Intel Wireless AC9260 not connecting automatically using WPA3

[NoboD]

I have a Intel Wireless AC9260 and Intel Wireless Driver 21.90.3 running Windows 10 x64 1909.

I can connect to my router, a Fritz!Box 7530, using WPA2 without any issues.

If, however, I choose to explicitly set up the Network connection using WPA3 the connection isn't established automatically even though the corresponding option to connect automatically is set. Removal of the network (i.e., forgetting the network) and setting it up anew didn't help. Moreover, setting it up with WPA2 works like a charm including the automatic connection to the network.

It seems to me that there is an issue with WPA3 here.

Any help is appreciated.

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello NoboD

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities.

In order to check this behavior further, could you please provide the following information?

1- Is the Intel® Wireless-AC 9260 the original wireless adapter that came pre-installed in your system or did you integrate it?

2- Did this configuration work fine before at some point with WPA3? Please provide details.

3- Have you tried a different router or Access point for testing purposes?

4- Have you connected another WPA3 device to this Fritz!Box 7530 router? What is the behavior?

5- Just to make sure, is this your Router device*?

https://en.avm.de/products/fritzbox/fritzbox-7530/technical-data/

6- If the answer to question #5 is "yes", is your router using WPA3 transition mode "WPA2 + WPA3"? Based on their technical specification link (on point 5 above), it might not support WPA3 natively but through a "transition mode"*: https://en.avm.de/service/fritzbox/fritzbox-7530/knowledge-base/publication/show/3481_Does-the-FRITZ-Box-support-WPA3/ Have you checked this with their support team?

7- Could you please provide more details on where and how you are configuring to use WPA3?

8- Are you using WPA3-Personal or WPA3-Enterprise mode?

Also, please run the Intel® System Support Utility (Intel® SSU) and attach the report to this thread to gather more details about your system.

1. Download the Intel® SSU and save the application on your computer. https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows-
2. 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".
3. To save your scan, click Next and click Save.

Note: To upload and attach a file, use the "Drag and drop here or browse files to attach" dialog below the edit box.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

*Links to third-party sites and references to third-party trademarks are provided for convenience and illustrative purposes only. Unless explicitly stated, Intel® is not responsible for the contents of such links, and no third-party endorsement of Intel® or any of its products is implied.

[NoboD]

Hi Andrew G.,

thank you very much for your reply. Please find my answers below.

1- It is an Asus PCE-AC58BT PCIE Wireless Card that came preinstalled in my desktop computer.

2- It never worked with WPA3. My previous router did not offer WPA3. The router Fritz!Box 7530 I have now does offer WPA3, but I never got it working to connect this way with the Asus PCE-AC58BT PCIE Wireless Card.

3- No, I don't have access to another router or access point that offers WPA3.

4- There are other devices in the household that are connected via WPA3 to this Fritz!Box, namely an iPhone, a MacBook Air, an Android 10 Phone and a Raspi4 running on Linux.
The attached screenshots show a) the web interface of the Fritz!Box 7530 with two of these devices connected via WPA3 and b) the Wifi properties of the Android 10 Phone.

5- Yes, that is my device.

6- Yes, the router is configured to use transition mode "WPA2 + WPA3". I understand the WPA3 transition mode "WPA2 + WPA3" to be a mode that simultaneously offers WPA2 and WPA3 where WPA2 is offered with a tighter security configuration than the specification of WPA2 requires. I don't understand what you mean by the router not supporting WPA3 natively?

I haven't checked with their support team, as other devices could connect via WPA3 (see 4). But I am happy to do that.

7- I add the network using "Windows 10 Settings - Network & Internet - Wifi - Manage known Networks - Add a new network" and setting the "Security Type" to "WPA3-Personal AES" (see attached screenshot).

8- Are you using WPA3-Personal or WPA3-Enterprise mode?
WPA3-Personal

Please also find attached the detailed view of the output of the Intel® System Support Utility.

Let me know if there is anything you need from my side to look into this.

Looking forward to your support.

Best

NoboD

[IntelSupport]

Hello NoboD

Thank you for your response and for all the detailed information.

We can confirm that Intel® Wireless-AC 9260 does support WPA3-Personal using Windows® 10 May 2019 version 1903 Update or later and Wi-Fi driver 21.10.X or later. For more details please refer to this link:

Support for Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 (WPA3) on Intel® Wireless Adapters >> https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000054783/network-and-i-o/wireless.html

We noticed the system is running Intel® generic driver 21.90.3.2. Just to rule out driver issues, we would like to recommend a clean install of all the customized drivers for the PCIe Wireless Card. You can download them from the ASUS* website:

ASUS PCE-AC58BT Driver 20.50.3.3 and WiFi Driver: Win10x64 driver ver: 20.50.3.3

https://www.asus.com/Networking/PCE-AC58BT/HelpDesk_Download/

You can try a Clean Installation of Wireless Driver following the steps in this link:

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

As a second option you may try the Clean Installation of Wireless Driver using the latest Intel® generic driver available 21.120.0:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29815/Windows-10-Wi-Fi-Drivers-for-Intel-Wireless-Adapters

Note: If there are issues installing the driver, please use the Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for IT Admins version 21.120.0 and follow the steps on this thread: https://community.intel.com/t5/Wireless/Installation-problems-of-Windows-10-Wi-Fi-Drivers-for-End-users/m-p/1205945#M30551

Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for IT Admins Version: 21.120.0

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/29816/Intel-PROSet-Wireless-Software-and-Drivers-for-IT-Admins?product=99445

We noticed that the Intel® wireless card has been integrated on an ASUS* PCIe adapter. If the issue persists, this could be related to a wireless integration problem, compatibility or a limitation by design from the manufacturer of the PCIe adapter and our best recommendation is to check this further with ASUS* for further debugging and testing from their side.

It is worth mentioning that the Intel® Wireless-AC 9260 is intended to be sold only to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for them to install it on their system and they are the ones responsible for the customization and proper integration.

The only retail wireless adapters currently supported by Intel are the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 + Bluetooth® for Desktop, the Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 Desktop Kit, and the Intel® Wi-Fi 6 Gig+ Desktop Kit. For more information please refer to Regulatory Information Regarding Wireless Hardware Installation or Upgrade:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005687/network-and-i-o/wireless.html

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

*Links to third-party sites and references to third-party trademarks are provided for convenience and illustrative purposes only. Unless explicitly stated, Intel® is not responsible for the contents of such links, and no third-party endorsement of Intel® or any of its products is implied.

[AndrewG_Intel]

Hello NoboD

We have not heard back from you so we will proceed to close this thread now. If the issue persists, our final recommendation is to check this further with the manufacturer of the PCIe Wireless card (ASUS*)

If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer being monitored.

It has been a pleasure to assist you.

Best regards,

Andrew G.

Intel Customer Support Technician