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Step 3: SSH and Flash Raspberry Pi Devices (30 minutes per device)

Part A: Flash the First Pi (15 minutes)

Prepare SD Card and Imager

  1. Insert microSD card into your computer via USB reader
  2. Download and install Raspberry Pi OS Imager
  3. Open the imager software

Configure OS Settings

  1. Operating System: Click "CHOOSE OS" → "Raspberry Pi OS (other)" → "Raspberry Pi OS Lite"
  2. Storage: Click "CHOOSE STORAGE" and select your microSD card
  3. Advanced Options: Press "CTRL + SHIFT + X" or click the gear icon

Advanced Configuration (Required)

Configure these settings in the Advanced Options window:

Essential Settings: - Hostname: Set to "epics1.local" (unique identifier) - Enable SSH: Check box and set a secure password - Username: Keep as "pi" or set custom username - Set locale settings: Configure timezone, check "Skip first run wizard"

Optional WiFi Settings: - WiFi SSID: Your network name - WiFi Password: Network password - WiFi Country: Your country code

Click "Save" then "Write" to flash the card.

Boot and Network Connection

  1. Insert flashed SD card into first Raspberry Pi
  2. Connect Ethernet cable between Pi and router
  3. Connect power cable - Pi will boot automatically
  4. Wait 3-5 minutes for initial boot process

Part B: Establish SSH Connection (10 minutes)

Locate Pi on Network

  1. Access your router's admin panel
  2. Look for "epics1" in connected devices list
  3. Note the assigned IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100)

Connect via SSH

Linux/macOS: 

ssh pi@192.168.1.100

Windows (PowerShell): 

ssh pi@192.168.1.100

Windows (PuTTY): - Host: 192.168.1.100 - Username: pi - Password: [your set password]

Verify Connection

Successful connection shows: 

pi@epics1:~ $

Update System

sudo apt -y update
sudo apt -y upgrade
This process takes 15-20 minutes on first boot.

Part C: Repeat for Second Pi (15 minutes)

Follow the same process for your second Pi with these changes: - Hostname: Set to "epics2.local" - Different SD Card: Use your second microSD card - Second Ethernet Port: Connect to different router port - Unique IP: Router will assign different IP address

Test Communication Between Your Pis

Once both devices are set up and accessible via SSH, verify they can communicate with each other:

From Pi 1 (epics1), test connection to Pi 2: 

ssh pi@epics2.local
# Or use the IP address directly:
ssh pi@[EPICS2_IP_ADDRESS]

From Pi 2 (epics2), test connection to Pi 1: 

ssh pi@epics1.local
# Or use the IP address directly:
ssh pi@[EPICS1_IP_ADDRESS]

Test network connectivity: 

# From either Pi, ping the other:
ping epics1.local
ping epics2.local

When you can successfully SSH between your Pi devices and see successful ping responses, you have achieved the goal of this module: your Raspberry Pi devices can now communicate with each other.

Next Steps

With both Raspberry Pi devices successfully set up with SSH access and inter-Pi communication established, you're ready to proceed with building your EPICS development environment:

Next tutorial: Install EPICS v7 - Install and configure the EPICS framework on both Pi devices

This will transform your networked Pi setup into a functional EPICS distribute