Banana Pi BPI-R4-4E (PoE) - MT7988A 2.5GbE Router BoardThe Banana Pi BPI-R4-4E (PoE) is a PoE and 2.5GbE oriented variant of the Banana Pi BPI-R4 open-source router platform built around the MediaTek MT7988A Filogic 880 processor. The official Banana Pi BPI-R4 product page presents the R4 family as a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 and network appliance board with MediaTek MT7988A, onboard DDR4 and eMMC options, 128MB SPI-NAND, dual 10G-capable networking paths, USB 3.2, and expansion for 4G, 5G, NVMe SSD, and Wi-Fi 7 NIC hardware. This SKU is sold as the BPI-R4-4E (PoE) variant in the store.The official BPI-R4 wiki and Getting Started guide position the board family for ISP routers, Wi-Fi 7 routers, 4G and 5G routers, wireless repeaters, security gateways, and NAS devices. For this 4E / PoE style version, Banana Pi team discussions on the official Banana Pi forum indicate that the built-in 2.5G PHY option reuses the MT7988A USXGMII path and can replace one 10G SFP2 LAN function depending on the device-tree configuration. For related hardware, you can also review the Banana Pi BPI-R4 router set, the Banana Pi BPI-BE14 WIFI 7 NIC, the Banana Pi BPI-R4 Iron Case, and the SanDisk 64GB High-Speed MicroSD Card.Technical Specifications Product Type Open-source router board / PoE-oriented network appliance platform Processor MediaTek MT7988A (Filogic 880), quad-core Arm Cortex-A73 CPU Frequency Up to 1.8GHz Variant BPI-R4-4E (PoE) Memory Family Reference Official R4 product page lists 4GB / 8GB DDR4 options for the BPI-R4 family Storage Family Reference Official R4 product page lists 8GB eMMC and 128MB SPI-NAND for the standard version 2.5GbE Variant Note Official BPI-R4 documentation lists the alternate SFP option as 2 x 10G SFP or 1 x 10G SFP plus 1 x 2.5GbE PoE / 2.5GbE Networking Note Do not treat this PoE-oriented 4E listing as the standard dual-10G-SFP layout; the 2.5GbE path can replace one 10G SFP LAN path Base Ethernet Ports 4 x 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 ports on the base R4 platform, with the 2.5GbE behavior depending on the selected 4E hardware layout USB 1 x USB 3.2 miniPCIe 2 x miniPCIe slots with PCIe 3.0 2-lane interface for Wi-Fi 7 NIC M.2 1 x M.2 Key-B for 4G/5G modules and 1 x M.2 Key-M for NVMe SSD GPIO 26-pin GPIO header with UART, I2C, SPI, PWM, and I2S capable pins Buttons Reset button, WPS button, boot switch Power / PoE Note Official model comparison distinguishes 4E from 4P: 4E supports PoE but is not the soldered-RT5400B-module version Board Size 100.5 x 148 mm Board Layout & Label Guide MT7988A Main SoC Area - The board is built around MediaTek's Filogic 880 networking platform for routers, gateways, and network services. 2.5GbE Variant Path - Banana Pi documents the alternate R4 SFP option as 1 x 10G SFP plus 1 x 2.5GbE, so this variant should be read separately from the standard dual-SFP layout. 10G SFP / 2.5GbE Area - The standard BPI-R4 family supports dual 10G SFP, but the 4E/2.5GbE-oriented layout can repurpose one LAN-side SFP path for 2.5GbE RJ45. Ethernet Port Bank - The board is intended for dense wired routing, gateway, and lab-network deployment. M.2 Key-B Slot - Supports 4G or 5G expansion modules for cellular backhaul, failover, or field deployment. M.2 Key-M Slot - Supports NVMe SSD storage for logging, caching, packages, or edge storage functions. Dual miniPCIe Slots - Banana Pi positions these slots for Wi-Fi 7 NIC expansion using PCIe 3.0 2-lane connectivity. USB 3.2 Port - Useful for removable storage, adapters, or service peripherals during development and deployment. 26-Pin GPIO Header - Provides embedded expansion with UART, I2C, SPI, PWM, and I2S style signal access. Boot and Power Section - Reset, WPS, boot controls, and the PoE or DC power path should be checked against the deployed board revision. Packing List 1 x Banana Pi BPI-R4-4E (PoE) Router Board FAQQ: Which processor does this board use?A: The BPI-R4 family uses the MediaTek MT7988A Filogic 880 quad-core Arm Cortex-A73 processor.Q: Is this the same as the standard BPI-R4 board?A: It belongs to the same BPI-R4 family, but this SKU is the 4E (PoE) variant rather than the standard 4G or 8G board listing.Q: What does the 4E variant change?A: Banana Pi team discussion indicates the 2.5G PHY option reuses a high-speed interface path and may replace one LAN-side 10G SFP function depending on the device-tree configuration.Q: Does the board still support 4G or 5G modules?A: Yes. Official BPI-R4 documentation lists an M.2 Key-B interface for 4G and 5G module support.Q: Can I add Wi-Fi 7 hardware?A: Yes. Banana Pi specifies two miniPCIe slots with PCIe 3.0 2-lane interface for Wi-Fi 7 NIC expansion.Q: Can I add NVMe storage?A: Yes. Official BPI-R4 documentation lists an M.2 Key-M slot for NVMe SSD support.Q: Is PoE behavior identical across all R4 versions?A: No. It depends on the exact hardware version and software support, so this should be checked against the deployed 4E board and firmware.Q: What kinds of projects suit this board?A: Banana Pi positions the BPI-R4 family for ISP routers, Wi-Fi 7 routers, 4G and 5G routers, repeaters, security gateways, and NAS-style network applications.
