I’m running Linux, Debian/Testing (current kernel 6.12.22), and having some occasional hiccups on WiFi when doing Slack calls or the like. I’m looking to change out the WiFi to something more stable, and would prefer WiFi 7 since that’s the newer spec. Thoughts on what to get? Any word on the Intel BE200 working on FW16 AMD? How about QCNCM865 based card?
I mean, to my knowledge the BE200 can’t work on non-Intel platforms because of how it works.
I am currently running a QCNCM865 based card in my own Framework 16 (currently on 6.14.2)
04:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Technologies, Inc WCN785x Wi-Fi 7(802.11be) 320MHz 2x2 [FastConnect 7800] (rev 01)
It has been working quite well for me, but I don’t have a 6GHz capable AP so I can’t test that feature, but it is pretty fast on 5GHz.
A lot of these cards were missing HWIDs in the Bluetooth database of the kernel though, so they misbehave with Bluetooth before that patch went in. I’m not sure off the top of my head if that patch is in 6.12 or only 6.13 and up.
So if your Bluetooth is broken (specifically, issues with Bluetooth audio devices like headphones), then it might be you need a newer kernel version that properly identifies the card.
//EDIT: I also got a card with the chipset that will power AMD’s systems (MT7925) incoming to possibly compare. But right now I am quite happy with the Qualcomm.
Thanks for your feedback. Any particular card/brand/location you bought your QCNCM865? From what I’m seeing, they’re generic 2230 cards, or buy the MSI Herald-BE WI-FI 7 MAX and pull the m.2 card from the adapter board.
Or just get the AX210. Although at home I don’t have WiFi7 AP, and it doesn’t seem particularly common right now. Maybe I should just get the AX210, a ton cheaper, and seems like it’s reliable and solid.
I bought a random generic one on Aliexpress a couple months back. I think it turned out to be a Quectel brand card as that’s what its USB descriptor seems to suggest.
This one works great for wifi. If you want 6ghz, you need to make sure to set the card’s region as it comes unset (at least mine did). Mine is currently connected at 6ghz. One bug I see is it does not report the connection speed in KDE’s networkmanager applet. But since it works, I haven’t bothered searching for why. It never drops out like the original framework card did.
Also. if you want stable bluetooth, you need to run minimum kernel version 6.14.3.
Ah damn. Yeah, I’m running Debian Testing, until Trixie goes stable. So unless the next LTS comes out in sufficient time for the freeze (probably by Jul or Aug, maybe Sept), then I won’t have it. Or at least, there will be a while, even with Trixie Backports, before a >6.12 kernel would appear.
So might be 6.18, if the pattern holds up. So at this rate…maybe. But either way, not right now.
So I think an AX210 is going to be the better choice for now and near future needs.
Thanks everyone!
EDIT: Ah, looks like hard freeze for Trixie is a LOT sooner, May 15 is the current schedule, so probably June, maybe July, for full relase. So I doubt I’ll have >= 6.14 kernel anytime soon, unless I find a backports that is supporting it well to Trixie. Which won’t be until a while after release, is my guess.
You can use alternate repositories for kernels compatible with debian… I use debian testing too. I know there are several places where you can get them, I have used xanmod (https://xanmod.org/) in the past (last time there was a debian version freeze) and I never had issues with them.
If you don’t actually have a wifi 7 ap, just get an ax210, they are sub 20 bucks and you can just get a wifi 7 adapter when you actually need it, it’s probably going to be better than what you can get now at that point anyway.
I am pretty sure it not working is a bug and not related to how it works. It’s not like a ax211 that doesn’t use pcie.
Ah glad to hear I was mistaken. I thought that affected all new Intel WiFi cards not just the ax211. Good to know
Mostly the ones with the 1 at the end (at least untill the next time they mess with the naming), 0 at the end is pcie, 1 at the end is the intel proprietary thing. Afaik they are a little cheaper to make so great for oems but there doesn’t seem to be an actual advantage other than that.
The be200 is definitely pcie as jeff demonstrated by running it in a raspberry pi XD. It’s also a strong indication because plugging it in via pcie tunneling in an egpu enclosure hard crashes the system. That thing probably sends some weird pcie messages that really offend the cpu.
So, still don’t get the BE200 for the FW AMD (such as FW16 I have) systems?
Unless something changed, don’t get it if you want your laptop to post XD
sigh Well damn. Guess the AX210 it is then.
The ax210 is really good so unless you actually need wifi 7 you’ll be just fine.
Upgraded! Although forgot to install the iwl firmware package first facepalm But I have the ethernet card, so just used that enough to get the firmware downloaded, reloaded the kernel module and it all Just Worked™.