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Updating Default Password Hostname Optional Change Username

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Jordan O edited this page Oct 24, 2021 · 2 revisions

As a default, the Rasbian distro gives you default credentials of

  • User: pi
  • Pass: raspberry

We want to change this password first thing to something more secure. Highly recommend a password with at least 16 characters to make it secure. Don't make it something easy to guess or crack like password1234567890

Part 1: Update Passwords

The first thing we're going to do is open a terminal window CTL+ALT+T

sudo passwd pi then sudo passwd root

  • Create a new strong + secure password
    • Write these down somewhere if you tend to forget. You will have to restart your entire project if you forget...

Part 2: Edit Raspberry Pi BIOS

sudo raspi-config

  • Similar to BIOS. Use arrow and enter keys to navigate.
  • Your terminal show convert to a window that looks like this:

alt text

1 System Options --> S5 Boot/ Auto Login --> B3 Desktop (Desktop GUI, requiring user to login) <enter>

  • The Rasbian OS will keep assigning the user pi as a process if you keep autologin activated. Switching to require a login will remove this auto assigning process

<Finish>

sudo reboot

Part 3: Login as 'root'

Good work. Now we can use the drop-down box to log in as root and input the password we created for the root user earlier. Click pi --> See dropdown menu --> Click on Other... *1st Box = root *2nd Box = Strong_root_Password

Part 4: Alter Username

For the following commands, we don't need to use sudo since we are logged in a root!

If you run into a GUI issue where you can only see the trashcan, press the following keys: CTL + ALT + T

killall --user pi

  • This terminates all processes that root creates for the user pi

usermod -l [New_Username] [Old_Username] | usermod -l JOpi pi

  • (-l / --login) = NEW LOGIN * If you don't see any errors, that means you successfully changed the username :)

usermod -m -d /home/[New_Username] [New_Username] | usermod -m -d /home/JOpi JOpi

  • (-m / --move-home) + (-d / --home) = moves New_Username directory to the new location, and specifies the New_Username's directory location

*If you don't see any errors and it goes to the next line, that's great. It means that you're inputting valid syntax codes into the terminal

Part 5: Verify your Username got Updated Correctly

ls /home Results should only return one home directory for /home/[New_Username]

  • /home/JOpi
    • Blue highlighted words = Folders
    • White highlighted words = Files
    • Green highlighted words = Executable (Scripts)

tail -n 1 /etc/passwd The result should newest user as a number 1000+ and show your new home directory

  • Ex. Return JOpi:x:1000:1000:,,,:/home/JOpi:/bin/bash

Part 6: Reboot and Reconfigure our BIOS

reboot

Login at the GUI to your [New_Username]:[pi_password] you created earlier

  • JOpi:Super_Strong_Password

CTL+ALT+T --> sudo raspi-config

Change login back to autologin as default user

1 System Options --> S5 Boot/ Auto Login --> B4 Desktop Autologin GUI (automattically logged in as [New_Username] user

Setup your hostname

1 System Options --> S4 Hostname --> <Ok> --> *Setup a hostname* (i.e. MagicMirror)

  • Changing the hostname will change the characters after the username
    • NewUsername@Hostname | JOpi@MagicMirror

Turn off 'Wait for network connection to boot'

1 System Options --> S6 Network at Boot (Select wait for network connection at boot) --> <No> --> <Ok>

  • This will boot the Rasbian OS without needing a network connection first
  • This is best since there can be an occasion your network goes down, or you run into network issues on your Raspberry Pi and you can still log in with limited functionality at the terminal

Connect to your 2.4 GHz SSID

1 System Options --> S1 Wireless LAN (Enter SSID and passphrase) --> *Type SSID verbatium with every character (i.e: This is the FBI) --> <Ok> --> *Type Wifi Password verbatium* <Ok>

Setup your timezone and local country for Wifi legislation laws

I live in the United States so this example will only be applicable to the US. Please verify your own countries locales so you don't violate any federal laws for your country.

alt text

Raspberry Pi 4 as of now, only allows connections to the 2.4 GHz frequency, therefore a 5.0 GHz network won't work. If you have your router set to auto-connect, it would behoove of you to manually create the two channels with two separate SSID's (one for 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz signals). Then connect all portable devices (i.e. cell phones, laptops, etc) to your 2.4 GHz SSID, and connect devices that require faster internet and are stationary (i.e. desktop computer) to the 5 GHz SSID.

<Finish> --> "Would you like to reboot now?" <Yes>

  • If it still doesn't work after reboot, and click on the wifi icon. Turn it off and then back on. Try using the GUI to click on your Wifi's SSID, review the password/Pre-Shared Key, correct if needed, and press enter

Review: What we Accomplished

  • Strengthened our default password
  • Strengthened our root password
  • Strengthened our account overall by changing our default username
  • Setup your home directory for your new username
  • Configured BIOS to your region & timezone
  • Configured to autologin your default account so your Magic Mirror will start up automatically when you turn your Pi on
  • Connected to your network via ethernet & WiFi

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