Intel AX210 speeds capped at 20 Mbps on multiple distros

[Akiron (William)]

Hi, I’m new here but while going down the rabbit hole for this exact issue, I luckily found that recent thread.

For me, the issue appeared maybe 2 months ago across all my machines running linux (Arch in my case).
All of them are CLI except for my main PC where I dual boot Windows 11 and Arch with KDE Plasma (Grub as the main bootloader).

Here’s my Wifi card (But other devices have Wifi 5 cards with the same issue)

06:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wi-Fi 6E(802.11ax) AX210/AX1675* 2x2 [Typhoon Peak] [8086:2725] (rev 1a)
    Subsystem: Intel Corporation Wi-Fi 6 AX210 160MHz [8086:0024]
    Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi

I’ve tried manually changing the regulatory region with no success.
Running iw reg get gives me the following (CA as I’m in Canada):

global
country CA: DFS-FCC
	(2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 36), (N/A)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5350 @ 80), (N/A, 26), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5470 - 5730 @ 160), (N/A, 26), (0 ms), DFS
	(5730 - 5850 @ 80), (N/A, 36), (N/A), AUTO-BW
	(5850 - 5895 @ 40), (N/A, 27), (N/A), AUTO-BW
	(5925 - 7125 @ 320), (N/A, 12), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR

phy#0 (self-managed)
country CA: 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
	(5170 - 5190 @ 160), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5190 - 5210 @ 160), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5210 - 5230 @ 160), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5230 - 5250 @ 160), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5250 - 5270 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5270 - 5290 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5290 - 5310 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5310 - 5330 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5490 - 5510 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5510 - 5530 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5530 - 5550 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5550 - 5570 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5570 - 5590 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5590 - 5610 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5610 - 5630 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5630 - 5650 @ 160), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5650 - 5670 @ 80), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5670 - 5690 @ 80), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5690 - 5710 @ 80), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5710 - 5730 @ 80), (6, 22), (0 ms), DFS, AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(5735 - 5755 @ 80), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ
	(5755 - 5775 @ 80), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ
	(5775 - 5795 @ 80), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ
	(5795 - 5815 @ 80), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ
	(5815 - 5835 @ 40), (6, 22), (N/A), AUTO-BW, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ
	(5945 - 7065 @ 160), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(7065 - 7105 @ 40), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN
	(7105 - 7125 @ 20), (6, 22), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW, IR-CONCURRENT, NO-HT40MINUS, NO-HT40PLUS, NO-80MHZ, NO-160MHZ, NO-320MHZ, PASSIVE-SCAN

Running iw dev wlan0 link gives me this:

Connected to **:**:**:**:**:** (on wlan0)
    SSID: *********
    freq: 5220.0
    RX: 1974783 bytes (3439 packets)
    TX: 707256 bytes (2502 packets)
    signal: -54 dBm
    rx bitrate: 54.0 MBit/s
    tx bitrate: 54.0 MBit/s
    bss flags: short-slot-time
    dtim period: 1
    beacon int: 100

@Blue_bird

Since you are running CachyOS, try the linux-firmware-git package to ensure you have the latest microcode for the AX210.
Here is the official link: https: //www intel com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005511/wireless.html

This time I will try downloading the kernel drivers manually from the link Blue_bird has shared and hope for the best.
If that still doesn’t work, I’ll try to downgrade the linux kernel until I get a proper wifi connection.

EDIT:
Manually putting the iwlwifi drivers downloaded from the Linux kernel into /lib/firmware did not help either.

[Akiron (William)]

@fur

I am in the exact same boat here with my AX210. I’ve even gone as far as to swap from networkmanager to iwd (and remembered to disable any nm services so they don’t conflict). It worked for like, half an hour then regressed to the same 20mbps cap. My iw dev info also shows width: 20 MHz (no HT). I went through all the same threads as op too lol. This is driving me bonkers.

I did that as well, I installed the networkmanager-iwd from ArchLinux AUR packages and then uninstall wpa_supplicant to ensure I was only using IWD, but that sadly didn’t even do anything.

[Akiron (William)]

Ok, so 1 of my computers have an older kernel installed so I didn’t need to go any further to test this theory.

My main PC has 6.18.20-1-lts installed.
The other pc that I just tested has 6.15.8-zen1-2-zen from July 29th 2025.

The issue is happening on that one as well, and I am 100% sure that when I was still using it, it was downloading at a proper speed over wifi.

My next step will be to completely reset my modem/router and see if it fixes anything.

EDIT:
I just tried with my phone’s hotspot and it just works (not capped at 54mbps).
Will report back once I factory reset the modem/router.

EDIT2:
Resetting my modem/router did not help at all.
I guess I will call them.

It is weird, so when I go in my app my modem, it can easily identify what OS is running on any given machine, somehow my main pc currently running Linux is being recognized as Windows 10, my other linux machine as unidentified and another is actually being recognized as generic linux.

At this point I am truly clueless.

[hydn (Hayden James)]

@Akiron

I just tried with my phone’s hotspot and it just works (not capped at 54mbps).

This also means you can test some router settings while you’re at it. Try switching to 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz just to rule that out. If it connects at higher speed on 2.4 GHz and not 5 GHz, the issue may be a compatibility setting on your router rather than the driver itself.

[Akiron (William)]

@hydn

This also means you can test some router settings while you’re at it. Try switching to 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz just to rule that out. If it connects at higher speed on 2.4 GHz and not 5 GHz, the issue may be a compatibility setting on your router rather than the driver itself.

I have tried that with no success.

[Jakarta2]

This is a regulatory domain issue (DFS-UNSET).

When Intel LAR cannot determine the region, the card restricts itself to 20 MHz channel width, which explains the ~20 Mbps cap.

Since it works fine with a phone hotspot, your router is likely using DFS channels or unsupported settings.

Try forcing your router to a non-DFS 5 GHz channel (36-48) and ensure 40/80 MHz channel width

[corbingw]

Just checked an my router is already pre-configured to a non-DFS 5 GHz channel. Is it possible this is the issue? I can call my ISP to try to change it as a last possible resort since they lock it down in the gateway settings.

[Jakarta2]

Even though your router is already on a non-DFS channel (44), the issue may still come from how the channel width is negotiated.

Many ISP-provided routers set to “20/40/80 MHz (auto)” will actually fall back to 20 MHz due to interference or firmware limitations, even if the Ul suggests otherwise.

This would explain the ~20 Mbps cap, as the connection is effectively stuck at 20 MHz.

I would recommend forcing the channel width to a fixed value (40 MHz or 80 MHz) instead of auto, and setting the channel manually.

If possible, testing with a different router would also help confirm whether this is a router-side limitation, especially since your connection works fine with a phone hotspot.

[fur]

I would try adjust the band on my router and see if that does anything but sadly we are not allowed to configure anything lol. Hopefully there will be a way to solve this without that.

[fur]

We managed to get our ISP to change our channel width to 80mhz and we are now no longer capped. It took 3 days for that simple change.

[Jakarta2]

Nice, that explains it. Channel width at 80 MHz would definitely remove the bottleneck, glad it’s fixed.

[fur]

What confuses me is that prior there was no problem despite the channel having been on what I can assume was 20mhz