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AX201 slow to connect to my Wi-Fi

mtcsltd
Beginner
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I have  Dell Latitude 9520. It has an Intel AX201 Wi-Fi card installed. It has all the usual problems that seem to litter various forums :

1) Slow reconnect to Wi-Fi after resuming from sleep

2) Disconnects from Wi-Fi randomly

3) Poor performance

 

I've tried using the latest Intel driver version, there was no obvious improvement with any of the issues.

I use Ubiquiti access points (UAC-AC-Pro) which are 1x1 MIMO. I tried the following:

1) 802.11n/ac/ax to ac

2) MIMO Power Save Mode to Static SMPS

3) Channel width for 5Ghz to 20 Mhz only

 

Is there anything else I can try?

I'm wondering if these AX201 cards only work well with 2x2 MIMO access points, but I don't want to invest in them (I'd need four) if it really makes no difference.

The problem that bothers me the most is reconnecting to Wi-Fi after waking from sleep, it's very tedious.

This card is used in Dell, Microsoft, Lenovo and HP laptops to name a few, and has been around for a while now, and all these makes have the same problems with the card, so I'm surprised it's still a problem after all this time.

If you've been able to improve/resolve these issues, please explain how. And Intel, please fix the drivers; the latest driver version (22.60.0) that is now a week old has not fixed anything for me. The release notes for it gave me hope that the wake from sleep issue might be resolved, but alas not for me.

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AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
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Hello @mtcsltd

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.

In regards to this request, we are not sure if you have tested with the customized driver from DELL*. We would like to suggest the following steps:

 

In case you haven't tried yet, we recommend first rebooting your router/access point (AP) if it is always running 24/7. Sometimes, rebooting the router may help to solve connectivity issues. Also, check for objects/walls blocking a straight sight to the device or anything that may cause interference (e.g. wireless phones, microwaves, etc.). Also, if you are running VPN/firewall software, test by momentarily disabling this.

 

When you said you tried "802.11n/ac/ax to ac", did you mean you set this on both the Wireless card settings and the Access point? If this was only set on the AP, please also set this accordingly for the wireless card:

 

Access the Wireless Advanced Settings in Windows® 10

  1. Right-click Start in the bottom left corner.
  2. Click Device Manager.
  3. Click the > sign to expand the Network adapters entry.
  4. Right-click the wireless adapter and click Properties.
  5. Click the Advanced tab to configure the advanced settings.
  6. Look for 802.11n/ac/ax Wireless Mode or HT Mode
  7. Select VHT mode or 802.11ac

Otherwise, If your router supports newer standards like ax, we recommend setting this properly in both: your router and the wireless advanced settings.

 

Also, Enable Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery (U-APSD Support) on the same Wireless Advanced Settings tab.

 

Please review the below links for additional wireless settings and set them accordingly to your environment and router configuration. Please review based on the wireless standard and network band that you are using:

 

On the 5 GHz band, try setting the channel width to 40 MHz and see if that improves reliability. For additional information regarding Wi-Fi channels, please review this article: Configuring Wi-Fi Channels and Channel Widths to Improve Network Connection.

Please test changing the power management options following the steps in the link. For instance, you may try the Maximum Performance option. Power Management Settings for Intel® Wireless Adapters

Also, check this guide for Quick Checks to Improve or Fix Wi-Fi Connection Issues.

 

If the behavior persists, these are additional steps that you may try:

1- Check with your router/AP manufacturer for firmware updates.

2- Go to Control Panel > Network and Sharing > Change adapter settings. Right-click on the adapter in use > select Properties Configure button > Power Management tab > uncheck the lower of the two boxes first, then the top one > Apply and OK.

 

3- Perform a clean installation of both the Wireless and Bluetooth drivers using the customized drivers from Dell*:

3.1- Download and save to your computer the DELL* Drivers

  • Intel AX201 Wi-Fi UWD Driver Version 22.40.0.7, A17
  • Intel BlueTooth AX201 UWD driver Version 22.30.0.4, A14

To avoid Windows® update reinstalling a different driver during the process, we recommend first downloading and saving the driver installers in your computer, then disconnect the Internet.

3.2- Follow the next steps on this link for a Clean Installation of Wireless and Bluetooth Drivers. Install the Bluetooth driver first, and then the Wireless driver. 

3.3- If the issue persists, you can repeat the process using the latest generic drivers from Intel:

Please report back the outcome and if the issue is solved or persists. After any clean installation, it is recommended to check/reapply all the recommended advanced settings suggested above.

 

If the problem persists even using the customized drivers from Dell*, please provide the following details:

 

1- Is the Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201 the original wireless card that came on your system? Or did you install/integrate it into the computer?

2- When did it start to happen? Did it work fine before at any time? Is this a new computer? Please provide details.

3- For testing purposes, Have you tried a different router or Access point for testing purposes? Maybe one that is AX compatible? 

4- If this worked fine before, do you remember if this issue happened after a new Windows update or Wireless/Bluetooth driver update?

5- When this issue happens, is there any error message? Perhaps on the Windows notification area or in Device Manager?

6- Is the issue happening on both network bands? (2.4GHz and 5GHz?)

7- Is this happening at home, office environment, or both?

8- Exact model of the "Ubiquiti access points (UAC-AC-Pro)" or a link as a reference.

 

9- Run the Intel® System Support Utility (Intel® SSU) to gather more details about the system.

  • Download the Intel® SSU and save the application on your computer
  • Open the application, check the "Everything" checkbox, and click "Scan" to see the system and device information. The Intel® SSU defaults to the "Summary View" on the output screen following the scan. Click the menu where it says "Summary" to change to "Detailed View".
  • To save your scan, click Next and click Save.
  • Once you have saved the file (.txt file), please attach it to your reply.

To upload and attach a file, use the "Drag and drop here or browse files to attach" option below the response textbox.

 

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

 

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AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
1,958 Views

Hello mtcsltd

We are checking this thread and we would like to know if you need further assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact us back if you have additional inquiries.


Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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AndrewG_Intel
Moderator
1,934 Views

Hello mtcsltd

We have not heard back from you so we will proceed to close this thread now. If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitored.


Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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