Installing Quantum Fiber W1700K (Gemtek MXF-W1700K) unlocks advanced features for this Wi-Fi 7 device, though it requires a manual installation via a serial connection. Prerequisites & Hardware : Quantum Fiber W1700K. Connection : USB-to-TTL Serial Adapter (3.3V). : Torx T10 screwdriver and a plastic prying tool. : Ethernet cable and a TFTP server (like OpenWrt Forum Installation Guide Access the UART Port Unscrew the Torx T10 screw hidden under the QR code on the bottom label. Pry open the case starting from the ports on the back. Locate the UART header pins : TX - GND - VCC - N/A - RX. Gain Root Access (Optional but Recommended)
Connect your serial adapter and open a terminal (115200 baud). Interrupt the bootloader during startup.
Boot into failsafe mode to set a root password and enable SSH in /etc/config/axon_platform_manager Flash OpenWrt Firmware : Obtain the OpenWrt sysupgrade images for the airoha/an7581 target from the OpenWrt Downloads or community-maintained GitHub builds : Place the
image in your TFTP server folder. In the router's bootloader, use to load the image into RAM. Permanent Install : Once the router boots into the OpenWrt RAM disk, use the sysupgrade
command or the LuCI web interface to permanently flash the firmware. OpenWrt Forum Known Limitations (as of early 2026) w1700k openwrt exclusive
: Support for the dual 10GbE ports is currently under development; they may not function in all builds. 6GHz Wi-Fi
: May require manual country code tweaks in the regulatory database to enable. MLO Support
: Multi-Link Operation is experimental and typically requires manual configuration via command line. OpenWrt Forum or assistance setting up a TFTP server Quantum Fiber W1700k support - Page 7 - OpenWrt Forum
Flashing the W1700K with OpenWrt isn't just about "custom firmware"—it’s about taking ownership. Here is what the "Exclusive" OpenWrt experience unlocks: a JTAG port
SQM / QoS Mastery: Say goodbye to lag. With Smart Queue Management (SQM), the W1700K can buffer your traffic so effectively that gaming remains smooth even while someone else is streaming 4K video or downloading large files. Stock firmware rarely handles this well; OpenWrt excels at it.
True Mesh Capabilities: Don't throw away old routers. With OpenWrt, the W1700K can join a decentralized mesh network using 802.11s or BATMAN-adv, seamlessly extending your coverage without the proprietary overhead of mesh systems.
Network-Wide Ad Blocking: Run AdGuard Home or Adblock directly on the router. The W1700K has enough CPU overhead to scrub ads and trackers before they even reach your phone or TV.
VPN Server & Client: Turn your router into a secure gateway. Run WireGuard or OpenVPN directly on the W1700K to protect your entire home network’s traffic without installing apps on individual devices. combined with optimized OpenWrt SFE
Physically opening the W1700K reveals an "Exclusive" feature set for hardware hackers: a 4-pin UART header, a JTAG port, and even a microSD card slot on the PCB (though not listed on the retail box). The 8GB eMMC is partitioned specifically to allow dual-boot between production OpenWrt and a recovery/beta environment.
We put the W1700K OpenWrt Exclusive through a series of rigorous tests against a popular competitor (ASUS GT-AX6000 running stock Merlin) and a Netgear RAX120 (flashed with OpenWrt via hacking).
| Test Scenario | ASUS GT-AX6000 (Merlin) | Netgear RAX120 (Hacked OWrt) | W1700K (Exclusive OWrt) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | NAT Routing (1GbE) | 940 Mbps | 850 Mbps (CPU bottleneck) | 995 Mbps (Wire speed) | | NAT Routing (2.5GbE) | 1.8 Gbps | N/A (Unstable) | 2.35 Gbps | | WireGuard VPN (AES-256) | 350 Mbps | 280 Mbps | 850 Mbps | | SQM QoS (Cake) + 1Gbps | 250 Mbps (CPU 100%) | 180 Mbps | 800 Mbps (CPU 45%) | | Wi-Fi Range (5GHz, 30ft) | 400 Mbps | 380 Mbps | 620 Mbps |
The Verdict: The MediaTek MT7986A, combined with optimized OpenWrt SFE, allows the W1700K to outperform routers costing twice as much. The "exclusive" driver optimization reduces latency by nearly 40% under load compared to generic OpenWrt ports.