How to Turn On a Raspberry Pi: 5 Ways
The Raspberry Pi single-board computer opens up the world of physical computing and software programming. If you have ever gotten your hands on a Raspberry Pi, you would know that, with the exception of the Raspberry Pi 400, they don’t come with a power button. How are they then turned on and off?
There are several different ways you can accomplish that, some straightforward and others not so much. Let’s explore some of these methods.
Why Doesn’t the Raspberry Pi Include a Power Button?
Although it may seem like an oversight from the company, the exclusion of the power button is actually a calculated decision to keep the cost of the single-board computer down.
Most modern computers with a dedicated power button use the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) which allows operating systems to communicate with hardware components (buttons, mice, batteries, displays, etc.). The ACPI tells the operating system to trigger a shutdown when the power button is pressed.
Despite its usefulness, including the complete interface in the Raspberry Pi would have raised the cost significantly. So, the decision to exclude a power button was carefully thought out to make the Raspberry Pi more affordable.
5 Different Ways to Turn on a Raspberry Pi
There are several methods to power up a Raspberry Pi. Let’s explore the main ones and also discover the importance of shutting down the Raspberry before turning it off.
1. USB Power Connection
The easiest way to turn on a Raspberry Pi is to plug it into a power source. The older models have a micro-USB port for power supply while the newer models are powered using a USB Type-C connector. Although any charger with the required rating should work, you should consider getting one of the official power supplies to prevent any problems down the line. There are manydifferent ways you can power a Raspberry Pi.
After you connect an appropriately rated (5V, 2.5-3A, depending on the model) supply to the Raspberry Pi’s power port, the red LED next to the port should light up, indicating that the Pi is powered. You may need to switch your power supply or cable if the red light is blinking. This means that the Raspberry Pi isn’t being supplied with enough power.
Note that a Raspberry Pi Zero has no red LED, just a green activity LED which should light up when power is supplied and then flicker as the OS is booted.
2. Power Supply Units With Switch
Some power supplies for the Raspberry Pi include a switch that allows you to cut off power to the Raspberry Pi. With a single button press, you can turn your Raspberry Pi on and off. This removes the need to physically disconnect the cable every time you turn off the Raspberry Pi, protecting the connector from wear and tear. There is a wide variety of cables that implement this concept for different Raspberry Pi models.
Of course, this power supply switch will not initiate a graceful shutdown, so there is a risk of SD card corruption and data loss. It is not intended as a replacement for shutting down through the terminal or GUI menu. Learn how toproperly shut down a Raspberry Pi.
3. The General-Purpose Input Output Header
The General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) header is a row of either 26 or 40 pins on the Raspberry Pi that allows it to interface with physical electronic components such as sensors, LEDs, buttons, etc. You can power your Raspberry Pi via the GPIO pins by connecting pin 2 or 4 to a 5V supply and pin 6 to ground (GND).
You can also “turn on” your Raspberry Pi from a halt state by shorting pins 5 and 6 (GPIO3 and GND) together. In the halt state, all processes are terminated, but the Raspberry Pi is still drawing a small amount of power from the supply. The Raspberry Pi enters a halt state when it is shut down, but power is still connected. You can connect a power button switch between these two pins, 5 and 6, to turn on the Raspberry Pi with a press. You can learnhow to add a power button to your Raspberry Pi.
you may use these same pins to shut down the Raspberry Pi, essentially creating a power switch. That would involve writing a script that runs on startup and listens for the button press to initiate a shutdown.
4. Power over Ethernet
The Raspberry Pi 4B and 3B+ featurePower over Ethernet functionalitythat allows them to be powered using an Ethernet cable. Instead of using two separate cables for power and data, you would need only one Ethernet cable with PoE. You’ll need a PoE HAT and power-sourcing equipment for an 802.3af Power over Ethernet network to use this feature. There are two official add-on boards from the Raspberry Pi company: the original PoE HAT and thenew and improved PoE+ HAT.
Installing the PoE HAT is simple. All you have to do is press the HAT on top of the Raspberry Pi, and it fits gently over the GPIO pins. Metal standoffs are also provided to lock it down into place. Of course, the HAT takes over all the GPIO pins, rendering them normally unusable.
A workable solution would be to either use a GPIO extender or solder some wires to the pins in the space between the Raspberry Pi and the PoE HAT.
5. Wireless Smart Plug
Asmart plugis a small wireless adapter designed to fit into a regular outlet that allows you to turn connected devices on and off remotely and automatically. These plugs usually have a companion app or website and may include features such as energy monitoring, weather resistance for outdoor use, and scheduling.
A wireless smart plug can be a good option if you are accessing your Raspberry Pi remotely. It decreases power consumption and can be easily integrated into your home automation setup.
However, these smart plugs essentially cut power to your Raspberry Pi without initiating a system shutdown. It is very important that your Raspberry Pi is in a halt state before you cut off power to it. As always, the terminal commandsudo shutdown -h nowis your best friend if you’re accessing your Raspberry Pi remotely.
Turning On a Raspberry Pi Is Easy
So, there you have it, five different ways to turn on your Raspberry Pi. The method you choose will depend on your personal preference and what you’re using the Raspberry Pi for. They’re all equally safe and effective, provided you take the necessary precautions.
Never pull the plug on a Raspberry Pi without first turning it off at the system level and be sure to use a power supply with the proper rating for your model.
Access and control your Raspberry Pi remotely via SSH from any computer or even an Android phone.
The best features aren’t the ones being advertised.
It saves me hours and keeps my sanity intact.
you’re able to block out the constant surveillance and restore your privacy with a few quick changes.
Freeing up vital memory on Windows only takes a moment, and your computer will feel much faster once you’re done.
Lose your laptop without this feature, and you’ll wish you had turned it on.
