Watch Out!: Bus-Powered USB Hubs
Make sure you do not get a bus-powered USB hub. A bus-powered USB hub draws the
power it needs from the computer it is connected to. Therefore, it would try to draw
power from your Raspberry Pi.Typically, a self-powered USB hub can supply up to 500mA to each device connected to it. It has a
USB A cable that allows you to connect it to your Raspberry Pi via a USB port. Thus, you can turn
one of the Raspberry Pi’s USB ports into many!
Using a Network Cable or Wi-Fi Adapter
Having your Raspberry Pi connected to the Internet and/or your local network is very handy. The
Raspberry Pi comes with an RJ45 port for a wired Ethernet connection. Depending on how your local
network is configured, connecting to the network may be as simple as plugging an Ethernet patch
cable into the Raspberry Pi and into the back of your router. In this case, all you need to purchase is
an Ethernet patch cable with two RJ45 connectors.
You can also set up your Raspberry Pi to connect via a wireless network. In this case, you need a
USB wireless network adapter. You can get very small ones that are not too expensive. The downside
of this method is that you need to use one of your Pi’s USB ports. Also, wireless network
configuration is not always very simple. But with a wireless setup, you have much more flexibility.
Deciding How to Purchase Peripherals
Now that you have seen what the Raspberry Pi needs in the way of peripherals, you can decide which
ones will be best for you. You can either buy the Raspberry Pi with its necessary peripherals in a
prepackaged kit or purchase the Raspberry Pi and its necessary peripherals separately.
If you decide to purchase a prepackaged kit, keep in mind the following points:
You will spend more money on this option than if you buy the Raspberry Pi and peripherals
separately.
Kits vary, so be sure to buy a kit that has the peripherals you want or be prepared to buy any
that don’t come with the kit.
Many kits have the operating system preloaded on the SD card. If you get such a kit, you can
skip downloading the operating system and loading it onto your card—and also skip the next
section.Getting Your Raspberry Pi Working
Once you have made your purchase decisions and received your Raspberry Pi and its necessary
peripherals, you can begin to really have some fun. The first time your Raspberry Pi boots up and you
realize what a powerful little machine you now own, you’ll really be amazed. The following sections
describe what you need to do to prepare your Pi for booting.
Do Your Research
As with many other things in life, if you plan ahead and do your research, getting your Raspberry Pi
up and running should go smoothly and quickly. This up-front time and effort are very worthwhile.