NUC5PPYB doesn't detect AX200 M.2 2230 Wi-Fi Device

[DanNorris]

As the title says, I have a NUC5PPYB and am trying to use a new Wi-Fi 6 AX200 M.2 2230 card with it.

The BIOS reports under Advanced, Devices and Peripherals, PCI:

M.2 Slot:  Not Populated

M.2 Slot Vendor ID:Device ID:  <FFFF:FFFF>

Similarly, when I do lspci in linux, I don't see the device listed.  

BIOS Version: PYBSWCEL.86A.0079.2020.0420.1316

Is there any way to get it to work?  I don't see anything in the nuc or wifi card data sheets indicating that they wouldn't be compatible.

[n_scott_pearson]

Since this is a discontinued platform, Intel Customer Support likely isn't going to look into it. I will try to put together a test setup tomorrow and see if I can reproduce it.

...S

[DanNorris]

Thanks, Scott.  I know of a few people using these to build cyberdecks and they'd be happy to find that they can use the latest wireless hardware on them. 

I'll be available this evening to test anything on my end, but I'll be traveling for the next two weeks and won't have any hardware w/ me again until after that.

[n_scott_pearson]

Well, sure enough, I could not get an AX200 module to work. It sees the Bluetooth side but not the Wireless. I will ask the BIOS team if they know why not...

...S

[DanNorris]

Did you ever hear back from the bios folks, Scott?  I half wonder if there's just a whitelist of devices in the bios that needs to be updated.  (maybe I can hex-edit a bios image to change device ids?)

Anyway, I went ahead and purchased known working 3165ac card to use instead.  Would love to swap in the newer AX200 module if we can get it working though.  

[n_scott_pearson]

Careful, you'll have the PC police after you. They refer to them as Inclusion and Exclusion (IE) lists these days. ;^)
Intel does not use IE lists in any of the NUC BIOS; that I know. There are cases where support for particular devices is included in the BIOS and support will be limited to only the devices that are included in the implementation, but that shouldn't apply here as Wireless is not supported in the BIOS (the Bluetooth support is USB-based and thus generic across all Intel wireless adapters).
So, I see the issue as being one of two things, (1) there is some sort of hardware limitation that is disaffecting this card from working, or (2) there is some requirement that the BIOS isn't meeting.
When I asked the NUC team, they didn't know of anything obvious. Regardless, as much as you might wish otherwise, I don't see anything being done about this as the products have been discontinued for a while now. As I said before, it you want to formally request this, you can do so by directly contacting Intel Customer Support and opening a ticket. This will at least cause the situation to be reviewed, not that that will necessarily accomplish anything.
Sorry,
...S

[DanNorris]

Understood.  Thanks Again!