What versions/builds of Windows officially support Wi-Fi 6E (6GHz)

[RMerlin]

Dell may have disabled 6GHz support

Then why does it work under Linux?

 

[sfx2000]

Then why does it work under Linux?

How Windows interacts with UEFI vs Linux?

Things should work - he's got the right HW, drivers, OS support - works on other machines, but not the 9520 on Windows - UEFI is the only logical explanation, IMHO...

 

[RMerlin]

How Windows interacts with UEFI vs Linux?

Things should work - he's got the right HW, drivers, OS support - works on other machines, but not the 9520 on Windows - UEFI is the only logical explanation, IMHO...

Once the hardware is initialized, control is passed to the OS, which will deal with it as a regular PCI device. That's the driver's job at that point.

 

[erick_e]

This whole issue that started with 6GHz support has recently escalated to another issue. Not being able to manage or map network drives

After multiple re-installations of different versions of Windows 11 attempting to fix the 6GHz issue, I am now unable to connect to a mapped shared drive or utilize the web GUI for my QNAP NAS using the AX211 adapter. I was previously able to connect without any issues. My separate USB TP link Adapter allows me to access my mapped drive and web-based IP interface, but the AX211 adapter refuses to connect to the web address or mapped drive.

EDIT- This access with mapped drives is 100% my fault. After multiple attempts of reinstalling the OS, my IP was blocked by the firewall.

 

[L&LD]

That's not a technical explanation from an engineer, that's a level 1 tech support quoting a user manual. Just like Lenovo telling me that my Ideapad 5 cannot support an AX210 by saying "if it's not on the compatible part list, then it doesn't work". The AX210 I have installed is working just fine right now. Their tech support just quoted me a user manual rather than have an actual engineer confirm whether or not it would be blacklisted by the BIOS. Same thing happening here for the OP.

He tested it with Linux and it works. So, the hardware is fine.

Nobody said that the hardware isn't fine. I believe it is too. This is a Dell issue, regardless of what level tech said what. I haven't heard a Dell 'engineer' give better support that what we've seen in this thread yet.

When Windows is loaded, Dell drivers are too. That is the issue, IME.

 

[avtella]

Dell doesn’t make these drivers, neither does Lenovo or anyone else in regards to these cards… Some like Intel’s DPTF drivers for example are tweaked by assemblers but that’s about it… Dell, Lenovo etc are just system integrators.. buying and assembling a hodge podge of off the shelf parts… yes they may have custom motherboards, cooling etc but the key components are mostly off the shelf. While yes they could block 6E with gimped firmware/drivers, but that wouldn’t explain similar results with drivers from Intel directly and as Merlin pointed out the situation with Linux.

 

[L&LD]

No, it doesn't. But it modifies them for their hardware.

 

[avtella]

If he’s seeing similar results with drivers directly from Intel then it seem likes a device firmware issue rather than “Dell drivers” but it’s detected in Linux so that’s a strike against that as well…

 

[RMerlin]

The next step, if the OP is tech-savvy enough to do it, would be to build a WinPE USB drive (or whatever replaces it with Windows 11, it's been a few years since I've worked witn WinPE), ensure that WinPE uses an up-to-date Intel driver, and see if it works correctly.. If it does, then that once again confirms the issue is with the Windows install or the driver.

I've done a fair amount of Wifi 6e troubleshooting myself last spring when I installed an AX210 into my laptop, despite Lenovo saying it wouldn't work. I wasn't getting 6 GHz to work under neither Windows or Linux, but Linux's troubleshooting tools were at least able to confirm that my regulatory region didn't allow 6 GHz channels. A few months later, it started working under Windows following either an updated Insider Build (I keep that laptop on the Beta channel) or an updated Intel driver. One of these two got an updated regulatory database that properly enabled those channels in Canada.

 

[erick_e]

The next step, if the OP is tech-savvy enough to do it, would be to build a WinPE USB drive (or whatever replaces it with Windows 11, it's been a few years since I've worked witn WinPE), ensure that WinPE uses an up-to-date Intel driver, and see if it works correctly.. If it does, then that once again confirms the issue is with the Windows install or the driver.

I've done a fair amount of Wifi 6e troubleshooting myself last spring when I installed an AX210 into my laptop, despite Lenovo saying it wouldn't work. I wasn't getting 6 GHz to work under neither Windows or Linux, but Linux's troubleshooting tools were at least able to confirm that my regulatory region didn't allow 6 GHz channels. A few months later, it started working under Windows following either an updated Insider Build (I keep that laptop on the Beta channel) or an updated Intel driver. One of these two got an updated regulatory database that properly enabled those channels in Canada.

It took me awhile, but I was able to build a WinPE bootable drive and inject the driver. I just can't figure out how to connect it to a wireless network. From what I have read "General wireless networking functionality is not supported in WinPE"

 

[PR3MIUM]

I solved this problem by installing the latest dkms backport-iwlwifi-dkms_9858-0ubuntu2_all.deb downloaded from https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/backport-iwlwifi-dkms
Simply
$ sudo dpkg -i backport-iwlwifi-dkms_9858-0ubuntu2_all.deb
and reboot. Now wifi is working like charm!

from a other board post.

Spoiler: source

ubuntu 20.04 LTS driver intel WI-FI 6E AX211 160MHZ

After a fresh install of Ubuntu on my new Lenovo Legion Y9000P 2022，I'm unable to use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth，or even the touch tablet of the PC. My Wi-Fi model is Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHZ. Can anyon...

askubuntu.com

No hope for AX211 wifi working on ubuntu 20.04?

I fresh installed ubuntu 20.04 on my laptop and apt update & upgraded to the latest. $ uname -r 5.13.0-39-generic So far BT is working fine but only wifi isn't working now. I checked as below $

askubuntu.com

edit: after some more digging...

XPS 9520, support Wi-Fi6E (6GHz)? | DELL Technologies

I had an issue with another computer being addressed in the Precision Workstation forums, but thought I would ask for an official answer for my new XPS 9520 here. Does the XPS 9520 support Wi...

www.dell.com

and

Dell XPS 15 9520 is 15 to 35 percent faster than XPS 15 9510, lacks Wi-Fi 6E support despite coming with an Intel AX211

Dell has swapped the 11th gen Intel CPUs for 12th gen options and the Wi-Fi 6 Killer 1650s WLAN for the Wi-Fi 6E-compatible intel AX211. Though the CPU upgrade is notable, the WLAN update is largely pointless as Wi-Fi 6E is effectively disabled on the model.

www.notebookcheck.net

Dell has swapped the 11th gen Intel CPUs for 12th gen options and the Wi-Fi 6 Killer 1650s WLAN for the Wi-Fi 6E-compatible intel AX211. Though the CPU upgrade is notable, the WLAN update is largely pointless as Wi-Fi 6E is effectively disabled on the model.

 

[L&LD]

Yup, that's Dell for you.

Crippled garbage with a pretty face.

 

[erick_e]

from a other board post.

Spoiler: source

ubuntu 20.04 LTS driver intel WI-FI 6E AX211 160MHZ

After a fresh install of Ubuntu on my new Lenovo Legion Y9000P 2022，I'm unable to use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth，or even the touch tablet of the PC. My Wi-Fi model is Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHZ. Can anyon...

askubuntu.com

No hope for AX211 wifi working on ubuntu 20.04?

I fresh installed ubuntu 20.04 on my laptop and apt update & upgraded to the latest. $ uname -r 5.13.0-39-generic So far BT is working fine but only wifi isn't working now. I checked as below $

askubuntu.com

edit: after some more digging...

XPS 9520, support Wi-Fi6E (6GHz)? | DELL Technologies

I had an issue with another computer being addressed in the Precision Workstation forums, but thought I would ask for an official answer for my new XPS 9520 here. Does the XPS 9520 support Wi...

www.dell.com

and

Dell XPS 15 9520 is 15 to 35 percent faster than XPS 15 9510, lacks Wi-Fi 6E support despite coming with an Intel AX211

Dell has swapped the 11th gen Intel CPUs for 12th gen options and the Wi-Fi 6 Killer 1650s WLAN for the Wi-Fi 6E-compatible intel AX211. Though the CPU upgrade is notable, the WLAN update is largely pointless as Wi-Fi 6E is effectively disabled on the model.

www.notebookcheck.net

The thread on the Dell forum is one that I also started, and I did read the notebookcheck.net review but only after scouring the internet to why my 6GHz does not work. I also started a thread on Reddit.

Dell XPS Owners (reddit.com)

It really does appear that Dell has intentionally disabled support for 6GHz in Windows for my XPS 9520, and Precision 7560 according to their replies.

 

[sfx2000]

It really does appear that Dell has intentionally disabled support for 6GHz in Windows for my XPS 9520, and Precision 7560 according to their replies.

And folks doubted me when I suggested it was UEFI...

 

[RMerlin]

And folks doubted me when I suggested it was UEFI...

I'm still not convinced. Some of what they said make zero sense, such as when they say it's been disabled in the driver - how can this be the case when the driver comes from Intel and not Dell...

And I still think that disabled in UEFI would also disable it under Linux. If they were fudging the PCIE ID or even the regulatory region, then Linux would also be affected.

 

[L&LD]

The mechanics of how they disabled it doesn't matter much to me. The fact that they do this sheet all the time makes them an ignorable option.

 

[avtella]

Yup, that's Dell for you.

Crippled garbage with a pretty face.

As opposed to what though I really don’t see any standouts… HP, Lenovo those two they never whitelisted WiFi cards previously eh?

 

[L&LD]

Whitelisted. Previously.

This is 2022 and Dell hasn't changed these shenanigans since the '90s.

Like sfx2000, people doubted me too. Even now with more objective 'proof', people still like to drink the Kool-Aid.

 

[avtella]

I’ve replaced WiFi cards on practically every Latitude and Precision we have used at some point so it’s not some consistent practice like you make it seem, over the past decade… even my Inspiron 7567 and 7577 before I moved on to a MacBook Pro 16…I’m not trying to be mean and I do respect you as valued member here, but sfx2000 was at least objective and had a valid theory rather than just “it’s Dell”, and Merlin too was objectively trying to find a solution. I have my own experiences just as you do with various brands including Asus, Lenovo etc….just because it doesn’t align with whatever you experienced/expected doesn’t make others “Kool Aid” buyers…

I will end with that, sorry for the derail, hopefully OP finds a solution.

 

[L&LD]

I'm not being mean either. But you missed the point.

This isn't about whitelisting a card or not. It shipped with it from the factory. Yet, Dell disabled 6E. At least in Windows.

And they don't seem to care enough to address the issue and set it right.

This all seems on topic to me.