As we informed you at the beginning of the year, OpenWRT, a highly extensible Linux distro for embedded devices (typically wireless routers), has started developing its first fully upstream-supported hardware device.
Nine months later, it is now publicly available and available for purchase. Meet OpenWrt’s One/AP-24.XY router board.
Theย MediaTek MT7981B (Filogic 820) SoC is at the heart of the OpenWrt One, paired with the MediaTek MT7976C dual-band WiFi 6 chipset. The device supports WiFi 6 with dual-band capabilities, offering 3ร3 and 2ร2 MIMO configurations for enhanced wireless connectivity.
In terms of hardware specifications, the OpenWrt One is impressive. It boasts:
- 1 x 2.5Gbit WAN port and 1 x 1Gbit LAN port for high-speed wired connections.
- 1GB DDR4 RAM, ensuring smooth multitasking and efficient data handling.
- 256 MiB NAND and 16 MiB NOR storage, providing ample space for firmware and user data.
- An M.2 SSD slot allows users to expand storage further.
- A USB 2.0 Type-A port for peripheral connectivity.
Additionally, the board features dual-arm Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.3 GHz, ensuring processing tasks are handled swiftly. Including a battery holder for an internal clock means that time-sensitive applications can maintain accurate timekeeping even during power interruptions.
To enhance reliability, the OpenWrt One integrates 16 MiB of protected storage as a system backup. This dual-storage hardware setup ensures the onboard system is unbrickable, providing peace of mind during development and updates.
Furthermore, the device includes an M.2 2230/2242 NVMe PCIe 2 X1 port, which users can leverage to add external storage solutions.
But that’s not all. Including a mikroBUS expansion port opens up many possibilities for adding sensors, transceivers, and other modules, making the OpenWrt One a versatile platform for a wide range of applications.
OpenWrt One/AP-24.XY Router Board is the result of a collaborative effort between the OpenWrt community and Banana Pi, a well-known manufacturer in the single-board computer market.
In light of this, Banana Pi will manufacture and distribute the OpenWrt One through its established network. Importantly, for every unit sold, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC), with the funds earmarked specifically for supporting OpenWrt.
This initiative aims to provide a sustainable source of income for the project, helping to cover costs such as hosting and organizing OpenWrt conferences.
Interested parties can purchase the OpenWrt One through Banana Pi’s distribution channels. Given the significant interest already generated, those eager to get their hands on the device are encouraged to act swiftly.
OpenWrt One/AP-24.XY is also available for order via Aliexpress Global for $111, but with the currently applied 20% discount, it can be purchased for $89.
For more information, refer to the Banana Pi announcement.
