Pwnagotchi Configuration Hell

Projects
1

I’ve been in the process of trying to get a Pwnagotchi up and running using my Pi zero w, I don’t have a screen for it yet and as such have been trying to get the web ui to work. Everytime I configure the toml file to set it up correctly, the Pwnagotchi stops working correctly with the only thing that seems to work being the bettercap ui.

The only thing that allowed it to work was booting with only the default.toml, which caused full functionality to immediately take hold. At that point I tried to configure and change only the password and user, as well as give the pwnagotchi a name via sudo nano config.toml:
start
main.name(“LilNiSan”)

ui.web.username(“”)
ui.web.password(“”)
stop
in which just caused the same situation I was first having.

Does anyone know the correct way of configuring a pwnagotchi (and if your answer comes from the pwnagotchi documentation it’s not the answer I’m afraid, I’ve tried every option on there to no avail)

(start and stop are so you can tell where it begins and ends, they are not in the file)

2

From ChatGPT so make of it what you will…

It sounds like you’re facing a configuration issue with your Pwnagotchi, specifically when trying to modify the config.toml file to set up the web UI. Pwnagotchi’s behavior can be sensitive to the configuration settings, and even small errors or omissions in the config.toml file can lead to functionality problems.

Here are some steps and tips that might help you troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

  1. Backup the Default Configuration: Since you mentioned that the Pwnagotchi works with the default configuration, ensure you have a backup of the default.toml file before making any changes.

  2. Incremental Changes: Make changes incrementally and test after each change. This way, you can identify exactly which change is causing the issue.

  3. Correct Syntax: Ensure that the syntax in your config.toml file is correct. TOML files are sensitive to syntax, and even small mistakes can lead to issues. For example:

    main.name = "LilNiSan"
ui.web.username = "your_username"
ui.web.password = "your_password"

    Note the use of = instead of () and the quotes around string values.

  4. Minimal Configuration: Start with a minimal configuration. Only change the necessary fields from the default and test if the Pwnagotchi works. Gradually add more configurations as needed.

  5. Checking Logs: Check the logs of your Pwnagotchi after making changes. The logs might contain errors or warnings that can give you a clue about what’s going wrong.

  6. File Permissions: Make sure the config.toml file has the correct permissions. Sometimes, incorrect file permissions can cause issues.

  7. Community Forums and Support: Since you’ve already gone through the official documentation without success, consider visiting community forums or support groups dedicated to Pwnagotchi. Other users might have encountered similar issues and could offer practical solutions.

  8. Updating Pwnagotchi: Ensure your Pwnagotchi is updated to the latest version. Sometimes, bugs in previous versions can cause unexpected behavior.

  9. Hardware Check: Although this seems more like a software/configuration issue, it’s always good to ensure that your Raspberry Pi Zero W and any connected hardware (like SD card, power supply) are functioning correctly.

  10. Reset to Default: If all else fails, reset your Pwnagotchi to the default configuration and start the process over. Sometimes starting from scratch can help identify what went wrong in the previous attempts.

If you continue to face issues, it would be helpful to have specific error messages or behaviors that occur after you modify the configuration. This information can provide more insight into the root cause of the problem.

3

Hmmm, ok i’ll run through this today, hopefully it fixes my problem, either way I’ll update once I get through.