How do I enable Wi-Fi 6E?

[Shanester]

My laptop is connecting to the 5 GHz band using the Wi-Fi 6 protocol. How can I connect to the 6 GHz band using the Wi-Fi 6E protocol?

I tried asking this in my Internet Service Providers forum, and they said that my Intel Wi-Fi module needs to be "activated". I don't know what this means.

[banhien]

@Shanester 

What is your router ? Does it support 6E ?

Regards.

[Shanester]

It is a Telus Boost Wi-Fi 6E. Telus has two access points. I have the one that supports 6E. You can find out more at:

http://www.telus.com/wifi

[banhien]

@Shanester 

The specs of your machine is

              https://support.hp.com/au-en/document/ish_8113272-8113356-16

It has one of the following options

• Intel® AX211 Wi-Fi 6E multi-user MIMO supported and Bluetooth® 5.2 (supporting gigabit data rate)

• Realtek Wi-Fi 6E (2x2) and Bluetooth® 5.3 wireless card (supporting gigabit data rate)

For Intel, please try

          https://community.surfboard.com/home-network-optimization-110/enable-wi-fi-6e-on-windows-pc-903

Regards.

[Shanester]

Thanks for this link. I tried searching myself but couldn't find this information. I can't find any Wi-Fi 6E settings in BIOS. When I go into Device Manager > Network Adapters > Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHz > Advanced tab > Ultra High Band (6GHz) Property, the value is Enabled.

I tried disabling the 5 GHz band, My computer then connected to the 2.4 GHz band. I then disabled the 2.4 GHz band, but my computer didn't connect to the 6 GHz band.

I there anything else I can try?

[banhien]

@Shanester 

My machine uses Intel® AX211 Wi-Fi 6E multi-user MIMO supported and Bluetooth® 5.2 (supporting gigabit data rate) but somehow it can NOT see 6GHz SSID of my tri-bands router. Probably I have to sit down to look at this for myself. Sorry.

Updated: Please check some info on the following discussion (P may disable it !)

                 https://community.intel.com/t5/Wireless/AX210-AX211-not-showing-6GHz-networks-with-latest-drivers/m-...

Regards,

[Shanester]

I'm seeing several other people with a similar problem. They can connect with the 6E protocol using their Android phone, but not with their Windows 11 laptop.

Update: In the Intel forum, someone discovered that Dell disabled 6E support. I'm hoping that's not the case with HP.

[banhien]

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@Shanester wrote:

Update: In the Intel forum, someone discovered that Dell disabled 6E support. I'm hoping that's not the case with HP.

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@Shanester 

Probably same forum as I mentioned above. I also mentioned above my HP zBook Firefly 14 G10 machine which does not see 6E SSID  and my Dell 7740 (which is in front of me right now) also uses same Intel wifi adapter and it does NOT see 6E SSID.

I think must be some unknown reasons they disabled that. One thing I know is the coverage of 6E is not great.

Regards.

[Shanester]

Yes, its the same forum. Dell didn't say why they disabled the 6E protocol on their laptops. They also didn't disclose it. Instead, they released hardware that clearly states it supports 6E, with people not knowing that 6E support was disabled in the software.

You mentioned that the coverage is not great. As the radio frequency increases, its able to carry more information, but the range decreases. Also, It had a harder time going through walls. This is an overly simplified explanation of how radio works. But my laptop is sitting next to the access point, so it is not an issue for me.

This appears to be a problem with the Intel 6E AX211. However, Intel doesn't offer support. They say I have to go to the retail seller for support, which is HP.