Connect to a Raspberry Pi Zero W Via USB - No Mini HDMI Cable Needed

In this Instructable, you are going to learn how to connect your Raspberry Pi Zero W to your PC without using a MicroHDMI Cable.

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Let’s get started!

Step 1: What You'll Need

1. 8GB MicroSD Card
2. Raspberry Pi Zero W
3. Etcher
   
4. Latest Raspbian Image Flashed Into Your SD Card
5. Putty
6. Notepad++
   
7. Bonjour (Windows Only)

Step 2: Allow the Usage of SSH

Open the "config.txt" file with Notepad++

Scroll all the way down to the bottom.

Type "dtoverlay=dwc2" in the last line and then add an extra line after that.

Save and close the file.

Open "cmdline.txt" file with Notepad++

Find a section after "rootwait"

Paste "modules-load=dwc2,g_ether" in said section.

Save and close the file.

Create a new file called "ssh"

Eject the MicroSD Card and place it on your Raspberry Pi

Step 3: Connect Your Raspberry Pi Via SSH

Power up your Raspberry Pi using a MicroUSB cable connected to the second port from left to right.

Open up "Putty"

Type "[e-mail]" in the IP Address box

NOTE: To be able to connect to your Raspberry Pi using Putty in Windows, you need to have Bonjour installed, otherwise you'll get an error

Step 4: Enable WiFi Connection

Type "sudo nano /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf"

Press "Enter"

Use your arrow keys to go to the very bottom of the text editor.

Type in "

network={

ssid="YOURNETWORKNAME"

psk="YOURNETWORKPASSWORD"

}"

Press "Ctrl X"

Press "Y"

Press "Enter"

Type "sudo wpa_cli reconfigure" to connect to your WiFi network right now.

You can check if it is connected by typing "ifconfig wlan0"

Congratulations, you’ve just connected your Raspberry Pi Zero W to your PC using a MicroUSB Card, enabled WiFi connection on your Raspberry Pi Zero W and that’s it for this Instructable.

If you enjoy this Instructable, consider checking out my TechWizTime YouTube Channel.

And for a good source of Raspberry Pi products, check out my Raspberry Pi Amazon List.

Comments

[Needleroozer]

Nice instructions, thanks. It almost got my Pi Zero W working, but I don't see an IPv4 address, which I need. You have one in the example, so something went wrong. After some fiddling about and searching on the internet I rebooted the Pi and it works fine. Turns out it wasn't looking for a DHCP server it was trying to get an IP address over the SSH connection.

P.S. you failed to mention that the default password for the account pi is "raspberry". I mention this for anyone else who comes along later wondering how to log in.

[damogster]

Hi Thanks for these instructions. I have a Pi ZERO W and was looking for the files you mention i.e. config.txt and cmdline.txt. They do not appear on my Raspbian image (using Noobs 2.7.0)

[Needleroozer]

I couldn't get it to work with NOOBS. I had to install the Raspbian image and edit the files there. Apparently NOOBS boots you to a menu where you choose Raspbian, but you can't see that menu until you configure the Pi per this article, so you're stuck.

[crittejd]

can you still use the HDMI? if so do you need to change anything?

[trapshyu]

I am using my work laptop for this and I'm not allowed to install Bonjour on it, I want to ask if there is a way around this, if I can access the raspberry pi zero through my work laptop without having Bonjour installed.