Node Management
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Node Management
Node Management is the control center for Biscuit Node rigs in the iOS and Android Biscuit Manager apps. Use it to choose what your Pro or Ultra does in a rig, configure a supported single-chip Biscuit as a satellite, discover nearby Nodes, manage saved devices, set wardrive roles, identify supported hardware, and update dedicated C5 Nodes.
Open Settings > Node Management while connected to a Biscuit Pro or Ultra. The same entry appears on DIY, AWOK, Nyan, and Crumb devices running firmware 1.4.40 or newer.
The app loads this Biscuit’s saved settings automatically. While it shows Loading settings or Refreshing settings, wait for the current role to be confirmed before changing it. If loading does not finish, use Refresh. Your saved Nodes remain listed during a refresh.
Choose This Biscuit’s Role
On a Pro or Ultra, the role picker at the top has three choices:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Off | Disables Node fleet management on this Biscuit |
| Manager | Makes this Pro or Ultra the app-connected coordinator for saved Nodes |
| Node | Makes this Pro or Ultra a satellite for another Biscuit Manager |
When you choose Manager, select a fleet mode:
| Fleet mode | Active Nodes | Security |
|---|---|---|
| Secure (6) | Up to 6 | Encrypted Node link |
| Extended (20) | Up to 20 | Unencrypted Node link |
Both modes remember up to 30 saved Nodes. Secure is the recommended default; Extended is for larger rigs where the 20-device active limit matters more than link encryption.
You cannot change Manager settings while another operation is active.
On a supported DIY, AWOK, Nyan, or Crumb, Node Management instead shows one Act as a Node toggle. These single-chip devices can join a rig as satellites but cannot manage other Nodes. Turning the toggle on or off is saved on the device and takes effect after the next reboot.
How to Add Nodes to Your Biscuit
Adding a Node saves it in the connected Pro or Ultra’s Manager memory. A dedicated Node is not added through the app’s normal Bluetooth device list.
- Select Manager on the Pro or Ultra.
- Power on the dedicated Biscuit Nodes, Pro/Ultra devices, or supported single-chip Biscuits configured as Nodes.
- Open the Nearby tab and tap Start. The app shows a 30-second discovery window.
- Tap Add to Memory on each device you want to keep. With current Manager firmware, Add All saves every visible Node that fits in memory.
- Open Saved and confirm that the new Nodes say Online.
Ignore hides a Nearby result for the current discovery window without saving it. Start discovery again to clear the ignored list.
After a device is saved, the Manager remembers it and reconnects whenever Manager mode is active and that Node is available. A device can stay in Saved while offline; you do not need to rediscover it every time it powers off.
Memory and Bulk Actions
The app shows saved capacity and live capacity separately, such as Memory 18/30 and 6 online.
- Add All saves all discovered Nodes that fit in the remaining memory and reports anything skipped.
- Delete All removes the complete saved roster after confirmation.
- Removing a Node from Manager memory keeps its phone-local name and saved wardrive-role preference.
- If discovery is still open, a removed live Node can immediately appear in Nearby again.
Bulk Add All/Delete All requires Manager firmware 1.4.27 or newer. Individual save and remove actions remain available on older firmware.
The Saved Tab
The Saved tab includes online and offline devices:
- Dedicated C5 Biscuit Nodes appear as compact single-chip tiles.
- DIY, AWOK, Nyan, and Crumb devices used as Nodes also appear as single-chip tiles and remain distinguishable from dedicated C5 Nodes.
- A Pro or Ultra used as a Node appears as a wider dual-chip tile and stays recognized as that family while offline.
- Tiles show the local name or MAC address, firmware version, saved role, Online/Offline status, and live signal strength when available.
- Battery percentage appears when an online Pro, Ultra, or Crumb Node reports it. Dedicated C5 Nodes and battery-less single-chip Nodes do not report battery level.
- A firmware warning appears only after the app confirms that a newer release exists. If the check fails, the status stays unknown instead of showing a false warning.
Tap a saved tile to:
- Give the Node a local name
- Choose its saved wardrive role
- Check firmware status
- Remove it from Manager memory
- Identify an online Pro, Ultra, supported DIY, or Crumb Node using its onboard LED hardware
Local names are stored on the phone, are limited to 12 characters, and omit commas. Names and saved roles can be edited while a Node is offline. Identify and dedicated Node OTA require the target to be online. Identify flashes supported RGB hardware purple for five seconds at a fast 250 ms on/off cadence; a Xiao flashes its single-color yellow LED at the same speed. AWOK, AWOK Mini, Nyan, and dedicated C5 Nodes do not show the action.
Wardrive Roles
The roles you choose in Node Management are defaults for future wardrives:
| Role | Available on | What it captures |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi | Dedicated Node, Pro, Ultra, supported single-chip Biscuit | WiFi access points on assigned 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels |
| BLE | Dedicated Node, Pro, Ultra, supported single-chip Biscuit | Bluetooth Low Energy devices and BLE-based notable detections |
| All | Pro and Ultra Nodes only | WiFi on one radio plus BLE and notable-device scanning on the other |
Dedicated C5 Nodes and single-chip Biscuit Nodes have one radio and therefore use WiFi or BLE during a wardrive, not both at once.
When starting a wardrive:
- WiFi mode automatically gives connected Nodes the WiFi role.
- BT mode automatically gives connected Nodes the BLE role.
- All mode opens Assign Scan Roles. The Manager’s built-in scanner is listed first, followed by every connected Node.
The assignment sheet remembers your choices for later All-mode wardrives.
The wardrive begins only after the Manager has accepted the selected roles. If a selected online Node cannot take its role, the assignment sheet stays open and identifies the Node so you can retry instead of starting an empty session.
Node Wardrive
During a Node Wardrive, the Manager combines its own results with every participating Node in one live session.
For WiFi roles, the Manager distributes supported 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz channels across the built-in scanner and the connected WiFi-capable Nodes. It prioritizes common channels, then divides the rest across the rig. If a scanner becomes unavailable, the wardrive continues and coverage is reassigned to the scanners that remain.
With Manager firmware v1.5.45 or newer, a power cycle during an active app session does not require every Node to return. Once the app reconnects and requests resume, the Manager allows up to five seconds for the selected Nodes to check in, then continues with the scanners available. If all Nodes return sooner, the drive resumes sooner. Missing Nodes keep their selected roles and automatically rejoin channel distribution when they return. Keep the app session running; a full app restart saves and finishes the interrupted drive.
The wardrive screen pins This device above the connected Nodes and shows each Node’s connection state, name, assigned role, and WiFi/BLE contribution count. If a Node briefly drops out, its selected role remains visible with a reconnecting state instead of changing to Unknown; its counts resume when it returns. Pro, Ultra, and Crumb Nodes also show battery level. The panel starts expanded and can be collapsed into a translucent Nodes side button without changing the separate Counter Surveillance panel. After the drive, the report breaks down which scanner found each set of results and which channels it covered.
All Node results use the phone’s current GPS position. Keep Nodes with the Manager as a multi-radio rig if you want their map locations to be accurate.
See Wardriving for the rest of the session, report, export, and upload flow.
Node Deauth
Dedicated C5 Nodes can share selected deauthentication targets during an authorized assessment:
- Scan for access points or stations and select the targets.
- Open WiFi Tools > Attacks > Deauth Attack.
- When compatible Nodes are online, the app shows Node Deauth Mode and Start Node Deauth.
- Start and stop the operation from the same attack screen.
The Manager and participating Nodes divide the selected targets so multiple channels can be handled in parallel. Pro, Ultra, DIY, AWOK, Nyan, and Crumb devices used as Nodes do not run the dedicated C5 Node deauth role.
Use deauthentication only on networks you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
Update Dedicated Node Firmware
The firmware section uses the same Production or Beta channel selected on the Biscuit firmware update screen and updates eligible online dedicated C5 Nodes.
- Open Node Management > Saved > Firmware.
- Enter a WiFi SSID and password for the Nodes to use during download.
- Tap Check to refresh the latest version.
- Update one saved C5 Node, or tap Update All.
The app updates up to four dedicated Nodes at a time. Each Node downloads and installs its own firmware, reboots, reconnects to the Manager, and reports its version for verification. If verification fails, the app can retry that Node up to three attempts and shows queued, updating, verified, skipped, or failed status for each device.
To change release channels, use the Biscuit firmware update screen. Node Management follows that selection automatically and has no separate channel toggle.
Pro, Ultra, DIY, AWOK, Nyan, and Crumb Nodes do not accept the dedicated C5 Node update command. Update those complete devices through their normal firmware flow. Their Saved options never offer a dedicated BiscuitNode image.
Use a Pro or Ultra as a Node
A Biscuit Pro or Ultra can be a satellite for another Pro or Ultra:
- Connect the app to the device that will become the satellite.
- Open Node Management and select Node.
- Reboot the device.
- On the other Biscuit, select Manager, open Nearby discovery, and save the Pro/Ultra Node.
Node mode is sticky and remains selected across reboots. At the start of a boot, the app can still connect so you can change settings. Once a Manager claims the device, its app connection closes and it behaves as a satellite for the rest of that boot.
On Pro/Ultra firmware 1.5.63 or newer, the connection LED breathes blue while a phone is connected, blinks cyan while searching for a Manager, and breathes purple while paired with a Manager, including during wardriving. A phone connection pauses the search; disconnect the app to let the satellite join its Manager.
On Pro/Ultra firmware 1.5.64 or newer, you can also run the normal app firmware update while connected at this stage. The device temporarily pauses its Node radio for the update, then reboots with Node mode still selected.
To leave Node mode, reboot the satellite, connect the app before a Manager claims it, then choose Off or Manager in Node Management.
Compared with a dedicated C5 Node, a Pro/Ultra Node adds:
- Battery telemetry in Saved and during wardrives
- An Identify action that blinks both LEDs purple for five seconds
- The All wardrive role for simultaneous WiFi and BLE/notable-device scanning
It does not use the dedicated Node OTA flow and does not run the dedicated C5 Node deauth role.
Use a Single-Chip Biscuit as a Node
DIY, AWOK, Nyan, and Crumb devices running firmware 1.4.40 or newer can be satellites for a Pro or Ultra Manager:
- Connect the app to the single-chip device.
- Open Node Management and turn on Act as a Node.
- Reboot the device.
- On a Pro or Ultra, select Manager, open Nearby discovery, and save the Node.
The device remains available to the app while it looks for a Manager. An app connection pauses that search; disconnecting the app starts it again immediately. If the app reconnects, the search pauses again. Once a Manager claims the device, Bluetooth advertising stops and the device remains a Node for the rest of that boot.
To stop acting as a Node, reboot it, let the app connect before a Manager claims it, turn off Act as a Node, and reboot once more. Single-chip devices never show Manager controls because managing a Node fleet requires a Pro or Ultra.
Single-chip Node mode supports WiFi and BLE wardriving. A Crumb also reports its battery percentage to the Manager. Generic DIY and Crumb Nodes support Identify; AWOK, AWOK Mini, and Nyan do not. Single-chip Nodes do not support the All role, attack roles, dedicated Node deauthentication, or dedicated BiscuitNode firmware updates.
Troubleshooting
A Node does not appear in Nearby
- Confirm the app-connected Pro or Ultra is set to Manager.
- Open Nearby and tap Start; discovery is not left open continuously.
- If the Node is already saved, look for it under Saved instead.
- Power-cycle the Node, keep it close to the Manager, and start discovery again.
- Update both the Manager and Node if they are running older firmware.
A saved Node stays offline
- Confirm it has power and is within reliable radio range of the Manager.
- Confirm the Manager is still in Manager mode.
- Check whether the active fleet has reached the Secure (6) or Extended (20) limit.
- Power-cycle the Node and allow it time to reconnect.
A Node update fails
- Re-enter the WiFi SSID and password.
- Use a reliable internet-connected 2.4 GHz or dual-band network.
- Keep the Node powered and close enough to the Manager to reconnect after installation.
- Stop other scans or attacks before trying again.
- Run Check again to confirm the selected Production or Beta release.
The app disconnects after a Pro/Ultra becomes a Node
That is expected after another Manager claims it. Reboot the Node-mode device to make the app connection available again.
Limits at a Glance
- 30 saved Nodes in Manager memory
- 6 active Nodes in encrypted Secure mode
- 20 active Nodes in unencrypted Extended mode
- Dedicated Nodes: WiFi or BLE wardrive role, one at a time
- Pro/Ultra Nodes: WiFi, BLE, or All wardrive role
- One phone location is used for the Manager and all Node results
- Pro or Ultra required for both Manager and Pro/Ultra Node modes