WanderRouter Standard — Decision Log

Running log of every keep/swap/drop decision through Stages 0–10. Each entry cites source (image render, Bridge family precedent, parts library, datasheet knowledge, validation doc) and dates the call. 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 v1 chassis target. The original v0 WANDERROUTER-STANDARD-SPEC.md (Medium-chassis-shared-with-Bridge, internal-antenna, 4-LAN, DOCSIS-and-UPS-loaded) is preserved as historical reference and partially superseded for v1.0 ship — the silicon platform and feature inventory carry forward, but the chassis form factor + antenna treatment + port count are image-bound.

Image-locked attributes (non-negotiable v1 design constraints):

Attribute	Image-locked value
Form factor	Horizontal desktop, ~250 × 180 × 60 mm
Body chassis material	Matte slate (#2A3042) anodized 6061 aluminum, precision-machined edges
Top deck material	Cream (#F7F5F1) anodized aluminum, full top surface
Antennas	4× external rotating cylindrical matte-black machined, RP-SMA bulkhead at four corners angled upward
Side venting	Crisp horizontal slot vents on left + right side panels only
Front face	Minimal cream face with single thin horizontal amber-saffron LED strip ~80% width across lower-third
Rear ports	1× WAN RJ45, 2× LAN RJ45, 1× USB 3.0-A, 1× USB-C, 1× DC barrel jack, 1× recessed reset
Top bezel mark	Thin amber-saffron pinstripe horizontal along top deck rear edge
Fans	None visible — fanless aesthetic mandatory
Top deck buttons / screens	None — clean cream surface

Source: Michael-supplied hero image render brief (2026-04-24): "Horizontal Wi-Fi 7 router, roughly 250×180×60mm, matte slate aluminum chassis with a cream anodized aluminum top deck, four sleek external antennas angled upward from the corners (matte black, cylindrical, clean machined bases that rotate smoothly), visible crisp ventilation slots along the sides, two tactile mounted Ethernet ports plus WAN port on the back edge visible, a minimal clean front face with a single thin horizontal amber saffron LED strip running across showing status (glowing softly), and a thin amber saffron pinstripe along the top bezel edge (WanderVerse family mark). Industrial minimalist design — Teenage Engineering OD-11 × Eero Pro × Nothing aesthetic."

Reconciliation actions taken (silent change avoided — every change documented):

1. v0's internal-antenna Medium-chassis design → v1 horizontal desktop chassis with 4× external rotating antennas. v0's design re-cast as future "Mesh AP SKU" (different SOP run, deferred). 2. v0's 4× 2.5 GbE LAN + 1× 2.5 GbE WAN + 1× 10 GbE SFP+ → v1 2× 2.5 GbE LAN + 1× 2.5 GbE WAN on rear (image-locked port count). 10 GbE SFP+ moved to optional rear daughterboard (rear-bay cutout in image preserves this option). 3. v0's 1.3" front OLED display (SSD1306) → v1 single horizontal amber-saffron LED strip across front face (image binds; cleaner aesthetic, lower BOM). 4. v0's optional 40 mm fan → v1 fanless mandatory (image binding + acoustic). 5. v0's color options (Black / Champagne / Deep-Teal / Custom Lux) → v1 single image-locked finish: slate body + cream top deck + saffron pinstripe + matte-black antennas. Customization lives in signature tier (Standard cream / Lux Ambassador-engraved top deck). 6. v0's polymer / CNC / Lux Artisan cover variants → v1 single-material aluminum chassis. Lux differentiation = Ambassador-engraved cream top deck (laser-etched signature pattern), not a different material. 7. v0's optional internal UPS module + Solar DC input → deferred to v1.1 (chassis volume + UL 1973 cert path don't justify v1.0 inclusion in Standard tier; UPS lives in Standard-5G + Ultra). v1.0 Standard is mains-only. 8. v0's integrated DOCSIS modem → v1 retained as optional rear daughterboard (rear-bay cutout in image preserves this); cert path adds CableLabs ($25-40k); ships in v1.1 post-cert. v1.0 ships with rear-bay cutout but no DOCSIS module SKU yet. 9. v0's 16-axis configurator → v1 simplified 8-axis configurator (per single-SKU stance + image binding). Lost axes: cover material variants, color, optional fan, internal UPS, internal Solar. 10. v0's 8 internal Taoglas FXUB70 antennas → v1 4× external machined matte-black antennas (RP-SMA, dual-band Wi-Fi 7 each). Image binds count + form. ⚠ Stage-5 antenna RFQ for matched 4-antenna MIMO performance. 11. v0's $209 base price target → v1 $329 (matches the dual-radio + external-antenna premium chassis cost; v0 already noted "Decision (2026-04-24): ship base Standard at $299 retail" but image-locked external-antenna chassis adds ~$30 BOM premium). Standard Lite tier dropped (single-radio variant fights the brand differentiator).

Carried forward from v0 (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 with Signature Mark (Tier 1 consumer assembly, ~25-40 min/unit)
7-year parts commitment
Open STL files (CC BY-SA 4.0) for desk base + wall mount + antenna tilting clips + accessories
HAVEN integration via downstream Bridge Mini/Full + LoRa USB rear daughterboard
WanderOS-Router overlay on OpenWrt 24.10 (codebase shared with Bridge family per-SKU feature flags)
Identity-aware default profiles + family safety filters + Tor middle-relay opt-in
Matter 1.3+ controller (delegated to WanderNode Hub when paired)
Voice setup prompts for accessibility (TTS-first wizard via VoiceOver/TalkBack/web screen readers)
Per-VLAN DNS filtering + DoH/DoT/DoQ server + AdGuard Home + Unbound + identity-aware blocklists
WireGuard + Tailscale + OpenVPN + IKEv2 client + server modes
HomeKit Secure Video relay + SmartThings + Google Home + Home Assistant first-class via MQTT
Companion app spec inheritance (iOS Swift + Android Kotlin + web PWA, $200-300k NRE per family amortized)

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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 + v0 spec). Device ID WV-NET-ROUTER-STD, revision v1.0-image-locked.

Chassis: horizontal desktop, ~250 × 180 × 60 mm, slate-anodized aluminum body + cream-anodized aluminum top deck + saffron pinstripe + 4 external antennas
Ship target: Q2 2027 (paired secondary launch with Bridge Mini + Bridge Full Q1 2027)
Validation references: Michael's apartment (single-router scenario) + small nonprofit office (primary-internet scenario) + HAVEN safehouse (residential gateway scenario)
Target price span: $329 Standard → $439 HAVEN/Lux
Single SKU stance: one chassis, configurator handles all variation per Standard 6

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Stage 2 — Component selection (2026-04-24)

Full BOM at BOM-normalized.csv. Key architectural decisions follow.

Wi-Fi 7 silicon: MediaTek MT7988A SoC + 2× MT7996AX radios — UNIFIED with router family

Why: unified BSP across Bridge family + WanderRouter Standard / Standard-5G — single firmware codebase with per-SKU feature flags. MT7988A is the most-reused MediaTek SoC in the WanderVerse router family (per _VALIDATION-2026-04-24.md). OpenWrt mainline support documented. PCIe 3.0 x1 lanes (2× available — fits both MT7996AX radios).
Considered + rejected:
Qualcomm IPQ9574 + 2× QCN9274 — higher Wi-Fi 7 stream count (12-stream vs 8-stream) but worse OpenWrt mainline support (Qualcomm proprietary BSP). Pro v2 might consider for flagship; Standard stays MT7988A.
MediaTek MT7986A — older Wi-Fi 6E silicon; doesn't meet Wi-Fi 7 platform commitment.
Source: v0 spec + parts library shared-components survey + _VALIDATION-2026-04-24.md. Estimated $18 vol-1k for MT7988A + $38 each for MT7996AX (2× = $76).

MLO downgrade: position as 🟡 optional post-validation

Why: per _VALIDATION-2026-04-24.md finding 2 — MLO not yet uniformly production-stable across OpenWrt 24.10 + MT7996AX; MLO is "the most basic implementation required" in the market. Don't anchor marketing on MLO.
Action: position single-link Wi-Fi 7 as platform guarantee; MLO enables via firmware after field validation (post-DVT). Marketing language: "Wi-Fi 7 with MLO where supported; falls back gracefully to single-link."

RAM: 2 GB DDR4 SODIMM (user-upgradable to 4 GB / 8 GB)

Why: Standard 2 (user-replaceable) — SODIMM is socketed not soldered. Horizontal chassis volume accommodates SODIMM slot. v0's "first WanderVerse router to honor full Standard 2 RAM-upgradeability at-tier" preserved. 2 GB sufficient for OpenWrt + WanderOS-Router + AdGuard Home + DoH server + identity-aware filtering daemon at typical residential usage. Upgrade tiers: 4 GB (+$25 retail), 8 GB (+$45 retail).
Source: v0 spec preserved. Crucial CT2G4SFS8266 / CT4G4SFS8266 / CT8G4SFS8266 SODIMM family.

Storage: 32 GB eMMC boot + M.2 NVMe slot user-replaceable

Why: 32 GB eMMC carries OS + WanderOS image partitions (dual-partition rollback) + configs + identity-aware blocklist data. M.2 NVMe slot is user-replaceable (Standard 2). Base config ships 500 GB Samsung 980; upgrade tiers 1 TB / 2 TB / 4 TB available.
Source: v0 spec preserved.

4× external rotating antennas — image-locked

Decision: 4× matte-black machined cylindrical antennas, RP-SMA bulkhead, dual-band Wi-Fi 7 element coverage per antenna (2.4 + 5 + 6 GHz), rotating bases.
Antenna part: TBD — looking for matched 4-antenna MIMO Wi-Fi 7 dual-band external set with matte-black machined finish + rotating bases. Candidates: Taoglas TG.66 (Wi-Fi 6E external) — Wi-Fi 7 variant ⚠ needs validation; Linx Technologies ANT-W63-USP-S — Wi-Fi 6E. Requires Wi-Fi 7 (UNII-5 through UNII-8) + matte black machined finish + rotating SMA. ⚠ Stage-5 antenna vendor RFQ.
8× RP-SMA bulkhead: 4 antennas × 2 radio chains per antenna (since each MT7996AX is 4×4 MIMO; 4 antennas × 2 chains each = 8 chains over the 4 physical antennas, dual-band per element). ⚠ Stage-5 confirms whether 4-antenna or 8-antenna externalization.
Image binding: the 4-antenna count is non-negotiable (image shows exactly 4). If 4×4 MIMO requires 8 chains, the multiplexing happens inside each physical antenna element (dual-band combiner), not by adding more visible antennas.
Source: image render + parts library scan (no existing 4-antenna Wi-Fi 7 external matched set in catalog — this is the first WanderVerse SKU with externals).

2× LAN RJ45 + 1× WAN RJ45 — image-locked

PHYs: 3× Realtek RTL8261N 2.5 GbE PHY (~$3.10 each at 1k) — 2 LAN + 1 WAN. Note: MT7988A may have integrated 2.5 GbE PHYs eliminating these — ⚠ Stage-3 verification.
Magjacks: 3× Bel Fuse SI-46001-F (same magjack family as Bridge Full and Bridge Mini — parts-library reuse).
Rear-panel layout: image-binding — 3 RJ45 ports clustered on rear, plus USB-A, USB-C, DC barrel jack, reset button, optional rear-daughterboard cutout.
Status LEDs per port: integrated in magjack (link/activity bicolor).

Single horizontal saffron LED strip — image-locked

Part: TBD — looking for thin horizontal LED strip ~150-180 mm long, amber-saffron ~590-595 nm, matte diffuser, low-profile to mount under cream front face (light passes through cream-anodized cutouts or a separate translucent cream insert). Candidates: Adafruit NeoPixel side-emit strip (RGB-capable but we'd lock to amber); Würth WL-SMTW LED bars + diffuser; custom LED bar 8× Cree CLM3C-AKA amber 0603 + diffuser strip. ⚠ Stage-5 LED strip RFQ + cream-front-face light-transmission validation.
Driver: dedicated GPIO + PWM driver from MT7988A; per-LED PWM for pulse/glow/breathing states.
Color spec: ~590-595 nm wavelength, must match top-deck saffron pinstripe (color matching is mandatory).
States: solid (OK / online), slow pulse (activity), bright pulse (error / attention), off (Quiet Mode / power-saving).

Saffron pinstripe (top-deck rear edge)

Decision: anodize-masked cream-with-saffron-stripe single-anodize process — same technique as Bridge Full faceplate but applied to horizontal cream top deck instead of vertical cream faceplate. Width 1.5 mm pinstripe, ~5 mm from rear edge of top deck.
Color spec: match LED amber-saffron at ~592 nm wavelength visual.
Rejected: painted stripe (chip risk over 7-year service life); inlaid aluminum strip (assembly cost + alignment fragility).
Source: Bridge Full Stage 2 anodizer process. ⚠ Stage-5 anodizer RFQ to confirm horizontal top-deck application.

Reused parts from platform library

Per parts-library audit (_WANDERVERSE-LIBRARY/parts.db survey, query shared + product bridge_full + product bridge_mini), 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	RJ45 magjacks (3× on rear)
TI TPS65086100	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, medical_tricorder, wandersense	Core PMIC
TI TPS62133	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full, multiple	Buck regulator 3.3V
TI TPS54332	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	Buck regulator 5V
Diodes DMN2215U	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	LED driver MOSFET
Epson FA-238 25 MHz	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	SoC reference clock
Cree CLM3C-AKA amber 0603	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	Amber LED (multiple, for LED strip array)
TE Connectivity 1825910-6	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	Tactile reset button
Amphenol 12401610E2	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	USB-C connector (rear service)
CUI PJ-102AH	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	DC barrel jack 12V
Wiha 28400 T10	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	T10 Torx tool (in box)
iFixit IF145-000-1	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	ESD spudger (in box)
Thermal-printed cardstock 85×55mm	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	Standard Ambassador signature card
Molded pulp tray	Bridge Mini, Bridge Full	Inner packaging

Library reuse impact: ~15 parts reused = no new vendor onboarding for ~30% of platform BOM. Drives Ambassador training time down (familiar parts) and supports 7-year parts commitment via shared inventory pool.

MediaTek MT7988A reused (different family — first router-family use)

MT7981B (Bridge Mini + Bridge Full) is the management SoC. Standard uses MT7988A — bigger sibling, Wi-Fi 7-class. Parts library shows MT7981B is shared across Bridge family but Standard's MT7988A is the first router-family SKU using it. Standard-5G + Pro v2 will reuse MT7988A or upgrade to higher-tier (Pro v2 may use Qualcomm IPQ9574).
⚠ Stage-4 confirm MT7988A 2026 stock + lifecycle.

Internal layout

Mainboard: 6-layer ENIG, ~200 × 150 mm (fits horizontal chassis with ~25 mm side margin for thermal). Single PCB.
PCIe lanes: MT7988A has 2× PCIe 3.0 x1 lanes — both consumed by 2× MT7996AX radios. Rear daughterboards (DOCSIS / SFP+) reuse a PCIe lane via daughterboard mux OR via USB 3.0 attachment (DOCSIS module via USB; SFP+ via direct SoC SerDes if MT7988A has 10G MAC available — Stage 3 confirms).
PSU: external 12V 5A barrel-jack input (90W headroom). Internal buck regulators step down to 5V / 3.3V / 1.8V / 1.2V rails per silicon.
Thermal: SoC + 2× radios + PHYs total ~22-30W typical; passive aluminum chassis as heatsink + side-vent passive convection. Fanless mandatory per image binding.

External 12V PSU (barrel jack)

Why: keeps mains AC OUT of the chassis (no UL 62368-1 pre-cert delay vs internal-PSU path; AC-to-DC happens in external brick — typically 12V 5A 60W brick from Mean Well or equivalent, certified + DoE Level VI compliant).
Brick: Mean Well GST60A12 or equivalent — UL 62368-1 + CE LVD + FCC + DoE VI all certified at module level (passthrough).
Tradeoff: users see an external brick (less "clean" desktop aesthetic) vs internal-PSU clutter. Image binds — there's no internal AC inlet visible. Decision: external brick is correct for v1.0.

Faceplate / front face cream insert

Decision: front face is part of the chassis aluminum body (not separate faceplate piece) — cream-anodized using same two-tone process. LED strip mounts behind a translucent cream insert (machined cutout) that lets saffron light through while preserving visual continuity.
Source: image render shows an unbroken cream front face with the LED visible behind the insert.

Faceplate signature tier — Lux engraved on cream top deck

Standard: thermal-printed Ambassador card affixed to inside-bottom-cover (visible when chassis opened for service).
Lux: Ambassador-designed engraved insignia laser-etched onto cream top deck (top-visible, permanent). +$80 retail delta. The top deck stays fully visible on a desk, so Lux engraving is the WanderVerse SKU where signature provenance is most user-visible.

Chassis manufacturing path

Prototype (1-50 units): CNC 6061-T6 from billet at Protolabs/Xometry, ~$95/chassis (3 anodized chassis pieces — body, top deck, rear panel).
Mid-run (50-500 units): 6061-T6 sheet-metal-bent body + machined top deck + machined rear panel, ~$55/chassis. Requires custom bend tooling.
High-run (500+ units): sheet-metal stamped body + machined top deck + stamped rear, ~$32/chassis.

First-run target: 500 units at mid-run pricing. ~$185 FOB BOM → $329 retail Standard config = 44% gross margin (matching Bridge family margin discipline).

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Stage 3 — Compatibility review (2026-04-24)

40+ part BOM (full list BOM-normalized.csv) verified electrically + mechanically coherent. Full output: COMPATIBILITY.md.

Resolved:

MT7988A ↔ 2× MT7996AX via PCIe 3.0 x1 each (both lanes consumed; SoC has 2× available)
MT7988A ↔ 3× RTL8261N 2.5 GbE PHYs via 3× SGMII (or 2× SGMII + integrated PHY if confirmed; ⚠ Stage-3 verification)
2 GB DDR4 SODIMM ↔ MT7988A DDR4 controller (standard SODIMM 260-pin, 2400 MT/s)
M.2 NVMe slot ↔ MT7988A SATA-or-PCIe-shared lane (M-key) ⚠ confirms which key + lane share at Stage 3
32 GB eMMC ↔ MT7988A direct
4× external antennas via 8× RP-SMA bulkhead (4 antennas × 2 chains each via dual-band combiner) ⚠ Stage-5 antenna vendor confirms combiner architecture
LED strip ↔ MT7988A GPIO via PWM driver
Horizontal chassis dimensions ~250 × 180 × 60 mm → all internal parts fit; no chassis-stretch

Deferred / open:

🟡 MT7988A 2026 distributor stock + lifecycle ⚠ Stage-4 RFQ
🟡 MT7996AX (×2) 2026 distributor stock + lifecycle ⚠ Stage-4 RFQ
🔴 Wi-Fi 7 4-antenna external matched set vendor + part number ⚠ Stage-5 antenna RFQ
🟡 Saffron LED strip vendor + part + cream-front-face light-transmission validation ⚠ Stage-5 LED strip RFQ
🟡 Saffron-pinstripe two-tone anodizing on horizontal top deck vendor capability ⚠ Stage-5 anodizer RFQ (Bridge Full does vertical faceplate; Standard does horizontal top deck)
🟡 MT7988A integrated 2.5 GbE PHY count (may save 3× RTL8261N if integrated) ⚠ Stage-3 datasheet review
🟡 Rear daughterboard PCIe-or-USB share path (DOCSIS, SFP+) ⚠ Stage-3 architectural call
🔴 Production origin (US CM mandated by FCC DA-26-278 for consumer routers)

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Stage 4 — Sourcing (Perplexity-deferred; library-checked)

Same posture as Bridge Full: training-knowledge architectural review; Stage-4 Perplexity RFQ verification queued for next session. Parts library + Bridge family precedent informs ~30% of BOM (reused parts from parts.db survey). ⚠ needs validation flagged on:

MT7988A 2026 stock + lifecycle
MT7996AX (×2) 2026 stock + lifecycle
4-antenna Wi-Fi 7 external matched set (no parts-library precedent — first router-family external-antenna SKU)
Saffron LED strip vendor (custom or off-shelf)
4 GB / 8 GB DDR4 SODIMM Crucial CT4G4SFS8266 / CT8G4SFS8266 lifecycle for 7-year parts commitment

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Stage 5 — DFM/DFA/DFT (2026-04-24)

Full output: DFM-DFA-DFT.md.

Key decisions:

Mainboard: 6-layer ENIG, ~200 × 150 mm (smaller than Bridge Full's 380 × 220 mm; constrained by horizontal chassis interior).
18-step Ambassador-station workflow, 25-40 min/unit (more steps than Bridge Full due to: 4 antenna RP-SMA install + cream-front-face LED strip alignment + cream top deck protective masking during assembly + 2-tone anodize match-check).
DFT: 18 test points, 16-test automated fixture (more than Bridge Full's 14 due to per-radio Wi-Fi 7 chain calibration + LED strip uniformity + antenna VSWR check), 240s/unit.
First-run target: 500 units, ~$185 FOB, $329 retail typical = 44% gross margin.
Antenna tuning fixture: new Stage-5 capital expense ~$8-15k (Wi-Fi 7 VNA + RF anechoic chamber + matched-load test fixture) — required for 4-antenna VSWR + radiation-pattern QA on every unit.

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Stage 6 — Thermal/EMC/ESD (2026-04-24)

Full output: THERMAL-EMC.md.

Key decisions:

Fanless mandatory (image binding). Aluminum chassis + cream top deck as heatsink (top deck is thermal coupling surface to internal heatspreader for SoC + radios).
Standard config sustained ~22W typical → comfortable in passive horizontal chassis (250 × 180 × 60 mm = ~2.7M mm³ volume + ~52K mm² surface area).
Power config (4× radio MIMO TX peak) ~30-35W → near limit; advisory at >30°C ambient.
EMC: 4-antenna external Wi-Fi 7 — full Part 15 Subpart E (UNII-5 / UNII-6 / UNII-7 / UNII-8 6 GHz emission profile) testing required. Antenna-cert is part of the device cert (external antennas are part of the radio system, not separately-certified passthrough).
ESD: Level 4 on all external I/O.
FCC Part 15 Class B (residential).

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Stage 7 — Compliance (2026-04-24)

Full output: COMPLIANCE.md.

FCC Part 15 B (Class B residential) ~$5-7k
FCC Part 15 Subpart E (UNII-5/6/7/8 6 GHz) — Wi-Fi 7 specific; ~$10-15k
CE RED + UKCA + ISED ~$6-8k combined (EN 300 328, EN 301 893, EN 303 687)
UL 62368-1 — required (mains-connected via external brick, but device itself uses 12V DC input — actually only the external brick needs UL; chassis itself is LPS 12V DC). ⚠ Stage-7 confirm whether end-product UL is needed when external brick handles mains. Likely path: rely on Mean Well brick UL passthrough + add device-level UL 62368-1 ICT cert ($5-8k).
Matter 1.3+ CSA cert — required for Matter controller capability (~$3-5k)
Thread 1.4 cert — only if Thread BR module enabled (declared optional, deferred unless Thread BR ships)
FCC DA-26-278 (foreign-produced consumer router restriction) — Standard IS classified as a consumer router. Production must be US CM. Soften marketing posture per _VALIDATION-2026-04-24.md finding 4.
RoHS / REACH / WEEE — declarations.
DOCSIS 3.1 (CableLabs cert) — only if DOCSIS daughterboard ships; deferred to v1.1 post-cert (~$25-40k).
Cert budget total: ~$30-45k US+EU+UK+Canada launch (no DOCSIS, no Thread BR cert).

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Stage 8 — Canonical BOM + GUIDE + STLs (2026-04-24)

BOM-platform.csv (in every Standard), BOM-modules.csv (configurator-driven), GUIDE.md (setup + SSID + Matter commissioning + Wi-Fi 7 MLO explainer + HA integration + Bridge fleet pairing), STL-OPEN-FILES/README.md (desk base + wall mount + antenna tilting clips + cable management + dust cover).

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Stage 9 — HW↔FW (2026-04-24)

Full output: HW-FW.md.

OpenWrt 24.10 base + WanderOS-Router overlay (shared codebase with Bridge family + Standard-5G, per-SKU feature flags).
MT7988A + 2× MT7996AX driver: mt76 mainline driver coverage ⚠ needs validation on Wi-Fi 7 maturity in 24.10.
Single firmware image, runtime hardware discovery (rear daughterboard auto-detect).
Secure boot via U-Boot signed bootloader + dual-partition rollback.
16-test production bring-up (vs 14 for Bridge Full — adds Wi-Fi 7 per-radio per-band link-up + antenna VSWR pass).
Matter 1.3+ controller stack (when Hub absent, Standard acts as controller); Thread BR conditional on USB dongle.

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Stage 10 — Gate review + service flow (2026-04-24)

GATE.md (EVT 2026-Q4, DVT 2027-Q1, PVT 2027-Q2) + SERVICE-FLOW.md (desktop-friendly send-back + DIY-friendly antenna replacement / DOCSIS upgrade / signature engraving).

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Flags carried forward (consolidated)

#	Flag	Severity	Disposition
1	MT7988A 2026 stock + lifecycle	🟡	⚠ Stage-4 Perplexity RFQ
2	MT7996AX (×2) 2026 stock + lifecycle	🟡	⚠ Stage-4 Perplexity RFQ
3	4-antenna Wi-Fi 7 external matched set vendor	🔴	⚠ Stage-5 antenna RFQ — FIRST router-family external-antenna SKU
4	Saffron LED strip vendor + cream-face transmission	🟡	⚠ Stage-5 LED strip RFQ
5	Saffron pinstripe horizontal top-deck anodize	🟡	⚠ Stage-5 anodizer RFQ — different geometry from Bridge Full
6	MT7988A integrated 2.5 GbE PHY count	🟡	⚠ Stage-3 datasheet review (may save 3× RTL8261N)
7	Rear daughterboard PCIe-or-USB share path	🟡	⚠ Stage-3 architectural call
8	Wi-Fi 7 MLO production-stable on OpenWrt 24.10	🟡	per `_VALIDATION-2026-04-24.md` finding 2 — position as optional
9	FCC DA-26-278 consumer-router classification	🔴	gates EVT — US CM mandatory
10	Production origin (US CM)	🔴	gates EVT
11	UL 62368-1 cert path (external brick + LPS chassis)	🟢	likely simplified path; Stage-7 confirms
12	DOCSIS daughterboard CableLabs cert	🟡	deferred to v1.1; v1.0 ships with rear-bay cutout only
13	Matter 1.3+ CSA cert	🟢	budgeted
14	Antenna tuning fixture capex (~$8-15k)	🟡	first router-family external-antenna SKU

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Source-of-truth chain

hero image (2026-04-24, Michael) →
  WANDERROUTER-STANDARD-SPEC.md v0 (preserved) +
  _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-STANDARD-SPEC.md v0 is preserved as historical reference; v1 image-locked decisions in this log supersede where they conflict.

Why this way.

WanderRouter Standard — Decision Log

Stage 0 — Image-spec reconciliation (2026-04-24)

Stage 1 — Intake + freeze (2026-04-24)

Stage 2 — Component selection (2026-04-24)

Wi-Fi 7 silicon: MediaTek MT7988A SoC + 2× MT7996AX radios — UNIFIED with router family

MLO downgrade: position as 🟡 optional post-validation

RAM: 2 GB DDR4 SODIMM (user-upgradable to 4 GB / 8 GB)

Storage: 32 GB eMMC boot + M.2 NVMe slot user-replaceable

4× external rotating antennas — image-locked

2× LAN RJ45 + 1× WAN RJ45 — image-locked

Single horizontal saffron LED strip — image-locked

Saffron pinstripe (top-deck rear edge)

Reused parts from platform library

MediaTek MT7988A reused (different family — first router-family use)

Internal layout

External 12V PSU (barrel jack)

Faceplate / front face cream insert

Faceplate signature tier — Lux engraved on cream top deck

Chassis manufacturing path

Stage 3 — Compatibility review (2026-04-24)

Stage 4 — Sourcing (Perplexity-deferred; library-checked)

Stage 5 — DFM/DFA/DFT (2026-04-24)

Stage 6 — Thermal/EMC/ESD (2026-04-24)

Stage 7 — Compliance (2026-04-24)

Stage 8 — Canonical BOM + GUIDE + STLs (2026-04-24)

Stage 9 — HW↔FW (2026-04-24)

Stage 10 — Gate review + service flow (2026-04-24)

Flags carried forward (consolidated)

Source-of-truth chain