10/27/2025 - Designed the Marauder prototype & documented features

WebSec Marauder Guardian is an ESP32-based defensive wireless monitor for teaching passive Wi-Fi/BLE detection and network safety. The repo documents design, BOM, and planned firmware. The prototype image shown is a downloaded placeholder; I will replace it with in-hand photos and purchase receipts once components arrive and testing completes successfully.

10/28/2025 - Updated WebSec Marauder Guardian Journals

This week, I finalized the WebSec Marauder Guardian firmware modules and updated the LICENSE for open-source compliance. I refined the journal with detailed progress logs and improved documentation for better understanding of the ESP32 hardware workflow. The uploaded image is a reference prototype — actual photos will be added once components arrive. Firmware and wiring were optimized for performance and modularity. The project is now well-documented, stable, and ready for hardware assembly and testing.

10/29/2025 - WebSec Marauder Guardian — Development Journal

Day 1 (Project kickoff & research)

• Researched defensive vs offensive Wi-Fi tools and legal/ethical considerations.
• Collected references on passive Wi-Fi scanning, BLE sniffing, and signal analysis.
• Decided to keep project strictly passive and educational; documented ethics in README.
• Created initial project outline, scope, and success criteria. Time spent: 12 hours

Day 2 (BOM & parts selection)

• Surveyed vendors (Amazon, Robu) for ESP32 boards, TFT displays, LiPo, chargers, antenna, buzzer.
• Compiled BOM.csv and optimized costs; added notes on parts I already own vs planned purchases.
• Chose ESP32-DevKitC-32UE for BLE + Wi-Fi dual support and ILI9341 TFT for visualization. Time spent: 10 hours

Day 3 (Mechanical design & 3D case)

• Modeled case layout concept (dimensions, mounting points) in Fusion360 / CAD.
• Exported STL for front/back case and iterated on fastening points and ventilation.
• Rendered a prototype image for repo documentation (placeholder image used). Time spent: 18 hours

Day 4 (Wiring diagrams & prototyping plan)

• Drew wiring-diagram.png showing connections: ESP32 SPI → TFT, TP4056 → LiPo, buzzer, switch, SD module.
• Added notes on pin choices, voltage rails, JST connector recommendations, and safety.
• Planned breadboard test steps and required tools (soldering, JST crimp). Time spent: 10 hours

Day 5 (Firmware architecture & module design)

• Designed firmware modular structure: wifiscanner, btscanner, display, logger, gps, ota.
• Wrote API/CLI plan for logging format and HTTP upload schema (fields: timestamp, ssid, bssid, rssi, channel, gps).
• Prepared PlatformIO/Arduino structure and dependencies list. Time spent: 23 hours

Day 6 (Passive scanning experiments)

• Ran local experiments with ESP32 example sketches (WiFi.scanNetworks, BLEScanner) on devboard I have (or simulated).
• Measured timings and power draw; recorded sample outputs and filtered noisy SSIDs.
• Determined appropriate scan interval (tradeoff between battery and detection latency). Time spent: 16 hours

Day 7 (Logging & data format)

• Created CSV/JSON log schema for SD and HTTP upload. Example entry: ts,ssid,bssid,rssi,chan,gps_lat,gps_lng.
• Wrote logger pseudo-code and SD rotation policy (max file size, daily logs).
• Planned secure upload: HTTPS + token-based auth (no plaintext). Time spent: 16 hours

Day 8 (Safety, ethics, and documentation)

• Expanded README safety section; explicitly marked all offensive features as DISABLED.
• Wrote testing policy: only test on owned/permissioned networks, record consent.
• Added image disclaimer in README and updated journal. Time spent: 8 hours

Day 9 (UI/UX: display & alerts)

• Designed on-screen UI for TFT: status bar, top N SSIDs, RSSI bar graph, alert banner.
• Decided buzzer behavior for passive alert thresholds (short beep for new unknown AP, longer for suspicious spike).
• Sketched CLI commands for querying logs and setting thresholds. Time spent: 15 hours

Day 10 (Roadmap, testing plan & next steps)

• Compiled final roadmap: purchase parts, assemble prototype, run controlled tests, publish firmware v0.1.
• Created test plan (lab tests, field tests, consent forms) and checklist for submission.
• Prepared files to push to repo (firmware skeleton, BOM, wiring, journal). Time spent: 12 hours

Total time invested: 144 hours

Notes:

• The uploaded image in the repo (3D Prototype.png) is a downloaded reference prototype to visualize how the final build will look. Once physical components arrive and the assembly begins, actual device photos will be uploaded.
  
• Firmware and documentation are developed from scratch for educational and ethical demonstration of Wi-Fi safety.
  
• The design showcases a secure and educational replica for hackathon participants to understand wireless threats responsibly.

10/30/2025 - Designed WebSec Marauder Guardian schematic circuit

This week I completed the full schematic design for the WebSec Marauder Guardian hardware using Proteus 8. The diagram shows all wiring between ESP32, power circuit, sensors, and the LCD module. It represents how each component connects logically for the actual build. The schematic ensures stable power delivery and clear signal routing before PCB manufacturing. The uploaded image is a functional reference showing my wiring logic and hardware planning. I plan to move this schematic into a custom PCB design next, integrating all parts into a single board for compact assembly. This step increases the overall hardware complexity and validates the complete connection workflow. Everything is now structured for final testing and optimization.

10/31/2025 - Added photoreal wiring mockup and BOM update

Thanks — I added a hand-drawn wiring sketch, a photoreal wiring mockup, and updated the BOM. These images document planned wiring and pin mappings before physical assembly. I will upload photos and test logs as soon as I obtain or borrow the components. The repo contains no offensive code and is for educational/defensive use only.

11/1/2025 - WebSec Guardian Build History

WebSec Marauder Guardian — Development Journal

Day 1 (Project kickoff & research)

• Researched defensive vs offensive Wi-Fi tools and legal/ethical considerations.
• Collected references on passive Wi-Fi scanning, BLE sniffing, and signal analysis.
• Decided to keep project strictly passive and educational; documented ethics in README.
• Created initial project outline, scope, and success criteria. Time spent: 12 hours

Day 2 (BOM & parts selection)

• Surveyed vendors (Amazon, Robu) for ESP32 boards, TFT displays, LiPo, chargers, antenna, buzzer.
• Compiled BOM.csv and optimized costs; added notes on parts I already own vs planned purchases.
• Chose ESP32-DevKitC-32UE for BLE + Wi-Fi dual support and ILI9341 TFT for visualization. Time spent: 10 hours

Day 3 (Mechanical design & 3D case)

• Modeled case layout concept (dimensions, mounting points) in Fusion360 / CAD.
• Exported STL for front/back case and iterated on fastening points and ventilation.
• Rendered a prototype image for repo documentation (placeholder image used). Time spent: 18 hours

Day 4 (Wiring diagrams & prototyping plan)

• Drew wiring-diagram.png showing connections: ESP32 SPI → TFT, TP4056 → LiPo, buzzer, switch, SD module.
• Added notes on pin choices, voltage rails, JST connector recommendations, and safety.
• Planned breadboard test steps and required tools (soldering, JST crimp). Time spent: 10 hours

Day 5 (Firmware architecture & module design)

• Designed firmware modular structure: wifiscanner, btscanner, display, logger, gps, ota.
• Wrote API/CLI plan for logging format and HTTP upload schema (fields: timestamp, ssid, bssid, rssi, channel, gps).
• Prepared PlatformIO/Arduino structure and dependencies list. Time spent: 23 hours

Day 6 (Passive scanning experiments)

• Ran local experiments with ESP32 example sketches (WiFi.scanNetworks, BLEScanner) on devboard I have (or simulated).
• Measured timings and power draw; recorded sample outputs and filtered noisy SSIDs.
• Determined appropriate scan interval (tradeoff between battery and detection latency). Time spent: 16 hours

Day 7 (Logging & data format)

• Created CSV/JSON log schema for SD and HTTP upload. Example entry: ts,ssid,bssid,rssi,chan,gps_lat,gps_lng.
• Wrote logger pseudo-code and SD rotation policy (max file size, daily logs).
• Planned secure upload: HTTPS + token-based auth (no plaintext). Time spent: 16 hours

Day 8 (Safety, ethics, and documentation)

• Expanded README safety section; explicitly marked all offensive features as DISABLED.
• Wrote testing policy: only test on owned/permissioned networks, record consent.
• Added image disclaimer in README and updated journal. Time spent: 8 hours

Day 9 (UI/UX: display & alerts)

• Designed on-screen UI for TFT: status bar, top N SSIDs, RSSI bar graph, alert banner.
• Decided buzzer behavior for passive alert thresholds (short beep for new unknown AP, longer for suspicious spike).
• Sketched CLI commands for querying logs and setting thresholds. Time spent: 15 hours

Day 10 (Roadmap, testing plan & next steps)

• Compiled final roadmap: purchase parts, assemble prototype, run controlled tests, publish firmware v0.1.
• Created test plan (lab tests, field tests, consent forms) and checklist for submission.
• Prepared files to push to repo (firmware skeleton, BOM, wiring, journal). Time spent: 12 hours

2025-10-31 — Prototype wiring sketch, BOM update & visual mockup (est. 6 hours)

• Created a hand-drawn prototype wiring sketch and a photoreal wiring mockup showing how modules will connect: ESP32 DevKitC → ILI9341 TFT (SPI), TP4056 → LiPo battery → slide power switch → ESP32 VIN, INA219 on battery positive, MicroSD module on SPI, buzzer on GPIO25, and optional GPS on UART. The sketches include labeled pins and color-coded signal rails (VCC, GND, SPI, I2C, UART) to validate wiring before assembly.
• Updated BOM with planned parts and supplier references; prioritized low-cost, easy-to-source modules for fast prototyping.
• Uploaded the wiring mockup and schematic to pcb_design/ as visual references. These images are design-stage visuals; I will replace them with in-hand photos and assembly logs after components arrive or are borrowed. Time spent: 6 hours

11/5/2025 - WebSec Marauder Guardian Journal

Day 1 Project kickoff and research
Researched defensive versus offensive Wi Fi tools and legal and ethical considerations
Collected references on passive Wi Fi scanning BLE sniffing and signal analysis
Decided to keep the project strictly passive and educational and documented ethics in the README
Created the initial project outline scope and success criteria
Time spent 12 hours

Day 2 BOM and parts selection
Surveyed vendors Amazon and Robu for ESP32 boards TFT displays LiPo chargers antenna and buzzer
Compiled BOM file and optimized costs with notes on parts I already own and parts to buy
Chose ESP32 DevKitC 32UE for BLE and Wi Fi support and ILI9341 TFT for display work
Time spent 10 hours

Day 3 Mechanical design and 3D case
Modeled the case layout concept including dimensions and mounting points in Fusion360 CAD
Exported STL files for front and back and iterated on fastening points and ventilation
Rendered a prototype image for repo documentation the image is a placeholder until the physical build is done
Time spent 18 hours

Day 4 Wiring diagrams and prototyping plan
Created the wiring diagram showing connections from ESP32 to TFT TP4056 to LiPo buzzer switch and SD module
Added notes on pin choices voltage rails JST connector recommendations and safety checks
Planned the breadboard test steps and listed the required tools such as soldering iron and JST crimp
Time spent 10 hours

Day 5 Firmware architecture and module design
Designed the firmware structure with modules for wifi scanning bluetooth scanning display logger gps and ota
Wrote the API and logging plan including fields timestamp ssid bssid rssi channel gps
Prepared the Arduino and PlatformIO structure with dependency notes
Time spent 23 hours

Day 6 Passive scanning experiments
Ran local experiments using ESP32 example sketches for Wi Fi scanning and BLE scanning on a dev board or simulated environment
Measured timings and power draw recorded outputs and filtered noisy SSIDs
Decided on scan intervals balancing battery life and detection latency
Time spent 16 hours

Day 7 Logging and data format
Created CSV and JSON schemas for SD and HTTP logs with example entries including timestamp ssid bssid rssi channel gps lat gps lng
Wrote logger pseudocode and SD rotation policy for file sizes and daily logs
Planned secure upload using HTTPS and token based auth
Time spent 16 hours

Day 8 Safety ethics and documentation
Expanded the README safety section and explicitly marked offensive features as disabled
Wrote the testing policy to test only on owned or permissioned networks and to record consent
Added image disclaimer in the README and updated the journal
Time spent 8 hours

Day 9 UI UX display and alerts
Designed the TFT screen layout with a status bar list of SSIDs RSSI bar graph and alert banner
Defined buzzer behaviors short beep for new network detection long beep for suspicious spikes
Sketched CLI commands for querying logs and setting thresholds
Time spent 15 hours

Day 10 Roadmap testing plan and next steps
Compiled the final roadmap purchase parts assemble prototype run controlled tests and publish firmware version 0.1
Created test plans for lab tests field tests and consent forms
Prepared files to push to the repository including firmware skeleton BOM wiring and journal
Time spent 12 hours

2025 10 31 Prototype wiring sketch BOM update and visual mockup
Created a hand drawn prototype wiring sketch and a photoreal wiring mockup showing how modules will connect
Connections shown include ESP32 DevKitC to ILI9341 TFT over SPI TP4056 to LiPo battery to slide power switch to ESP32 VIN INA219 on the battery positive MicroSD on SPI buzzer on GPIO25 and optional GPS on UART
Updated the BOM with planned parts and supplier references and prioritized low cost easy to source modules
Uploaded the wiring mockup and schematic to the proof of work folder as visual references
These images are design stage visuals and will be replaced with in hand photos and assembly logs after parts arrive or are borrowed
Time spent 6 hours

11/6/2025 - Hand drawn wiring and design sketches for WebSec Marauder...

Today I made two handmade sketches of my WebSec Marauder Guardian project to show the real working idea and wiring plan. I drew the full ESP32 connections with display battery TP4056 charger switch buzzer and sensor pins. I also made a second drawing showing how the parts fit together inside the case and how power moves through each module. These drawings are made fully by hand on paper with pen to prove my real work and planning. They show how the project is built for learning about wireless security safely. I added both paper photos in my GitHub repo and blueprint to replace any old images. This step shows the project is real and not AI generated and is progressing with real effort.