diff --git a/carwatch/trips.py b/carwatch/trips.py
index cfb42f1..0e83d6e 100644
--- a/carwatch/trips.py
+++ b/carwatch/trips.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import os
 import subprocess
 import time
 from dataclasses import dataclass
@@ -33,16 +34,45 @@ class Event:
     at: float
 
 
+def _iw_ssid() -> str | None:
+    """SSID from `iw dev <if> link` on each wireless interface. The VTA-439
+    (27 Sep 2026) had no wireless-tools, so iwgetid did not exist and every
+    "am I at home" check read False: the dash asked for a password on the
+    home wifi and trips could not see home. iw ships with the kernel's
+    wireless stack on Ubuntu and Pi OS alike."""
+    try:
+        ifaces = [n for n in os.listdir("/sys/class/net")
+                  if os.path.isdir(f"/sys/class/net/{n}/wireless")]
+    except OSError:
+        return None
+    for iface in ifaces:
+        try:
+            out = subprocess.run(["iw", "dev", iface, "link"], capture_output=True,
+                                 text=True, timeout=5).stdout
+        except Exception:
+            continue
+        for line in out.splitlines():
+            line = line.strip()
+            if line.startswith("SSID:"):
+                ssid = line[len("SSID:"):].strip()
+                if ssid:
+                    return ssid
+    return None
+
+
 def current_ssid() -> str | None:
-    """SSID the Pi is associated with, or None. Uses iwgetid (wireless-tools)."""
+    """SSID the box is associated with, or None. iwgetid (wireless-tools)
+    first, as installed by install.sh; `iw` when iwgetid is missing."""
     try:
         out = subprocess.run(
             ["iwgetid", "-r"], capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5
         )
         ssid = out.stdout.strip()
-        return ssid or None
+        if ssid:
+            return ssid
     except Exception:
-        return None
+        pass
+    return _iw_ssid()
 
 
 class TripTracker:
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 0b7e116..9ae2637 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ echo ">> apt: updating package lists"
 sudo apt-get update -qq
 sudo apt-get install -y wireless-tools poppler-utils bluez bluez-alsa-utils \
   alsa-utils ffmpeg network-manager rsync curl git >/dev/null
+# The voice listener opens /dev/snd, which is group audio. Pi OS puts the first
+# user in audio; Ubuntu (the VTA-439, 27 Sep 2026) does not, and the listener
+# then cannot open the USB speakerphone at all.
+id -nG "$RUN_USER" | grep -qw audio || sudo usermod -aG audio "$RUN_USER"
 
 # 5) Every systemd unit, user/home rewritten to yours.
 for u in "$DEST"/systemd/carwatch-*.service "$DEST"/systemd/carwatch-*.timer; do
diff --git a/tests/test_current_ssid.py b/tests/test_current_ssid.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1057343
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_current_ssid.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+"""current_ssid on boxes without wireless-tools (VTA-439, 27 Sep 2026): the
+dash asked for a password on the home wifi because iwgetid did not exist.
+subprocess and /sys are mocked; nothing touches real networking."""
+import os
+import sys
+import unittest
+from unittest import mock
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
+from carwatch import trips  # noqa: E402
+
+IW_LINK = ("Connected to 3c:7c:3f:34:62:44 (on wlp98s0)\n"
+           "\tSSID: wifi router\n\tfreq: 5180.0\n")
+
+
+def fake_run(iwgetid=None, iw=IW_LINK):
+    def run(cmd, **kw):
+        if cmd[0] == "iwgetid":
+            if iwgetid is None:
+                raise FileNotFoundError("iwgetid")
+            return mock.Mock(stdout=iwgetid)
+        if cmd[0] == "iw":
+            return mock.Mock(stdout=iw)
+        raise AssertionError(cmd)
+    return run
+
+
+class CurrentSsid(unittest.TestCase):
+    def _call(self, **kw):
+        with mock.patch.object(trips.subprocess, "run", side_effect=fake_run(**kw)), \
+                mock.patch.object(trips.os, "listdir", return_value=["lo", "wlp98s0"]), \
+                mock.patch.object(trips.os.path, "isdir",
+                                  side_effect=lambda p: p.endswith("wlp98s0/wireless")):
+            return trips.current_ssid()
+
+    def test_iwgetid_wins_when_present(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._call(iwgetid="Pi Home\n"), "Pi Home")
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_iw_when_iwgetid_missing(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._call(iwgetid=None), "wifi router")
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_iw_when_iwgetid_empty(self):
+        self.assertEqual(self._call(iwgetid=""), "wifi router")
+
+    def test_not_connected_is_none(self):
+        self.assertIsNone(self._call(iwgetid=None, iw="Not connected.\n"))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()