Processors

[mikeharry]

Hi folks. I use an  AMD Ryzen 5 7600 on an ASUS PRIME X670-P. I have been using an Intel AX210 wifi card with an Asus Wifi 6E  router with no problem at all. However, I treated myself to a new Netgear Wifi 7 router and so installed an Intel BE200 card. The result - no wifi at all!! The card is not recognised as a network card in device manager, although the BT is working!

A little more homework has revealed that there seems to be an issue with Intels BE200 card and AMD. Does anyone know if this is likely to resolved at some point? Is it an issue with the AMD processor or with the card itself? Anyone know??

[elstaci]

Found this from Intel Support. Make sure your Intel BE200 is installed in a "E" Key on the M.2 Slot: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000097320/wireless.html

Here is Intel latest Wifi 7 driver for your BE200 card: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19351/windows-10-and-windows-11-wi-fi-drivers-for-i...

If there is some sort of conflict or incompatibility between the Intel BE200 and AMD hardware it would have to be joint effort by both Intel and AMD to come up with a solution.

Meanwhile you can ask AMD SUPPORT and see what they say: https://www.amd.com/en/forms/contact-us/support.html

[mikeharry]

Hi there. Thanks for that. Yes it is an e key (PCIe card with a be200 installed on it). I installed the driver that you have a link for too. It seems that there is a distinct issue with the BE200 card and the AMD platform. I'll certainly use the contact form that you have given a link to - most useful - thank you. Failing AMD/Intel coming up with an answer then it may be rebuilding my PC to an Intel platform is the answer. Costly exercise though as MB, CPU and memory all need changing. Some £1000 l(ess what I can sell my stuff for).... Thanks again though - regards - Mike

[elstaci]

I personally used a Gigabyte WiFi/Bluetooth PCIe card that worked great.

Here is an article from Tom's Hardware review about Gigabytes new WiFi 7 PCIe cards: https://www.tomshardware.com/null/gigabytes-wi-fi-7-pcie-card-lets-you-prep-your-old-pc-for-tomorrow...

Here is the card that is now available with from Gigabyte with WiFi 7 technology: https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GC-WIFI7#kf

EDIT: I see that WiFi 7 is a very new technology that manufacturers haven't yet come out with Wifi hardware to support wifi 7.

Could it be possible that your Wifi 7 Router is not yet sending out Wifi 7 signals?  Maybe that is why you have no Wifi?

But then again you should have Wifi 6 signals from your router so your BE200 should Wifi should be working.

See in the Intel Wifi driver Device Manager under "Network" if you can change the parameters of the driver and  see it you can get the Wifi to work. My Asus Motherboard has a Intel Wifi/Bluetooth module and here is my Device  Manager with the Intel Wifi driver opened:

[mikeharry]

Hi - thanks for your reply. I can't find a supplier here in the UK for the Gigabyte WiFi 7 card. No doubt it will become available here in time. WiFi 7 has now been approved and so devices are becoming available. There are a couple of routers - I went for the Netgear Nighthawk RS700S. Pricey, but has better range and signal strength than the TP Link option. My card is the same as yours now, having put my old one back in and so shows similar properties. 

The issue seems to be one between the Intel BE200 card and AMD processors. Can I ask which processor you are using? Thanks again. Mike

[elstaci]

Ryzen 7 3700X with 32 GB of 3600mhz RAM.

My Asus Motherboard Wifi works very well. I have no issues with it. I believe that Asus installed a Wifi/bluetooth Module on the motherboard as part of the motherboard.

[mikeharry]

Yes, But I'm talking about WiFi 7 (BE). I have WiFi6E (AXE) currently which works fine.

[mikeharry · Accepted solution]

I think the issue is simply that Intel have made the BE200 so that it will only work on Intel platform. Crafty-Dafty that as it's not generally known. You can read more at:

https://dongknows.com/wi-fi-7-upgrade-on-a-windows-computer/#:

where the specific paragraph says :-

"Unlike previous Intel Wi-Fi chips, the BE200 only works with Intel-based computers — it doesn’t work with an AMD-based machine, for example. There will likely be other Wi-Fi 7 adapters in the near future that work with all CPUs"

So - I either wait for someone to make a WiFi card that works with AMD CPUs or I rebuild my setup to Intel Mobo and CPU.........

[elstaci]

I believe it is a disservice to all those Non-Intel Customers with Non-Intel motherboards. They are losing a certain percentage of the Wifi market by doing so.

Plus you would think that Intel would place a clear Warning that the BE200 is only compatible with Intel Motherboards.

I don't know if Great Britain is still under the EU Consumer laws or not. But if it is you can return the BE200 to the Retail store you purchased it from and get a refund within a 2 years time. If it isn't then you would need to contact the Retailer to see if they will give you a refund or switch to an Intel PC which will be costly since you need to purchase an Intel CPU & Motherboard and possibly RAM if it isn't compatible with your Intel Processor or Motherboard.

Write to Gigabyte Customer Service or your Retailer and see when their WiFi-7 PCIe card will go on sale. Supposingly it is being sold already in certain markets.

Found this EU store that is selling the Gigabyte GC-WIFI7 PCIe card for 76 Euros: https://www.ldlc.com/en/product/PB00587217.html

NOTE: Googled LDLC Store and it is a French Online Retailer.

[mikeharry]

Thanks for that. Trouble is the Gigabyte card has 3 variants and retailers don't seem to realise that. See here:-

https://www.tomshardware.com/null/gigabytes-wi-fi-7-pcie-card-lets-you-prep-your-old-pc-for-tomorrow...

Anyway, I'm rebuilding my system to Intel. I've tried wifi cards made for AMD and they aren't a patch on Intel. It seems the war between AMD and Intel can only have one winner