Pi MiniNet Server

Step 1: Set Up Raspberry Pi 4 with Raspberry Pi OS

1. Download and install the latest Raspberry Pi OS Lite (headless version) from the official Raspberry Pi website.
2. Flash the OS image to your microSD card using a tool like Rufus or BalenaEtcher.
3. Insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi 4 and boot it up.

Step 2: Configure Nginx as a Web Server

1. Update the package list and upgrade the system:

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Nginx:

   sudo apt install nginx -y

3. Start Nginx and enable it to start at boot:

   sudo systemctl start nginx
   sudo systemctl enable nginx

Step 3: Set Up Wi-Fi Access Point (AP)

1. Install the necessary packages for AP functionality:

   sudo apt install hostapd dnsmasq -y

2. Disable the default dnsmasq service:

   sudo systemctl stop dnsmasq
   sudo systemctl disable dnsmasq

3. Create a new dnsmasq configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf

   Add the following content:

   interface=wlan0
   dhcp-range=192.168.4,192.168.4.20,255.255.255.0,24h
   

4. Create a hostapd configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

   Add the following content:

   interface=wlan0
   driver=nl80211
   ssid=YourNetworkName
   wmm=0
   macaddr_acl=0
   auth_algs=1
   ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
   wpa=2
   wpa_passphrase=YourPassword
   wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
   wpa_pairwise=TKIP
   rsnl_pairwise=TKIP
   

5. Enable and start hostapd:

   sudo systemctl unmask hostapd
   sudo systemctl enable hostapd
   sudo systemctl start hostapd

Step 4: Configure File Upload Functionality

1. Create a directory for uploaded files:

   sudo mkdir -p /var/www/uploads
   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/uploads
   sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/uploads

2. Configure Nginx to allow file uploads. Create a new configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/upload.conf

   Add the following content:

   server {
       listen 80;
       server_name your_server_ip;
   
       root /var/www/html;
       index index.html index.htm;
   
       location /upload {
           client_max_body_size 10m;
           client_body_in_file_only on;
           client_body_temp_path /tmp/;
           client_body_buffer_size 128k;
   
           dav_methods PUT;
           dav_ext_methods PROPPATCH MKCOL COPY MOVE;
           create_full_put_path on;
           dava_lock_db /var/www/uploads/lock.db;
           dav_safety_filename off;
           allow all;
       }
   }
   

3. Enable the new configuration:

   sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/upload.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
   sudo nginx -t
   sudo systemctl reload nginx

Step 5: Test the Setup

1. Connect to the Wi-Fi network you created using the SSID and password you specified in the hostapd configuration.
2. Access the web server by navigating to http://your_server_ip in your browser.
3. Test file uploads by sending files to the /upload endpoint using tools like curl or a web interface you can create.

Notes:

• Make sure to set proper permissions and access controls for the upload directory to prevent unauthorized access.

This setup will allow users to connect to your Raspberry Pi 4 as a Wi-Fi access point and upload files to the server.