How prpl Foundation Uses CDRouter to Validate Wi-Fi and Mesh Performance

A shared goal of open, carrier-grade Wi-Fi 

The prpl Foundation maintains one of the industry’s most advanced open-source Wi-Fi stacks: prplMesh, an implementation of the Wi-Fi Alliance’s EasyMesh™ standard. Delivering high-quality Wi-Fi through open collaboration demands rigorous, repeatable testing. This testing must consider more than just radio performance, including interoperability, stability, and compliance with relevant standards. To achieve this, prpl integrates multiple layers of automated testing into its CI/CD pipeline, which includes CDRouter from QA Cafe, which plays an essential role in verifying Wi-Fi and mesh behavior before every release.

Why CDRouter matters in prplMesh’s CI/CD

During each prplMesh release cycle, CDRouter jobs run automatically in GitLab CI, executing Wi-Fi-specific modules and broader networking tests over wireless interfaces:

• Beacon and scan verification
• Association and disassociation stress tests
• End-to-end protocol behavior across Wi-Fi and wired backhaul
• TR-069 and USP (TR-369) management validation

This process has caught Wi-Fi issues that passed individual unit testing but surfaced under CDRouter’s closed-loop system simulation of the entire integration running on hardware reference platforms. This resulted in bugs being identified before code merges and release, improving reliability for all downstream users of prplWare and prplMesh.

Best practices built into the process

The approach follows QA Cafe’s own recommendations for Wi-Fi testing:

• Treat the router as a complete system, not just a PHY testbed.
• Combine functional, performance, and stability testing in long-term automated loops.
• Scale client counts to uncover edge-case failures before deployment.
• Integrate tests directly into CI/CD for immediate feedback.

By running CDRouter in parallel with Wi-Fi Alliance and physical layer tests, prpl has effectively implemented this full-stack strategy. This validates mesh connectivity, protocol correctness, and long-term device stability in the same automated environment.

A foundation for open collaboration

As prpl expands its focus on managed Wi-Fi using USP/TR-369, CDRouter continues to provide a trusted baseline for every release. It ensures that open-source innovation doesn’t come at the expense of quality or interoperability, turning automated testing into a cornerstone of the prpl ecosystem.

CDRouter performs a final system-level check before every release, validating that each build of prplMesh behaves reliably, securely, and consistently across all environments.

Learn more

QA Cafe’s Beyond the Phy and How to Build an Automated Test Strategy guides expand on the same principles used in prpl Foundation’s process, combining functional, performance, and stability testing for Wi-Fi routers, access points, and mesh systems.