WiFi-Direct Dual Band mode 2.4GHz and 5Ghz

[P3r3rg1nus]

Hello, 

    I have an application in which I create a WiFi direct AP (using AX201 or AC7265 Intel WiFi boards) and I need to connect devices which supports only 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n.

Sometimes the devices connects with no problem to the AP but sometimes I have to force the driver settings in order to work only at 2.4Ghz. 

Does in principle the AX201 and AC7265 WiFi direct driver supports both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz bands SIMULTANEOUSLY?

[RamyerM_Intel]

Hello P3r3rg1nus, 

Thank you for posting communities. About your question regarding the AX201 and AC7265, although this wireless components are able to connect to 2.4 and 5Ghz frequency, they cannot connect to both this frequencies at the same time. I do want to emphasize that they can connect betwee 2.4 and 5Ghz frequency. You may also visit this links for their specification: 

• Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX201
• Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265

About the issue you are experiencing regarding the creation of a direct Access point, may I please know the specific model of the system that you are using? You may also submit to us the SSU logs so we can further check this for you. Please also specify the application that you are using. If you prefer to continue the conversation by email, please let me know as well. I will be waiting for your reply. 

Ramyer M. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[P3r3rg1nus]

Thank you for the reply Ramyer, 

     I have attached the SSU logs. I understand that 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands cannot operate simultaneously.

In my application I create a direct WiFi AP using the .NET "Windows.Devices.WiFiDirect". When I have a PC connected to my AP in RDP for instance using the 802.11ax and another device which implements only the 802.11b/g/n connects to my AP, the result is that I don't see this second device. In order to allow both, I forced the driver settings so that only the 802.11 b/g is used. I also set the driver to prefer the 2.4 Ghz band. It works but I would be sure this is the correct solution. 

[RamyerM_Intel]

Hello P3r3rg1nus,

Thank you for sharing the logs. We will take a look internally at this for you and give an update on this thread as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Ramyer M.
Intel Customer Support Technician

[RamyerM_Intel]

Hello P3r3rg1nus,

Thank you for patiently waiting. Upon coordinating this with our team, we want to let you know that all current Intel® Wireless Adapters are client-only devices and don't support the master or AP mode. The Intel Wireless Adapters can support the Wi-Fi Direct (peer-to-peer) or the hotspot features.

The Wi-Fi performance is influenced by multiple factors, including the environmental impact. We highly recommend to check on router/AP settings of current network environment, identify interference or contention from other Wi-Fi networks then adjust the adapter advanced setting for the best throughput. You may refer to this article: Recommended Settings for 802.11ac and 802.11ax Connectivity.

Ramyer M. 

Intel Customer Support Technician

[P3r3rg1nus]

Thank you Ramyer, 

   so using the adapter in Wi-Fi Direct, multiple peers can connect to the adapter. If all the peers are 2.4 GHz devices I should not have troubles, is it correct?

After some months of testing I also found an interesting disuniformity between different network cards when using the WiFi direct: AX201 seems to perform  well in all the situations. AC7262 works fine for about 90 minutes after this time I see the connection going up and down continuously, I see 10/15 correct ping requests then 10/15 pings which fails, then 10/15 pings success and so on. The 9260 card on the contrary is more stable but there is a huge latency which in not observable on the AX201.

[RamyerM_Intel]

Hello P3r3rg1nus, 

Let me double check this information for you and keep you posted on this thread as soon as possible.  Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

Ramyer M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[RamyerM_Intel]

Hello P3r3rg1nus, 

Upon coordinating with our team, we want to let you know that using Wi-Fi Direct, you can indeed connect multiple peers to an adapter, and if all the peers are 2.4 GHz devices, you should generally not encounter any compatibility issues. Devices operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band can be certified under the Wi-Fi Direct program. However, it's important to note that performance can vary depending on the specific network card and its driver support. For more information, you can visit the Wi-Fi Direct article from the Wi-Fi Alliance website. 

Your observations about the performance discrepancies among different network cards are quite insightful. The Intel AX201 card is known for its robust performance across various scenarios. In contrast, the AC7262 card's fluctuating connectivity after extended use could be indicative of thermal throttling or driver issues. The Intel 9260 card's higher latency compared to the AX201 might be due to differences in hardware design or firmware optimizations.

For the most stable experience with Wi-Fi Direct, especially over prolonged periods, it would be advisable to use network cards that have been tested and proven to maintain consistent performance, like the AX201, as you've mentioned. Additionally, keeping your network drivers up to date can help ensure optimal performance and stability.

Ramyer M.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[P3r3rg1nus]

Thank you very much Ramyer for these precious information. 

Best Regards,

mario