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Stock TP-Link firmware has had a rocky security history. Vulnerabilities in the httpd service (CVE-2022-25647, for example) have left AX10s open to remote code execution.
The OpenWrt Advantage:
If your threat model includes ISP surveillance or botnets, the AX10 must run custom firmware.
Let's put the two head-to-head. Here is the reality of running OpenWrt on the Archer AX10.
| Feature | Stock TP-Link Firmware | OpenWrt Custom Firmware | Winner |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Wi-Fi 6 (AX) Speed | Excellent (Driver optimized) | Good (Open source drivers are 90% there) | Stock (Slight edge) |
| Bufferbloat (Lag) | Terrible (No SQM) | Excellent (CAKE/SQM) | Custom |
| VPN Support | None (Requires app install on PC) | Full (WireGuard server via 2MB package) | Custom |
| Ad Blocking | None | adblock-fast or simple-adblock | Custom |
| RAM Usage | 80% used at idle | 45% used at idle (headroom for more) | Custom |
| Updates | Every 6-12 months | Weekly security patches | Custom |
| Ease of Use | Plug and play | Requires CLI knowledge for advanced setup | Stock |
| Brick Risk | None | High (If done wrong) | Stock |
The Verdict of the Scorecard: The stock firmware wins on pure Wi-Fi throughput out of the box by about 5-10%. However, the custom firmware wins on latency, privacy, and feature depth.
If you want the "better" router for gaming and VPNs, OpenWrt wins. If you want the highest possible Ookla Speedtest number, stick with stock.
Stock TP-Link firmware uses "Adaptive QoS." It is inferior to cake or fq_codel (found on OpenWrt), but it is not useless.
When we talk about custom firmware for the Archer AX10, we are almost exclusively talking about OpenWrt. (DD-WRT and Fresh Tomato do not officially support the MediaTek MT7621 chipset used in the AX10 as robustly as OpenWrt).
The AX10 (Hardware Ver. 1.0 and 2.0) is officially supported by OpenWrt 22.03 and later.
What makes OpenWrt "better" for the AX10?
Let's return to the keyword question: Archer AX10 custom firmware better?
The Short Answer: No. Custom firmware on the Archer AX10 is currently a trap. The hardware compatibility is poor, the community support is virtually non-existent compared to Asus or Netgear routers, and you will likely lose the Wi-Fi 6 functionality that made you buy the router in the first place.
The Long Answer: "Better" depends on your risk tolerance.
