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Forum Discussion
All those with 5GHz detection issues (or had to change router channel) please read!
So I just picked up an A6210-1000S here in the USA and went about setting it up. It seemed to work fine but wouldn't detect my 5GHz wireless network. After finding a thread on here about changing the router channel to something low like 48, I indeed got it to work...but why was this adapter requiring such a thing?
A friend pointed out that it sounded like an incorrect region setting. As you likely already know, there is no adjustment for region in the adapter's device page. In fact, rather jarringly the only option there is 2.4/5/both. Updating to the latest Netgear driver did not change this.
However, getting the latest driver from Mediatek's website (the Chinese manufacturer of the chip Netgear uses in the A6210) resulted in many more features being exposed to the user in the device's properties page. Of particular interest was that by default, the A6210 was using 2.4GHz Region 5 and 5GHz region 1, both of which are entirely incorrect for the USA. Both of these should be set to Region 0 in order to comply with US regulations as well as ensure compatibility with US routers.
It would appear that Netgear has used Mediatek's defaults (China?) rather than enforcing their own default US channels, thus causing the incompatibility issues. I can tell you that as of right now I am posting this thread with the A6210 operating on channel 149 with no problem! :)
16 Replies
- Thanks for this. Let me check if I have the same case.
- I'm having the exact same issue as this but with the A6200 adapter.
That adapter doesn't use a Mediatek chip, as far as I know. Any idea of a similar solution? - I really don't understand how to fix this on the A6200.
Or why it just suddenly started happening two days ago after working since I got it in 2013. - Unfortunately malrats, that's a Broadcom chipset and that company does not offer Windows drivers. You're stuck with waiting on Netgear to support it. :(
NomakeWan wrote: Unfortunately malrats, that's a Broadcom chipset and that company does not offer Windows drivers. You're stuck with waiting on Netgear to support it. :(
So, in other words, never. :(
The most recent beta driver has been sitting in beta for over a year. Windows 10 comes out next month.
I don't think there's much hope, if any, outside of buying a (presumably different brand) new adapter.- Are the channels that are not working are part of DFS channels?
minions08 wrote: Are the channels that are not working are part of DFS channels?
For me, as far as I know, the channels that don't work are the 3-digit channels. The 2-digit ones work. I'm presently on 36 and that works, and earlier I tried 44 and 48 (I believe) and they worked.- I just picked up an A6210. Installed the latest driver from Netgear right away, and then it was just able to connect to the 5GHz channel without issue.
It's on channel 132 right now (automatic), which I'm almost 100% was a no-no channel on the A6200. I guess not all of the units need the special driver, maybe.
Fingers crossed it works out nicely from here on! - Quick update: I had to return the A6210 after just one day of extensive testing.
Using both the Netgear and Mediatek drivers, I always ended up with consistently significant packet loss (~15% or more). Everything was great when I wasn't losing packets, but those moments were few and far between.
Support wasn't helpful and eventually just told me to return it to the store and get a different model.
I bought a Linksys AC1200 instead. Worked instantly on 8.1 and isn't (as of yet) having any issues at all. No packet loss, no troubles connecting to any channels, great speed and range.
It's a shame, because I really liked my A6200. It served me well until it suddenly decided that it didn't want to connect to most 5GHz networks anymore. - Hi malrats,
Do you have the same issue that it is having problems with other channels?
