BirdNET Pi: Connecting Your Raspberry Pi to Wi-Fi

Author: Douglas Fessler Keywords: BirdNET Pi, Raspberry Pi, Wi-Fi setup, Web Terminal, STEM, tutorial

Introduction

This guide walks you through connecting your BirdNET Raspberry Pi to a Wi-Fi network via the web interface. These steps are designed for ease of use and to ensure that your device can reliably connect to your local network. 

1. Connect via Ethernet and Find IP

·         Plug in your Raspberry Pi via Ethernet to your router or switch.

·         Power on the Pi.

·         Find the IP address assigned to your Pi by your network. You can do this by:

o   Checking your router’s connected devices list, or

o   Using a network scanning tool like Fing on a phone or nmap on a computer.

·         Once you have the IP address, open a web browser and enter it in the address bar to access the main web interface.

2. Login to Tools Menu

·         Click on the Tools menu.

·         When prompted for a username and password:

o   Username: *<whatever current username is>*

o   Password: *<whatever current password is>*

3. Open the Web Terminal

·         In the interface, locate and open the Web Terminal.

·         Login with:

o   Username: *<whatever current username is>*

o   Password: *<whatever current password is>*

4. Configure Wi-Fi via Terminal

·         Type the following command and press Enter:

sudo raspi-config

·         This will open the Raspberry Pi configuration tool.

5. Navigate to Network Settings

·         Use the Tab key to navigate (mouse input won’t work here).

·         Select System Options and press Enter.

·         Select Wireless LAN and press Enter.

6. Enter Wi-Fi Credentials

·         When prompted, type your Wi-Fi SSID (network name).

·         Press Tab to highlight OK, then press Enter.

·         Enter your Wi-Fi password in the same way.

·         Press Tab, move to OK, and press Enter.

7. Finish and Reboot

·         After completing these steps, the Raspberry Pi should connect to your Wi-Fi network.

·         You may need to reboot the Pi for the changes to take effect:

sudo reboot

Notes

·         Keep this guide accessible for troubleshooting.

·         Always ensure your Raspberry Pi software is up to date for security and performance.

·         Use this document as a reference for educational or STEM projects.