WiFi Pineapple Pager Hardware Documentation

Version: 1.0

Device Class: Portable Penetration Testing Platform

Manufacturer: Hak5 (Hardware Partner: GL.iNet / SinoVoip ecosystem)

1. Executive Summary

The WiFi Pineapple Pager is a highly portable, tactical wireless auditing device designed for 802.11 wireless assessments. It utilizes a heterogeneous multi-chip architecture, combining a low-power MIPS-based SoC for system management with a high-performance MediaTek chipset for advanced WiFi 6/6E attacks.

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2. Hardware Specifications

Component Specification Description
SoC (System on Chip) MediaTek MT7628NN/AN 580 MHz MIPS 24K CPU (Low Power)
Primary WiFi Chip MediaTek MT7921AU WiFi 6 (802.11ax) + WiFi 6E (6 GHz)
Management WiFi Integrated in SoC 2.4 GHz 802.11n (Legacy/Management)
Ethernet Controller Realtek RTL8153B USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet Bridge
Storage (Main) Samsung eMMC (KLM4G1FETE) 4 GB Non-Volatile Storage (Firmware/Logs)
Storage (Boot) SPI NOR Flash ~16 MB - 32 MB (Bootloader/Recovery)
RAM Integrated 128 MB / 256 MB DDR2 (Embedded in MT7628)
Real-Time Clock NXP PCF8563 I2C RTC for timekeeping offline
Battery Li-Ion Polymer 2000 mAh (Estimated)
Display TFT Color LCD ~2.4 inch Screen

3. Wireless Interface Breakdown

The device features a "Tri-Band" capability distributed across two physical radio chips.

Radio 0: Management & Legacy (wlan0)

  • Chip: MediaTek MT7628 (Integrated)

  • Standard: 802.11 b/g/n (WiFi 4)

  • Frequency: 2.4 GHz

  • MIMO: 2x2:2

  • Throughput: Up to 300 Mbps

  • Primary Role:

  • Hosting the Management AP (web interface).

  • Background scanning on 2.4 GHz.

  • Client mode connectivity (connecting to a hotspot for updates).

Radio 1: Attack & Auditing (wlan1)

  • Chip: MediaTek MT7921

  • Standard: 802.11 ax (WiFi 6 / WiFi 6E)

  • Frequencies:

  • 2.4 GHz: Legacy coverage.

  • 5 GHz: Modern standard coverage.

  • 6 GHz: WiFi 6E extended spectrum.

  • Capabilities:

  • Packet Injection / Monitor Mode.

  • Frame capture (PCAP) on all supported bands.

  • Replay attacks, Deauthentication, Beacon flooding.

  • OFDMA & MU-MIMO: Supported for advanced auditing.

4. Component Deep Dive & Thermal Profile

A. MediaTek MT7921 (The "Attack" Core)

  • TDP (Thermal Design Power): ~2.5W (Peak Load)

  • Interface: USB 3.0 / PCIe (Internal)

  • Thermal Note: This is the primary heat generator. Under 100% load (e.g., continuous 6GHz deauth attacks), this chip can exceed 100°C if uncooled.

  • Location: Under the large top EMI shield (28mm x 32mm).

B. MediaTek MT7628NN (The "Brain")

  • TDP: ~1.7W

  • Architecture: MIPS 24KEc

  • Thermal Note: Generally runs warm. Throttling typically begins >90°C.

  • Location: Under the bottom/center EMI shield.

C. Realtek RTL8153B (Ethernet Bridge)

  • TDP: ~0.5W - 1.0W

  • Role: Provides high-speed network masquerading over the USB-C port. Allows the device to appear as a Gigabit Ethernet adapter to a host PC (USB Tethering/Gadget Mode).

  • Location: Near the USB-C port (Top Left/Center).

5. Input / Output & Connectivity

  • USB-C Port:

  • Power Input: 5V / 2A (Recommended).

  • Data: USB 2.0 / 3.0 Data + Serial Console (UART) access.

  • Networking: CDC-ECM / RNDIS (Ethernet over USB).

  • USB-A Port (Host):

  • Allows connection of external peripherals (GPS dongles, extra WiFi adapters, LTE modems).

  • Side Buttons:

  • Physical navigation (Up, Down, Enter) for headless operation via the screen.

6. Recommended Thermal Modification (For 100% Load)

Due to the compact chassis and high-performance chips, passive cooling is recommended for sustained operations.

Configuration: Independent Passive Heatsinks (Safety-Focused)

Target Chip Heatsink Type Size Notes
MT7921 (WiFi 6) Copper Shim 12 x 10 x 1.5mm Critical. Requires Kapton tape insulation around chip.
MT7628 (SoC) Copper Shim 12 x 12 x 1.5mm Improves system responsiveness.
RTL8153 (Eth) Ceramic / Alu 9 x 9 x 2.0mm Optional. Prevents bottlenecking during large PCAP transfers.
Samsung eMMC Ceramic 12 x 12 x 2.0mm Optional. Extends flash storage lifespan.

Installation Requirement:

  • Thermal Tape: 3M 8810 or equivalent (Double-sided).

  • Insulation: Kapton (Polyimide) tape on surrounding capacitors to prevent shorts from copper shims.

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