AC 7260 - Frequent wifi card resets (Event ID 10400) when connected to 80MHz wide 5 GHz WLAN

[Wasserstein]

Hi everyone!

I've observed my Intel AC 7260 frequently (Multiple times a day) has Event ID 10400 resets ("The network driver requested that it be reset") when connected to 80MHz wide 5 GHz WLAN. Along with these resets, my internet cuts out for about one minute. This is annoying.

Sometimes, these resets go "off the rails", with a new 10400 event every 5 seconds, and I have to restart my laptop to regain internet access.

The driver version installed on my laptop is 18.33.17.1. This is the newest driver provided via the laptop vendor Lenovo.

I could replicate these resets with two different Wifi APs, Tenda Nova MW12 Mesh Wifi and CH7465LG-LC "Connect Box" router provided by my ISP.

* Is this an electrical problem? I.e. would replacing my AC 7260 wifi card help?

* Is this a driver issue? Should I try a different/newer driver?

* Is this a known issue of the AC 7260 series? If so, what what model do you recommend that doesn't have these problems?

* Do you have any other recommendations to solve this problem?

So far I've tried:

* Re-installing both Bluetooth (20.60.0.4) and Wifi (18.33.17.1) drivers multiple times: Problems persist.

* Setting the AC 7260 to 2,4 GHz-only in the advanced settings: No more resets, but slow connection.

* Setting the AC 7260 to 20MHz wide channels in 5 GHz in the advanced settings: No more resets, but slow connection.

* Setting the 5GHz Wifi of the Connect Box to 40MHz wide channels (and telling my laptop to ignore the Mesh Wifi): No more resets, but unfortunately I cannot change channel width on the Mesh Wifi, so this serves only as confirmation that 80MHz wide channels are the problem.

More complete write up:

I've been using this machine, a Lenovo Thinkpad T440p with an Intel AC 7260 wifi card, for almost seven years. But only recently I've bought a new Mesh Wifi (Tenda Nova MW12), which consistently uses 80MHz wide channels on 5GHz.

Previously, my laptop would connect to the closest access point, a Linksys WAP300N which only supported 40MHz channel, and therefore didn't cause any problems. I've looked through the event history, and could find a few 10400 events, maybe once a month, which presumably was my laptop connecting to the ConnectBox router in the next room, which did use 80MHz wide channels.

Best regards,

Alex

[Jose_V_Intel]

Hello Wasserstein,

Thank you for posting on the Intel Community. 

Based on the information that you provided and in order to better understand your issue please provide the following information: 

• Please provide an Intel® System Support Utility report in .txt format. (make sure to select all the options before the scan) https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows-

• Have you tried to use drivers from the manufacturer? It is important to know that is recommended to use the original equipment manufacturer drivers, since they are the ones who build your system and know the components and the structure they have, also they release firmwares, patches and drivers for every system to work correctly, the ones from Intel are the generic ones.

• Check for pending Windows updates.

• Does the issue happen with other wireless connections?

We will be waiting for your answers.

Regards.

Jose V.

Intel® Customer Support Technician

[Wasserstein]

Dear Jose,

thank you for your response!

* I've attached the Intel SSU report with all options activated

* So far, I've only tried the driver provided by Lenovo (18.33.17.1), I didn't try the generic driver on the Intel website

* There was a Windows update pending, KB4598242. I've installed it, but the wifi resets still appear. I've attached a screenshot of the optional updates. (I don't think they look specific to the problem I'm having, so I didn't try installing them yet)

* Due to the lockdown situation I could test the issue only with the devices at home, the Tenda Nova MW12 Mesh Wifi and the "Connect Box" CH7465LG-LC router. I could replicate the issue with both of them (configured to different SSIDs, and I've also tried different channels)
I remember experiencing similar problems in the past, when connecting to the university wifi, but now I'm unable to try again. Also, due to a clean install in August 2020, I cannot check in the Event History.

Best regards,

Alex

[Victor_G_Intel]

Hello Wasserstein,

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.

We appreciate the information provided and to further assist you we would like to recommend the following:

-Since you have only tested this issue with the customized driver from the manufacturer please try to test the computer with our latest generic driver for testing by completing a clean installation for it.

Instructions

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000022173/network-and-io/wireless.html

Latest generic driver

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/28621/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-and-Drivers-for-Intel-Wireless-7260-Family

-After you finish the installation, please make sure you are using the recommended settings for the 802.11ac Connectivity.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000024678/network-and-io/wireless.html

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Victor G.

Intel Technical Support Technician  

[Wasserstein]

Hi Victor,

Thanks for your reply!

Yesterday evening I've installed the generic Intel driver (Version 18.33.17.1, same as provided by Lenovo) and the Intel ProSet Software (not installed before), following the clean install guide. I've also made sure then in the advanced settings, that all the recommended options are set.

Unfortunately this did not fix the problem, I've had another four Wifi reset events ID 10400 since the driver change, with short internet disruption.

Is there anything other I can try?

Could my AC7260 Wifi card be faulty and should try a replacement card?
Or could I try installing another (newer?) Wifi card series?

best regards,

Alex

[n_scott_pearson]

There is always a chance that the card is bad. Regarding replacing the card, I would need to know what its part number is. Is it 7260HMW or is it 7260NGW?

If it is the 7260HMW, which uses the old socket, then I know of only one newer card from Intel, namely the 7265HMW. Its specs are almost identical - but it has the advantage of not been discontinued as yet. There are clone boards that offer other newer Intel silicon. For example, you could go for a clone of the AX200, which gives you Wireless-AX, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. I found one of these here: https://www.newegg.com/derapid-mpe-ax3000h-mini-pci-express/p/0XM-02WM-00014 and it seems to work just fine in a PCIe card carrier in an older desktop system I have.

If it is the 7260NGW, which uses the newer M.2 socket, there are quite a few choices. If you want to stick with Wireless-AC support, then there are,

• 8260NGW (867Mb/s, Bluetooth 4.2)
• 8265NGW (867Mb/s, Bluetooth 4.2)
• 9260NGW (1733Mb/s, Bluetooth 5.1)

For Wireless-AX support, there are two choices,

• AX200NGW (2400 Mb/s, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1)
• AX210NGW (2400 Mb/s, WiFi 6e, Bluetooth 5.2)

Note that I am listing the speeds for the 5GHz band. You can also have as much as 600Mb/s on the 2.4GHz band.

Hope this helps,

...S

[Wasserstein]

Hi Scott,

thanks a lot for your reply and comprehensive overview!

I've got the AC 7260 NGW, so the one using the M.2 slot.

I'm based in austria, the cheapest replacement over here seems to be the AC 9260 NGW.

I'll wait a few more days before ordering a replacement adapter, in case there's a software-based fix to the reset issues.

best regards,

Alex

[Wasserstein]

Since my last post, I have received an AC9260 NGW and a new AC7260 NGW (generic, not a Lenovo FRU).

Turns out my Lenovo T440p has a "wireless adapter whitelist", which refuses to run with either of the cards I've bought as replacement. (My bad for not checking for such laptop-specific restrictions before ordering, but now I have a lot of practice in swapping wifi adapter and reseating the antenna connectors)

As the process to circumvent this whitelist seems a bit involved, and ordering an original AC7260 Lenovo FRU is a bit more expensive and shipping takes some time, I am once again asking for your software/driver support for the original AC7260 NGW that came with my laptop (and also is included in the old IntelSSU report in the third post of the thread)

Thank You!

Best Regards,

Alex

[n_scott_pearson]

Please avoid using inflammatory terms like whitelist. Suggested alternatives include:

• includelist/excludelist
• allowlist/denylist
• passlist/blocklist

Thank you for your sensitivity,

...S

[Khun_Doug]

Hi Wasserstein,

When you originally acquired your Thinkpad, was it already loaded with Windows 10, or did it have an older version of Windows that then upgraded to Windows 10?

And to be clear, are you saying that 40 MHz connections on 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands are stable, just 80 MHz links are the problem?

[Sebastian_M_Intel]

Hello Wasserstein,  

By any chance, do you have an update on this? 

If none of our previous recommendations have worked for you, then this can be a hardware issue. 

I will recommend you try reinstalling the Operating System (OS) from scratch to rule out any software malfunction. However, if a new OS does not help; you should contact your system manufacturer (OEM) for a physical inspection or help with a wireless card replacement.  

Regards,  

Sebastian M  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Sebastian_M_Intel]

Hello Wasserstein,  

Were you able to check the previous post? Please let me know if you need more assistance.   

Regards,  

Sebastian M  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[Sebastian_M_Intel]

Hello Wasserstein,  

We have not heard back from you, so we will close this inquiry. If you need further assistance or if you have additional questions, please create a new thread and we will gladly assist you.  

Regards,  

Sebastian M  

Intel Customer Support Technician