This is a pretty significant release - it marks the end of iptables in the main distribution; the OpenWrt-specific translation layer (previously firewall3, now firewall4) for netfilter-related configuration now targets nftables. Also, yet more devices have made the switch from swconfig to DSA for configuring Ethernet switches.
I've been using 22.03 release candidates on all my networking gear (router, switch, access point) for several weeks without problems, and can only recommend giving OpenWrt a chance :)
Such as adblocking (pi-hole like experience without additional gear)
ssh access, printserver, dynamic DNS, VPNs, different routing protocols, vlan support, tunneling protocols, monitoring, home Automation, wireguard, wpa3, OWE (encrypted open wifi), lots of goodies known from other linux distros, etc
I can do over 270Mbps down and 80Mbps up (May be limited by my upload, download is a CPU limitation) on a RBM33G as a client-router.
I'm not 100%, but it may actually be 370Mbps down, but I don't want to advertise that number without being sure. I replaced it with a RPi4 as a router-on-a-stick WG gateway. The RPi4 has no problem keeping up with my 500/100 fiber connection.
The RBM33G has a pretty weak MTK7621a dual core 800mhz MIPS cpu.
I should setup two of them and run some proper benchmarks at some point.
You'd be surprised; I'm pulling 150Mbps on a years-old $40 Edgerouter X (it was on sale when I bought it; it's normally $60) over Wireguard to Mullvad.
You get frequent software updates with meaningful changelogs and detailed lists of bugs/vulnerabilities fixed.
Also, you can be quite sure that there are no software components active that serve the interestest of the device's manufacturer more than those of its owner and users.
I have two cheap WiFi Access Points. They worked fine when I got them. After a few weeks one of them stopped working and I had to restart it. A few days later the other one had the same problem. This repeated every few weeks. Once i got tired of restarting the APs every now and then, I looked into it and figured it was a memory leak in the firmware. Then I installed OpenWRT and I didn't touch the APs since. It just works. Pretty amazing if you ask me.
This is a serious pet peeve of mine with other routers. I don't need a heavy frontend just to configure my router, I want to open port forwarding quickly. Fading effects and fake loading swirls are utterly unnecessary. There's none of it in OpenWRT.
Better security in general. The firmware on consumer-grade routers is an afterthought. They are routinely running 10-year-old versions of services which are sometimes exposed to the internet, and all insist on rolling their own shitty web UIs which often include command injection vulnerabilities.
Integrating wireguard routes into your local network and overriding DNS with trusted endpoints. These are common enough needs these days to be considered ordinary.
Default router firmware is often a security nightmare the vendor barely bothers to patch. OpenWrt firmware receives regular security updates. I'd rather my router not become a botnet participant.
Massively decreased chances of run-by attacks exploiting known vulnerabilities in mass produced mainstream routers. Having a "more exotic" setup already avoids a lot of (non-targeted) attack vectors.
I've been using 22.03 release candidates on all my networking gear (router, switch, access point) for several weeks without problems, and can only recommend giving OpenWrt a chance :)