A method and apparatus for providing redundancy, diagnostics, and authentication for hardwired circuit boards in an electronic device. The method and apparatus include a first printed circuit board and at least one second circuit board physically and electrically hardwired to the first printed circuit board. A wireless communications system comprising a first transceiver coupled to the first printed board and at least one second transceiver is respectively coupled to the at least one second printed circuit board. The first transceiver communicates with each of the at least one second transceivers via a respective wireless communications path, such that each wireless communications path runs parallel with at least one hardwired signal path between the first printed circuit board and the at least one second circuit boards.