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PrepperPi - Offline Knowledge Server v2.0

PrepperPi Logo License Platform

PrepperPi transforms your Raspberry Pi into a powerful offline knowledge server, providing Wi-Fi hotspot functionality with access to Wikipedia, Stack Overflow, medical resources, survival manuals, and other essential content without requiring internet connectivity.

🌟 Features

  • 📡 Wi-Fi Hotspot: Creates a secure Wi-Fi network for client devices
  • 📚 Comprehensive Offline Content: Wikipedia, medical resources, survival manuals, literature, and educational content
  • 🖥️ Modern Web Interface: Responsive dashboard for system management
  • 📊 Real-time Monitoring: CPU, memory, temperature, and network usage tracking
  • 🔄 Automatic Updates: Configurable content and system update schedules
  • 💾 Backup System: Automated configuration and data backups
  • 🔒 Security Features: WPA3 support, MAC filtering, connection limits
  • 📱 Mobile-Friendly: Responsive design works on phones, tablets, and laptops

📋 Hardware Requirements

  • Raspberry Pi 4 (recommended) or Raspberry Pi 3B+
  • MicroSD card 32GB minimum, 64GB+ recommended
  • Wi-Fi capability (built-in on Pi 3B+ and Pi 4)
  • Ethernet connection (for initial setup and content updates)

🚀 Quick Installation

Step 1: Download and Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/prepperpi.git

# Copy to system directory
sudo cp -r prepperpi /opt/

# Navigate to scripts directory
cd /opt/prepperpi/scripts

Step 2: Run Installation

# Make install script executable
sudo chmod +x install.sh

# Run the installation (this will take 10-15 minutes)
sudo bash install.sh

Step 3: Reboot and Connect

# Reboot to activate all services
sudo reboot

After reboot:

  1. Connect to Wi-Fi: Look for PrepperPi network
  2. Password: PrepperPi1234!
  3. Access Web Interface: Open browser to http://prepperpi.local or http://10.10.0.1

⚙️ Configuration

Network Settings

Edit /opt/prepperpi/config/network.conf:

SSID="PrepperPi"
PASSPHRASE="PrepperPi1234!"
COUNTRY="US"
SUBNET="10.10.0.0/24"
PI_IP="10.10.0.1"

⚠️ Important: Change the default password immediately after installation!

Content Configuration

PrepperPi includes three storage profiles in /opt/prepperpi/config/kiwix.conf:

Minimal Profile (32GB SD Card)

  • Wikipedia (top articles)
  • WikiMed (medical content)
  • Project Gutenberg (selection)
  • WikiHow (how-to guides)

Standard Profile (64GB SD Card) - Default

  • Wikipedia (no pictures, 20GB)
  • Wikivoyage (travel guides)
  • Wiktionary (dictionary)
  • WikiMed (medical resources)
  • Project Gutenberg (book selection)
  • Stack Overflow (programming Q&A)
  • Khan Academy (educational content)
  • WikiHow (practical guides)

Large Profile (128GB+ Storage)

  • Complete Wikipedia with images (95GB)
  • All Wikimedia projects
  • Complete Project Gutenberg library
  • Multiple Stack Exchange sites
  • TED Talks
  • Comprehensive educational content

To change profiles, edit the STORAGE_PROFILE setting:

STORAGE_PROFILE="large"    # or "minimal" or "standard"

🖥️ Web Interface

The modern web interface provides:

  • 🏠 Dashboard: System overview and quick actions
  • 📈 Status Page: Real-time system monitoring and performance metrics
  • ⚙️ Settings: Network, content, and security configuration
  • 📚 Content Management: Manual updates and library management
  • 📖 Knowledge Library: Direct access to offline content via Kiwix

🔧 Services Management

PrepperPi uses systemd services for reliable operation:

Check Service Status

sudo systemctl status prepperpi-kiwix
sudo systemctl status prepperpi-monitor
sudo systemctl status hostapd
sudo systemctl status dnsmasq
sudo systemctl status nginx

Restart Services

sudo systemctl restart prepperpi-kiwix
sudo systemctl restart hostapd
sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq
sudo systemctl restart nginx

View Service Logs

# Kiwix server logs
sudo journalctl -u prepperpi-kiwix -f

# System monitor logs
sudo journalctl -u prepperpi-monitor -f

# All PrepperPi logs
sudo tail -f /opt/prepperpi/logs/*.log

🛠️ Manual Operations

Update Content

# Update all content sources
sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/update_content.sh

# Verify existing content integrity
sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/update_content.sh verify

# Generate content report
sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/update_content.sh report

System Backup

# Create system backup
sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/backup.sh

# View backup location
ls -la /opt/prepperpi/backup/

System Information

# Get comprehensive system stats
python3 /opt/prepperpi/scripts/monitor.py

# Verify installation
sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/verify_install.sh

🗂️ File Structure

/opt/prepperpi/
├── config/              # Configuration files
│   ├── network.conf     # Network settings
│   ├── kiwix.conf      # Content sources
│   ├── system.conf     # System settings
│   └── nginx.conf      # Web server config
├── scripts/            # Management scripts
│   ├── install.sh      # Main installer
│   ├── update_content.sh # Content manager
│   ├── backup.sh       # Backup system
│   ├── monitor.py      # System monitor
│   └── verify_install.sh # Installation verification
├── web/               # Web interface
│   ├── app.py         # Flask application
│   ├── static/        # CSS, JavaScript, images
│   └── templates/     # HTML templates
├── systemd/           # Service definitions
├── logs/             # System and application logs
├── backup/           # Automated backups
└── data/             # Content storage
    ├── kiwix/        # ZIM files
    ├── pdfs/         # PDF documents
    └── maps/         # Offline maps

🩺 Troubleshooting

Wi-Fi Hotspot Not Working

  1. Check hostapd status:

    sudo systemctl status hostapd

  2. Verify configuration:

    sudo cat /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf

  3. Restart networking services:

    sudo systemctl restart hostapd dnsmasq

  4. Check for interference:

    iwlist scan | grep -E "ESSID|Channel"

Kiwix Content Not Loading

  1. Check Kiwix service:

    sudo systemctl status prepperpi-kiwix

  2. Verify content files:

    ls -la /opt/prepperpi/data/kiwix/

  3. Check library file:

    cat /opt/prepperpi/data/library.xml

  4. Restart Kiwix service:

    sudo systemctl restart prepperpi-kiwix

Web Interface Issues

  1. Check nginx status: 
    sudo systemctl status nginx

<<<<<<< HEAD 2. Check Flask application:

sudo systemctl status prepperpi-monitor

======= /opt/prepperpi/ config/ # Configuration files scripts/ # Installation and management scripts web/ # Web interface files logs/ # System and application logs backup/ # Automated backups systemd/ # Service definitions data/ # Kiwix content and library

685c56559e3db77be73d60da282d8ee04020e068

  1. View error logs: 
    sudo tail -f /opt/prepperpi/logs/nginx_error.log
sudo tail -f /opt/prepperpi/logs/system.log

Performance Issues

  1. Monitor system resources:

    • Access status page at http://prepperpi.local/status
    • Check CPU temperature: vcgencmd measure_temp
    • Monitor disk usage: df -h

  2. Optimize performance:

    # Increase GPU memory split
sudo raspi-config
# Advanced Options → Memory Split → 128

# Check for thermal throttling
vcgencmd get_throttled

Storage Issues

  1. Check available space:

    df -h /opt/prepperpi/data/

  2. Clean up old content:

    sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/update_content.sh cleanup

  3. Change storage profile: Edit /opt/prepperpi/config/kiwix.conf and change STORAGE_PROFILE

📦 Content Sources

PrepperPi includes content from these trusted sources:

Core Knowledge

  • Wikipedia: Complete offline encyclopedia
  • Wikivoyage: Travel and location guides
  • Wiktionary: Comprehensive dictionary
  • Wikibooks: Educational textbooks

Medical & Health

  • WikiMed: Curated medical encyclopedia
  • WHO Manuals: World Health Organization resources
  • Red Cross Guides: First aid and emergency response
  • CDC Resources: Disease control and prevention

Literature & Books

  • Project Gutenberg: 70,000+ public domain books
  • Internet Archive: Additional book collections

Technical Resources

  • Stack Overflow: Programming questions and answers
  • Ask Ubuntu: Linux and Ubuntu support
  • Super User: Computer troubleshooting

Educational Content

  • Khan Academy: Complete K-12 curriculum
  • TED Talks: Educational and inspirational videos
  • WikiHow: Practical how-to guides

Survival & Preparedness

  • U.S. Army Survival Manual (FM 21-76)
  • Military Field Manuals
  • Emergency Preparedness Guides
  • First Aid and Medical Emergency Resources

🔒 Security Considerations

Essential Security Steps

  1. Change default credentials immediately:

    sudo nano /opt/prepperpi/config/network.conf
# Change SSID and PASSPHRASE

  2. Enable WPA3 if supported:

    # Edit network.conf
ENABLE_WPA3=true

  3. Set up MAC filtering (optional):

    ENABLE_MAC_FILTERING=true

  4. Regular updates:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

  5. Monitor connected devices:

    • Check status page for connected clients
    • Review logs regularly

Network Security

  • Default configuration creates isolated network (10.10.0.0/24)
  • No internet bridging by default
  • Configurable connection limits
  • Optional MAC address filtering

⚡ Performance Optimization

Recommended Hardware Setup

  • High-quality MicroSD card: Class 10, A2 rating minimum
  • Adequate cooling: Heatsinks or fan for continuous operation
  • Stable power supply: Official Pi power adapter recommended

System Optimization

# Increase GPU memory split for better performance
sudo raspi-config
# Advanced Options → Memory Split → 128

# Enable file system optimizations
sudo nano /boot/cmdline.txt
# Add: fsck.repair=yes

# Optimize for SD card longevity
echo 'tmpfs /tmp tmpfs defaults,noatime,nosuid,size=100m 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

Content Optimization

  • Choose appropriate storage profile for your SD card size
  • Enable compression for older content
  • Regular cleanup of temporary files
  • Monitor storage usage via web interface

🤝 Contributing

PrepperPi is designed to be modular and extensible. Contributions welcome for:

  • Additional content sources and formats
  • Enhanced monitoring and alerting features
  • Mobile app development
  • Multi-language support
  • Hardware integration (displays, sensors, GPS)
  • Mesh networking capabilities
  • Educational curricula integration

Development Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/prepperpi.git
cd prepperpi

# Create development branch
git checkout -b feature/your-feature-name

# Make changes and test

# Submit pull request

📄 License

This project is released under the MIT License. See LICENSE file for details.

🆘 Support

Getting Help

  1. Check troubleshooting section above
  2. Review system logs: /opt/prepperpi/logs/
  3. Run verification script: sudo /opt/prepperpi/scripts/verify_install.sh
  4. Create GitHub issue with:
    • System information (uname -a)
    • Error logs
    • Steps to reproduce issue

Community Resources

  • GitHub Issues: Bug reports and feature requests
  • Wiki: Additional documentation and guides
  • Discussions: Community support and ideas

📈 Version History

v2.0 (Current)

  • Complete rewrite with modern web interface
  • Enhanced security and monitoring
  • Comprehensive content sources (medical, survival, educational)
  • Smart content management and verification
  • Mobile-responsive design
  • Automated backup system
  • Professional logging and error handling

v1.0

  • Basic hotspot functionality
  • Simple Kiwix integration
  • Command-line management

🏁 Quick Start Summary

  1. Clone repo: git clone https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/prepperpi.git
  2. Install: sudo cp -r prepperpi /opt/ && cd /opt/prepperpi/scripts && sudo bash install.sh
  3. Reboot: sudo reboot
  4. Connect: Wi-Fi "PrepperPi" with password "PrepperPi1234!"
  5. Browse: Visit http://prepperpi.local
  6. Secure: Change default password in settings!

PrepperPi - Making knowledge accessible anywhere, anytime. 📡📚

Built with ❤️ for emergency preparedness, education, and offline knowledge preservation.

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Offline knowledge server for Raspberry Pi — Wi-Fi hotspot with Kiwix, web UI, and manual/automatic update options.

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