ZeroTrace HID
Power Modes
Trade CPU clock and radio TX power for range and thermal headroom
The powermode config key selects the CPU clock and radio transmit power. It defaults to 1 (Normal).
| Mode | CPU clock | Radio TX | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 — Low | 80 MHz | 10 dBm | Lowest draw; long unattended runtime; short-range use. |
| 1 — Normal (default) | 160 MHz | 17 dBm | Balanced day-to-day operation. |
| 2 — High | 240 MHz | 19.5 dBm | Maximum radio range and fastest script execution; highest draw. |
powermode = 2
High mode draws the most current. On a weak or long USB cable, or a low-power port, the 240 MHz clock can trigger a brownout reset. If a device reboots intermittently in High mode, drop to Normal or use a better cable/port.
What the radio power affects
The transmit power applies to the device's WiFi radio, which is used for TraceNetwork (ESP-NOW), WiFi presence scans, and license binding. ZeroTrace operates in station mode only — it does not run an access point — so radio power governs mesh range and scan reach, not an AP hotspot.
Effect on scripts
CPU clock affects how fast keystrokes and mouse events are generated: Low mode is measurably slower than Normal/High for high-throughput write payloads. The selected mode persists across reboots.