Windows 10: no 5ghz wifi due to regulatory domain being incorrectly detected.

this problem just keeps going on and on without any hint of why or how to fix it. i live in the USA, my wireless regulatory domain is FCC yet all of my 5ghz channels besides 157@20mhz very slow are disabled. this happened about 2-3 months ago and still continues after multiple clean format/install of latest windows ISO. to add insult to injury windows does not provide any documentation whatsoever of how regdom is determined and what mechanism of action disables the wireless channels?


what this is not:

- not advanced options for wifi adapter, i've tried every conceivable combination.

- not a user configuration error

- not windows set to the wrong region

- not using a windows licence from another country even tried buying a new USA W10 Pro key, no change

- not a wireless adapter failure i've tried 3 different models with the same issue


the usual link to "fix all wifi problems" do not apply here, nor do different wireless drivers. i've force installed many different versions


i've been to TechNet as have other users, no help at all.

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/80957105-23b2-40d0-af52-c9b03df3e237/windows-10-and-80211d-change-in-wifi-regulatory-domains?forum=win10itpronetworking

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/d8d8a480-7cce-42ee-bca6-538736efaa75/regulatory-domain-wireless-regdom-incorrectly-detected?forum=win10itpronetworking

i've talked with intel, again no help at all.


https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P00004VggYASAZ/wireless-ac-9260-regulatory-lardrs-breaks-5ghz-functionality
https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P00004YPOvaSAH/wireless-ac-8265-ax-200-sets-the-incorrect-regulatory-domain
https://forums.intel.com/s/question/0D50P00004Etn40SAB/ac-9560-160mhz-connection-problems-on-5ghz-wifi-with-auto-channel-width



i've tried bios resets, attempted cmos reset before clean install of windows, used all original OEM components and flashed 3 different versions of bios and all with the same outcome. on linux i can easily fix this by disabling Location Aware Regulatory but on windows there is not even documentation on 802.11/regdom or what handles it or how it's determined.


as much as windows likes to take control away from users, maybe in the event all the baby proofing fails in an epic manor is a great time to have a way of fixing it. i dont have much hope this post will get an effective response but i'm more than open to trying some possible solutions.

:)

 

regulatory domain limiting channels/frequencies

inspirion 15-7559
intel wireless-ac 9260 and also happens with intel wireless-ac 8265
region: US
the linux info mentioned below is for a better explanation of whats happening on windows on the same machine, behavior is identical and only begain after the latest big windows update. getting equivalent outputs from a windows terminal has proven next to impossible as im unaware and unable to find any tool capable of displaying it.

the problem that seemingly nobody knows about and causes problems with wifi and available channels quite often seems unsolvable after a month of trying every possible thing i can think of. the problem began after a windows 10 update about 1-2 months ago.

before this windows update i had no problems connecting to channel L: [email protected] from both windows 10 and from arch linux, after this update not only could windows not see any 5ghz channel other than L: [email protected] (barely usable, max of 7mbps instead of 360mbps it usually is) but this also seems to effected the way linux is determining available frequencies and is limited to only channel L: [email protected] just like windows and happened after a windows update. fast boot is not enabled and there is no reason for this yet it happened.

on the linux side of things the fix was simple using the included module option `lar_disable=1` of the intel driver `iwlwifi`, that module option disables LAR ("Location Aware Regulatory") and all is good in the linux world with wifi again.

to simplify the question im trying to ask, a way of accomplishing any 1 of the following questions would be greatly appreciated.

1. is it possible to disable the LAR function of the windows 10 intel wireless driver? (there are no readily available region/regdom settings, none of the power management or forcing of 5ghz methods make any difference)

2. a way to force windows to stop limiting the wifi channels that for some reason are being blocked, or even an explanation of how windows manages this?, there is no documentation im able to find from both windows and from intel that explain how they manage it.

3. is there a registry entry that would even tell me what regulatory domain is actually being detected/used? (both intel and microsoft have not been able to answer this, or rather they just wont answer it)

addition info and links to intel/microsoft unresolved help requests on the same subject.
microsoft technet, including a list of everything i've tried
https://social.technet.microsoft.com...tpronetworking

intel support, again providing blanket statements and providing nothing of value
Forums

channels/frequencies i was able to use previously and should still be able to use on windows and linux. both commands are from linux and show whats happening in regards to location aware regulatory.

#this is with lar_disable=Y or lar_disable=1 (same thing)
#everything works perfectly

~ >>> iw reg get [234]
global
country US: DFS-FCC
(2402 - 2472 @ 40), (N/A, 30), (N/A)
(5170 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (N/A), AUTO-BW
(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW
(5490 - 5730 @ 160), (N/A, 23), (0 ms), DFS
(5735 - 5835 @ 80), (N/A, 30), (N/A)
(57240 - 71000 @ 2160), (N/A, 40), (N/A)

the above is from a perfectly working wifi by passing `lar_disable=1` to the iwlwifi module to disable LAR. note the region is set correctly. below is from a boot not using the module option to disable LAR, note the extra portion "DFS UNSET" , the regulatory domain is detected properly but then DFS UNSET disables the channels it should not be disabling resulting in identical behavior as windows where only ch. L: [email protected] is able to be used.

#this is without lar_disable=Y and i cant use anything other than
#20 for channel width which results in no 5ghz ac ability and terrible speed
~ >>> iw reg get
global
country US: DFS-FCC
(2402 - 2472 @ 40), (N/A, 30), (N/A)
(5170 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (N/A), AUTO-BW
(5250 - 5330 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW
(5490 - 5730 @ 160), (N/A, 23), (0 ms), DFS
(5735 - 5835 @ 80), (N/A, 30), (N/A)
(57240 - 71000 @ 2160), (N/A, 40), (N/A)

phy#0 (self-managed)
country ID: DFS-UNSET
(2402 - 2437 @ 40), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ
(2422 - 2462 @ 40), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ
(2447 - 2482 @ 40), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ
(5735 - 5815 @ 20), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ


thanks for reading, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cannot detect 5Ghz wifi

The location I am accessing the router is the same even prior to the lost of 5ghz signal. I am using different SSID as previous to differentiate the bandwidth. The router is quite near to my laptop too.

I just can't understand why it can detect the 5ghz signal. My mobile is connecting fine to the 5Ghz.

Yes the TP-Link Archer C5 firmware is V2. No change as well.

The problem starts ever since the Windows update on the 18th Jan.

Now no matter what I do...I cannot get my windows to detect the 5Ghz wifi...

 

Cannot detect 5Ghz wifi

My Asus Zenbook UX305 used to be able to connect to 5Ghz wifi router but ever since the last security update from Windows 10. It no longer can detect 5Ghz wifi signal but only 2.4Ghz.

I have googled for the solution but none seems to be able to solve my problem. I am using TP-Link Archer C5 dualband wireless router. My Asus is using the built in Intel dual band wireless adaptor AC 7265.

I have tried many ways including changing the TP-Link channel from 36 to 40 then to 44 but my laptops still unable to detect the 5Ghz signal. I have also download Intel latest ProSet wireless driver but also failed to connect to 5GHz.

Can anyone help me here.

Thanks