First Boot
Find the Server IP
Scan your home network, identify the Raspberry Pi and record the IP address you will use for SSH.
Guide difficulty⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beginner Friendly
Estimated time⏱️ Around 10–15 minutes
By the end of this guide you will have
- Scanned the home network.
- Identified the Raspberry Pi by its hostname or as a newly appearing device.
- Recorded its local IP address in the Server Details document.
Why do you need the IP address?
Your computer needs an address to know which device should receive the SSH connection. The hostname is helpful, but the numeric IP address is the clearest method for the first connection.
Scan the network
- Make sure your computer is connected to the same home network as the Pi.
- Open the network scanner installed earlier.
- Press Scan and wait for it to finish.
- Look for the hostname you entered in Raspberry Pi Imager.
- Write down the IP address shown beside it.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDERCompleted network scan with the Raspberry Pi row highlighted, including its hostname and local IP address.
If the hostname is not shown
Run a scan with the Pi disconnected, then power the Pi on, wait five minutes and scan again. Compare the two lists. The new device is likely to be the Pi. You can also check the manufacturer column for Raspberry Pi.
Record it now
Add the address to the downloadable Server Details template. The router may change this address later; the guide will deal with that when permanent network settings are configured.