The OpenWrt One/AP-24.XY is a router board based on the MediaTek MT7981B (Filogic 820) SoC, combined with the MediaTek MT7976C dual-band Wi-Fi 6 chipset. Developed in collaboration with Banana Pi, the OpenWrt One is the first official hardware platform supported by the OpenWrt open-source community, designed for OpenWrt learning, IoT applications, and general networking use cases such as routing, NAS, and wireless communication.

The core of the OpenWrt One is the MediaTek MT7981B, a dual-core Cortex-A53 processor running at 1.3 GHz. The board is equipped with 1GB of DDR4 RAM and includes 256MB of SPI NAND storage for the bootloader and operating system.

Additionally, a 16MB SPI NOR flash is integrated to serve as a write-protected recovery bootloader, ensuring the board remains recoverable in case of software issues. According to Banana Pi, this dual-storage design helps mitigate the risk of bricking the device during firmware updates or modifications.

Banana Pi OpenWrt One Router peripherals
(click image to enlarge)

The networking capabilities include one 2.5GbE RJ45 WAN port and one Gigabit Ethernet LAN port. Wireless connectivity is handled by the MediaTek MT7976C Wi-Fi 6 chipset, supporting dual-band operation with a 2×2 MIMO configuration for 2.4 GHz and a 3×3 or 2×2 configuration for 5 GHz.

The Wi-Fi module also includes zero-wait DFS functionality, allowing channel switching in dynamic environments. Three MMCX antenna connectors provide external antenna support for improved wireless performance.

For storage expansion, the board features an M.2 slot supporting both 2242 and 2230 NVMe SSDs through PCIe Gen 2 x1. Additional interfaces include a USB 2.0 Type-A port for peripherals, a USB Type-C port with Holtek HT42B534-2 UART-to-USB functionality for console access, and a MikroBUS socket for expansion modules.

The OpenWrt One features an NXP PCF8563TS RTC with a battery holder for timekeeping, an EM6324 watchdog, and debugging options with a 3-pin UART and 10-pin JTAG/SWD header. Power can be supplied through a 15V USB-PD input on the USB-C port, with optional PoE support using an RT5040 module.

Regarding documentation, Banana Pi provides a Wiki page for this specific product as well as OpenWrt. Additionally, Matt Brown, a hardware security researcher, has a YouTube video setting up this device.

Banana Pi OpenWrt One Router
(click image to enlarge)

Measuring 148 x 100.5 mm, the board is compatible with the Banana Pi BPI-R4 case design. It complies with FCC, EC, and RoHS certification standards.

Further information

The Banana Pi OpenWrt One Router is priced at $89.00 on AliExpress, which includes a case, three DB antennas, and a power adapter. The device is also available on Amazon for $104.90 with the same additional accessories.

Additionally, the OpenWrt page mentions that for every purchase of a new OpenWrt One, a US$10 donation will go to the OpenWrt earmarked fund at SFC.