The AC magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power results of RMn4Al8 compounds are discussed. The compounds with magnetic rare earths order antiferromagnetically at low temperatures. Electrical transport is dominated by electron-phonon scattering at high temperatures. The magnetism in these compounds can be explained in terms of the Mn site occupancy and the Mn-Mn distances along c-axis. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.