diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 78d5a7c..9036fc1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -148,15 +148,28 @@ fusion-deliverables/Vacation/
 
 7. Watch them appear on **Command Deck** and **Fleet Roster**
 
-### Default login
+### First-run login
 
-| Field | Value |
-|-------|--------|
-| Username | `drjones` |
-| Password | `czapiewski` |
+On the very first launch the server generates a random admin password and prints it once to the console:
 
-Change or add users under **Calibrate → Users** (writes `data/users.json`).  
-API routes under `/api/v1/*` require Basic auth; static dashboard and `/ws/dashboard` do not.
+```
+=== First Run ===
+Dashboard login:  admin / <random-password>
+Save this — it is not shown again.  Change it in Calibrate → Users.
+=================
+```
+
+Subsequent runs load credentials from `data/users.json`.  Change or add users under **Calibrate → Users**.
+
+**API auth summary**
+
+| Surface | Auth mechanism |
+|---------|----------------|
+| `/api/v1/*` REST | HTTP Basic Auth (`Authorization: Basic <base64>`) |
+| `/ws/dashboard` | `?token=<base64-user:pass>` query parameter |
+| `/ws/agent` | Fleet-secret `auth` JSON frame on connect |
+| `/api/v1/agent/*` | `X-Fleet-Secret: <secret>` header (agents only) |
+| Static SPA + `/api/v1/health` | Open (no auth) |
 
 ### Output locations
 
@@ -223,7 +236,7 @@ crypto miner/
 | GET | `/api/v1/agents` | Fleet list |
 | POST | `/api/v1/agents/{id}/command` | Remote action (pause, powershell, …) |
 | WS | `/ws/agent` | Worker connection |
-| WS | `/ws/dashboard` | Live dashboard feed |
+| WS | `/ws/dashboard?token=<base64>` | Live dashboard feed (token = base64 of `user:pass`) |
 
 Full route list: `server/internal/api/router.go`
 
@@ -279,7 +292,7 @@ Vite proxies `/api` and `/ws` to `localhost:8989`. Run `miner-server.exe` separa
 | Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
 |---------|----------------|-----|
 | **Black screen**, empty page | Stale service worker or React/R3F version mismatch | Hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R); clear site data for `localhost:8989`; ensure `npm install` + `npm run build` in `server/web`; copy `dist` → `webroot`; restart server |
-| Login loop / 401 | Wrong password or `users.json` | Use Calibrate → Users or default `drjones` / `czapiewski` |
+| Login loop / 401 | Wrong password or missing `users.json` | Check the server console for the first-run password; reset by deleting `data/users.json` and restarting |
 | Dashboard builds but server shows placeholder HTML | Missing `server/webroot/index.html` | Run `run.bat` or copy `server/web/dist/*` → `server/webroot/` |
 | Forge upload fails | File &gt; 2 GiB | Use paired mode + compress, or embedded for smaller sources |
 | Workers never appear | Wrong server URL / firewall | Use LAN IP in Forge; open 8989 on control PC |
diff --git a/server/internal/api/router.go b/server/internal/api/router.go
index d0d049e..676bb1b 100644
--- a/server/internal/api/router.go
+++ b/server/internal/api/router.go
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 package api
 
 import (
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"crypto/subtle"
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -18,7 +22,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	authUsers     = map[string]string{"drjones": "czapiewski"} // default until users.json loads
+	// authUsers is populated from data/users.json on startup.  On the very first
+	// run (no users.json) a random password is generated, saved, and printed to
+	// the console — no hard-coded credentials anywhere in the binary.
+	authUsers     = map[string]string{}
 	usersFilePath string
 	usersMu       sync.RWMutex
 
@@ -50,13 +57,50 @@ func loadUsers(dataDir string) {
 	usersFilePath = filepath.Join(dataDir, "users.json")
 	usersMu.Lock()
 	defer usersMu.Unlock()
+
 	data, err := os.ReadFile(usersFilePath)
 	if err == nil {
 		var loaded map[string]string
 		if json.Unmarshal(data, &loaded) == nil && len(loaded) > 0 {
 			authUsers = loaded
+			return
 		}
 	}
+
+	// First run — no users.json (or empty).  Generate a random admin password,
+	// save it, and print it clearly so the operator can log in immediately.
+	pw := generateRandomPassword()
+	authUsers = map[string]string{"admin": pw}
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(dataDir, 0755); err == nil {
+		d, _ := json.MarshalIndent(authUsers, "", "  ")
+		if writeErr := os.WriteFile(usersFilePath, d, 0600); writeErr != nil {
+			log.Printf("[Auth] WARNING: could not save users.json: %v", writeErr)
+		}
+	}
+
+	banner := fmt.Sprintf(`
+╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
+║              AetherForge — First Run             ║
+║                                                  ║
+║  Dashboard login                                 ║
+║    Username : admin                              ║
+║    Password : %-34s║
+║                                                  ║
+║  Save this — it will not be shown again.         ║
+║  Change it later in Calibrate → Users.           ║
+╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════╝`, pw)
+	log.Print(banner)
+}
+
+// generateRandomPassword returns a 20-character hex string suitable for use
+// as an initial admin password.
+func generateRandomPassword() string {
+	b := make([]byte, 10)
+	if _, err := rand.Read(b); err != nil {
+		// Fallback to a fixed marker so the operator knows something went wrong.
+		return "CHANGE-ME-NOW-12345"
+	}
+	return hex.EncodeToString(b)
 }
 
 func saveUser(username, password string) error {
@@ -141,7 +185,10 @@ func NewRouter(database *db.Database, wsHub *WSHub, configHandler *ConfigHandler
 	r.Use(cors.Handler(cors.Options{
 		AllowedOrigins: []string{"*"},
 		AllowedMethods: []string{"GET", "POST", "PUT", "DELETE", "OPTIONS"},
-		AllowedHeaders: []string{"Accept", "Authorization", "Content-Type"},
+		// X-Fleet-Secret is required by agent-facing endpoints; include it so
+		// browser-based callers (dev tools, custom dashboards) are not blocked
+		// by CORS preflight when sending that header.
+		AllowedHeaders:   []string{"Accept", "Authorization", "Content-Type", "X-Fleet-Secret"},
 		AllowCredentials: false,
 	}))