Banana Pi BPI-R4 WiFi 7 Wireless Dual-Band WiFi Router Board OpenWRT, with MediaTek MT7988A (Filogic 880) SoC, Support 2X 10GbE SFP and 4X GbE Gigabit Ethernet for NAS Smart Home Gateway (Bundle3)

This board has completely exceeded my expectations in terms of both performance and versatility. As a networking enthusiast, it offers everything I need and more. First and foremost, the WiFi 7 support is a game changer. The wireless performance is outstanding, providing ultra-fast speeds across both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Whether I’m streaming 4K content or working remotely, the BPI-R4 delivers a seamless and lag-free experience. It’s fantastic to see such cutting-edge technology in a product like this. The MediaTek MT7988A SoC is a powerhouse. Running demanding applications like a NAS server and handling multiple connected devices is no issue for this router. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the hardware, and it definitely shows in the smooth, reliable performance. The 2 x 10GbE SFP ports and 4 x Gigabit Ethernet ports are a perfect touch for anyone needing high-speed, wired connectivity. This setup is future-proof and perfect for high-throughput tasks, from large file transfers to setting up a robust home server. What I absolutely love about the BPI-R4 is the OpenWRT support. This gives me full control over my network and allows me to tailor the router to my exact needs. It’s incredibly customizable, whether it’s setting up VLANs, managing traffic, or securing my smart home devices. The flexibility is unmatched. The BPI-R4 is also the perfect solution for my Smart Home Gateway. It has no problem managing multiple devices simultaneously, offering stability and fast response times. Plus, with its security features powered by OpenWRT, I feel confident in my network’s protection. Overall, this is a highly capable, feature-rich, and customizable router that offers incredible value. If you’re looking for a powerful networking solution for home automation, NAS, or even small business needs, the Banana Pi BPI-R4 is definitely worth considering. I more than happier with my purchase !!

The good: Works well as a mobile hotspot with OpenWRT when a Quectel RM520N-GL is added. Fan is nearly silent. The case gets warm, but not hot. The bad: Wifi is low power and has short range. It is also not easy to get the configuration correct. I don't think the drivers are ready for prime time yet. Still a work in progress. I would recommend skipping the wifi 7 board and adding access points. Also, the SFP ports are picky about what network interface modules are used.

I purchased this router to use as a travel router and this worked out perfectly. The bpi-r4 shipped with OpenWRT burned to the NAND flash from factory. I then purchased a Quectel RM520N-GL to use as a 5G Cellular modem it was automatically detected by OpenWRT and after adding the SIM I was up and running. I was able to run the router with a battery pack that supports USB-C Power Delivery. I do wish this had more RAM so I can try running Debian and containers so I can consolidate my growing collection of single board computer’s I liked it so much I purchased a second bundle with the WiFi 7 card. I have not tested this yet - but it looks very promising. Can’t wait to see what this thing is capable of!

Just awful. Im sure with time the firmware will get better, but the Wifi cuts out all the time and I have frequent bottlenecks in my traffic. DO NOT BUY

The device unfortunately did not boot the first few times into its OS until I looked up the manual and adjusted the dip switches to have it boot from onboard ROM. The device has WiFi 7, recognizes the card, but from the firmware on the device it would not host any APs that I could connect to. I have been troubleshooting for days now in order to compile openwrt from scratch to throw onto an extra SD card that I have laying around. Would avoid this product if average consumer, if you're willing to get your hands dirty and tinker with the operating system you might want to give it a shot. I think I got unlucky with the unit I recieved but I am committed to trying to make it work.

If you follow the video, this is easy to put together. One thing to note is that the wireless card heat sinks do not fit with the case that comes with the device. You will want to use a different heatsink.

I wanted a router that could handle an 8gig internet connection, NAT Loopback (Hairpinning) and wifi 7. This unit does that and much more. I love the flexibility of this router.

I'm using this mainly as a pretty vanilla AP. Flashed 24.10 OpenWRT release when I got this a week or two ago, and everything worked well for the most part. However, there is one issue (as of 2025/02/23) that might be a showstopper for some. The max transmit power is 6 dBm (or sometimes 7 dBm for some reason). Seems to be due to a firmware bug from my investigation (check GitHub and the Banana Pi forums). When connecting from a distance < 10 feet from the AP, and with one wall in between, the signal is fine practically speaking--at least for me. From 10-15 feet away and 2 walls, it becomes close to unusable. This is in a NYC apartment so your experience will probably vary. From my research, the Banana Pi closed source firmware seems to not have this issue, but I personally have not tried it. There is supposedly a patch that presumably will make it into an OpenWRT build for this device at some point.

It took a bit for the driver development for the BPI-R4-NIC-BE14/MT7996 card to be stable in mainline-bound Linux kernel, but it is officially the best WiFi access point now (and will be even better once the BPI-R4-NIC-BE19/14 antenna + 4x radio WiFi module is released). Great as standalone access points (running Ubuntu 24.04/hostapd off the SSD, for LTS+unattended-upgrades), and even better as wireless bridges - I was able to replace/augment my previous MoCA 2.5Gbit setup by using 2x BPI-R4 (one as AP + other as client/bridge for satellite room connectivity as a switch).

The BPI-R4 is an excellent router for both home and office use. Wi-Fi, WPA3 Enterprise and WireGuard work well with the official OpenWRT. Recently it is also supported by the latest OpenWRT release in addition to the snapshots. It can also be used as a router + Wi-Fi access point + VPN client for branch offices, all in a single device. All the necessary equipment were included in the box, including an EU power adapter and a USB serial adapter. It also supports 5G when a 5G modem is added.

Order fulfilled fast, complete and in good shape. Even had one TTL to USB converter in the box that was really nice and handy. Keep in mind, this is a router development board, not a ready and out of the box router solution for daily use. Firmwares might be unstable and closed-source.

The Banana Pi BPI-R4 is a highly versatile board designed for advanced networking applications. It can function as an Internet router thanks to its high-performance network ports or be upgraded to a Wi-Fi 7 router with compatible modules. If you need mobile connectivity, it allow you to integrate 4G/5G modules, making it ideal for a portable wireless router. The BPI-R4 comes with a stock version pre-installed on the NAND memory, allowing for immediate use and quick functionality tests. However, for an optimal experience, I strongly recommend using a microSD card as the primary storage for the operating system. The official guides and documentation make installation straightforward, even for less experienced users, ensuring a hassle-free setup. One of the highlights of my experience was the exceptional customer support provided by WayPonDEV. Their team was not only quick to respond but also incredibly knowledgeable and professional. Over the course of more than a month, they patiently guided me through the entire process, answering all my questions and helping me choose the right product for my needs. Their support was not just courteous but also highly competent, making a real difference in my buying experience.

Ich habe mir den BPI-R4 zum basteln und spielen geholt um erste Erfahrungen mit openWRT zu machen und meine Erwartungen wurden nicht enttäuscht. Die Dokumentation ist sehr gut und auch die Verarbeitung von Gehäuse, Antennen etc. ist wesentlich besser als ich es erwartet hätte. Die Möglichkeiten, die man mit solch einem Router hat sind nahezu unendlich. Die Hardware ist mit 2x 10G SFP Ports und Wifi 7 echt stark. Wenn man das ganze mit einem Betriebsystem wie openWRT kombiniert ist das Ergebnis genial. Man muss für so einen Router natürlich basteln und eventuell auch etwas lernen wollen aber mir hat das ganze bisher so viel Spaß gemacht, dass ich sogar plane meinen aktuellen Router mit dem R4 zu ersetzten. Auch die Erweiterung um eine M2 SSD und die Verwendung der GPIO Pins sind geplant. Wenn ich nochmal vor der Wahl stände, würde ich es sofort wieder kaufen. Klare Empfehlung