Intel Killer AX1650

• Backport the driver
• Hack the driver

Backport the driver

1. Use the following bash script to install the linux-firmware and the backported iwlwifi Intel driver:

   https://raw.githubusercontent.com/eddgrant/configure-killer-ax-1650-wifi-driver/master/configure-killer-ax-1650-wifi-driver.sh
   

2. In the file drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/pcie/drv.c modify the line 365

   IWL_DEV_INFO(0x7A70, 0x1692, iwlax411_2ax_cfg_so_gf4_a0, iwl_ax411_killer_1690i_name)
   

   By

   IWL_DEV_INFO(0x7AF0, 0x1692, iwlax411_2ax_cfg_so_gf4_a0, iwl_ax411_killer_1690i_name)
   

3. Recompile the driver, and install it again
4. Reboot

From now, the Wifi card must be recognized by the OS.

Hack the driver

The driver does not work well for 5GHz wifi as the LAR implementation is kinda faulty and cannot determine the right region without being connected to another network (which is kinda annoying when trying to setup an AP).

The idea is to first create a 2GHz AP, then create a 5GHz AP and disabling the 2GHz AP.

The following script automizes the process (found here).

The create_ap script can be found here

echo "# Starting 2.4 GHz on ap0 #"
echo "# Starting 2.4 GHz #" > /var/log/wifi2
create_ap --config /etc/create_ap2.conf --daemon --logfile /var/log/wifi2
sleep 2
cat /var/log/wifi2
echo "# Downing 2.4 GHz ap0 #"
ip link set down ap0
echo "# Starting 5 GHz on ap1 #"
echo "# Starting 5 GHz #" > /var/log/wifi
create_ap --config /etc/create_ap5.conf --daemon --logfile /var/log/wifi
sleep 2
create_ap --stop ap0
tail -f /var/log/wifi

The basic create_ap configuration for a 2GHz AP

# cat /etc/create_ap2.conf 
# AP
SSID=test
PASSPHRASE=password
USE_PSK=0
HIDDEN=0

# Inernet sharing
WIFI_IFACE=wifi
INTERNET_IFACE=br0
SHARE_METHOD=bridge
GATEWAY=192.168.9.1
IPV6=1
ISOLATE_CLIENTS=0

# Wireless
FREQ_BAND=2.4
CHANNEL=1
COUNTRY=
WPA_VERSION=2
WPS=0
IEEE80211N=1
IEEE80211AC=1
HT_CAPAB=[HT40+][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40]
VHT_CAPAB=[RXLDPC][TX-STBC-2BY1][RX-STBC-1]
BEACON_INTERVAL=100
DTIM_PERIOD=2

# Network
DHCP_DNS=gateway
ETC_HOSTS=0
NO_DNS=0
NO_DNSMASQ=0
MAC_FILTER=0
MAC_FILTER_ACCEPT=/etc/hostapd/hostapd.accept
NEW_MACADDR=

# Misc
DRIVER=nl80211
DAEMONIZE=0
NO_VIRT=0
NO_HAVEGED=0
DAEMON_PIDFILE=
DAEMON_LOGFILE=/var/log/wifi

The the configuration for the 5GHz AP:

# AP
SSID=test
PASSPHRASE=password
USE_PSK=0
HIDDEN=0

# Inernet sharing
WIFI_IFACE=wifi
INTERNET_IFACE=br0
SHARE_METHOD=bridge
GATEWAY=192.168.9.1
IPV6=1
ISOLATE_CLIENTS=0

# Wireless
FREQ_BAND=5
CHANNEL=149
COUNTRY=
WPA_VERSION=2
WPS=0
IEEE80211N=1
IEEE80211AC=1
HT_CAPAB=[HT40+][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40]
VHT_CAPAB=[VHT80][RXLDPC][SHORT-GI-80][TX-STBC-2BY1][RX-STBC-1]
# for 80MHz and up you need to add:
#  vht_oper_chwidth=1
#  vht_oper_centr_freq=seg0_idx=155 (for ch 149)
# to the create_ap script at line 1804 in section "# hostapd config".
BEACON_INTERVAL=100
DTIM_PERIOD=2

# Network
DHCP_DNS=gateway
ETC_HOSTS=0
NO_DNS=0
NO_DNSMASQ=0
MAC_FILTER=0
MAC_FILTER_ACCEPT=/etc/hostapd/hostapd.accept
NEW_MACADDR=

# Misc
DRIVER=nl80211
DAEMONIZE=0
NO_VIRT=0
NO_HAVEGED=0
DAEMON_PIDFILE=
DAEMON_LOGFILE=/var/log/wifi