SigRoam vs ESP32 Marauder for Flipper Zero Wardriving

Updated for SigRoam: SigRoam is now more than a Flipper-side dashboard. On Scout Lite, SigRoam adds an optional dedicated ESP32-C5 scanner firmware alongside the SigRoam Wardriving FAP. ESP32 Marauder remains the factory-default firmware and the broader general-purpose option.

This page compares the two current Scout Lite workflows: SigRoam for focused wardriving and ESP32 Marauder for the broader Wi-Fi/Bluetooth toolkit.

Scout Lite product page · Web Flasher · SigRoam GitHub · ESP32 GPS Wardriver comparison

Quick answer: SigRoam vs Marauder

SigRoam ESP32 Marauder
Main job Dedicated receive-only wardriving / wireless survey Broader Wi-Fi and Bluetooth research toolkit
Scout Lite firmware Optional browser flash Factory default
2.4 GHz Yes Yes
5 GHz on ESP32-C5 Yes, passive scan / enumeration Yes on supported C5 builds
GPS Onboard L86-M33 Onboard L86-M33
microSD WiGLE CSV + session manifest Wardrive CSV
Flipper interface Dash / Strm / GPS / Sess Marauder companion menus / console workflow
Attack traffic No; receive-only by design Marauder is a broader toolkit with a wider feature set

What SigRoam actually is

SigRoam now has two coordinated parts:

  1. SigRoam scanner firmware on Scout Lite's ESP32-C5.
  2. SigRoam Wardriving FAP on the Flipper Zero.
2.4 / 5 GHz Wi-Fi + BLE
          │
          ▼
 Scout Lite ESP32-C5
 SigRoam scanner
          │
     L86-M33 GNSS
          │
 WiGLE CSV + manifest
          ▼
   Scout Lite microSD

          │ GPIO serial
          ▼
    Flipper Zero
 SigRoam FAP
 Dash · Strm · GPS · Sess

The important architectural change is that the scanner now owns the survey pipeline. The Flipper does not have to be the primary data recorder. It acts as the control head and live field display.

What the SigRoam scanner firmware does

  • passive 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi survey on ESP32-C5
  • BLE observation and live BLE counts
  • direct GNSS input from the onboard Quectel L86-M33
  • GNSS-aware survey logging
  • WiGLE / WigleWifi CSV to Scout Lite microSD
  • session manifest and diagnostics
  • live telemetry to the Flipper over GPIO serial

SigRoam is explicitly receive-only. Deauthentication, handshake capture, rogue AP, beacon spam and password-cracking features are outside the project scope.

What the SigRoam FAP shows

The dashboard is built around the information you need during a moving survey rather than around a long command list.

  • Dash — unique-BSSID estimate, AP, BLE, GPS, fix quality and session state.
  • Strm — recent parsed records as they arrive.
  • GPS — fix state, satellites, coordinates and estimated accuracy.
  • Sess — session and diagnostic counters.
  • Probe firmware — checks which scanner answered.
  • Raw log — direct serial output when troubleshooting.

The unique-BSSID number is a lightweight progress indicator built from a 4 KB Bloom filter. It is not the authoritative record of the drive. The CSV on Scout Lite's microSD remains the survey record.

Why Marauder still matters

SigRoam does not make ESP32 Marauder obsolete. They are different tools.

Marauder remains the better fit when you want its broader research environment and wardriving is only one of several workflows you use. Scout Lite still ships with Marauder and can be restored to Marauder at any time from the same browser flasher.

SigRoam is the better fit when the job is specifically wardriving and you want a simpler control surface, scanner-side GNSS logging and field diagnostics.

Can SigRoam work with the factory Marauder image?

Yes. The SigRoam Flipper application speaks the Marauder serial protocol and can control the factory Marauder image. That gives Scout Lite owners two practical combinations:

  • Marauder scanner + SigRoam FAP — keep the factory scanner firmware and use the SigRoam dashboard.
  • SigRoam scanner + SigRoam FAP — use the full dedicated SigRoam wardriving stack.

The second option is the current reference workflow for dedicated Scout Lite wardriving.

Why ESP32-C5 matters

Firmware cannot add 5 GHz support to a 2.4 GHz-only ESP32. Scout Lite uses ESP32-C5, which provides a real dual-band 2.4 / 5 GHz Wi-Fi radio. That is the hardware reason the platform can survey 5 GHz networks that classic ESP32, S2, S3, C3 and C6 boards cannot see.

See Can Flipper Zero Really Wardrive on 5 GHz? for the hardware comparison.

GPS and logging path

Scout Lite's L86-M33 GPS is wired directly to the ESP32-C5, so the scanner can associate GNSS data with the survey without relying on the Flipper's native GPS application.

Quectel L86-M33
      │
      ├──> ESP32-C5 → survey logging
      │
      └──> Flipper GPIO 15/16 → optional native GPS display

With SigRoam, the survey CSV and session manifest are stored on Scout Lite's microSD. The FAP stores settings on the Flipper but does not create a duplicate survey file.

How to install SigRoam

  1. Disconnect Scout Lite from the Flipper.
  2. Open flash.pingequa.com/devices/scout-lite.
  3. Enter bootloader mode using BOOT plus a USB-C data cable.
  4. Select SigRoam and flash.
  5. Download the FAP from the latest SigRoam release.
  6. Copy it to SD Card/apps/GPIO/.
  7. Set Settings → System → Log Device → Off so pins 13/14 are available.
  8. Open Apps → GPIO → SigRoam.

Which FAP should I use?

Download the current release asset that matches your Flipper firmware. Official and Momentum can share a build when their firmware API is compatible; Unleashed may require a separate build. Do not bypass an API-mismatch warning.

Common setup failures

Serial port busy

Set Settings → System → Log Device to Off. The system logger can otherwise occupy GPIO 13/14.

No GPS fix

Move outdoors with the ceramic patch antenna facing the sky and allow time for a cold start. Indoor GPS reception can be poor.

No CSV

Confirm a FAT32 microSD is installed, the scanner detects it, and a session was actually started.

Need to return to Marauder

Use the same Scout Lite Web Flasher and select Marauder. No hardware changes are required.

FAQ

Does SigRoam replace ESP32 Marauder?

No. Scout Lite supports both. SigRoam is a focused wardriving stack; Marauder is the broader general-purpose toolkit.

Does SigRoam have its own scanner firmware?

Yes. The dedicated SigRoam scanner firmware is available for Scout Lite in the Web Flasher.

Can SigRoam wardrive 5 GHz?

On Scout Lite, yes. The ESP32-C5 provides real 2.4 + 5 GHz hardware. In this workflow, 5 GHz is used for passive scan and enumeration.

Where is the WiGLE file stored?

On the Scout Lite microSD. The Flipper-side FAP is the control and display layer.

Is SigRoam receive-only?

Yes. Attack traffic is intentionally outside the project scope.

Related guides

Scout Lite: ESP32-C5 dual-band GPS wardriving module for Flipper Zero.

Use wireless survey tools responsibly and in accordance with applicable law. Only access or test networks where you have authorization.

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