Multi-Device Coordination

PwnPower supports automatic coordination between multiple devices on the same network. This allows you to manage a fleet of devices without IP conflicts or manual configuration.

How It Works

When multiple PwnPower devices are powered on, they automatically:

1. Discover Peers: Devices find each other using UDP broadcasts and WiFi scanning.
2. Elect a Leader: The device with the lowest MAC address becomes the Leader.
3. Assign Roles:
   • Leader: Owns pwnpower.local and the main PwnPower Access Point SSID.
   • Followers: Rename themselves to pwnpower-xxxx.local (using the last 4 digits of their MAC) and PwnPower-XXXX SSID.

This happens automatically with zero configuration.

Device Roles

Leader

The Leader is the primary entry point for the network.

• Hostname: pwnpower.local
• AP SSID: PwnPower (default)
• Web Interface: Accessible via http://pwnpower.local

Follower

Followers are secondary devices.

• Hostname: pwnpower-abcd.local (where abcd is the last 4 hex digits of the MAC)
• AP SSID: PwnPower-ABCD
• Web Interface: Accessible via http://pwnpower-abcd.local or their IP address

User Interface

The web interface includes a Device Switcher centered in the header, just below the title.

• Current Device: Shows the name of the device you are currently controlling.
• Dropdown: Lists all other discovered devices on the network.
• Navigation: Click any device in the list to instantly switch control to that unit.

Standalone Operation

When using devices in the field (without a home WiFi network):

1. Power on your devices.
2. The first device (Leader) will create the PwnPower Access Point.
3. Subsequent devices will detect the PwnPower SSID during their boot scan.
4. They will automatically switch to Follower mode and create unique APs (e.g., PwnPower-A1B2).