We’ve already written a specific guide on how to use a Windows laptop as a monitor for the Raspberry Pi, but it’s a wired setup. That’s why we made another article for remote access to Raspberry Pi, but it also requires a one-time setup with an Ethernet cable. Not all users have a spare Ethernet cable or monitor at home. Also, not many use a Wi-Fi router at home. That’s why we found another tutorial to make everything truly remote and wireless. Here we will explain how you can connect Raspberry Pi to a Windows laptop without an Ethernet cable, monitor or router. So without wasting any time, let’s get down to the steps and learn how to access a headless Raspberry Pi.
Connect Raspberry Pi to Windows Laptop Without Ethernet Cable, Monitor or Wi-Fi Router (2021)
In this article, we have explained the steps from scratch, so even beginners can start Raspberry Pi projects with ease. Follow our step-by-step guide to access a headless Raspberry Pi without a monitor, Ethernet cable, Wi-Fi router, or even an HDMI cable.
Downloads
1. You need to download raspberry OS from here. On the web page that opens, I suggest you download “Desktop and Raspberry Pi OS with recommended software”. It will have all the necessary packages, utilities and dependencies.
2. After that, download balenaEtcher (free) to install Raspbian OS on SD card.
3. Finally, download VNC Viewer (free) so you can access Raspberry Pi’s desktop environment on your Windows laptop.
Flash Raspbian OS on Raspberry Pi
1. After downloading Raspbian OS, Extract the ZIP file. You will receive an IMG file.
2. Next, install and open balenaEtcher. Select the extracted image and select the SD card under “Select target”. After this, “flash“. Note that you will need an SD card with at least 16GB of free space.
3. After flashing is complete, open the flashing card from My Computer. It should show up as “boot”. You will need to create an empty file on the SD card. Right click and select “New -> Text Document” to create the file.
4. Now rename the file. ssh without extension. To pick up .txt from the file name and press enter.
Generate IP Address for Headless Raspberry Pi
Now that you’ve flashed the board and created the SSH file, it’s time to generate the IP address for the headless Raspberry Pi. In this method, you will need a home Wi-Fi network. if you no router At home, you can create a hotspot on your smartphone and share it with your computer and Raspberry Pi. Here’s how to do it.
1. First download: wpa_supplicant.conf from the file here. It allows you to add your Wi-Fi credentials to the Raspberry Pi so that the RPi can find the specified Wi-Fi network and connect to it automatically.
2. After downloading, open it with a text editor, preferably Notepad. Here, change the “Wi-Fi Hotspot name” to your Wi-Fi home network or hotspot. Similarly, replace the “Wi-Fi Hotspot Password” with the password you set for your router or mobile hotspot. Be sure enter full details as they are.
3. Now save the file and Move wpa_supplicant.conf to root directory At the end of the SD card, you have provided the Wi-Fi information for the headless Raspberry Pi to automatically connect.
4. Then remove the SD card and insert it into Raspberry Pi and power it on. Give it some time as it will automatically try to connect to the Wi-Fi/mobile Hotspot.
5. Turn it on after a minute 192.168.0.1 in a web browser if you have a router. Enter the default router credentials and search for all wirelessly connected devices. You will be Find the Raspberry Pi’s IP address. make a note.
6. Users can also install Advanced IP Scanner (free) on Windows PCs to find the Raspberry Pi’s IP address.
7. A mobile hotspotDownload the Fing app (Android / iOS) on your smartphone and scan the network. It will automatically identify the Raspberry Pi and show you its IP address. make a note.
Connect Headless Raspberry Pi to Windows Laptop Without Ethernet or Monitor
1. Now that you have created the IP address, here is how you can connect the headless Raspberry Pi to your Windows laptop without an Ethernet cable or monitor. Open Command Prompt on your Windows computer and enter ssh [email protected][IP Address].
2. After running the command, type yes and press enter.
3. Now it will ask for the password of the Raspberry Pi. Medicine raspberry and press enter. By the way, Raspberry Pi’s default username pi and password raspberry .
4. Finally you will log into Raspberry Pi. Now you can do whatever you want without the need for a monitor or Ethernet cable. For starters, come on Enable VNC server GUI interface for you to enjoy Raspberry Pi in a desktop environment.
5. Run the command sudo raspi-config To open the configuration tool
6. Then, “Interface Options” or “Interface Options” using the keyboard arrow keys. Then press Enter.
7. Under Interface options, click “VNC” and press enter.
8. On the next page, “Yup” and press enter.
9. After that, open “System Options” and go to “Boot/Auto Login”. Next, “Desktop Auto Login” option. If you are using an old Raspberry Pi, go to “Options -> Desktop/ CLI -> Desktop Auto Login” Boot.
10. Finally, press enter to apply the changes. Next, “Finish” Tab and press Enter. It will reboot your Raspberry Pi and the SSH session will end. Now close the CMD window.
11. Install now VNC Viewer which we downloaded and opened above. Enter the IP address of your Raspberry Pi and press enter.
12. Then a prompt will appear, click “Continue”. In the next window, RPi’s credentialsUser name: pi and password: raspberry. Now, click “OK”.
13. Raspberry Pis in Seconds screen will be live On your Windows 10 laptop screen. Now review the on-screen instructions and install the Raspberry Pi. If you get any errors, continue to the next section.
Troubleshooting: Fix “Currently Cannot Display Desktop” Error on Headless Raspberry Pi
If you’re getting the “Desktop cannot be displayed right now” error when trying to connect your Raspberry Pi to a laptop display, there is nothing to worry about. Follow the steps below to fix the problem.
1. Open command prompt and enter the following command and hit enter.
ssh [email protected][IP address]
2. Enter raspberry Enter the password and press enter. If you have changed the password before, enter the new password.
You will log in as the 3rd pi. Now, run the following command to start Configuration tool.
sudo raspi-config
4. Here, Open “Viewing Options” and go to “Resolution”. But if you have an old Raspberry Pi, you will find this setting under “Advanced Options”.
5. Choose a resolution other than “Default”. You can choose another mode based on your laptop’s aspect ratio and screen resolution.
6. Now press Tab to go to “.Finish” and close the window.
7. Finally, Open VNC Viewer, and this time you will be able to connect to Raspberry Pi’s desktop environment without any problems. If the “desktop cannot be shown at this time” error persists, keep changing the resolution and check which one works for you.
Build Headless Raspberry Pi Without Ethernet Cable, Monitor or Router
So you can access a Raspberry Pi without an Ethernet cable or monitor. I also mentioned a method for users who do not have a router at home. You can use your mobile phone’s hotspot to create a Wi-Fi network. Anyway, that’s it for us. If you have successfully installed Raspberry Pi, I highly recommend installing Pi-hole on Raspberry Pi to block ads and trackers from the whole network. And if you have any questions, comment below and let us know.
