The setup wizard is the UI the host agent serves at /setup. B3IQ runs it during provisioning to turn a fresh machine into a working local node in a strict sequential tour, and it stays available afterward as the reference for how your machine was set up, keeping every important readiness signal visible at each stage.

The wizard never hides advanced state behind marketing copy. It shows identity, readiness, runtime, model profile, and enrollment exactly as the host agent reports them for the real hardware it runs on.

Setup flow

The tour moves forward one step at a time. The local-only path is five steps. Linking the machine to your account adds a sixth.

1

Install a runtime

The wizard reads the runtimes the host agent detects on the machine and helps you install or select one. Nothing routes until a runtime is ready, so this is the first gate.

2

Install a model

Pick one or more models to install. Installs run through a serialized queue: clicking install while another download is in flight enqueues the new job rather than competing for bandwidth. A warm-start can prefetch a small recommended starter model so you reach a working state quickly. To see the canonical list of installable model profiles, query GET /v1/model-profiles.

3

Test inference

A one-prompt smoke test runs the selected runtime and model end to end so you can confirm the node actually answers before going any further. If the smoke test fails, fix the runtime or model here rather than discovering it later.

4

Choose how the machine serves inference. Serve inference locally is the silent default: the machine serves only your own local clients and the wizard takes no further network action. Link to your account & earn is the recommended, explicit choice. It links the machine to your B3 account so it serves requests made with your own API keys (local serving stays on) and opens the "Bring it online" step.

5

Name the machine, bring it online with a public route, and claim it with a device-flow 8-character code (or scan the QR) so it serves your account's API keys. The code expires 15 minutes after it is minted; mint a fresh one if it lapses. Each stage reports its own progress so a stall is easy to locate.

6

Finish

The wizard hands you off to the node dashboard with the node working and, if you opted in, enrolled. Local-only operators finish here without ever touching a payout account, enrollment, or registration.

Local is the default; linking is a choice

Serving inference locally requires no decision and no network enrollment. It is what you get if you do nothing at the Link step. Linking is never automatic. It only begins after you explicitly choose Link to your account & earn and complete the managed setup. Routability still depends on the gates described in Route readiness.

New machines are onboarded by B3IQ

Linking a brand-new machine requires a B3IQ onboarding code. B3IQ admits new hardware to the fleet rather than opening it to self-service, and applies the code while provisioning the machine. A purchased machine arrives pre-onboarded and only needs the claim step. A machine that has already enrolled before is unaffected, and re-enrolling it never requires a fresh code.

The install queue is serialized on purpose

Model and runtime installs run one at a time. If you queue several models, they download in order rather than saturating the link, so a large pull will not stall the smaller starter model you need for the smoke test. Watch the queue on the Models step to see what is downloading now and what is waiting.

Wizard principles

Do

Expose real machine state

The wizard should show identity, readiness, runtime, endpoint, model profile, enrollment, support grants, and audit state.

Setup surfaces

The wizard is one of several surfaces the host agent serves. Each surface has a distinct purpose and its own credential.

SurfacePurposeCredential
Bootstrap setup URLInitial claim or recovery entry into the wizardSetup token
Command panel URLPost-install playground, settings, keys, support, and auditOwner session or local bootstrap token
Owner loginNormal local operator accessHttpOnly session cookie
Local API keysLocal inference clients`b3iq_local_` scoped secret
Support grantsTemporary diagnostics access`b3iq_support_` scoped secret
Managed enrollmentSigned node sync with the control plane (linked machines only)Node Ed25519 identity

Host menu and advanced panel

Beyond the linear tour, a host menu and advanced panel keep recovery and diagnostics one click away after setup:

  • Readiness: the live route-readiness view for the node.
  • Claim override: re-run or correct the device-flow claim if the original code expired or the node was claimed in the wrong place.
  • Network status: current operating mode and managed sync state.
  • Tunnel rotate / revoke: rotate or revoke the node's tunnel without re-running the whole wizard.
Tunnel revoke pauses routed inference

Revoking the tunnel takes the node off its public route. Your account's API keys can no longer reach it until you rotate a fresh credential and the node re-publishes a healthy heartbeat. Use revoke when you suspect the route is compromised; use rotate for a clean cycle.

Local playground

Signed-in operators can use persisted local playground sessions to test runtime and model behavior after setup. API-key request logs stay separate and redacted by default.

Tip

Use the playground for operator smoke testing. Use b3iq_local_ API keys for application clients.

Host agent

Understand the service that powers the wizard.

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Node dashboard

Manage the node, keys, and readiness after setup finishes.

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Earnings

Claim a machine, and read what it earns from and how payouts settle.

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Route readiness

The public-safe diagnosis for why nothing is routing to a machine.

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