Frequently Asked Questions about Intel® Wireless Adapters
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Installation and set-up
Which version of Windows* does my product support?
See the Intel® Wireless Products Supported Operating Systems page for more information.Where can I find the latest driver for my product?
You may see two version numbers with the Intel® Wireless Adapter, the Software or Package version and the driver version. Software/package version is the one being used on Download Center. A software/package may contain multiple versions of driver for different Intel® Wireless Adapters.If you have an adapter from the Intel® Wireless 7265 Family, see also Why do I see a different Wi-Fi driver version with my Intel® Wireless 7265 Family adapters?
Why do I see different driver version after install/upgrade?
Understanding the Intel® PROSet/Wireless Software Version and the Driver Version.Can I install multiple Intel® Wireless Adapters in a single computer?
No. Intel software and drivers only support a single adapter installed on one computer.I am an enterprise customer and need assistance with an installation issue. Whom should I contact?
Review the instructions for silent installation using XML or MSI for Windows 7* and 8.1*. Review How to Perform Slent Installation for Windows® 10 . If you need additional assistance, contact Intel Customer Support.Where can I find the driver version for my Intel® Wireless Adapter?
The easiest way is to use the Intel® Driver & Support Assistant to automatically identify and update the driver for your Intel® Wireless Adapter.You may also do this manually:
Why is the name of my Intel Tri-Band adapter not recognized correctly?
See Different Adapter Name in Device Manager for Certain Intel® Wireless Gigabit Adapters for more information.What are the Integrated Intel® Wireless-AC (CNVi) and Companion RF (CRF) Module?
See What Are the Integrated Intel® Wireless-AC (CNVi) and Companion RF (CRF) Module for more information.Connectivity
What is uAPSD and why would I use it?
- uAPSD is an acronym for Unscheduled Automatic Power Save Delivery, which is a feature of Wi-Fi devices that allows them to save power. It is a Wi-Fi capability that provides more power consumption savings on the client. Power savings can be helpful for extending your laptop's battery life.
- We have identified issues with certain access points that result in reduced performance when uAPSD is enabled. Learn more about how to enable or disable uAPSD and how it may affect your wireless performance.
My new 802.11ac wireless adapter won't connect to my 802.11bgn router. What should I do?
- Check if your router has interoperability issues with uAPSD.
- Review the recommended settings for 802.11n connectivity. The settings are also useful for 802.11ac.
- Set the channel width on the wireless router to 20 MHz—the best option for a 2.4 GHz network.
- Contact your wireless router manufacturer for a firmware update.
After replacing my computer's Intel® Wireless Adapter, it's not connecting as expected. What should I do?
- Contact your computer manufacturer for assistance to ensure that your computer supports the new adapter.
- Search for common issues in the Wireless Networking Support Community.
How many clients are supported when using an Intel® Wireless Adapter for a hosted network?
The Intel® Wireless Adapter can support a maximum of eight clients on a hosted network.| Note | This feature is no longer supported on Windows 10 with recent Intel® Wireless Adapters. See Why Hosted and Ad-Hoc Networks are Not Working on Windows® 10 for more information. |
What is Different Channel Mode (DCM)?
DCM refers to the feature of Intel's Wi-Fi PAN solution. The feature allows for several Virtual MACs, using the same hardware adapter, to operate on two or more different radio channels.Can I create an Ad-Hoc network in 5 GHz?
No. Due to regulatory requirements, an ad-hoc network is not supported in 5 GHz using Intel® Wireless Adapters.| Note | This feature is no longer supported on Windows 10 with recent Intel® Wireless Adapters. See Why Hosted and Ad-Hoc Networks are Not Working on Windows® 10 for more information. |
Which 5 GHz and 6 GHz channels are supported by Intel® Wireless Adapters?
Intel® Wireless Adapters support 5 GHz and 6GHz channels following the IEEE standards and the approved channels by Country. Implementation can vary depending on local regulatory requirements.Product Info
Where can I find the current Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for my Intel® Wireless Adapter?
Regulatory and DoC documents are listed by Intel® Wireless Adapter.Why should I contact my original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for wireless software and support?
- Installation or use of Intel® Wireless Adapters is subject to country-specific legal regulations. In certain countries, the products can only be installed in systems that have a system-level regulatory approval. Approval must be obtained by the manufacturer of the system (OEM/ODM) or the installer. Before installing the device into a system, you must contact the system manufacturer to determine if the product is approved for use in a specific system in a specific country. You are also required to follow the manufacturer's post-approval requirements.
- If the manufacturer does not have the necessary approvals, the party installing the device is responsible for those approvals. Installing the adapters in an unauthorized system may be illegal.
- The end user is not authorized to install the wireless adapters. They can only be installed by the manufacturer or authorized representative.
Can I change the MAC address for my Intel® Wireless Adapter?
The Media Access Control (MAC) address is hard-coded on Intel® Wireless Adapters and cannot be changed.
Some third-party software applications can imitate a MAC address. For security reasons, we do not support this practice.