RDK-B Banana Pi R4 - 2025Q4 Release(Jan 2026)

Scope

Scope of this  release is for RDK-B community.This is our Q4 2025 release of Banana Pi R4

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can i use this release for production - Yes.The only feature missing is Firmware upgrade.you can make it as an addon
• Does it cover all features - Yes
• Can i share this release with my OEM's/Operators/SI's/SoC's - You are free to share
• Can i contact RDKM team if i have any queries/to give any feedback - Yes
• Is this release fully tested - Yes we have done End to End testing
• Can i use release for my development/New enhancements - Yes
• Does release support EasyMesh/Wi-Fi 7 - Yes 
• Can i expand RAM in BPI R4 - You have to do it on Hand,Please refer here https://forum.banana-pi.org/t/bpi-r4-successfully-upgraded-8gb-ram-on-bpi-r4/17882/5

Build instructions

SD Build for Gateway

repo init -u https://code.rdkcentral.com/r/rdkcmf/manifests -b rdkb-2025q4-kirkstone -m rdkb-bpi-extsrc.xml
repo sync -j`nproc` --no-clone-bundle
MACHINE=bananapi4-rdk-broadband source meta-cmf-bananapi/setup-environment-refboard-rdkb
bitbake rdk-generic-broadband-image

SD Build for Gateway with EasyMesh 

TBD

SD Build for Extender with EasyMesh

TBD

SD Build for Gateway with USB RNDIS enabled

repo init -u https://code.rdkcentral.com/r/rdkcmf/manifests -b rdkb-2025q4-kirkstone -m rdkb-bpi-extsrc.xml
repo sync -j`nproc` --no-clone-bundle

Enable the distro for RNDIS in below path
/meta-cmf-bananapi/conf/distro/include/rdk-bpi.inc
#Enable the below DISTRO to enable Hybrid Hal(rndis/modem) for cellular devices
DISTRO_FEATURES_append_broadband = " cellular_hybrid_support"

MACHINE=bananapi4-rdk-broadband source meta-cmf-bananapi/setup-environment-refboard-rdkb
bitbake rdk-generic-broadband-image

NOTE: Prerequisite for SDCard build

• Please download the binaries from below links

  • wget https://artifactory.rdkcentral.com/artifactory/RDKB-Platform/BPI-R4/uboot-2025.01/bpi-r4_sdmmc_fip_6-6.bin
    wget https://artifactory.rdkcentral.com/artifactory/RDKB-Platform/BPI-R4/uboot-2025.01/bpi-r4_sdmmc_bl2_6-6.img
    wget https://artifactory.rdkcentral.com/artifactory/RDKB-Platform/BPI-R4/uboot-2025.01/bpi-r4_sdmmc_fip_B_6-6.bin
    wget https://artifactory.rdkcentral.com/artifactory/RDKB-Platform/BPI-R4/uboot-2025.01/bpi-r4_sdmmc_bl2_B_6-6.img

• If you don't have access to above resources, please follow instruction in https://wiki.rdkcentral.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=354648448#SDMonoliticimagebuildandflashingstepsforBPIR4.-Buildingbl2.imgandfip.binincaseofnothavingaccesstoartifactoryrepository to build bl2 and fip binaries yourselves.
• Place those binaries under ${_TOPDIR}/downloads/

Flashing instructions(SD card)

Tested machines - Linux,MacOs

Boot mode

• SD 

  • switch configuration

    • https://wiki.banana-pi.org/Getting_Started_with_BPI-R4#Prepare_to_develop

Yocto 

• Version

  • Kirkstone(Yocto 4.0)

• SoC meta layers

  • meta-filogic
  • meta-cmf-filogic

• RDK meta layers

  • meta-cmf-bananapi 
    • https://github.com/rdkcentral/meta-cmf-bananapi/tree/rdkb-2025q4-kirkstone

Kernel & user space

• Kernel 6.6
• Full 64bit (User space and kernel space)

Currently supported & working WAN technologies

• ethwan
• fixedwirelesswan

Wi-Fi highlights

• 2.4 Ghz (wifi0)
• 5 Ghz (wifi1)
• 6 Ghz(wifi2)
• Does it support multiple creations - As of now we have not created any VAP's.Technically that is possible based on requirement.
• Easy Mesh R6
• WiFi 7

Cellular Network highlights

• Tested in North America & APAC regions

Flashing mechanism

• Primary

  • Prerequisites:You may need to compile your own uboot and copy files to build system before build.The reason is uboot code is not fully open.as of now we are not authorized to host binaries in RDKM(SD Monolitic image build and flashing steps for BPI R4.)

Hardware & Peripherals

• Banana Pi R4 Router Board
• BE14 Wi-Fi 7 card & Antennas
• Quectel EM05-G Cellular Modem
• Power supply & Heat sinks
• Case (Optional)
• serial cable

How to get bananapi R4

• https://www.amazon.com/Development-MediaTek-MT7988A-onboard-Network/dp/B0DFBLL1CX/ref=sr_1_3?crid=F4K6S2C1WSLY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VcoMSeqhcGQZZ_Izyt-ezSl4nissusDy-9DX3HtClc5bM0CS1tY8XJu61qTPGaRRTQcyNK6BYUXP_vPjx0FIXXkdDGjpgGdSIzz0IQ0Xy2Qrw5_58JPNNl5PQUT6Arvw64sR8D7uwWeqZY0WAlGFZfff303GAp8FdafZ9UWHJ6TFcUIZh_jtU4Wrr9u131p7plmRCHSqIU-dAFGS4Z_plaknOogJtU7PtddRVlPLHd8.SU2S2lZCwzak9CRvg1LH_uRzc_0UKs1UeQqvk5xvIO0&dib_tag=se&keywords=banana+pi+r4&qid=1729895436&sprefix=bananapi+r4%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-3
• Cellular Modem - Quectel EM05-G LTE M.2 Module/Simcom Module 8200EAM2
  • Note: For testing with other CellularModules,There might need some changes in ModemManager (You can plan it on your own)

Features supported in RDK-B 2025 Q4 release

• featuressuported

Validation  Status

Sanity Status 

Features Status

List of Supported Features - User Manual's

1. Webpa - WebPA Feature Support on BPI R4 - User Manual
2. RFC -RFC Feature Support in RDKB BPI - User manual
3. WebConfig -WebConfig Feature Support in RDKB BPI - User Manual
4. Telemetry 2 - Telemetry 2.0 Feature support for RDKB BPI -User Manual
5. Log Rotate -Log Rotation Feature Support in RDKB BPI - User manual
6. Cellular -  Cellular Feature support in RDKB BPI - User Manual
7. UspPa 
   1.  Including UspPa in a device
   2. TR-369/USP on RDK-B
   3. OBUSPA 8.0 User Manual(Engineering Version)
8. CpuProcAnalyser - Cpuprocanalyzer Feature support in RDKB BPI - User Manual
9. OneWifi - OneWifi Integration in RDKB BPI - User Manual
10. Selfheal - Self Heal Feature in BPI - User manual
11. TR-69 - TR069 Support for Bananapi R4
12. SNMP - SNMP Support for BPIR4 - Preferred Program - RDK Central Wiki
13. OneWifi with Single WiPhy support 
    1. OneWifi Integration in RDKB BPI - User Manual
    2. Single wiphy design for Onewifi/rdk-wifi-hal
14. Crashupload - Crash Upload Feature RDK-B - RDK - RDK Central Wiki
15. Test and Diagnostics similar to RPI- Test and Diagnostic on R-Pi
16. Bridge Mode similar to RPI- BridgeMode Feature support in RPI
17. DAC similar to RPI 
    1. Containerization using META DAC SDK in RDK-B RPI
    2. DAC on BPI R4 RDK-B -64 bit
    3. iperf3 application
18. eSDK - RDKB: Extensible SDK support on (BananaPi R4) Yocto 4.0 Kirkstone build
19. PopulateSDK : Creating Yocto SDK 
20. SD card support - SD Monolitic image build and flashing steps for BPI R4.
21. SpeedTest  Support : IMP/gateway speedtest integration in Banana Pi R4 - Preferred Program - RDK Central Wiki
22. WPS support https://wiki.rdkcentral.com/display/ASP/WPS+PBC+integration+in+RDK-B+BPI+R4
23. Port Triggering (same as RPI)  https://wiki.rdkcentral.com/display/RDK/Port+Triggering+in+RPI

Roadmap of new Features

References

• About Bananapi R4 - https://www.banana-pi.org/en/bananapi-router/155.html
• Cellular Modem - https://en.simcom.com/product/SIM8200EA_M2.html
• https://wiki.banana-pi.org/Getting_Started_with_BPI-R4#2.EF.BC.89_4G.2F5G_Module
• EM05-G
  •  

Reference image 

• Can be provided to RDK-B Licenses on demand

Test results reference

• TBD

Additional info

• TBD

For support

• Please reach out to support@rdkcentral.com

References

• https://docs.banana-pi.org/en/BPI-R4/BananaPi_BPI-R4

Known issues

TBD