Banana Pi

Banana Pi OpenWrt One

Expert rating8 / 10

RoutersView on banana-pi.org

WiFi Standard:: WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
Router Type:: Standalone
Firmware:: OpenWrt (mainline-targeted)
Ports:: 1x 2.5GbE WAN + Gigabit LAN
Memory:: 1GB DDR4
Price:: $89

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Manufacturer: Banana Pi Last updated: September 11, 2026

Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B) Review

The OpenWrt One is the first router built directly by the OpenWrt project in partnership with Banana Pi, designed from the ground up as reference hardware for the open-source firmware rather than a commercial router that happens to support flashing it.

Where most "OpenWrt-compatible" routers rely on community-reverse-engineered support, the OpenWrt One was designed alongside the OpenWrt project itself, targeting long-term mainline kernel support rather than best-effort community patches.

Built for Mainline Support, Not Just Compatibility

Unbrickable by Design

A dual-flash storage design lets the router fall back to a known-good firmware image if a flash attempt fails, a deliberate safety net for the DIY router-flashing crowd this board is built for.

Comparison to Sibling Products

Against the GL.iNet Flint 2 already on this site, the OpenWrt One trades GL.iNet's polished consumer app and out-of-box WiFi 6 performance for a barer, more hackable reference design at a lower price. Against the MikroTik hAP ax3 covered in this batch, the OpenWrt One runs true OpenWrt rather than RouterOS, appealing to a different segment of the enthusiast community.

Specifications

Identity

Brand	Banana Pi

Wireless

WiFi Standard	WiFi 6 (802.11ax)
Router Type	Standalone

Model	OpenWrt One
SoC	MediaTek Filogic 820 (MT7981B)
Memory	1GB DDR4
Ports	1x 2.5GbE WAN + Gigabit LAN
Expansion	M.2 NVMe slot
Firmware	OpenWrt (mainline-targeted)
Price	$89

Expert Review

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Expert rating8 / 10

Purpose-built OpenWrt reference hardware with dual-flash recovery, at $89 and aimed squarely at tinkerers.

Best for

OpenWrt purists who want reference hardware built for long-term mainline support.

Not for

Buyers who want a polished out-of-box app experience rather than a DIY-flashed router.

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B)?

The Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B) is a router from Banana Pi. Key specs: WiFi Standard WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Router Type Standalone, SoC MediaTek Filogic 820 (MT7981B), Memory 1GB DDR4, Ports 1x 2.5GbE WAN + Gigabit LAN.

Will the Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B) work with my current setup?

The Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B) lists WiFi Standard is WiFi 6 (802.11ax). Check that against the hardware you already own before buying, since this is the field that most often decides whether a part fits.

Who is the Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B) best suited to?

It suits openwrt purists who want reference hardware built for long-term mainline support..

What are the drawbacks of the Banana Pi OpenWrt One (WiFi 6/Standalone Router/OpenWrt/DIY Enthusiast/MT7981B)?

It is a poor fit for buyers who want a polished out-of-box app experience rather than a diy-flashed router..