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CWWK 4-LAN N305 (Sokrates Box)

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CWWK 4-LAN N305 (Sokrates Box)

Summary

The CWWK 4-LAN N305 is the designated hardware appliance for the Sokrates project’s customer-side deployments (the sokrates-box NixOS profile). It is a fanless x86_64 mini PC selected for its high core count, confirmed 32GB DDR5 upgrade path, and robust Intel-based networking, replacing the previously considered Beelink EQ14.

Details

The CWWK 4-LAN N305 was selected as the standard fleet hardware after the Beelink EQ14 became unavailable and was found to have technical limitations regarding RAM expandability and network driver reliability. The N305 model represents a significant upgrade for the Sokrates container stack, which typically runs five concurrent services including the RAM-intensive Neo4j database, Eidos, and the Hermes Agent.

Technical Specifications

  • Processor: Intel i3-N305 (8 Cores, 8 Threads, up to 3.80GHz). This provides double the processing threads of the N100/N150 alternatives, which is critical for maintaining performance across the multi-container architecture.
  • Memory: Single DDR5 SODIMM slot. While units are often ordered with 16GB for the MVP, the hardware supports a confirmed 32GB ceiling (Samsung or Micron modules recommended).
  • Networking: 4x Intel i226-V 2.5GbE LAN ports. These controllers have native Linux/NixOS kernel support (since version 5.18), avoiding the driver instability often associated with Realtek NICs.
  • Cooling: Fanless passive cooling via an aluminum chassis, ensuring zero acoustic footprint at customer sites and higher mechanical reliability.
  • Storage: M.2 NVMe (typically configured with 256GB or 1TB).
  • Power: 15W TDP, with an expected idle draw of 10-12W under the standard Sokrates workload.

Operational Features

The device BIOS supports several features essential for remote fleet management:

  • PXE Network Boot: For automated provisioning.
  • Wake-on-LAN (WoL): For remote power management.
  • Auto Power-On: Ensures the appliance resumes operation immediately after a power failure, a requirement for the sokrates-box NixOS configuration.

Procurement and Deployment

The hardware is sourced primarily from CWWK’s direct store or Amazon (ASIN: B0C277P1ST). While the project initially explored “mule” logistics through Sweden to expedite delivery to Iceland, it was determined that these units ship almost exclusively from China (Shenzhen), requiring a 10-14 day lead time. The standard deployment strategy involves ordering units in batches of five to build out the customer fleet. The quad-NIC configuration allows for sophisticated network isolation via nftables, with dedicated ports for management and customer network egress.

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