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Forum Discussion
Netgear MR7400 (M7 Pro) hotspot + Intel BE201 WiFi card
I’m having a strange compatibility issue with a Netgear MR7400 (M7 Pro)-unlocked hotspot and a Windows laptop with an Intel BE201 Wi-Fi 7 card. The laptop can see the 5 GHz and 6 GHz networks but gets stuck on “connecting” forever, while phones connect instantly at full speed. I reinstalled Windows, updated drivers, and even replaced both the Wi-Fi card and the hotspot — same result.
Interestingly, another laptop with an Intel AX211 (Wi-Fi 6E) can connect to the 5 GHz band, so it seems newer Wi-Fi 7 adapters are stricter about the hotspot’s security handshake and refuse to finish connecting.
Looking for suggestions on how to resolve this issue. Thanks.
10 Replies
What actual driver are you installing?
The auto-install driver or the one from intel?
What version is it?
Are you using wpa2/wpa3 mode?
What actual driver are you installing?
- Intel WiFi-7 BE201 320Mhz from the intel website
The auto-install driver or the one from intel?
- I removed the manufacturers drivers, went to the Intel website and downloaded the latest drivers.
What version is it?
- 24.20.04 (Jan 6th 2026)
Are you using wpa2/wpa3 mode?
- Using WPA3, I do NOT see either 5G or 6G bands
- Using WPA2, I see the 5G and 6G bands
Thanks.
Try Setting Preferred Band on the Intel Adatper under it's Advanced Settings...2.4Ghz only. Maybe set Preferred Mode as well.
What actual driver are you installing?
Intel WiFi-7 BE201 320Mhz from the intel website
The auto-install driver or the one from intel?
I removed the manufacturers drivers, went to the Intel website and downloaded the latest drivers.
What version is it?
24.20.04 (Jan 6th 2026)
Are you using wpa2/wpa3 mode?
Using WPA3, I do NOT see either 5G or 6G bands
Using WPA2, I see the 5G and 6G bands
So the AX211 sees it eitherway. But the BE201 ONLY sees it in wpa2 mode? It doesn't in wpa3?
If so, I'd be checking with intel as if it was a full hardware failure, it wouldn't see it at all. If it was a security issue, the AX211 shouldn't see it either.
So I'm thinking its something with the settings on the BE201.
Does the hotspot have mixed mode? WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode?
To provide some context: I purchased an MR7400 in January, but it would not connect to the 5GHz or 6GHz bands on my laptop. I assumed the unit was defective and had the seller send a replacement.
With the replacement device, I experienced the exact same issue. To rule out my computer as the cause, Dell replaced the Intel WiFi card in my laptop in case it was faulty. However, the issue still persists.
For reference, I have:
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 17 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S25
All three phones connect to WiFi 7 on the MR7400 without any issues.
Additionally, when I use the Samsung Galaxy S25 as a hotspot:
If the hotspot is set to 5GHz, my laptop can see and connect to it.
If I change the hotspot to 6GHz, the Intel WiFi card does not detect the network at all.
Current MR7400 wireless settings that can have a connection:
- 2.4GHz – WPA2/WPA3
- 5GHz – WPA2 only (does not work if set to WPA2/WPA3 or WPA3)
It appears the Intel WiFi card cannot detect or connect to 6GHz networks and also has issues with mixed WPA2/WPA3 security on 5GHz.
Could this be a compatibility issue with the Intel card, a firmware limitation, or a specific router configuration requirement?
What version of windows are you on?
If EVERYTHING else connects fine but one device, its usually the one device. Not saying its a hardware issue, just that it could be a device issue. Windows 10 didn't support wifi 7 and I"m not sure at what point windows 11 did. Might be part of the wpa2 reason it works
I have Win 11 Pro, 25H2. I am also leaning towards concluding that it may have to do with the Intel WiFi-7 BE20 more than the MR7400. I have posted on the Dell forums and will update here if I find any solution.
Thanks Plemans!
A bit more information:
The hotspot broadcasts a 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 7) SSID that is visible to clients, however multiple Windows laptops using Intel Wi-Fi 7 adapters cannot associate with the network even though authentication is attempted.
Environment
• Router: Nighthawk M7 Pro (5G mobile hotspot)
• Security: WPA3-Personal only
• Client adapter: Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE201 (320 MHz)
• OS: Windows 11 Pro 25H2
• Latest drivers and BIOS installed
Observed behavior
• The 6 GHz SSID appears in the available network list
• Connection attempt fails immediately
• Windows Event Viewer reports: “The specific network is not available”
• RSSI value reported as 255 (invalid / no association)
• When forcing a manual WPA3 profile, the client attempts authentication but is rejected and roams to 2.4 GHz instead
• Same laptop connects normally to 6 GHz on standard home Wi-Fi 6E/7 routers
Technical conclusion
The client proceeds past discovery and begins association, but the AP rejects the connection during 6 GHz capability negotiation.
This strongly suggests the hotspot is not advertising one or more mandatory 6 GHz elements required by Wi-Fi Alliance compliant clients, such as:
• Reduced Neighbor Report (RNR) information
• PSC channel advertisement consistency
• SAE H2E negotiation parameters
• 6 GHz regulatory power type signaling
Phones connect successfully, which indicates compatibility fallback behavior rather than standards-compliant association.
Question:
Does the M7 Pro firmware fully implement PC-compatible 6 GHz operation for Wi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 7 clients.I don't have that specific hotspot but I do have the M7 (mh7150) and it works fine with its wifi 7 specs. I connected with an intel be200, qualcomm NCM865, and my wifi 7 phone.
That’s an interesting issue. Since phones connect normally and your AX211 (Wi-Fi 6E) laptop works on 5 GHz, it does sound like a compatibility or security handshake problem with the Intel BE201 (Wi-Fi 7) adapter rather than a hardware fault.
A few things you might try:
- Change the hotspot security mode – If the MR7400 is using WPA3 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode, try switching to WPA2-PSK only temporarily. Some early Wi-Fi 7 drivers are picky with WPA3 implementations.
- Disable Wi-Fi 7 features on the adapter – In Windows Device Manager → Network Adapter → Advanced settings, try disabling options like 802.11be / MLO / Wi-Fi 7 mode (or forcing 802.11ax). This sometimes resolves connection loops.
- Separate SSIDs for each band – If the hotspot is using a single SSID for 2.4/5/6 GHz, try splitting them and connect manually to 5 GHz.
- Channel selection – Some Intel cards refuse certain DFS channels. Setting the hotspot to a lower 5 GHz channel (36–48) can help.
- Firmware check – Even if it’s “latest,” Netgear sometimes releases regional firmware builds with updated Wi-Fi compatibility, so it’s worth confirming with support.
Given that you already replaced both the adapter and hotspot, the most likely cause is early Wi-Fi 7 driver/firmware compatibility, especially around WPA3 or MLO negotiation. Disabling those temporarily usually confirms whether that’s the culprit.
