Wi-Fi 6 AX201: Severe packet loss and connection drops in online games

[Wert-DK]

Hello,

I'm experiencing a recurring issue with the Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160MHz adapter on my laptop. During online gameplay (e.g., Arma 3 and Rainbow Six Siege), I often suffer from sudden packet loss and connection drops. These disconnections sometimes resolve after 2–3 minutes, but in many cases, I get disconnected from the server and cannot reconnect immediately.

Oddly, other devices on the same Wi-Fi network (like my phone) continue to work perfectly during these interruptions, even when streaming high-quality videos.

I’ve already tried:
- Updating to the latest driver (currently on version 23.130.1.1)
- Resetting network settings
- Checking Windows Event Viewer (shows Event ID 6062 repeatedly)

[JedG_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK,

Thank you for posting on Intel Community Forum.

To assist you effectively, please share the information below.

1. Were you able to have wireless connection in a normal/expected performance before?

2. Do you remember if this issue happened after a new OS update or Wireless driver update?

3. What is the full model of the laptop? If possible, kindly share the link to it.

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

5. Do the interruption only occur when playing games?

Additionally, to have a better understanding of your system configuration and components please generate System Support Utility (SSU) report. Please follow instructions here and send the report - How to get the Intel® System Support Utility Logs on Windows*

I hope to hear from you soon.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jed,

Thank you for your quick response.

1. Yes, the wireless connection used to work more stably and without major issues before.

2. I can't say exactly when the issue started. At first, I thought it was a router problem and ignored it. The problem might have started around 6 to 12 months ago.

3. The full model of my laptop is ACER Swift SF316-51.

4. If you're referring to hardware, I haven’t replaced or upgraded any components since I bought the laptop — everything is original.

5. The disconnection happens not only in online games but also, for example, in Discord. I haven’t tested in other apps yet.

I’m also ready to attach an SSU report if it will help you better understand the issue.

Best regards,

WERT_DK

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jed,

I’d like to share some additional information that may be useful for the investigation.

Based on my observations, the issue most likely started after a wireless driver update or a Windows update. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to track the exact moment since I didn’t pay much attention to it at first.

Today, I experienced the issue again — this time while printing documents. The first part printed instantly without any problems. However, when I tried to print the second part, the printing process was interrupted. An error appeared in the logs, and the connection was restored only after 3–4 minutes. After that, printing resumed normally.

I suspect that the 22.160.0.4 driver version provides a more stable experience. If possible, could you verify or confirm this?

Also, as requested, I’ve prepared and attached the SSU report so you can have a better look at my system configuration.

Best regards,
WERT_DK

[JedG_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK,

Thank you for sharing all this information.

For further troubleshooting, please try to follow the steps below.

• Perform a clean installation of the latest wireless drivers available. The latest driver can be downloaded in our Download Center. If applicable, you may want to check the Original Equipment Manufacturer's website for customized drivers.
• Make sure you have the recommended settings for the wireless standard: Recommended Settings for 802.11ax Connectivity.
• Update BIOS to the latest version. To check how to perform the BIOS update, please contact the Original Equipment Manufacturer.
• Confirm there are no pending Windows updates.
• Try connecting to another network if available, and test if the issue persists.
• Try connecting to another Access Point (AP) or router, and test if the issue persists.
• Make sure the router or Access Point (AP) is well configured. We recommend contacting your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to ensure this.

For reference: Intel® Wireless Adapter Keeps Disconnecting from the Network

I look forward to your response.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello again,

Thank you for your detailed response and support.

I wanted to provide an honest update on the troubleshooting steps:

• I’ve tested the latest available wireless drivers from the Download Center, but the issue still persists.

• I haven’t updated the BIOS — I’ve never done it before, and to be honest, I’m a bit hesitant to do it for the first time without guidance.

• I also wasn’t able to test the connection with another router or access point, since I don’t currently have access to another network environment.

• My system uses the original built-in adapter — no hardware changes have been made since purchase.

• Windows is fully updated, and there are no pending updates.

The connection drops randomly, including during simple tasks like printing or voice communication in Discord. In the Event Viewer, I consistently see Netwtw10 errors with event IDs 7003 and 7021.

Based on my experience, I strongly believe this issue started after a driver or system update. I recall the connection being much more stable in the past — especially when using driver version 22.160.0.4.

Would it be possible to get a direct link or official access to that specific driver version for further testing?

Please let me know if I can share any more system logs or details to assist in troubleshooting.

Thanks again for your time and support!

Best regards

[JedG_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK,

I appreciate your effort. As the issue persists after following most of the steps, can you please attach a screenshot of the error messages that you are seeing on the Event Viewer or of possible, kindly share the Event Viewer logs.?

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jed,

Apologies for the delayed response.

Please find attached the Event Viewer logs as requested. Let me know if any additional information is needed.

Best regards,
Wert-DK

[JeanetteC_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK

Were you able to check the previous post? 

Let us know if you have any questions. 

Best regards

JeanetteC.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jeanette,

Yes, I’ve just responded to your colleague Jed.
Apologies again for the delay.

Best regards,
Wert-DK

[JeanetteC_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK,

I will look into this internally and provide an update as soon as it is available.

Best regards

JeanetteC.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JedG_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK,

I'm writing to give you an update.

To further assist in resolving the issue, we kindly recommend proceeding with an update of your motherboard’s BIOS. This step is important as it can address compatibility or stability concerns that may be contributing to the problem.

We understand that you may not be familiar with the BIOS update process. In light of this, we strongly advise reaching out to your motherboard manufacturer’s support team or referring to their official documentation to ensure the update is performed safely and correctly.

Should the issue persist after completing the BIOS update, please do not hesitate to inform us so we can continue with the next steps in troubleshooting.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we look forward to your update.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jed,

Thank you for the advice. I’ll try updating the BIOS a bit later and will definitely keep you informed about the results.

Best regards,
Wert-DK

[JedG_Intel]

 Hello Wert-DK,

Thank you for your cooperation and the effort you’ve put in. I would truly appreciate it if you could keep me informed about the outcome, so we can take the next appropriate steps together.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[JedG_Intel]

Hi Wert-DK,

I'm just following up to inquire about the results of the previous recommendation. Kindly inform us so we can determine the next steps to take.

Best regards,

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jed,

Thanks for following up. I’m planning to bring my PC to a friend this Saturday so he can help me with the BIOS update if needed. I’ll share an update with you after that.

Best regards,
Wert-DK

[JedG_Intel]

Hi Wert-DK,

Thank you for the continuous update. Please keep me informed so that we can proceed accordingly.

Best regards,

Jed Allen G.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Wert-DK]

Hello Jed,

I just wanted to provide an update regarding my issue.

After several attempts, I somehow managed to “dig up” an older version of the driver — 22.40.0.7. To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what exactly I did — I mostly relied on ChatGPT and a bit of intuition. But eventually, my laptop installed that specific version.

As I suspected from the beginning, this older driver version turned out to be the solution. The connection is now significantly more stable, and I haven’t experienced any of the previous issues.

While I understand that newer drivers are generally preferred, in this case, reverting to an earlier version clearly resolved the problem. Thank you for your cooperation and your suggestions throughout the process — I truly appreciate your support, even if the final fix came from a different direction.

Best regards,
Wert-DK

[JedG_Intel]

Hello Wert-DK,

Thank you for keeping me informed. The information you shared is truly valuable and will undoubtedly assist other members of the community should they encounter a similar issue.

It appears that the driver you utilized (version 22.40.0.7) was provided by your Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Please be advised that we recommend using drivers supplied by the OEM, as these are specifically customized and optimized by the manufacturer to ensure full compatibility with your system. While Intel provides generic drivers that support a wide range of components, OEM drivers are tailored to meet the unique requirements of your device.

In this case, we have confirmed that using the OEM-provided driver has improved the situation, indicating that the driver released by Acer includes modifications specific to your system.

For reference: https://www.acer.com/gb-en/support/product-support/SF316-51/NX.ABDEK.001/downloads

As the initial concern has been successfully addressed, I will now proceed with closing this inquiry. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to submit a new inquiry, as this thread will no longer be actively monitored.

Best regards

Jed G.

Intel Customer Support Technician