Slow Wi-Fi 6 on Windows 11: Here's how to fix roaming and dropouts

When Wi‑Fi 6 or 6E It's running slower than expected on Windows 11, the disappointment is twofold: You have invested in modern hardware and the experience does not matchThe good news is that with a methodical review of drivers, advanced adapter and power options, it is possible recover much of the lost performance and fix slow WiFi 6 issue on Windows 11.

In this guide, you'll find everything you need to diagnose and resolve common bottlenecks: from fine-tuning the card (AX201/AX210 and similar) to real-world speed and stability testing, including tricks to prevent Windows from limiting wireless power or your computer from going into “save mode” when you want speed.

What Windows 11 requires to take advantage of Wi-Fi 6/6E (and what Wi-Fi 7 brings)

Windows 11 supports the latest Wi‑Fi Alliance technologies, including Wi-Fi 6/6E, Wi-Fi 7 and WPA3To enjoy these improvements, three components are required: an updated system, a compatible router/access point, and a suitable wireless adapter.

Part by part: Update Windows 11 first and check in Settings > Windows Update that you have nothing pending, including “Optional Updates”, because relevant adapter drivers will appear there.

• Compatible router/AP: Check the manufacturer's specifications to see if it supports Wi‑Fi 6E (6 GHz) or Wi‑Fi 7 (160/320 MHz bands, channels, and bandwidths).
• Wi-Fi adapter: : confirm on the equipment/card manufacturer's website if Your model supports 802.11ax (6/6E) or 802.11be (Wi‑Fi 7), and if you have current drivers for Windows 11.
• WPA3: Choose WPA3-Personal or WPA3-Enterprise to improve security without penalizing performance, as long as all devices support it.

Wi‑Fi 6 brings key improvements such as MU‑MIMO for multiple simultaneous devices, more spatial streams and 1024‑QAM modulation; 6E extends these advantages to the 6 GHz band, with cleaner channels and less saturation. Wi‑Fi 7 goes a step further with MLO (Multi‑Link Operation), 4096‑QAM and bandwidths up to 320 MHz, which translates to lower latencies and multi-gigabit speeds when the entire ecosystem is compatible.

Drivers: Update… or try an older version if it performs worse

Before trying more daring solutions, in a slow WiFi 6 scenario on Windows 11, proceed as follows: check the driver (driver) for your Wi-Fi card in Device Manager. Under Properties > Driver, you'll see the version and date; the newer the version, the better the bug coverage, compatibility, and performance.

Manufacturers (e.g. Intel with the AX201/AX210) frequently publish Drivers that fix bugs, improve stability, and enable advanced optionsA real-world example that many teams are using today is the AX210 with versions in the 22.160.x branch, which have been polishing Wi‑Fi 6E and associated features.

• Support for new networks: A modern driver can “see” and associate with 802.11ax networks that an older driver cannot even detect.
• Bug fixes and security: Bug mitigation and stability improvements to prevent random crashes and speed drops.
• Performance optimization: Stack changes that provide more real Mbps and better latency under load.
• More advanced options: Additional menus in the adapter’s “Advanced Options” that allow you to adjust the behavior to your environment.

Be careful with the cards CNVi (such as AX201): Its performance is very linked to the chipset/CPU, so It is advisable to align NIC and chipset driver versions. to avoid rare incompatibilities. If it gets worse after updating, try revert to a previous stable version downloaded from the manufacturer's website and consider uninstalling recent Windows updates to narrow down the source.

How to access the adapter's advanced options

To fine-tune and fix the slow WiFi 6 issue on Windows 11, go to the list of network interfaces: Open Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced network settings and enters “More adapter options” to see Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and virtual adapters.

Right click on your Wi‑Fi interface and enter Properties > Configure. On cards like the Intel Wi‑Fi 6E AX210 you'll see tabs for Controller, Details, Events, Power Management, and very importantly, Advanced with dozens of parameters.

Key settings and recommendations

These are the parameters that most influence speed, stability and daily experience; adjust them wisely and test after each change to measure real impact.

• Roaming Aggressiveness: If your Wi-Fi is a Mesh system and you notice that the PC sticks to the router when you are next to another node, go up to High or Maximum. By default, “Medium” can be conservative; High usually gives good balance.
• Channel width 2,4 GHz: In clean environments, “Auto” allows 40 MHz; if there is interference, it forces 20 MHz. In practice, 2,4 GHz suffers more saturation, so don't get too hung up on expanding width here.
• Channel width 5 GHz: Leave “Automatic” to take advantage 80 MHz (or 160 MHz if your router allows it). Do not force 20 MHz except for testing, because you will greatly limit the speed ceiling.
• Channel width 6 GHz (6E): also in “Automatic”. 160 MHz channels are widespread at 6 GHz; This is where 6E shines by reducing congestion.
• Favorite band: If your router uses band‑steering, you can prioritize 5 GHz or 6 GHz. Choose 6 GHz when you have 6E devices and want to avoid interference; if not, 5 GHz is a safe bet. To force the band, consider prioritize 5 GHz or 6 GHz according to your devices.
• Ultra-high band (6 GHz): Keep it “On” to be able to join 6E networks without restrictions.

In addition to these, there is a group of options that should be reviewed and left in states that favor performance, without compromising on features you don't need if you work in a domestic environment.

• Matching reactivation patterns: Enabled if you use WoWLAN; if you don't need it, you can leave it at its default value.
• Download ARP for WoWLAN e IPv6 NS for WoWLAN: allow ARP/NS responses without activating the device; require hardware and driver support.
• Packet Coalescing: reduces interruptions by joining broadcast/multicast frames; save energy with minimal impact.
• Boosting throughput capacity (Throughput Booster): When enabled, the card prioritizes squeezing out the total bandwidth; it can take resources away from other clients, so Activate it if the PC is your priority.
• Magic Packet for reactivation: Enable network power on; if you don't use it, disable it along with “Allow the computer to wake up” in the power tab.

MIMO Power Saving Mode (SMPS)

This parameter decides whether the client keeps antennas disabled to save energy, which can significantly reduce performance; If you're looking for speed, avoid restrictions here.

• Without SMPS: completely disabled; maximum performance.
• Automatic SMPS: the client decides dynamically.
• Dynamic SMPS: maintains an antenna and reactivates on demand; can impact throughput peaks.
• Static SMPS: blocks MIMO; not recommended if you want bandwidth.

Protocols, power and protection

• 802.11a/b/g (2,4 GHz) wireless mode: Leave “dual band a/b/g” for compatibility without limiting the card.
• 802.11n/ac/ax mode (5 GHz): select 802.11ax; maintains backward compatibility and allows you to take advantage of Wi‑Fi 6.
• “Not compatible with 40 MHz channel”: disabled, or Windows will force 20 MHz on 2,4 GHz always.
• Potency of transmission: at Maximum for better coverage and data rate (respect local regulations).
• Mixed mode protection: Leave RTS/CTS as default for living with old devices.
• GTK Key Regeneration: group security; keep it enabled.
• U‑APSD (WMM‑PS) support: useful for Savings with latency-sensitive traffic (VoIP); by default it is sometimes disabled, you can enable it and measure.
• WoWLAN suspension when disconnecting: If you don't use WoWLAN, it has no impact on daily performance.

Power Management: Prevent Windows from “capping” your Wi-Fi

One of the silliest reasons for slow Wi-Fi is that Windows 11 Turn off or limit the card to save battery. On the adapter's "Power Management" tab, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power."

It is also a good idea to disable “Allow this device to wake the computer” and, if you do not use it, disable Magic Packet, to avoid unexpected power-ups and intermediate states that sometimes cause instability.

Now enter the Windows Power Options (Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced settings) and in “Wireless adapter settings” set “Maximum performance” in all plans (Savings, Balanced and High Performance).

If it's still slow: Effective diagnosis and fixes

If after the above the PC barely passes 2–10 Mbps while other devices fly, touch method: discard software, drivers and network in order so you don't go crazy changing everything at once.

1) Check Windows and use its tools

Update Windows 11 completely (including “Optional Updates”), because they may come Wi‑Fi/Bluetooth drivers and network patches that they solve the problem at once.

Run the network troubleshooter: Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Network adapterIf you get an error, make a note of it to guide your next step.

2) Reset the network stack from CMD (admin)

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run the following commands one by one. Reboot when finished to apply all changes.

netsh int ip reset netsh advfirewall reset netsh winsock reset ipconfig /flushdns ipconfig /release ipconfig /renew

3) Try another driver (even an older one)

In Device Manager, under your Wi-Fi adapter, go to “Update Driver” > “Browse my computer for drivers” > “Choose from a list of available drivers” and try installing older versions to see if one works better.

Alternatively, download driver packages from the manufacturer's website with previous date If the latest version is worse for you, and don't forget to check and update the chipset driver of your motherboard to avoid misalignments (important in CNVi solutions such as the AX201).

4) Network, router and environment review

There are factors that are not dependent on the PC and that affect performance: Slow VPNs, congested channels, distance, and obstacles, or a Mesh router that decides to hook you to 2,4 GHz because it sees little signal on 5/6 GHz.

• Restart router and leave it off for 20 seconds; older equipment can overheat and perform poorly.
• Restart the PC; sometimes background services or QoS/Delivery Optimization queues limit bandwidth.
• Approach the AP or change rooms; 5 GHz and especially 6 GHz, they lose more with walls.
• Avoid VPN free or change the server if it is paid; many throughput caps.
• Capacity of your cardIf your adapter is 1x1 or very old, don't expect 1 Gbps; if you're wired, make sure you have a Gigabit interface.
• ISP: Test via Wi-Fi and cable; if it's not close to your rate, open incident.

If you are using Google/Nest or other Mesh and the PC insists on 2,4 GHz, force the band on the 5GHz adapter from the Advanced Options and check if it improves; if not, it is probably driver or interference. Trying Ethernet temporarily will tell you if the line is working.

Windows 11 Hotspot: Can I force 6 GHz?

Right now, the Windows 11 Mobile Hotspot only allows you to choose 2,4 GHz, 5 GHz or “Any available”. There is no official option for force 6 GHz on the hotspot, not even with 6E cards like MediaTek/AMD RZ616. If you need to share a connection from another computer, you can consider Use your mobile phone as a Wi-Fi adapter for your PC in specific scenarios.

If you need a 6E network for, say, VR (Air Link) or other uses, the realistic option is use a dedicated 6E router/APSome third-party drivers allow advanced AP modes, but on Windows 11 the system hotspot doesn't yet expose 6 GHz.

With a little bit of tidiness and measurable testing, tweaking drivers, advanced options (channel width, SMPS, preferred band, power), and disabling power limits in Windows 11 usually return to Wi‑Fi 6/6E the speed and stability you expect, as long as the router and the environment are suitable.