For the Smart Home server that will drive the user interface, automations, and other cool stuff, we will be installing Home Assistant onto a Raspberry Pi and connect it to your home network. This can be done on a Pi Zero W but the setup and server runs much faster on a Pi 3B+ connected to your home router via Ethernet.

Basically this is the easiest and best way to set up a Smart Home Hub like this, as the Disk Image we will use automatically configures the server when connected to the internet through Ethernet. By using a wired connection for the server, we can be sure that we get the fastest and most reliable connection possible for our Smart Home.

To get this going, we will create a boot disk using a MicroSD card. This MicroSD card will then go into the Raspberry Pi, which is then connected to your home Router via Ethernet. After about 20 minutes, you should be able to access the user interface from any device connected to your home WiFi by simply going to http://hassio.local:8123

Here are the things we will need to get your server up and running with a Pi Zero W:

Angled shot of Raspberry Pi Zero W computer.
If you didn't think that the Raspberry Pi Zero could possibly get any better, then boy do we have a pleasant surprise for you! The new Raspberry Pi Zero W...
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Micro SD card
Add speedy mega-storage in a jiffy using this 16 GB Class 10 micro-SD card. It comes with a SD adapter so you can use it with any of our shields or adapters! Preformatted to FAT so it...
$19.95
In Stock
5V 2.5A Switching Power Supply with 20AWG MicroUSB Cable
Our all-in-one 5V 2.5 Amp + MicroUSB cable power adapter is the perfect choice for powering single-board computers like Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, or anything else that's...
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If you plan to use this server for an actual Smart Home server, It is worth the extra expense to get the Raspberry Pi 3 B+. That is what I use to control all 27 IOT devices in my home.

Here are the things we will need to get your server up and running with a Pi 3 B+:

Angled shot of Raspberry Pi 3 - Model B+
The Raspberry Pi 3 Model B is the most popular Raspberry Pi computer made, and the Pi Foundation knows you can always make a good thing better! And what could make the Pi 3...
Out of Stock
Micro SD card
Add speedy mega-storage in a jiffy using this 16 GB Class 10 micro-SD card. It comes with a SD adapter so you can use it with any of our shields or adapters! Preformatted to FAT so it...
$19.95
In Stock
5V 2.5A Switching Power Supply with 20AWG MicroUSB Cable
Our all-in-one 5V 2.5 Amp + MicroUSB cable power adapter is the perfect choice for powering single-board computers like Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, or anything else that's...
Out of Stock

As for the Software tools, you will want the following (Windows-based, there are similar tools for other OSes).

SD Card Formatting tool:

SD Card Boot Disk tool:

This guide was first published on Oct 02, 2019. It was last updated on Mar 18, 2024.

This page (Raspberry Pi Server Setup) was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

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