Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160Mhz

[Cas]

going crazy, just installed Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160Mhz on my Alienware m18 R2, and never connects, have latest driver using the Intel Driver & Support Assistant dated 11/30/20 ver 20.20.0.6, reboot after reboot, install after install, always says Wi-Fi Off, I continually "turn wifi on" and automatically turns off. what is going on?!?!?! After always failing to connect, turn on, I plug-in a usb adaptor to connect to net, so I can do this..please help, this is driving me nuts.. current config of laptop...the Intel WiFi 6 AX200 doesn't even show up..

BIOS Version :	A14
BIOS Date :	5/28/18

Processor

Processor :	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3610QM CPU @ 2.30GHz
Clock Speed :	2.3Ghz
L2 Cache Size :	256

Network controller

Adapter	Qualcomm Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.30)
	Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)

Display Adapters

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M

Keyboards, Mice & Pointing Devices	USB Input Device
	Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad

Monitors

Generic PnP Monitor

Sound Devices	NVIDIA High Definition Audio
	NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible) (WDM)
	Sound Blaster Recon3Di

USB Controllers	Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller - 1.0 (Microsoft)
	Intel(R) 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller - 1E2D
	Intel(R) 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller - 1E26

[AlHill]

You may have the latest driver, but your system is 2012:

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/64899/intel-core-i7-3610qm-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-30-ghz.html

So the Intel support engineers can have more information about your system, Download, run, and save the results of this utility as a text file:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility

Then ATTACH the text file using the instructions under the reply window ( Drag and drop here or browse files to attach ).

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)

[Cas]

much thanks for the info and links..

[Cas]

here is the results of SSU scan...also attached in  TXT file....thanks for the help

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home(10.0.19042 Build 19042)
Physical Memory (Installed): 16 GB
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3610QM CPU @ 2.30GHz
System Type: x64-based PC
Total Installed Updates: 36 Updates - See Detailed View for more information
Display Adapter(s): NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M 25.21.14.2531
System Manufacturer: Alienware
System Model: M18xR2
Network Adapter(s): Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network) #2 10.0.19041.1
Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160MHz 22.20.0.6
Phantom TAP-Windows Adapter V9 9.24.2.601
Qualcomm Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (NDIS 6.30) 2.1.0.27
Realtek 8812BU Wireless LAN 802.11ac USB NIC 1030.38.712.2019
TAP Adapter V9 for Private Tunnel 9.0.0.20
TAP Adapter V9 for Private Tunnel #2 9.0.0.20
TAP Adapter V9 for Private Tunnel #3 9.0.0.20
TAP Adapter V9 for Private Tunnel #4 9.0.0.20
TAP-NordVPN Windows Adapter V9 9.0.0.23
Windscribe VPN 9.0.0.21
Disk(s): Intel Raid 0 Volume 236.89 GB (available) 10.0.19041.1
System Messages: Included
Direct-X Diagnostics: Included

[Khun_Doug]

I'm interested to read what AlHill thinks after looking at the SSU report. I looked at the report and I see a lot of things reporting as Not Available. There are also hundreds of errors reported.

Just to get a clearer understanding of the PC ....

Was this laptop originally running an older version of Windows? Perhaps factory install of Windows 8 or 8.1?

How do you have the AX200 hardware installed?

[Cas]

hopefully can get it figured out,, ran upgrade scan from userbecnhmark.com, and contaced youtuber who has same pc as mine and did the upgrade, posted it the video..with both the website and what he had done, figured would try and upgrade mine, been having serious net issues, and with pandedmic, everything is online so figured perfect time...it is installed using M.2 to PCIe Converter and WiFi 6 AX200 WiFi Adapter. Here is the video and the m.2 to PCIe converter is the newer than in video.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QV0UoOmC-Q&t=270s&ab_channel=CSStudios

[Khun_Doug]

Cas,

I watched the video from the link you shared. While interesting and a way to shoe-horn an AX adapter into a laptop that otherwise couldn't have one, it also appears to be fraught with problems, and is almost surely not a supported method of adding new hardware.

That being said, I will offer some generic suggestions. As I posted earlier, the report from the SSU appears to be full of errors indicating trouble understanding or accessing the hardware and possibly even damaged parts of the OS. I would recommend going to the smallest set of variables with the laptop. It appears there were two VPN applications. If possible, I would make note of all the applications you need, and have Windows reset to a clean and stable state, but save your data. If possible, you might actually be better to just do a full install, eliminating any chance of system corruption. Once you have a minimal OS, then try bringing the AX adapter online. You may need to make some adjustments in BIOS.

You certainly have a project set in front of you. I am curious if you get some success, so please post back.

[Cas]

yes indeedie, that is the plan, as soon as the other card gets here..the youtuber, said he used the updated card in 9 other Alienware m18x r2 with no issues, just plug n play, so hopefully, I get same results..

[Cas]

Happy to report, new wifi 6 card works like a charm. Speed is even faster than the USB adaptor I was using. Highly recommend the new card as to the other original option. 585mbps download, amazing, never saw above 212....much thanks for all the info from everyone. Next objective is maxing the RAM and new GPU. All I can say is WoW, the speed..woohoo only $20 bux....