Node.js on RaspberryPi, it is installed, but it cannot be found by Remote.it

Troubleshooting
1

Hi,

I’m trying to install Remote.it on a RaspberryPi Zero which already has HomeBridge installed, and with that also node.js.

When I try to install Remote.it, it gives an error:
pi@homebridge:/ $ sudo apt install remoteit
[…]
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
remoteit : Depends: nodejs but it is not installable
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

HomeBridge is a disk image from the official distribution:

See also this special note from the documentation for this Homebridge install:
The installation of Node.js on arm32v6 devices such as the Raspberry Pi 1 and Raspberry Pi Zero is not supported by the official repository using the steps above. Instead use the following commands to install Node.js.
# update repos
sudo apt-get update

# install deps
sudo apt-get install -y gcc g++ make python git

# install node and npm
sudo curl -Lf# “https://unofficial-builds.nodejs.org/download/release/v12.18.2/node-v12.18.2-linux-armv6l.tar.gz” | sudo tar xzf - -C /usr/local --strip-components=1 --no-same-owner

# test node is working
node -v

node -v command gives me:
v12.18.2

Any help, in simple terms please, would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Chris.

2

Hi Chris,

Not entirely sure what is going on there. For some reason our package seems not to pick up that nodejs is installed.

What do you get from:

sudo dpkg -s nodejs

??

3

Hi Gary,

this is the output:

pi@homebridge:~ $ sudo dpkg -s nodejs

dpkg-query: package ‘nodejs’ is not installed and no information is available

Use dpkg --info (= dpkg-deb --info) to examine archive files.

pi@homebridge:~ $ node -v

v12.18.2

4

It looks like node has been installed in some unconventional way. Perhaps compiling from source instead of using the regular Debian package manager. It’s possible that homebridge needs a newer version of node than comes with the current state of the repository.

Can you try the advice shown here:

e.g.

sudo apt install remoteit nodejs-

Let me know if this helps.