AX210 and 6 GHz under Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS

[BobDobbs]

Has anyone got an AX210 to make 6 GHz connections while running Ubuntu?

I have an AX210 on a machine running Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS, and a wireless router/AP (Unifi Dream Router 7) that can provide WiFi 7.  So far, I've been unable to get the AX210 to see and connect to the 6 GHz band.

FWIW, I don't think there is a signal strength problem.  PC and AP are maybe 20 feet apart, through one wall of average wood frame + drywall residential construction.

The AP has the following SSID's broadcasting:

--one aggregated 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz SSID

--a special, 6 GHz-only SSISD

--a third only at 2.4 GHz for Internet of Things devices.

the Ubuntu machine will only connect to the first SSID at 5 GHz. It does not "see" the 6 GHz band at all.

FWIW, Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS ships with the 6.11.x kernel.  I tried the latest 6.14.3 kernel too, no change.

I also tried a live session of the latest Ubuntu release, 25.04 - no difference.

I am in the US.  I have a second PC running Windows 11, with a second AX210, that does connect at 6 GHz, so this should be possible with the Ubuntu machine as well.

What do I need to do to make this work?

[JedG_Intel]

Hello BobDobbs,

It seems that you're having issues connecting to 6GHz band with your Ubuntu system. For me to assist you effectively, please share the information below.

1. Were you able to connect to 6GHz band before?

2. Is this a laptop or a desktop system?

3. Is this the original adapter that came pre-installed in your system, or have you changed/installed a new adapter recently?

I look forward to your response.

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BobDobbs]

1) "before" I had Windows 10 on the machine, which is deliberately crippled by MS/Intel so that the AX210 does not work on the 6 GHz band, so no.

2) desktop

3) add-in card.  Have been using it for a few years, under Windows 10 until now.  It worked under Windows 10 except that the 6 GHz band was disabled for no good reason.  Apparently to force me to install Windows 11, which MS doesn't want me to do because it's an older machine.  Really dumb situation, and why I went to Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS.

FWIW, the machine (after installing Ubuntu) does sometimes pick up the 6 GHz SSID, and will connect to it.  Temporarily.  For maybe 10 minutes at a time.  Then it will disconnect, and can't even "see" the 6 GHz SSID.  No apparent pattern so far, other than, the brief 6 GHz functionality usually happens after a reboot.

[BobDobbs]

typo, of course I means Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS not 22.x.x.

[JedG_Intel]

Hello BobDobbs,

Thank you for all this information.

Upon review, the usage of the 6 GHz band relies on support from the Microsoft Windows Operating System. Regulatory bodies in certain countries prohibit the use of the 6 GHz band. Additionally, it may not be enabled on your platform by the system manufacturer. This is likely the reason why you are unable to connect to the 6 GHz band or are experiencing issues with it. Have you had the opportunity to check if your system supports Ubuntu? Kindly confirm this with your motherboard manufacturer.

Additionally, since the wireless card is an "add-in card", please know that before you install/change the Intel Wireless Adapter in a system, you must contact the system manufacturer to determine if the Intel Wireless Adapters you plan to install is approved for use in your system and country. You are required to follow the manufacturer's post-approval requirements.

Since you have already performed the integration, it is also important to understand that it may not work due to hardware or software compatibility issues or dependencies.

You can this article for more information:

Regulatory Information Regarding Wireless Hardware Installation or Upgrade

Intel® Wi-Fi 6E AX210 Adapter Cannot Connect to a 6 GHz Band

How to Enable 6 GHz Band Using Intel® Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 Products

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[BobDobbs · Accepted solution]

Wow, really?  That answer does not address the problem, at best, and I'm being charitable.

It's ok to say "We have no idea why it won't work."

I found the real answer: This appears to be an Ubuntu problem, not an Intel problem.

I tried a live session of Fedora 42 Workstation.  6 GHz WiFi worked right away. Neat.

With that encouraging result, I made a full install of Fedora 42 Workstation.  Further testing is needed, but it seems to maintain a stable 6 GHz connection, indefinitely.

As well as the special, 6 GHz-only SSID I set up, I could connect at 6 GHz to the other SSID, which aggregates 2, 5, and 6 GHz bands.

With a 160 MHz channel width on a 6 GHz connection, I get around 2100 Mbit/s both ways, which is great.  File transfer speed doubled.  With 5 GHz and 80 MHz channel width, WiFi 6, transfers maxed out around 1200 Mbit/s.  I've tried using 160 MHz channels on the 5 GHz band before, but the band is too saturated in my area to get away with that.

Fedora 42 Workstation uses the 6.14.x Linux kernel.  I don't think the newer kernel is the fix, however, since it wasn't with Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS.  There is some other thing going on in Fedora 42 that makes 6 GHz work properly.

tl;dr: The AX210 is fully capable of using the 6 GHz band under some Linux distros, but maybe not Ubuntu 24.04 or 25.04.  Specifically, I had success with Fedora 42 Workstation.

[BobDobbs]

Further results: 6 GHz also works under a Linux Mint 22.1 live session.  I didn't do a full install, but presumably that would work the same.

@JedG_Intel you should not post incorrect information when you don't know the answer.  Microsoft Windows is not required for use of the 6 GHz band with the Intel AX210.

6 GHz band is accessible with an AX210 under at least Fedora 42 Workstation and Linux Mint 42.

[JedG_Intel]

Hello BobDobbs,

Thank you for your initiative in conducting tests to identify the root cause; your efforts are greatly appreciated. I would also like to apologize for any inconvenience this issue has caused. The information I shared with you is based on our article.

Since you were able to identify the root cause, I will now close this thread. Should you have other concerns, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician