AP NWA50AX

Hi @Gigi68,

I understand you're experiencing an issue where your HP Pavilion dv6 6170 notebook cannot detect the SSID broadcast by your Zyxel NWA50AX access point, even with a USB Wi-Fi card. This can often happen due to compatibility issues between older device Wi-Fi adapters and newer Wi-Fi standards or specific configurations.

Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot this:

• Check Wi-Fi Standards and Frequencies: The NWA50AX supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Your HP Pavilion dv6 6170 likely has an older Wi-Fi adapter that might primarily support 802.11n or older standards, and potentially only the 2.4GHz band.

  • Verify your HP Pavilion dv6 6170's Wi-Fi specifications: Determine which 802.11 standards (a/b/g/n/ac/ax) and frequency bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz) your notebook's built-in Wi-Fi adapter and the USB Wi-Fi card support. This information is crucial for compatibility.
  • Consider SSID Separation: If your NWA50AX is broadcasting a single SSID for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, try separating them into two distinct SSIDs (e.g., "MyNetwork-2.4GHz" and "MyNetwork-5GHz"). This will allow you to explicitly try connecting your HP laptop to the 2.4GHz network, which is generally more compatible with older devices.

• Adjust Wi-Fi Security Settings:

  • Ensure your SSID is not hidden. If the "Hide this SSID" option is selected, you can still connect by manually entering the SSID name, but it won't appear in the list of available networks.
  • While the NWA50AX supports WPA3, try setting the security protocol on your SSID to WPA2-PSK (AES) for broader compatibility with older devices. Some older devices might have issues connecting to WPA3-only networks.

• Check for Unsupported Features: Certain advanced features applied to an SSID can prevent it from broadcasting or being detected by some devices.

  • If you are using features like NAT mode or Layer 2 Isolation for NWA50AX and are not on firmware version 6.29P1 or above, this might cause issues. Ensure your AP's firmware is up to date.

• Update Notebook's Wi-Fi Drivers: Ensure the Wi-Fi drivers for both your HP Pavilion dv6 6170's internal adapter and the USB Wi-Fi card are updated to the latest available version from their respective manufacturers.

To further assist you, please provide the following information:

• Zyxel NWA50AX Firmware Version: This can be found in the AP's web interface.
• HP Pavilion dv6 6170 Operating System: (e.g., Windows 7, Windows 10)
• HP Pavilion dv6 6170 Original Wi-Fi Adapter Model:
• USB Wi-Fi Card Model:
• Screenshots of your NWA50AX SSID Configuration: This includes security settings, band selection, and any advanced settings.
• Network Topology Map: A simple diagram showing how your NWA50AX is connected to your network.