RevPi Compact without Separate Keyboard/Monitor

You can use your RevPi Compact without a separate keyboard, mouse and monitor – headless. It works via a coded connection (SSH) between your PC and the RevPi Compact.

In the headless mode described here, only command line entry is available as the user interface.

Necessary hardware

  • PC
  • Power supply unit
  • Ethernet cable or WLAN stick

Necessary software

Download these programmes and install/save them on your PC:

  • Windows: Advanced Ip Scanner (you can use  arp-scan for Linux).
  • PuTTY

Preparation

  1. Connect your router to your RevPi Compact using the Ethernet cable or
  2. Set up a WIFI connection. How it is done is explained in the “Setting up a WIFI connection” chapter.
  3. Connect your RevPi Compact to the power supply.

Let’s go!

As a first step we will determine the IP-address of the ReviPi Compact with the help of the Advanced IP Scanner. It is needed to establish a SSH connection from your PC to RevPi Compact.

  • Open den Advanced IP Scanner

Advanced IP Scanner Screenshot
Advanced IP Scanner
  • Click on the IP button
  • Advanced IP Scanner automatically recognises the IP address section in which your computer is to be found.

Advanced IP Scan Screenshot
Advanced IP Scan
  • Click on „Scannen“

Advanced IP Scanner will now search the sub-network of your PC. The process can take a few minutes. The results will be shown in the results list:

Advanced IP Scanner Ergebnis Screenshot
Advanced IP Scanner result
  • Note down the IP address

Tipp! Advanced IP Scanner will also show you the MAC addresses of the devices. If you are operating more than one RevPi product in your network, then you can find the wanted device by comparing the MAC address on the front of the RevPi Compact with the results of the Advanced IP Scanner.

Advanced IP Scanner MAC-Adresse Screenshot
Advanced IP Scanner MAC-Adresse result

In this step, we will install a SSH connection between your PC and RevPi Compact with Putty.

  • Open Putty.
  • Write the IP address of your RevPi Compact in the “Host Name (or IP address)” box.
  • Click SSH in the “Connection Type“ choice box

In the “Port” box is the figure “22“.

Putty Session Screenshot
Putty Session
  • Click in “Category” in the navigation tree on “Window > Translation“.

Putty language setting Screenshot
Putty language setting
  • In the “Remote character set” choice box, select UTF-8. The selection prevents special characters and umlauts from being shown wrongly.

Setting the Putty code
Setting the Putty code
  • In “Category” in the navigation tree, click on “Session”.
  • Write a name of your choice in the “Saved sessions” box for the connection.
  • Click on Save.

Save Putty configuration Screenshot
Save Putty configuration

The settings for the connection have now been saved. You can start up the connection at any time in the “Saved Sessions“ choice box by clicking on “Load”. It means you don’t have to re-enter the settings every time.

Open saved Putty session Screenshot
Open saved Putty session
  • Click on the “Open” button

Open Putty connection Screenshot
Open Putty connection

The connection to RevPi Compact will be established.

  • Enter your user name and password. Both are written on the sticker on the side of your RevPi Compact.

You can now use your RevPi Compact.

Putty connection has been established Screenshot
Putty connection has been established