberry pis that can exchange messages with each other and with other computers on your network.

Ok, if you're coming from Part 1, you should already own or at least know of all the necessary equipment to get through Part 2.

Step 2.1: Download the Raspberry Pi operating system

The next step at this point is to download an operating system that your raspberry pis can run.

• Head over to the Raspberry Pi Downloads Page, click on Raspbian, and then download the latest version of Raspbian Jessie. (Or you can just click here to download it directly.
• Go find a good coding book, because the download may take a while.
  • I recommend Head First Design Patterns

    

Step 2.2: Install the operating system on a micro SD card

• Once the download completes, pull out your SD card reader and one of the SD cards that you got in Part 1, insert the SD card into the reader, then plug the reader into your computer.
• You can follow the Raspberry Pi installation guide to see exactly how to write the raspbian file you just downloaded to your micro SD card.
• Repeat this step for as many SD cards / Raspberry Pis that you have.
• Plug one SD into each of your Raspberry Pis.

Step 2.3: Plug in your raspberry pis

Ok, now comes the time to set up all your stuff.

• Plug the charging station (#5) into the wall.
• Plug the micro USD charging cables (#6) into the charging station
• Plug your raspberry pis into the charging cables.

Step 2.4: Get your raspberry pis internet access

• Plug your network switch (#4) into your internet router or modem.
  • If you, like me, have a long ethernet cable leading from your router into your bedroom or office, you can simply plug the network switch into that ethernet cable.
• Using the small ethernet cables you ordered (#7), plug your raspberry pis into the network switch

Step 2.5: Plug in your monitor, keyboard, and mouse

• Raspberry Pis are basically just miniature computers--you already gave them power and internet access, now you just need to plug in your keyboard (#9), mouse (#10), and monitor (#11/#12).
• You probably only have one keyboard, mouse, and monitor, just pick one of the raspberry pis to use for now--you can swap them in/out as necessary.
• Notice that your raspberry pis booted up as soon as they got power, so you should be able to use your mouse and keyboard and see the results on your monitor.

Step 2.6: Test it!

• You should have internet access!
• Test this by opening a browser and going to your favorite web page.
• OR, open a terminal and type curl http://www.google.com

Hopefully everything works! You're now ready for Setting up a multiple-raspberry pi web server: Part 3 (Static IP Addresses)

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