Banana Pi BPI-RT2: A $26 WiFi 6 Router Board for OpenWrt

Building your own router used to mean recycling an old PC or paying a premium for an enthusiast board. Banana Pi's newest networking board takes the opposite approach. The BPI-RT2, detailed by CNX Software on October 30, 2026, is a complete dual-band WiFi 6 router platform that sells for about $26, with schematics and firmware source published for tinkerers.

• SoC: Realtek RTL8198D dual-core MIPS interAptiv with hardware Gigabit switching
• Memory and storage: 256MB DDR3 RAM and 128MB SPI-NAND flash
• Networking: one Gigabit WAN, three Gigabit LAN, and AX3000 WiFi 6 with 2x2 MIMO on 2.4GHz and 5GHz
• Price: $26 from the official Banana Pi store, or $25.20 plus shipping on AliExpress, per CNX Software

What Are the Banana Pi BPI-RT2 Specs?

The board measures 97 x 65mm and weighs 250 grams, sharing its footprint with the earlier BPI-WiFi5 router. Beyond the core networking hardware, the spec sheet includes:

• Wireless: Realtek RTL8892XBR for 2.4GHz and RTL8832D for 5GHz, with MU-MIMO and four antenna connectors
• USB: one USB 3.0 Type-A port for storage or a cellular modem
• Expansion: 5-pin and 9-pin headers carrying GPIO and I2C signals
• Debug and controls: UART header, reset and boot buttons, and a WPS key
• Power: 12V DC through a barrel jack

Banana Pi positions it for home networking, wireless access points and small business gateways, and its documentation also lists VPN routers and integrated access devices as target uses. An optional enclosure turns the bare board into a finished router.

Does the BPI-RT2 Run OpenWrt?

Yes. Banana Pi ships an OpenWrt 22.03-based firmware image built on its Realtek board support package, with source code on GitHub, a getting-started guide covering web and TFTP firmware updates, and schematics plus DXF mechanical files on its documentation site. CNX Software points out that the 22.03 branch is no longer maintained upstream, so this image is best treated as a vendor BSP for experimenting and learning. Builders who want the newest OpenWrt features can keep an eye on community porting work as the board gains users.

Why a $26 WiFi 6 Router Board Is Interesting

The appeal here is price and openness. For roughly the cost of a takeout dinner, you get four Gigabit ports, modern dual-band WiFi 6 and exposed GPIO, which makes the BPI-RT2 a friendly platform for learning how routers actually work: VLANs, firewall rules, captive portals or a dedicated guest network for smart home gadgets. The USB 3.0 port opens the door to a small network share or a backup WAN link.

It also fits a broader trend of inexpensive, hackable networking hardware. If you want more horsepower for a full firewall stack, our guide to the best mini PCs for OPNsense and pfSense covers x86 options, while the BPI-RT2 shows how much router you can now get on a tiny board. Explore more boards in our mini computer coverage.

Sources: CNX Software — October 30, 2026; Banana Pi BPI-RT2 documentation — accessed October 30, 2026; BPI-RT2 source on GitHub — accessed October 30, 2026.