3D-Printed case for BPI-R4: wind tunnel cooling, USB serial, wall-mounting option

Banana Pi Router design BPI-R4(MT7988)
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Features

  • Wind tunnel cooling design with 2x40 mm fans (inspired by @Stonty’s work)
  • Swappable bottom for shelf-top or wall-mounted installation
  • Easy access to the devices installed in the bottom M.2 and miniPCIe slots
  • Cutout for the boot switch
  • Can accommodate different antenna configurations (or none at all) thanks to the “invisible” SMA cutout plugs
  • Grounding strips for the SMA connectors (DXF and bending jigs included)
  • Integrated TTL to USB Type-C adapter (see BOM for the specific part)
  • Cable holders for RG178 and RG316 pigtails
  • Provided as STL, STEP and ready-to-print .3mf files
  • Scripting and wiring instructions included to drive the fans from the GPIO header and tie the PWM to multiple thermal sensors
  • 2.5GbE and 2.5GbE + PoE versions upcoming
  • This model has been extensively prototyped and successfully printed in PLA-CF on a Bambu Lab P1S printer with a 0.4mm nozzle

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All the necessary files, BOM, printing and assembly instructions are available on my MakerWorld page. This has been a huge undertaking for me, and I hope other people find the result useful. Feel free to comment and make suggestions for improvement.

P.S. The guy who did laser cutting for me somehow managed to mess up the dimensions of the grounding strips. The DXF drawing is still correct.

5 Likes
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Good morning, great work. I have a few questions.

  1. Can you input the temperatures you get from all the sensors?

  2. Can I change the antennas like this?

antenna placement

  1. What’s the price if they do it for you?

  2. How much has the noise changed compared to the original Banana Pi R4 box?

Thank you for your work and your explanation.

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I’m glad you liked the project.

  1. Here’s the temperature during normal use as a router (Wi-Fi + 2.5GbE SFP module for uplink) with ASPM set to powersave.

Screenshot 2025-04-14 at 12.05.46
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  1. Yes, you can move the SMA port openings by editing the main body and the back panel in CAD.
  2. You can get an instant quote from PCBWay after uploading the parts you need. It might end up on the expensive side, but I’ve only heard good things about their 3D-printing services. Another possibility would be to find a person with the same printer I used or a similar one (thankfully, Bambu Lab devices are quite popular) and ask to pay for their time and materials. That way you can simply use my print profile from MakerWorld and be assured the print comes out as intended.
  3. The RPM oscillates between 50 and 70 % to keep the temps under 50 °C. I can’t hear the fans from a 1 meter distance at all. The stock SoC cooler was silent for me, too, though.
1 Like
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Good afternoon, thanks again for your explanation. With 2.5GB, I had temperatures of 40 degrees, with 5GB, I got 50 degrees, and with 10GB symmetrical, which is what I have contracted, I get 63.5 degrees. Before, I got about 68 degrees. But with the latest modification, these are my 24/7/365 temperatures. The temperature in pink is 10Gb XGS-PON ONU SFP 8311-was-110, which is the one I use for the fiber that brings home. XGS-PON ONU SFP+ Stick with web management MAC 10Gbps SC/APC 1270/1577nm -40 to 85°C Industrial grade SMF 10G/10G XGSPON ONT.

I’m leaving you an image of the temperature of the main router in the house.

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But I really like your box, and I’ll ask around my city, since they do 3D work, how much it would cost.

Thank you so much for your work

1 Like