Connect to your Pi remotely and learn the essential commands for managing FD Commander.
SSH (Secure Shell) lets you control your Pi from another computer over the network. Instead of plugging a monitor and keyboard into the Pi, you open a terminal on your laptop, type a command, and you're in. Everything you type runs on the Pi. This is how you'll install FD Commander, check on the server, and fix things if something goes wrong during the event.
Windows 10 and 11 have SSH built in. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt (search for either in the Start menu) and type:
Replace your-username with the account you created in Raspberry Pi Imager, and fd-commander with your Pi's hostname.
If you prefer a graphical tool, PuTTY is a free SSH client. Enter your Pi's hostname or IP address, make sure the port is 22 and the connection type is SSH, then click Open.
Open Terminal (on Mac it's in Applications > Utilities, or search for it with Spotlight). The command is the same:
The first time you connect, you'll see a message about the host's authenticity:
Type yes and press Enter. This is normal. Your computer is recording the Pi's identity so it can verify it next time. You won't see this again unless you reinstall the Pi.
Then enter your password. The cursor won't move while you type it. That's a security feature, not a bug. Press Enter when done.
If .local doesn't resolve, use the Pi's IP address directly: ssh your-username@192.168.1.42. You can find the IP on your router's admin page under connected devices.
Once you're connected, you're sitting in your home directory on the Pi. Here's what you need to know.
pwd prints the current directory. Think of directories like folders on your computer. The / separates levels, like C:\Users\You on Windows but with forward slashes.
ls lists files and folders. Add -la to see hidden files (ones starting with a dot) and details like permissions and dates.
You don't need to memorize a lot. These are the commands you'll actually use with FD Commander.
| Command | What It Does |
|---|---|
| ls | List files in the current directory |
| cd folder | Change into a directory |
| pwd | Print the current directory path |
| cat file.txt | Display the contents of a file |
| nano file.txt | Open a file in a simple text editor (Ctrl+O to save, Ctrl+X to exit) |
| cp file.txt backup.txt | Copy a file |
| mv old.txt new.txt | Rename or move a file |
| rm file.txt | Delete a file (no undo, be careful) |
| sudo command | Run a command as administrator |
| clear | Clear the screen |
| exit | Disconnect from SSH |
Some commands need administrator access, like installing software or restarting services. Put sudo in front of the command and enter your password when prompted. Don't use sudo for everything. Only use it when a command tells you "permission denied" or the instructions specifically say to.
Once FD Commander is deployed, here are the commands you'll reach for most often.
If it says active (running), you're good. If it says inactive or failed, restart it:
This shows how much space is left on the SD card. If you're uploading a lot of photos during the event, keep an eye on this.
This shows the last hour of FD Commander logs. Useful if something isn't working and you want to see error messages.
Sometimes you need to pull a file off the Pi (like a log file or database backup) or push one to it. Use scp from your local computer, not from the SSH session.
The . at the end means "put it in my current directory."
The ~/ means "put it in my home directory on the Pi."
scp works in PowerShell and Command Prompt on Windows 10+. If you're using PuTTY, the equivalent tool is called WinSCP, which gives you a drag-and-drop file browser.
If your SSH connection drops after sitting idle, your terminal or SSH client may be timing out. On Mac/Linux, add this to ~/.ssh/config on your local machine:
This sends a keepalive signal every 60 seconds. In PuTTY, go to Connection and set "Seconds between keepalives" to 60.
If you need to run a long command (like a system update) and don't want it to die if your SSH connection drops, use tmux:
The command keeps running even if you close your laptop. When you SSH back in, tmux attach picks up right where you left off.
You don't need to be a Linux expert to run FD Commander. These commands cover connecting, checking status, and basic troubleshooting. If something comes up that isn't covered here, the full documentation has more detail.