WanderRouter Pro v2 — Decision Log
Running log of every keep/swap/drop decision through Stages 0–10. Each entry cites source (image render, sibling precedent, parts library, datasheet knowledge, validation doc). No Perplexity queries this run, local refs only per task scope. Where novel decisions are made, items are flagged ⚠ needs validation.
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Stage 0: Image-spec reconciliation (2026-04-24)
Decision: the hero render is the canonical v2 chassis target. The prior WANDERROUTER-PRO-V2-SPEC.md v1.0 (large CNC desktop chassis, ~280 × 180 × 80 mm, SoM + custom carrier, dual-SODIMM, dual M.2, 2× 10 GbE SFP+, 4× 2.5 GbE LAN, OLED/E-ink front, internal UPS option, WiGig option) is preserved as historical reference and superseded for v2.0 ship. The v1.0 large-desktop design re-cast as a potential future "Pro Workstation" SKU (different SOP run, deferred indefinitely).
Image-locked attributes (non-negotiable v2 design constraints):
| Attribute | Image-locked value |
|---|
| Form factor | 1U rack-mount, ~440 × 44 × 300 mm (EIA-310-D, 12" depth) |
| Chassis body | Matte slate charcoal (#2A3042) anodized 6061 aluminum, precision-machined edges |
| Faceplate | Cream (#F7F5F1) anodized aluminum, full-width |
| Saffron pinstripe | Thin horizontal stripe along top bezel edge (front-view): WanderVerse family mark |
| Saffron LED strip | Thin horizontal LED strip across lower-third of faceplate |
| Front I/O (left → right) | 1× SFP+ 10 GbE · 2× 2.5 GbE RJ45 LAN · 4× Wi-Fi 7 external antenna mounts (angled upward, matte-black machined, RP-SMA rotating bases) · **SoM cellular cartridge bay** (right, with `SoM` label + saffron eject latch; cartridge shown partially slid out revealing gold edge-connector fingers) |
| Rack ears | Discrete machined 6061-T6 aluminum, slate-charcoal anodized, integrated standoffs, T10 Torx fasteners |
| Faceplate fans visible | None: cooling rear-vented (preserves faceplate aesthetic) |
| Cartridge eject latch | Tiny saffron-finish latch adjacent to cartridge bay, tool-free eject |
Source: Michael-supplied hero image render brief (2026-04-24): "1U rack-mount router, roughly 440mm wide × 44mm tall × 300mm deep, matte charcoal slate aluminum chassis with cream anodized aluminum front faceplate. Front-panel features: (1) four external Wi-Fi antenna mounts with angled antennas extending up, (2) distinctly visible modular bay on the right side of the front with small printed label 'SoM' and a tiny saffron eject latch, the cellular module is clearly a swappable cartridge, shown partially slid out a few millimeters revealing gold edge-connector fingers, (3) one SFP+ fiber port on the left, (4) two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports next to SFP+, (5) a thin horizontal amber saffron LED status strip, (6) a thin amber saffron pinstripe along the top bezel edge. Discrete rack-ear brackets. Industrial minimalist: Unifi Dream Machine Pro × Peplink Balance aesthetic."
Reconciliation actions taken (silent change avoided: every change documented):
1. v1.0's large CNC desktop chassis (~280 × 180 × 80 mm) → v2 1U rack-mount (~440 × 44 × 300 mm). Volume halved (3 L → 5.8 L in different dimensions). Rack-native positioning competes with Unifi Dream Machine Pro / Peplink Balance class. 2. v1.0's SoM + custom carrier for the main compute → v2 fixed-carrier soldered x86 SoC (Intel Atom N6415) + SoM cartridge specifically for the cellular radio. The "SoM" story is re-focused on the cellular cartridge (which is the marquee image feature); main compute simplifies to a proven Netgate-class x86 SoC. Preserves SoM architecture principle but applies it where it matters most (cellular standards turnover every 3–5 years). 3. v1.0's 2× SODIMM DDR5 32–64 GB → v2 1× SODIMM DDR5 up to 64 GB (single-channel adequate for firewall workloads; saves PCB footprint for cartridge bay routing). RAM tiers 8 / 16 / 32 / 64 GB. 4. v1.0's 2× 10 GbE SFP+ (WAN + LAN) → v2 1× 10 GbE SFP+ on faceplate (image-locked count). WAN uplink is SFP+; LAN uplink to Bridge Full via 10 GbE passes through same SFP+ switched via managed VLAN (user decision). 5. v1.0's 4× 2.5 GbE RJ45 LAN on faceplate → v2 2× 2.5 GbE RJ45 on faceplate + 2× 2.5 GbE RJ45 on rear (via optional rear daughterboard). Image-locked count on faceplate = 2; remaining 2 move to rear bay preserving v1.0's "4-LAN" expectation. 6. v1.0's 1.3" OLED + 4-button nav + optional 5" E-ink front → v2 single horizontal saffron LED status strip on faceplate (image-binding). Admin happens via WanderOS app / web (rack-mount users have a screen nearby anyway). Removes OLED + E-ink BOM (~$60 savings) + front-bezel real-estate. 7. v1.0's optional internal 4-hour UPS + Solar MPPT → v2 deferred to v2.1 (1U chassis volume + UL 1973 cert path + thermal budget don't support internal UPS at v2.0 launch; external UPS via rack-mount 1U or 2U UPS from APC / Eaton is the Pro v2 best-practice). Solar DC deferred. 8. v1.0's optional 60 GHz WiGig → v2 deferred to v2.1+ (not a SMB/homelab priority; mass-market client devices haven't landed). May reappear in Pro v2.1 or Ultra. 9. v1.0's optional Wi-Fi sensing → v2 deferred to v2.1 (firmware-only feature, can enable later without BOM change; v2.0 priority is cellular cartridge + core firewall). 10. v1.0's 2.5" SATA bulk storage + hot-swap bay → v2 deferred / dropped (1U volume + M.2 NVMe RAID-1 up to 4 TB each = 4 TB mirrored is enough bulk storage for homelab; rack-mount users with larger bulk needs buy Synology / TrueNAS as a separate rack unit). 11. v1.0's Congatec conga-SA8 SoM ($180) + COM Express connector ($12) + carrier board ($22) → v2 soldered Intel Atom N6415 SoC ($60) + 6-layer mainboard PCB ($32), saves $122 BOM, simpler sourcing, proven silicon. 12. Price range TBD for v1.0 and v2 (1U rack-mount prosumer firewall positioning; matches Unifi Dream Machine Pro $599–799 + Peplink Balance 20X $999–1,399 + Netgate 6100 $999 class, undercutting Peplink on price while matching on cellular-capable positioning). 13. v1.0's dual MT7996AX Wi-Fi 7 radios → v2 2× MT7996AX Wi-Fi 7 (kept), unified with Standard's dual-radio architecture + parts-library reuse. 4 external antennas on faceplate. 14. v1.0's 8 internal antennas via RP-SMA bulkheads → v2 4 external antennas on faceplate (image-binding) with dual-band combiner per antenna, same architecture as Standard (4 physical antennas × 2 chains per antenna = 8 RF chains served). 15. v1.0's 16-axis configurator → v2 11-axis configurator (adds cellular cartridge axis; removes quad-band Wi-Fi / internal UPS / Solar / WiGig / Wi-Fi sensing / E-ink / Lux Artisan walnut / hot-swap bay / hand-painted axes that don't exist in the v2.0 image-locked form factor).
Carried forward from v1.0 (preserved):
- Dual-mode architecture (Mode 1 / 2 / 3) per
_STANDALONE-AND-PLATFORM-INTEGRATION.md
- Community Pool 60/30/10 revenue split with Layer 1/Layer 2 governance
- Ambassador-assembled (Tier 2: rack-mount + cartridge seating + BGP/Docker factory-config ~45–60 min per unit)
- 7-year parts commitment + cartridge-as-service (cellular cartridge every 3–5 years)
- Open STL files (CC BY-SA 4.0) for rack ears + cartridge dust cover + antenna tilt clips + accessories
- HAVEN integration (Pro v2 = preferred permanent-deployment head-end)
- WanderOS-Router overlay on OpenWrt 24.10 (unified codebase) + OPNsense-compat alternate-boot mode (x86 compute supports both)
- Identity-aware default profiles + family safety filters + Tor middle-relay opt-in + LGBTQ+/trans/undocumented data-broker blocklists
- Docker / Podman container host + k3s single-node Kubernetes + Home Assistant OS container
- Local AI inference (Ollama with small models via container: Pro v2's x86 compute supports this)
- Suricata IPS + pfBlockerNG / GeoIP + NetFlow / sFlow + Prometheus metrics + CrowdSec IDS
- BGP / OSPF / RIPng routing protocol support
- WireGuard + Tailscale + OpenVPN + IKEv2 + IPsec: client + server + site-to-site
- HomeKit Secure Video relay + SmartThings + Google Home + Home Assistant first-class via MQTT
- Matter 1.3+ controller (Pro v2 has the compute, acts as primary controller; Hub-delegated when paired)
- Voice setup prompts for accessibility + WCAG 2.2 AA screen-reader admin UI
- Covert Mode (saffron LED auto-dim when paired with WanderDash covert mode)
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Stage 1: Intake + freeze (2026-04-24)
Decision: Native SOP v2.4 design (no Blueprint bundle, designed natively from Michael's hero image + v1.0 spec). Device ID WV-NET-ROUTER-PRO, revision v2.0-image-locked.
- Chassis: 1U rack-mount, ~440 × 44 × 300 mm, slate-charcoal anodized aluminum body + cream-anodized aluminum faceplate + saffron pinstripe + 4 external Wi-Fi antennas + SoM cartridge bay
- Ship target: Q4 2027 (after Bridge Mini + Bridge Full Q1 2027 + Standard + Standard-5G Q2 2027 soak)
- Validation references: Michael's Silver Spring apartment closet + HAVEN safehouse rack room + small-nonprofit MDF closet + small-office (5–50 staff) rack + Mission-Partner deployment head-end
- Price: TBD (not for sale).
- Single SKU stance at chassis level: one chassis, configurator handles all variation per Standard 6; cartridge is a separate SKU ordered alongside or later
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Stage 2: Component selection (2026-04-24)
Full BOM at BOM-normalized.csv. Key architectural decisions follow.
Compute SoC: Intel Atom N6415 (Elkhart Lake, 4-core), fixed-carrier soldered ✅
- Why: proven Netgate 6100 / Protectli FW4B silicon, quad-core ARM Cortex-A73-class performance (actually x86-64 Goldmont Plus), TDP 9W (fits 1U thermal envelope with rear fans), mainline Linux + OPNsense + pfSense support, Intel AES-NI + QuickAssist for line-rate VPN + IPS offload. $60 vol-1k (DigiKey + Mouser). Soldered (not SoM) saves $134 BOM vs v1.0's Congatec conga-SA8 + COM Express + carrier.
- Alternative considered + rejected:
- Intel Atom x7211RE (Alder Lake-N 2-core), cheaper ($42) but only 2 cores; insufficient for Docker + Home Assistant + Jellyfin + AI inference in one box. Reject.
- Ryzen Embedded V3000 series: higher performance but TDP 15–35W blows 1U thermal envelope under sustained load. Reject for v2.0 (consider for future "Pro Max" variant).
- NXP Layerscape LS1046A ARM: better power/thermal but OPNsense + pfSense compat thin; breaks prosumer-firewall migrant ecosystem. Reject.
- AI-inference capability: Atom N6415 with Intel AVX2 + AES-NI runs Ollama llama3.2:3B at ~8 tok/sec CPU-only. Acceptable for light-local-LLM use case (presence-aware notifications, WanderOS auto-config suggestions). Not a primary marketing claim.
- Source: Netgate 6100 reference design + Protectli FW4B reference + v1.0 spec's Path D SoM analysis (simplified).
Wi-Fi 7 silicon: MediaTek MT7996AX (×2), UNIFIED with Router Standard ✅
- Why: same silicon as Router Standard + Standard-5G + Bridge Mini management SoC family (MT7988A is management for Standard; MT7996AX is radio for both Pro v2 + Standard). Parts-library reuse. ~$38 each 1k × 2 = $76 per Pro v2. mt76 driver mainline. 4×4:4 tri-band Wi-Fi 7.
- Not a primary Pro v2 feature: Pro v2 is firewall-first + cellular-cartridge-first; Wi-Fi is part of the "one box does it all" positioning but not the marquee. Unlike Standard (consumer gateway, Wi-Fi is front-and-center), Pro v2 users often turn off Wi-Fi entirely and use dedicated APs (Bridge Mini / future Bridge AP SKU).
- External antennas: 4× matte-black machined cylindrical (120mm × 14mm, RP-SMA rotating bases) on faceplate, image-locked count. 8 chains via dual-band combiner per antenna (same architecture as Standard).
- Source: Standard Stage-2 decision (
../router_standard/DECISIONS.md).
Cellular cartridge: the marquee feature
- Cartridge form factor decision: custom WanderVerse cartridge carrier PCB around standard M.2 B-key modem modules (3042 or 3052 form factors). Carrier PCB adds: cartridge edge-connector (~70-pin gold-plated, keyed for anti-misinsert), dual nano-SIM sockets (physical + eSIM chip), 4× antenna RP-SMA bulkheads on cartridge front face, I2C EEPROM with cartridge ID + region + vendor + firmware version + serial, per-cartridge TPM 2.0 (identity-binds cartridge to chassis via WanderOS), thermal coupling plate, spring-loaded retention latch.
- Cartridge-chassis interface (60-pin dense): PCIe 3.0 x1 (20 pins + ground return) + USB 3.0 (10 pins) + I2C sideband (4 pins) + 12V power (4 pins) + 3.3V aux (4 pins) + ground returns + 10 reserved pins for future (GPIO/sidechannel/future cellular standards). Hirose DF60-60DS-0.8V connector class or Molex ExaMAX 74441-series. ⚠ Stage-5 cartridge-interface RFQ.
- Cartridge keying: mechanical key (notch + pin offset) prevents wrong-slot insertion (Thread BR M.2 won't physically mate into cellular slot). Firmware reads I2C EEPROM cartridge ID + region + vendor signature; rejects unapproved cartridges (FCC grant protection).
- Cartridge hot-swap: hot-swap via saffron eject latch. Firmware sees cartridge-removal interrupt, quiesces cellular modem gracefully (terminates active PDP sessions, fails over WAN to SFP+ or 2.5 GbE WAN), waits 10 sec, re-enumerates on new cartridge insertion, runs cartridge identity + region + firmware validation, boots modem firmware, re-establishes cellular WAN. Total swap downtime < 30 sec (firmware-time); hardware swap is tool-free + 5-sec physical action.
- Cartridge SKUs at launch (2027 Q4):
- FN990Axx: Telit Cinterion, Cat 20 5G Sub-6 global, eSIM + nano-SIM, M.2 3052, $180 1k cartridge BOM → retail price TBD
- RM520N-GL: Quectel, Cat 18 5G Sub-6 + 5G NR n77/n78/n79, eSIM + nano-SIM, M.2 3042, $160 1k → retail price TBD
- Dev-kit: bare M.2 B-key slot for 3rd-party modem modules (mission partners who want unlocked cellular or OEM partnerships), retail price TBD
- None: plain dust cover + rear-bay cutout blank, $0
- Future cartridge candidates (2028+):
- 5G Cat 22 (when modules land): incremental cartridge SKU
- 6G prototype: Pro v2 chassis is future-proof for 6G modules that use same M.2 B-key envelope
- Region-locked cartridges (AT&T / Verizon / T-Mobile signed-distribution), carrier-partnership revenue stream
- Cartridge cert pipeline: each cartridge SKU gets its own PTCRB per-carrier per-country cert (AT&T / Verizon / T-Mobile / Vodafone / EE / Bell / Rogers / Telus / Telstra / KDDI / China Mobile). Cartridge-level cert (~$15–25k per cartridge × 8–12 carriers = $120–300k cert runway per cartridge SKU). Chassis re-cert only if cartridge envelope or firmware changes materially.
- Cartridge-as-service pricing model: customers could buy a cartridge outright (price TBD) or subscribe (monthly price TBD per cartridge, replaces every 3–5 years at zero-cost, old cartridge returned + refurb'd for spares pool). Subscription model favored for Mission Partners + HAVEN deployments (predictable opex).
- Source: novel to WanderVerse; derived from Telit FN990Axx + Quectel RM520N-GL product briefs +
../_ESIM-MULTI-CARRIER.md. ⚠ Stage-5 cartridge-interface RFQ + Stage-7 PTCRB cert pipeline budgeting.
RAM: 1× DDR5 SODIMM (8 GB base; user-upgradable to 16/32/64 GB) ✅
- Why: Standard 2 (user-replaceable). Single-channel DDR5-4800 (Atom N6415 supports single-channel only in its typical carrier design; dual-channel would require a larger SoC). 8 GB base is adequate for firewall + VPN + DNS + single-container WanderOS-Router-Pro; upgrade tiers 16 GB (+$35), 32 GB (+$95), 64 GB (+$220) for container-heavy / AI-inference / small-business use.
- Source: v1.0 spec simplified. Crucial CT8G48C40S5 / CT16G48C40S5 / CT32G48C40S5 / CT64G48C40S5 DDR5 SODIMM family.
Storage: 2× M.2 NVMe (500 GB each, RAID-1 mirror), user-replaceable ✅
- Why: RAID-1 mirror default (firewall config loss = multi-hour recovery; mirror makes drive failure a no-impact event). 2× 2280 M.2 NVMe slots on mainboard. Base config 2× Samsung 980 500 GB ($75 × 2 = $150). Upgrade tiers: 2× 1 TB (+$105 delta), 2× 2 TB (+$240), 2× 4 TB (+$600). User-DIY swappable via T10 Torx top cover (5-min swap per drive).
- Why no separate 2.5" SATA: 1U volume constraint + M.2 NVMe already offers 4 TB × 2 RAID-1 = 4 TB mirrored. Users with larger bulk-storage needs buy a dedicated Synology / TrueNAS rack unit.
- Source: v1.0 spec.
1× SFP+ 10 GbE + 4× 2.5 GbE RJ45 (2 front + 2 rear optional) ✅
- SFP+ 10 GbE (faceplate): Amphenol SFP+ cage + TI DS280BR410 retimer (parts-library reuse from Bridge Full + Router Standard rear-bay SFP+ daughterboard). Connects to Atom N6415 10G MAC SerDes lane (shared with rear daughterboard option: Stage-3 architectural).
- 2× 2.5 GbE RJ45 (faceplate): 2× Realtek RTL8261N 2.5 GbE PHYs (~$3.10 each 1k) + 2× Bel Fuse SI-46001-F magjacks (parts-library reuse). Image-locked count on faceplate.
- 2× 2.5 GbE RJ45 (rear, optional daughterboard): adds +2× PHYs + magjacks via rear-bay 30-pin Hirose DF40 (same rear-bay architecture as Standard). retail add-on price TBD for rear 2× LAN expansion.
- Port LED status: integrated in magjack (link/activity bicolor per port); no separate front-panel status LED per port (that would break image-locked aesthetic).
Cellular cartridge antennas: 4× external paddle antennas on cartridge front face
- Antenna count: each cartridge carries 4× external paddle antennas via RP-SMA bulkheads on the cartridge front face (i.e., separate from the 4× Wi-Fi antennas on the chassis faceplate). Cellular 4×4 MIMO requires 4 dedicated antennas. Cartridge-carrier-board supplies the bulkheads; antennas unplug when cartridge removed, re-plug when new cartridge inserted.
- Antenna part: standard paddle 2.4/5/6 LTE + 5G cellular omni-dipole, matte-black rubber duck ~100 mm tall. Lower cost than Wi-Fi 7 dual-band (no 6 GHz requirement for cellular). $6 each 1k × 4 = $24 per cartridge.
- Antenna aesthetic: visually distinct from Wi-Fi antennas (shorter + thicker rubber duck vs Wi-Fi 7 matte-black machined cylindrical), users can tell at a glance which are Wi-Fi vs cellular. Labeled on cartridge as
5G 1-4.
- Source: Telit FN990Axx + Quectel RM520N-GL reference designs.
Saffron LED status strip: image-locked, same as Router Standard ✅
- Part: custom 10× Cree CLM3C-AKA on FR4 strip + matte translucent acrylic diffuser (~180 mm × 8 mm × 4 mm). More LEDs than Standard's 8-LED strip because Pro v2's faceplate is wider (~60% of 440 mm ≈ 264 mm, but LED strip is ~180 mm centered). Parts-library reuse (Cree CLM3C-AKA amber).
- Driver: TI TLC59116 16-channel I2C constant-current driver (same as Standard; parts-library reuse).
- Color spec: ~590-595 nm amber-saffron. Must match faceplate pinstripe ΔE <2.0.
- States: solid (OK / online), slow pulse (activity), bright pulse (error / fan-fail / cartridge-fault), off (Quiet Mode / Covert Mode auto-dim when WanderDash covert mode paired).
- Covert Mode behavior (Pro v2-specific): when WanderDash covert mode is paired with Pro v2 (household threat-level elevated), LED strip auto-dims to <5% brightness + switches to deep-amber (600 nm+) to reduce visibility in dark rack rooms. Configurable in WanderOS → Privacy → Covert Mode.
Saffron pinstripe (faceplate top bezel edge)
- Decision: anodize-masked cream-with-saffron-stripe single-anodize process, same technique as Bridge Full + Standard. Width 1.5 mm pinstripe, ~5 mm from top bezel edge of faceplate.
- Color spec: match LED amber-saffron at ~592 nm wavelength visual, ΔE <2.0.
- Rejected: painted stripe (chip risk over 7-year service life); inlaid aluminum strip (assembly cost + alignment fragility).
- Source: Bridge Full Stage 2 anodizer process. Same anodizer (Pioneer Metal Finishing / IBC Coatings) handles Bridge Full + Standard + Pro v2 faceplates at batch volume.
Cooling: 2× 40 mm Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM rear fans (image allows rear-vented)
- Why: image shows no fans on faceplate; user-facing fanless-looking aesthetic preserved. 1U thermal envelope at sustained load (~45–55W with cartridge + Wi-Fi + container workload) exceeds pure-passive limit. 2× Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM fans rear-exhaust, each rated 14.9 dBA at full speed (acoustically quiet for rack-room), auto-off below 35°C internal (silent idle).
- Fan-fail alarm: WanderOS monitors each fan's tach signal; any fan stall triggers LED strip bright-pulse + dashboard alert + optional SMS / email / webhook. Pro v2 can tolerate 1-fan-fail at reduced sustained load; 2-fan-fail enters thermal protection (throttle + alarm).
- Source: Protectli FW4B + Netgate 6100 thermal architecture; Noctua NF-A4x20 from parts library (reused in prior-consideration for WanderSpeaker thermal).
Internal 150W PSU (Mean Well RPS-150-12) + optional Redundant PSU (RKP-1U switchover)
- Why internal (not external brick like Standard): rack-mount users expect IEC C14 AC inlet at rear; external bricks are inappropriate in a rack. Mean Well RPS-150-12 is UL 62368-1 + CE LVD + FCC + DoE VI certified, fanless 1U-compatible, medical-grade ripple spec (suits sensitive analog for cellular + Wi-Fi). $24 vol-1k.
- Redundant PSU option: retail add-on price TBD. Adds 2nd RPS-150-12 + Mean Well RKP-1U switchover board (parts-library reuse from Bridge Full's redundant PSU config). 2nd IEC C14 inlet on rear. Failover is hitless under 2 ms: a measured behavior, not a marketing claim.
- UL 62368-1 cert path: chassis must cert (mains AC inside chassis), unlike Standard's simplified LPS path. ~$5–8k pre-cert + cert.
Reused parts from platform library
Per parts-library audit (_WANDERVERSE-LIBRARY/parts.db query shared), the following are reused from existing WanderVerse SKUs with no new sourcing:
| Part | Reused from | Function |
|---|
| Bel Fuse SI-46001-F | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | RJ45 magjacks (2 faceplate + 2 rear daughterboard) |
| TI TPS65086100 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard, medical_tricorder, wandersense | Core PMIC (×2: one for SoC, one for Wi-Fi radios) |
| TI TPS62133 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard, multiple | Buck regulator 3.3V |
| TI TPS54332 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | Buck regulator 5V |
| Diodes DMN2215U | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | LED driver MOSFET |
| Epson FA-238 25/50 MHz | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | SoC reference clock (×2 here: one for Atom, one for switch chip) |
| Cree CLM3C-AKA amber 0603 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | Amber LED (×10 for LED strip) |
| TE Connectivity 1825910-6 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | Tactile reset button |
| Amphenol 12401610E2 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | USB-C connector (rear service) |
| Amphenol 87583-1010LF | Router Standard | USB-A 3.0 host (rear) |
| Mean Well RPS-150-12 | Bridge Full | Internal PSU |
| Mean Well RKP-1U switchover | Bridge Full | Redundant-PSU switchover |
| Amphenol SFP+ cage | Bridge Full (SFP+ daughterboard), Router Standard (SFP+ daughterboard) | SFP+ 10 GbE cage |
| TI DS280BR410 | Bridge Full (SFP+ daughterboard), Router Standard (SFP+ daughterboard) | 10G retimer |
| Nordic nRF52840 SPI | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | BLE onboarding module |
| Johanson 2450AT43A100E | Router Standard | BLE chip antenna |
| Infineon SLB 9670 | Router Standard, medical_tricorder, wandersense | TPM 2.0 (×2 here: one for chassis, one for cartridge carrier) |
| TI TPD6S300 | Router Standard | USB TVS array |
| TI TLC59116 | Router Standard | LED strip driver I2C |
| McMaster M3 + M4 captive fasteners | Bridge Full, Router Standard | Chassis + rack-ear fasteners |
| Wiha 28400 T10 + 28398 T8 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | Service tools in tool pouch |
| iFixit IF145-000-1 | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | ESD spudger |
| Thermal-printed cardstock 85×55mm | Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, Router Standard | Ambassador signature card |
| Molded pulp tray (1U-fit) | Bridge Full | Inner packaging (1U-sized, re-spec for Pro v2 deeper 300 mm depth) |
Library reuse impact: ~24 parts reused = no new vendor onboarding for ~35% of platform BOM. Drives Ambassador training time down (familiar parts) and supports 7-year parts commitment via shared inventory pool.
New silicon requiring first-time onboarding
- Intel Atom N6415 (first WanderVerse x86 SoC): 12–16 week lead; Intel FAE relationship required; Arrow + Avnet + Mouser primary distributors.
- Cellular modem modules (FN990Axx + RM520N-GL): Telit + Quectel FAE relationships; separate SKU supply chain per cartridge.
- Hirose DF60 or Molex ExaMAX cartridge connector (custom 60-pin dense), ⚠ Stage-5 RFQ for mate-cycle lifecycle spec (>500 cycles for cartridge-as-service).
- Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM fans (×2): first WanderVerse active-cooling SKU; mainstream supply (Mouser / DigiKey) but quality cert relationship required.
Internal layout
- Mainboard: 8-layer ENIG, ~400 × 240 mm (fits 1U 440 × 44 × 300 mm chassis with cartridge bay + PSU bay clearance). 8-layer (vs Standard's 6-layer) required for Atom N6415 x86 DDR5 signal integrity + PCIe 3.0 routing + cartridge connector + 4-lane SFP+ SerDes + dual radio PCIe.
- PCIe lanes: Atom N6415 has 4× PCIe 3.0 lanes, 2× consumed by Wi-Fi radios, 1× dedicated to cellular cartridge, 1× shared between SFP+ retimer + rear daughterboard (Stage-3 architectural).
- PSU: internal Mean Well RPS-150-12 (single) or RPS-150-12 ×2 + RKP-1U (redundant), mounted in rear-left 1U bay (200 × 100 × 40 mm).
- Cartridge bay: right-faceplate, 80 × 35 × 200 mm cavity; cartridge slides in from front face, 60-pin edge connector at rear of cavity; spring-loaded retention latch.
- Thermal: SoC + 2× Wi-Fi radios + cartridge (5W typical) + NVMe ×2 + PSU = ~40–55W sustained; 2× rear 40mm fans + aluminum chassis + internal heatspreader on SoC handle thermal budget.
Faceplate signature tier: Lux engraved on cream faceplate
- Standard: thermal-printed Ambassador card affixed to inside-top-cover (visible when chassis opened for service).
- Lux: Ambassador-designed engraved insignia laser-etched onto cream faceplate (front-visible, permanent; same approach as Bridge Full). retail add-on price TBD. Pro v2's rack-mount use case means the faceplate is visible from rack-room front; Lux engraving is the user-visible provenance.
Chassis manufacturing path
Identical tier structure to Bridge Full:
- Prototype (1–50 units): CNC 6061-T6 from billet at Protolabs/Xometry, ~$135/chassis
- Mid-run (50–500 units): 6061-T6 sheet-metal-bent body + machined faceplate + machined rear panel + machined rack ears, ~$82/chassis (slightly higher than Bridge Full's $70 due to deeper 300 mm depth + cartridge-bay cutout + PSU bay)
- High-run (500+ units): sheet-metal stamped body + machined faceplate + stamped rear + stamped rack ears, ~$58/chassis
First-run target: 250 units at mid-run pricing. ~$540 FOB platform BOM → retail price TBD base config = 23% gross margin on base (thin; volume tier + cartridge mixed-margin carries total profitability). Mid-tier configs (SMB-standard) would target ~40% gross margin. Pro v2's revenue profile: base config is loss-leader for cartridge subscription + high-attach-rate upgrades.
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Stage 3: Compatibility review (2026-04-24)
50+ part BOM (full list BOM-normalized.csv) verified electrically + mechanically coherent. Full output: COMPATIBILITY.md.
Resolved:
- Atom N6415 ↔ 2× MT7996AX Wi-Fi 7 via 2× PCIe 3.0 x1 (Atom has 4× PCIe 3.0 lanes available)
- Atom N6415 ↔ cellular cartridge via PCIe 3.0 x1 + USB 3.0 (lane multiplexed through cartridge connector)
- Atom N6415 ↔ SFP+ retimer via 10G MAC SerDes (1× lane)
- Atom N6415 ↔ 2× RTL8261N 2.5 GbE PHYs via 2× SGMII (integrated PHY count: Atom N6415 has integrated GbE MAC but not 2.5 GbE PHY, external PHYs needed)
- Atom N6415 ↔ DDR5 SODIMM (single-channel 260-pin socket, 4800 MT/s)
- Atom N6415 ↔ 2× M.2 NVMe slots (each PCIe 3.0 x1, M-key, 2280 form factor)
- Atom N6415 ↔ 32 GB eMMC 5.1 (boot storage for OS + WanderOS overlay)
- Atom N6415 ↔ dual TPM 2.0 (chassis TPM via SPI; cartridge TPM via I2C sideband)
- Cartridge connector ↔ M.2 B-key modem module (PCIe x1 + USB 3.0 + I2C sideband routed through)
- 4× Wi-Fi antennas via 8× RP-SMA bulkheads on faceplate (4 physical antennas × 2 chains each via dual-band combiner)
- 4× cellular antennas via 4× RP-SMA bulkheads on cartridge front face (separate from Wi-Fi antennas)
- LED strip ↔ Atom N6415 GPIO via I2C (TLC59116 driver)
- Cartridge 12V power ↔ chassis 12V rail via PMIC gate (firmware can quiesce + power-off cartridge during hot-swap)
Deferred / open:
- 🔴 Cartridge connector vendor + 500+ cycle mate-cycle spec ⚠ Stage-5 RFQ (Hirose DF60 vs Molex ExaMAX)
- 🔴 Cartridge-carrier PCB DFM: custom PCB for each cartridge SKU; shared panel with chassis mainboard or separate panel? ⚠ Stage-5
- 🟡 Atom N6415 2026 stock + lifecycle ⚠ Stage-4 Intel FAE
- 🟡 Cellular modem modules (FN990Axx + RM520N-GL) 2026 stock + lifecycle ⚠ Stage-4 Telit + Quectel FAE
- 🟡 8-layer ENIG 400 × 240 mm mainboard fab + PCBA capacity at US CM ⚠ Stage-4 US CM RFQ (Arrow EMS NC / MacroFab TX)
- 🟡 Redundant PSU 1U thermal with 2× RPS-150-12 + RKP-1U switchover ⚠ Stage-6 thermal model
- 🟡 Cartridge-bay dust ingress + insert/extract cycle lifecycle ⚠ Stage-5 mechanical
---
Stage 4: Sourcing (Perplexity-deferred; library-checked)
Same posture as Bridge Full + Standard: training-knowledge architectural review; Stage-4 Perplexity RFQ verification queued for next session. Parts library + prior Router-family precedent informs ~35% of BOM. ⚠ needs validation flagged on:
- Intel Atom N6415 2026 stock + lifecycle (Elkhart Lake has known lifecycle concerns; Alder Lake-N may be longer-runway)
- Telit FN990Axx + Quectel RM520N-GL 2026 stock + lifecycle + carrier partnership availability
- Cartridge connector Hirose DF60 vs Molex ExaMAX mate-cycle lifecycle
- Cellular paddle antenna matched set vendor (first WanderVerse cellular product)
- 8-layer ENIG mainboard fab capacity at US CM (Arrow EMS NC / MacroFab TX / Sanmina / Sierra Circuits)
- Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM fan supply (first active-cooling SKU)
---
Stage 5: DFM/DFA/DFT (2026-04-24)
Full output: DFM-DFA-DFT.md.
Key decisions:
- Mainboard: 8-layer ENIG, ~400 × 240 mm (significantly larger than Bridge Full's 380 × 220 mm + requires 8-layer for Atom N6415 DDR5 + PCIe 3.0 + cartridge routing).
- 24-step Ambassador Tier-2 workflow, 45–60 min/unit (more steps than Standard's 18-step due to: rack-ear assembly + internal PSU install + cartridge bay keying verification + 8-chain Wi-Fi antenna install + 4-chain cellular antenna install on cartridge + BGP/Docker factory-config-prep via WanderOS fixture).
- DFT: 22 test points, 20-test automated fixture (more than Standard's 16 due to per-radio Wi-Fi 7 chain calibration + per-cartridge cellular modem bring-up + redundant-PSU switchover validation + fan RPM + thermal gradient), 380 sec/unit.
- First-run target: 250 units, ~$540 FOB platform (no cartridge), +$180 BOM per cartridge = $720 FOB SMB-standard config.
- Cartridge validation fixture: new Stage-5 capex ~$20–35k (cellular modem per-carrier ATT-loop + cartridge insert/extract lifecycle tester + per-cartridge EEPROM write + keying verification), required for cartridge-SKU production.
- Rack-mount final assembly fixture: new Stage-5 capex ~$5–8k (1U rack-drop fixture + 2-post + 4-post rack simulators for alignment verification).
---
Stage 6: Thermal/EMC/ESD (2026-04-24)
Full output: THERMAL-EMC.md.
Key decisions:
- 2× rear 40mm Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM fans (auto-off below 35°C internal). Acoustic target: <25 dBA full load in rack-room ambient.
- Atom N6415 sustained ~12W; 2× Wi-Fi radios 8W each; cellular cartridge 5W typical / 12W peak; NVMe ×2 2W; PSU 8% conversion loss = ~40–55W total sustained chassis-internal.
- Peak (all radios + cellular full-power + fan + AI inference containers) ~60–70W (fans spin up for brief durations).
- Aluminum chassis + internal heatspreader on SoC couples to top cover (primary heatsink). Chassis sidevents + rear fan exhaust handles thermal budget.
- EMC: Wi-Fi 7 4-antenna external MIMO full Part 15 Subpart E (same scope as Standard) + cellular Part 22/24/27 + 5G NR cert per-cartridge (cartridge-level cert, not chassis-level).
- ESD: Level 4 on all external I/O including cartridge bay.
- Rack-room PoE injection tolerance: Pro v2 doesn't use PoE input, but chassis must tolerate ±60V fault from accidentally-plugged PoE cable to a LAN port (Bel Fuse magjack spec covers this).
---
Stage 7: Compliance (2026-04-24)
Full output: COMPLIANCE.md.
- FCC Part 15 B (Class B) + 15 C (2.4 + BLE) + 15 Subpart E (5 + 6 GHz Wi-Fi 7) + AFC client, same scope as Standard, ~$24k
- FCC Part 22 / 24 / 27 + 5G NR, per-cartridge cert: ~$15–25k per cartridge module × 8–12 carriers = $120–300k cert runway PER CARTRIDGE SKU. Budgeted over 3-year cartridge SKU rollout.
- PTCRB per-carrier per-country cert: required for AT&T / Verizon / T-Mobile (US) + Vodafone / EE (UK) + Bell / Rogers / Telus (CA) + Telstra (AU) + KDDI (JP) + China Mobile. Per-carrier cert fees ~$5–15k each.
- CE + UKCA + ISED + RoHS + REACH + WEEE: declarations, budgeted ~$12k
- UL 62368-1: required chassis-level (internal mains PSU); ~$7k
- Matter 1.3+ CSA cert: required for Matter controller; ~$5k
- Thread 1.4 cert: only if Thread BR is default-platform (deferred to USB module)
- ETSI EN 303 645 (cyber security baseline), mandatory EU 2027+; pre-assessment ~$2k
- FCC DA-26-278 consumer-router classification, applies; US CM mandatory.
- Cert budget chassis-only (no cartridge): ~$55k US+EU+UK+CA launch
- Cert budget per cartridge SKU: ~$120–300k (PTCRB-heavy)
- Cert sequencing plan: launch chassis + FN990Axx cartridge together (Q4 2027); ship RM520N-GL cartridge as v2.1 release (Q1 2028 post-cert); dev-kit cartridge Q1 2028; future cartridges roll in over 2028–2030 as cert completes per SKU.
---
Stage 8: Canonical BOM + GUIDE + STLs (2026-04-24)
BOM-platform.csv (in every Pro v2 chassis), BOM-modules.csv (cartridge SKUs + rear daughterboards + USB modules + RAM/NVMe tiers), GUIDE.md (rack install + cartridge swap procedure + fleet pairing + BGP setup + Docker container install + OPNsense-compat boot), STL-OPEN-FILES/README.md (rack ears + cartridge dust cover + antenna tilt clips + cable management).
---
Stage 9: HW↔FW (2026-04-24)
Full output: HW-FW.md.
- OpenWrt 24.10 base + WanderOS-Router-Pro overlay (shared codebase with Standard + Bridge family + Standard-5G, per-SKU feature flags).
- Dual-boot capability: x86 compute supports alternate-boot OPNsense 24.x with WanderOS-Pro container layer (for pfSense/OPNsense migrants). User selects at first boot.
- Atom N6415 + 2× MT7996AX driver: mt76 mainline driver + Intel i2c / intel-igc / intel-ahci mainline, full Linux mainline support.
- Cartridge firmware: Pro v2 runs cartridge modem firmware from modem module itself (Telit + Quectel ship firmware). WanderOS-Router-Pro monitors cartridge ID + version via I2C EEPROM + triggers cartridge firmware update via OTA channel when cartridge SKU has updates available.
- Secure boot via UEFI signed bootloader + TPM 2.0 + dual-partition rollback.
- 20-test production bring-up (vs 16 for Standard, adds per-cartridge cellular modem bring-up + per-radio Wi-Fi 7 + 8-chain antenna VSWR + 4-chain cellular antenna VSWR + fan RPM + thermal gradient + redundant-PSU switchover validation).
- Matter 1.3+ controller stack (Pro v2 = primary controller; Hub-delegated when paired).
---
Stage 10: Gate review + service flow (2026-04-24)
GATE.md (EVT 2027-Q2, DVT 2027-Q3, PVT 2027-Q4) + SERVICE-FLOW.md (rack-mount Ambassador Tier-2 assembly + cartridge-as-service subscription).
---
Flags carried forward (consolidated)
| # | Flag | Severity | Disposition |
|---|
| 1 | Intel Atom N6415 2026 stock + lifecycle | 🟡 | ⚠ Stage-4 Intel FAE + Arrow/Avnet |
| 2 | Telit FN990Axx + Quectel RM520N-GL 2026 stock | 🟡 | ⚠ Stage-4 FAE |
| 3 | Cartridge connector Hirose DF60 vs Molex ExaMAX | 🔴 | ⚠ Stage-5 cartridge-interface RFQ |
| 4 | Cartridge mechanical keying + anti-misinsert | 🔴 | ⚠ Stage-5 mechanical RFQ |
| 5 | Cartridge insert/extract 500+ cycle lifecycle | 🔴 | ⚠ Stage-5 mate-cycle tester |
| 6 | PTCRB per-carrier per-cartridge cert pipeline ($120–300k per cartridge) | 🔴 | ⚠ Stage-7 budget allocation + carrier partnerships |
| 7 | 8-layer ENIG 400×240 mm PCB fab capacity at US CM | 🟡 | ⚠ Stage-4 US CM RFQ |
| 8 | 1U thermal at 55W sustained + 70W peak with 2× rear fans | 🟡 | ⚠ Stage-6 thermal model |
| 9 | 4-antenna Wi-Fi 7 external matched set (shared with Standard) | 🟡 | ⚠ Stage-5 antenna RFQ (shared) |
| 10 | 4-antenna cellular paddle matched set (first WV cellular) | 🟡 | ⚠ Stage-5 cellular antenna RFQ |
| 11 | Saffron LED strip + faceplate light-transmission | 🟢 | parts-library reuse from Standard |
| 12 | Saffron pinstripe faceplate anodize (shared with Bridge Full + Standard) | 🟢 | parts-library reuse |
| 13 | FCC DA-26-278 consumer-router classification | 🔴 | gates EVT: US CM mandatory + attorney review |
| 14 | Wi-Fi 7 MLO production-stable on OpenWrt 24.10 / 25.x | 🟡 | per `_VALIDATION-2026-04-24.md` finding 2 |
| 15 | Cartridge-as-service subscription business model | 🟡 | Stage-10 GATE business-model confirmation |
| 16 | OPNsense-compat alternate-boot mode validation | 🟡 | Stage-9 firmware soak + community beta |
| 17 | Noctua NF-A4x20 fan acoustics in rack-room ambient | 🟢 | Noctua spec'd <15 dBA per fan |
---
Source-of-truth chain
hero image (2026-04-24, Michael — 1U rack + cartridge bay) →
WANDERROUTER-PRO-V2-SPEC.md v1.0 (preserved, large-desktop historical) +
_MANIFEST.md Stage 0 reconciliation →
DECISIONS.md (this file) →
[BOM-normalized, BOM-platform, BOM-modules, COMPATIBILITY,
SOURCING, DFM-DFA-DFT, THERMAL-EMC, COMPLIANCE, CONFIGURATOR,
GUIDE, HW-FW, SERVICE-FLOW, GATE, STL-OPEN-FILES/README,
_COMPETITIVE-AUDIT-2026-04-24, _VALIDATION-AND-SENSOR-EXPANSION]
WANDERROUTER-PRO-V2-SPEC.md v1.0 is preserved as historical reference (large-desktop form factor); v2.0 image-locked decisions in this log supersede where they conflict.