Tutorial Installing a AX210 Windows 10 Driver that works

[timg11]

I have discovered something very interesting. I was testing with the Samsung S21 Ultra also. It had the same result as the Windows machine: The 6 GHz SSID is never seen, even after scanning for many hours. I learned that someone else had connected an S21 successfully using Channel 37. I moved my AP to channel 37, and the S21 saw the SSID and connected. I then checked the Windows machine, it also saw the SSID and connected. I have been operating on a channel based on a specific frequency, which is a non-PSC channel.

The issue is that the S21 and the Windows driver will _only_ operate on the Preferred Scanning Channels. It is not just that it might take longer to scan - it will never see an AP on a non-PSC channel. So this means that for Windows and the S21, you can only use 15 of the 6 GHz band's channels (12 of which are available in the Asus - 37, 53, 69, 85, 101, 117, 133, 149, 165, 181, 197, 213) The Asus has a FAQ on PSC, but it doesn't say that client will simply not work on non-PSC channels.

Note that when using the Intel driver for Ubuntu Linux, the AX-210 will see the AP on any 6 GHz channel supported by the Asus.

 

[thiggins]

Thanks for reporting that. Why were you using a non PSC channel?

First, from the Litepoint whitepaper referenced in https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/basics/wireless-basics/33227-wi-fi-6e-the-basics:

Probing – Probe requests are an effective tool to speed up the discovery process. Without having to passively wait on a channel for
a beacon, a station can initiate a broadcast probe request and wait for responses. This behavior however impacts the performance
of stations and APs operating on the same channel since the broadcast probe requests, especially using wildcard BSSID, create a
large number of responses and therefore higher traffic utilization and increased collisions. When a high number of stations resort to
this behavior, it creates a probe storm. This is greatly detrimental to the overall system capacity and reduces useful throughput for
everyone. To avoid this behavior, the IEEE has set forth a new set of rules for probing operation in the 6 GHz band.
A station operating in the 6 GHz band cannot transmit a probe request to the broadcast destination address using wildcard BSSID
and wildcard SSID i.e. a station’s “who’s there” blind probing behavior is not allowed.
Stations may however transmit a directed probe request frame to an AP that is has discovered out of band or from which it has
already knowledge.
If the station is scanning a Preferred Scanning Channel (PSC), and has no knowledge of an AP there, it has to wait for at least the
duration of the minimum probe delay interval (approx. 20 ms) before sending a broadcast probe request.
If the station is scanning a non-Preferred Scanning Channel, then it can only send a probe request if it has knowledge of an AP
operating there.
In any case, local regulatory rules take precedence over the operating behavior defined by the IEEE. In the U.S., as we discussed in
section 5, client devices are not allowed to send probe requests until they have detected a transmission from the AP and can only
send them on the same frequency as the AP’s transmission.

So, there are a few explanations for your discovery:
1) The Linux driver is not following the rules above and probing non-PSC channels.
2) The Linux driver is performing out-of-band discovery by looking at reduced neighbor reports in beacons and probe response frames in 2.4 and 5 GHz and the Windows driver is not.

 

[en0000en]

Hello thiggins,

I had followed every steps of your tutorial, but my ax210 still cannot find 6Ghz SSID. I even reinstalled windows 20H2 and ubuntu(kernel 5.11), but still no luck. Don't know what to do next (Driver is 22.30, Is6GHzBandSupported set to 1, OWE checked, PSC enabled, using Band 37, Authentication Method OWE)

And I found intel had updated driver to 22.40.0.7, but nothing changed : (

SSID: -----Wi-Fi 6
Protocol: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Security type: WPA2-Personal
Network band: 5 GHz
Network channel: 165
Link speed (Receive/Transmit): 146/287 (Mbps)
Link-local IPv6 address: fe80::412a:71db:2346:613b%9
IPv4 address: 192.168.50.81
IPv4 DNS servers: 192.168.50.1
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Description: Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX210 160MHz
Driver version: 22.40.0.7
Physical address (MAC): 40-1C-83-3B-D6-75

 

[en0000en]

Here's screen short of AXE11000.

 

[thiggins]

I suggest you simplify your SSID names. No spaces. Just try "wifi6e"

 

[en0000en]

I suggest you simplify your SSID names. No spaces. Just try "wifi6e"

Thank you for your reply, but I still can’t find wifi6e ssid…

 

[RMerlin]

Thank you for your reply, but I still can’t find wifi6e ssid…

Check the router System Log to confirm that the wifi on the 6e radio does run properly (i.e. make sure it shows a channel for it).

 

[en0000en]

Check the router System Log to confirm that the wifi on the 6e radio does run properly (i.e. make sure it shows a channel for it).

The log looks like fine, the noise is lower than wi-fi6 and wi-fi4

SSID: "wifi6e"
noise: -93 dBm Channel: 6g37/160
BSSID: F0:2F:74:7C:8B:98 Capability: ESS RRM
Supported Rates: [ 6(b) 9 12(b) 18 24(b) 36 48 54 ]
HE Capable:
Chanspec: 6GHz channel 47 160MHz (0x692f)
Primary channel: 37
HT Capabilities: 40Mhz SGI20 SGI40
Supported HT MCS :
Supported HE MCS:
80 Mhz:
NSS1 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS2 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS3 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS4 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
160 Mhz:
NSS1 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS2 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS3 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11
NSS4 Tx: 0-11 Rx: 0-11

Interference Level: Acceptable
Mode : AP Only

Stations List
----------------------------------------
idx MAC Associated Authorized RSSI PHY PSM SGI STBC MUBF NSS BW Tx rate Rx rate Connect Time

 

[thiggins]

Try 80 MHz bandwidth and other PSC channels.

 

[en0000en]

Try 80 MHz bandwidth and other PSC channels.

Just tried 20MHz 40MHz 80MHz and 160MHz bandwidth, still can't find wifi6e, should I buy another AX210?

After switch the AX210 to another pc using z390+9900k, still can’t find 6GHz. Does the AX210 or AXE11000 broken?

 

[thiggins]

Maybe neither. Check that 6 GHz radio is enabled in Professional settings.

 

[en0000en]

Maybe neither. Check that 6 GHz radio is enabled in Professional settings.

T_T

 

[Oscar0411]

Microsoft just updated AX210 driver on Microsoft insider program OS, can follow ASUS FAQ to DL or update MS insider program directly to use 6E band now, no need to modify register anymore!!

[Wireless Router] How to connect ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 6GHz SSID with Intel ® AX210 WLAN Card? | Official Support | ROG Global (asus.com)

 

[Budgeter]

A bit off topic, but where can i buy this card in US, and what is the expected price?

 

[avtella]

Newegg, Amazon, eBay etc. $20-25 range.

 

[Budgeter]

Newegg, Amazon, eBay etc. $20-25 range.

Can you provide me a trustable link on Amazon please (or we you bought it)? I did look around but only found out some "only-1-review"/no name sellers or one with $$$ ($50+). My appreciation.

 

[avtella]

EDUP Wi-Fi 6E 6Ghz WiFi Card 11AX Wireless Module 3 Band 6GHz; 5GHz; 2.4GHz MU-MIMO Tri-Band Internal Network Adapter with Bluetooth 5.2 for Laptop, Support Windows 10 64bit, M.2/NGFF - Newegg.com

Buy EDUP Wi-Fi 6E 6Ghz WiFi Card 11AX Wireless Module 3 Band 6GHz; 5GHz; 2.4GHz MU-MIMO Tri-Band Internal Network Adapter with Bluetooth 5.2 for Laptop, Support Windows 10 64bit, M.2/NGFF with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

 

[konikofi]

thanks @thiggins and @avtella for the info...works for me on windows, but is there any guidance for linux? I'm using the 5.11 kernel with latest iwlwifi firmware, but the station fails to auth with owe.

 

[thiggins]

Sorry, can't help with Linux. All I know is that it's much more complicated to get a functioning driver with good performance.

 

[konikofi]

Sorry, can't help with Linux. All I know is that it's much more complicated to get a functioning driver with good performance.

nod, thanks for the reply...linux driver/fw works for me on 2 and 5 GHz, but so far only monitor mode working in 6GHz...