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dual M.2, 2× 10 GbE SFP+, 4× 2.5 GbE LAN, OLED/E-ink front, internal UPS option, WiGig option) is preserved as historical reference and superseded for v2.0 ship.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. v1.0's $1,299–$3,299 retail range → v2 $699–$1,999 retail range (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
- Target price span: $699 base → $1,999 Mission-Partner
- 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 → $249 retail
- RM520N-GL — Quectel, Cat 18 5G Sub-6 + 5G NR n77/n78/n79, eSIM + nano-SIM, M.2 3042, $160 1k → $229 retail
- Dev-kit — bare M.2 B-key slot for 3rd-party modem modules (mission partners who want unlocked cellular or OEM partnerships), $120 retail
- 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 can buy cartridge outright (~$229–249) or subscribe (~$12–15/mo 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). +$40 retail delta 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: +$75 retail delta. 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). +$80 retail delta. 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 → $699 retail base config = 23% gross margin on base (thin; volume tier + cartridge mixed-margin carries total profitability). Mid-tier configs ($1,399 SMB-standard) achieve ~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.