I'm diving into the world of Linux, and up until now, I've been working with a Debian 12 VM on my Windows laptop using Hyper-V, which has been great for learning. Eventually, most of my projects will be hosted on AWS, but I need a Linux instance running 24/7 at home for a specific task. This will be primarily for running OpenVPN, acting as a point-to-point router to connect my home network to my AWS servers. I'm only doing command line work, so no desktop environment is necessary. I'm sticking with Debian 12 since I'm familiar with it.
I've heard a lot about the Raspberry Pi but didn't explore it until recently. The specs seemed suitable, though I noticed Debian 12 doesn't support the latest Pi 5. I read they have their own Debian-based OS available, but it looks pretty different from typical computers. Do I need to connect it to an enclosure? Also, the setup seems complicated since it sounds like I need a monitor and keyboard to get started. Couldn't I just connect it to my network, SSH in, and install everything without extra hardware?
Would a Dell Optiplex be a better choice? Wouldn't that also require me to buy a monitor and keyboard, plus I'd end up paying for a Windows license I'd never use? What do you all recommend?
4 Answers
If you go with the Raspberry Pi, definitely get a cheap enclosure along with a power supply when you're ordering it. Setting it up headless is super easy! Just look up 'headless Raspberry Pi' for guides. You can configure the OS to work without a monitor or keyboard, which makes the initial setup a breeze. Check out this article for help: https://medium.com/nerd-for-tech/boot-raspberry-pi-headless-and-enable-wifi-on-linux-c204034f7ee3.
I've got several Raspberry Pis running 24/7 without issues! They can be a bit finicky since they use ARM versions of distributions, but the official Pi OS is based on Debian, so you're covered there. You won't necessarily need a fancy monitor or special keyboard. Most people have old ones lying around. For headless setup, you can prep the SD card on another PC, tweak a few files for WiFi, and then boot without anything connected. Just give it some time to connect to the network and you’re good.
Yeah, I second the mini PC route! Sometimes buying everything for the Pi ends up costing as much as picking up a used desktop. Look for a 6th gen Intel or newer; these machines are small, efficient, and provide solid performance. After setup, you can manage it without needing a monitor! Plus, there's usually a good selection of these on eBay.
While Raspberry Pis are solid, you might find it more cost-effective to get an older mini PC. Brands like Dell and Lenovo have low-power machines that are often cheaper than buying a Pi plus all the accessories. I’ve been using a Lenovo mini PC running Debian 12 and administrating it remotely via SSH. You only need a monitor for the initial setup, and then you can do everything else remotely, which is super convenient!
Thanks for the tip on searching for 'headless'! That's really helpful!