[GUIDE] Successful Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) on Framework 13 AMD with Qualcomm QCNCM865 and Arch Linux

Framework Laptop 13 Linux
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Hello Framework Forum,

Just wanna share my successful experience with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) on the Framework 13 AMD laptop running Arch Linux, powered by the Qualcomm QCNCM865 card. This achievement has been made possible by utilizing the ath12k driver. This card feat the FastConnect 7800, which is a feature complete Wi-Fi 7 architecture.

The QCNCM865 card, featuring the WCN7850(virtually WCN7851) chipset. And ath12k is an really active wifi 7 driver for latest qualcomm technologies.

Additionally, Bluetooth 5.4 is also fully functional.

I’m using 6.8.0-rc3-1-mainline but should also work on 6.7.x.

To replicate this setup, you want to add board.bin and regdb.bin into /lib/firmware/ath12k/WCN7850/hw2.0.

cd /lib/firmware/ath12k/WCN7850/hw2.0
sudo wget https://github.com/kvalo/ath11k-firmware/raw/master/ath12k-testing/WCN7850/hw2.0/board.bin
sudo wget https://github.com/kvalo/ath11k-firmware/raw/master/ath12k-testing/WCN7850/hw2.0/regdb.bin

Also if you are using iwd, you want to add this config to /etc/iwd/main.conf

[General]
ControlPortOverNL80211=false

Pretty sure that in the future, all this will be default, and you won’t need to do any of these manipulations.

AMA, Happy networking

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Which Wi-Fi 7 card did you buy?

And I’m just curious, which wifi 7 AP do you use? I’m thinking off buying a ubiquity WiFi 7 pro to replace my old ac pro APs.

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Qualcomm QCNCM865. I’m not sure about the router. It’s Wi-Fi 7 AP of my hostel.

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Intel or AMD? Which gen?

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AMD Ryzen 7 7840U

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I understand that’s the chip. I’m interested in the actual card inserted in the laptop.

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Card is Qualcomm QCNCM865 and chip is WCN7851

s-l1600
s-l1600605×723 60.7 KB

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Where did you buy it from?

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That appears to be a dell P/N and the X01 at the end means its preproduction. Found they are on aliexpress but out of stock currently.

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How’s the idle and load power consumption on this thing?

Still kinda hope the be200 situation gets fixed at some point but good to have alternatives.

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aliexpress, but not available anymore

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that not my card, just an image that I found on internet, it was just to show the actual name as @jared_kidd didn’t understand that it’s the name of the card

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I didn’t test that

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Could you?

Also it looks like some pople have be200s running on amd desktop systems so it may really just need an agesa fix. Maybe in a couple years (hopefully not but probably not soon XD) when we get the next bios update it just works.

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Marked the initial post as a guide, made wiki.

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Out of curiosity, I’m wondering how switching networks behaves for you? @GreyXor
I have one in my 12th gen, while I got the card to work and connect to the first network I use at work, I cannot connect to any other network.

After trying to connect to another network I can’t connect to the first one until I reboot. This is on ubuntu 23.10 with 6.8rc7, Just trying to find out if this issue exists on Arch as well, if not I may be trying out Arch in the near future.

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No problem with network switching, for now I have two issues:

  • ath12k master crash if I upload too much
  • bluetooth won’t connect to audio devices
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What is the best way to buy this chip?

I am checking AliExpress and it is sold all the time.

Maybe there is a better platform? (I love to see it in Framework Marketplace)

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I don’t know sorry, I was lucky, I directly contacted a reseller on alibaba, several email exchanges then they sent me the wifi card for $30 delivery included.

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Sooo i decided to bite the bullet And order this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVJPCQFJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details its the NCM865 will test it in my Alienware M15 R5 Ryzen edition. And see how it works for me. Ordered it 3 days ago it has now gone up $15 from what i paid.

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