Intel AX201 – Wi-Fi Direct / SoftAP / Hosted Network no longer working under Windows 11 (need suppor

[Seththellos]

Hello,

I am using an Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 wireless adapter with the latest driver versions available for Windows 11 (25H2).

I have noticed that the adapter no longer supports Wireless Hosted Network / SoftAP / legacy Wi-Fi Direct modes, which are required for connecting to certain devices such as Canon printers using Wi-Fi Direct (SoftAP mode) model PIXMA TS5055 (up to date).

✔ My issue

When I check driver capabilities using:

netsh wlan show drivers

I get:

Hosted network supported : No

As a result, my Windows 11 PC cannot connect to my Canon TS5055 printer using Wi-Fi Direct, while:

• an iPhone

• a MacBook

• and another Windows PC (with older Intel/Realtek Wi-Fi drivers)

can connect and print without any issue.

This strongly suggests that the removal of Hosted Network / SoftAP support in newer Intel drivers is the cause of the problem.

✔ What I already tested

• Latest driver for AX201 (23.x) → Hosted Network = No

• Rolling back to older Windows 10/11 builds → still No

• Clean install of Windows 11 → still No

• Other devices connect normally to the printer's Wi-Fi Direct

• Printer works perfectly with Wi-Fi Direct when using older Intel wireless drivers (21.40.x), but these are not officially available for Windows 11 and cannot always be installed on modern systems.

✔ My problem

I need the ability to connect to my printer using its built-in Wi-Fi Direct network for technical and workflow reasons.
Windows 11 supports Wi-Fi Direct, but Intel’s newer drivers only support P2P / Miracast Wi-Fi Direct — not the SoftAP-based Wi-Fi Direct used by many printers.

✔ My request

Could Intel:

1. Confirm officially that SoftAP / Hosted Network features are deprecated for Intel Wi-Fi 6 adapters under Windows 11?

2. Provide an official workaround or legacy compatibility mode to allow users to connect to Wi-Fi Direct printers?

3. Provide an officially supported older driver (e.g., 21.40.5) that reinstates Wi-Fi Direct SoftAP mode for users who need it?

This limitation affects many users who rely on Wi-Fi Direct printing, especially with Canon, Epson, Brother, and HP printers that use SoftAP Wi-Fi Direct.

Thank you in advance for your support and clarification.

[Bruceee31]

.,Hosted Network / SoftAP functionality is no longer supported in newer drivers for Intel Wi-Fi 6 adapters on Windows 11. This change affects legacy Wi-Fi Direct (SoftAP-based) connections commonly used by printers and some other devices. drivers now primarily support P2P / Miracast Wi-Fi Direct, which is why your Canon PIXMA TS5055 printer can no longer connect via SoftAP mode. Intel does not officially provide drivers that reinstate SoftAP for AX201 on Windows 11, and the older 21.40.x drivers are not supported on modern systems..You may consider connecting the printer using an alternative method, such as standard Wi-Fi infrastructure mode or via a direct Ethernet connection if supported, to maintain workflow continuity.