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Node Management

Manage your BiscuitNode mesh devices from the Biscuit Manager app. Discover, pair, assign roles, and update firmware on your Nodes – all from one screen.

Discovering Nodes

  1. Power on your BiscuitNode device(s) – the LED will blink yellow as it searches for a hub
  2. On your Biscuit Pro, navigate to Node Management
  3. Tap Discover Nodes to start scanning
  4. Nearby Nodes will appear in the discovered list with their MAC address and signal strength
  5. Tap a Node to accept/pair it

Once paired, the Node’s LED turns green (slow blink) indicating it’s connected and waiting for instructions.

Connected Nodes

The Node Management screen shows all paired Nodes with:

  • MAC address – unique identifier for the Node
  • Status – Online, Offline, Scanning, or Updating
  • Signal strength (RSSI) – how strong the wireless connection is
  • Scan count – number of results the Node has sent
  • Assigned role – what the Node is currently doing
  • Firmware version – current firmware on the Node

Assigning Roles

When starting a Node Wardrive or mesh operation, each Node is assigned a role:

Role What It Does
WiFi Scanner Scans for WiFi access points on 2.4GHz and 5GHz
BLE Scanner Scans for Bluetooth Low Energy devices
Deauth Performs distributed deauthentication attacks

Roles are assigned automatically when you start a mesh operation, or you can assign them manually from the Node Management screen.

Node Wardrive

Node Wardrive expands your scanning coverage by distributing WiFi channels across all connected Nodes. Instead of a single radio hopping between channels, each Node is assigned a subset of channels to scan simultaneously, dramatically increasing capture speed.

How It Works

  1. Connect your BiscuitNode devices and ensure they appear as Online in Node Management.
  2. Start a wardrive and select Node Wardrive mode.
  3. The hub (your Biscuit Pro or Ultra) automatically distributes channels across all connected Nodes and itself. For example, with 3 Nodes scanning WiFi, channels 1-4 might go to Node 1, channels 5-8 to Node 2, channels 9-13 to Node 3, and the remaining channels to the hub.
  4. Each Node scans its assigned channels independently and sends results back to the hub in real time.
  5. The app merges all data – from the hub and every Node – into one unified session on the map.

Tips

  • More Nodes means faster, more thorough spectrum coverage. Even 2-3 Nodes noticeably improve capture rates.
  • Keep your Nodes together with the hub as a “Node rig” (e.g., in a backpack or mounted on a car dashboard) for the best results. Channel distribution is the advantage, not physical separation.
  • Node scan results appear on the map with the hub’s GPS position since Nodes do not have their own GPS.
  • During a Flock wardrive, Nodes also forward any Flock Safety cameras they spot. Detections from Nodes show up on the map alongside ones the hub saw directly.

Node Deauth

Distribute deauthentication attacks across multiple Nodes for broader simultaneous coverage.

How It Works

  1. Run an AP scan and select your target access points.
  2. Navigate to WiFi Tools > Attacks > Deauth Attack with Nodes connected.
  3. When connected Nodes are detected, the deauth attack automatically distributes targets across Nodes. Each Node attacks a different subset of APs, so more targets can be hit at the same time.
  4. Tap Start to begin the distributed attack.

Tips

  • Distributed deauth is particularly useful when targeting multiple APs across different channels simultaneously.
  • Each Node independently sends deauth frames to its assigned targets, so the attack continues even if one Node briefly loses connection.

Updating Node Firmware

Keep your Nodes up to date:

  1. Go to Node Management
  2. If updates are available, an update indicator appears
  3. Tap Update on individual Nodes or Update All for bulk updates
  4. Enter WiFi credentials (the Node needs WiFi to download its update)
  5. The Node’s LED turns orange during the update
  6. After updating, the Node automatically reconnects and reports its new version

You can also toggle between Production and Beta firmware channels for Nodes using a long-press on the update button.

Mesh Encryption and Fleet Size

Nodes communicate with your Biscuit Pro using encrypted wireless messages. The encryption key can be configured in Node settings. All paired Nodes must share the same key as the Pro hub.

There are two mesh modes:

  • Secure mode (default): supports up to 6 Nodes. Messages between the hub and your Nodes are encrypted.
  • Extended mode: supports up to 20 Nodes for larger fleets. Messages are unencrypted, so anyone in range with your mesh key can read them.

Pick Extended mode from Node settings when you want to run more than 6 Nodes at once.

Use a Pro or Ultra as a Node

A Biscuit Pro or Ultra can also act AS a Node for a friend’s Biscuit. In Node Management, pick Node as the mode.

Node mode is sticky. The setting stays on across reboots. While in Node mode, the device still works as a normal Biscuit — BLE is up, the app connects, settings are reachable — and it also broadcasts as a Node over ESP-NOW so any nearby Biscuit running Manager mode can find it. As soon as a Manager pairs with it, BLE stops and the device behaves as a pure satellite Node until the next reboot. Reboot it and it comes back ready for both: app over BLE and discoverable as a Node again.

  • A Pro/Ultra acting as a Node shows its battery level on the manager’s wardriving screen — handy for keeping an eye on a remote device.
  • Pro/Ultra Nodes always sit at the top of the manager’s node list.
  • A Pro/Ultra Node accepts the usual scanning roles (WiFi, Bluetooth).
  • To leave Node mode: open the app, go to Node Management, and pick Off or Manager.

Troubleshooting

  • Node not appearing in discovery: Make sure the Node is powered on and the LED is blinking yellow (searching). Move the Node closer to the hub and try again.
  • Node keeps disconnecting: Check that the Node is within range (~50-100 meters in open air, less indoors). Obstacles like walls and metal objects reduce range.
  • Node stuck on yellow LED: The Node cannot find a hub. Ensure your Biscuit Pro or Ultra is powered on and has Node mesh support enabled.
  • Firmware update fails: Verify the WiFi credentials are correct and that the Node is within range of the WiFi network. Try again with the Node closer to the router.

Limits

  • Up to 6 Nodes in Secure mode, or 20 Nodes in Extended mode (see Mesh Encryption and Fleet Size)
  • Nodes must be within wireless range of the Biscuit Pro (~50-100 meters in open air)
  • If a Node loses connection for 30 seconds, it automatically returns to searching mode
  • Nodes require no app connection – they communicate only with the Biscuit Pro