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Linux Wi-Fi Speed: Check This Regulatory Setting First

A mismatched Linux Wi-Fi regulatory domain can restrict channels or channel widths. Check the country code first, then verify the adapter, band, signal, and link.
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If Linux Wi-Fi seems slower than your router should allow, check the wireless regulatory domain first. Run iw reg get and confirm the country matches your actual location. A mismatched setting can restrict available channels or channel widths, but correcting it is not a guaranteed speed fix: hardware, drivers, signal, router settings, and your internet connection also affect performance.

What the regulatory domain can—and cannot—explain

Linux applies country-specific rules to wireless channels and operation. The reported regulatory domain is therefore a sensible first check when a connection appears unable to use a channel or bandwidth supported by the router. The Linux Wireless documentation for iw describes how to inspect and set a regulatory domain; the Linux Wireless regulatory documentation explains regulatory processing. Device and driver restrictions may also apply.

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This does not mean one setting universally caps Linux Wi-Fi speed. A regulatory restriction may prevent a particular channel width, while adapter capabilities, the connected band, signal quality, router configuration, and internet service can each limit real-world throughput. A router’s advertised rating is not a promise of the speed one client will see over the internet.

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Check the country code and connection

  1. Open a terminal and run iw reg get. Check the country code shown in the regulatory domain and make sure it corresponds to the country where you are using the device.

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  2. If it is wrong, set the actual country’s two-letter ISO code with sudo iw reg set CC, replacing CC with that code. The iw documentation specifies the iw reg set alpha2 form. Do not select another country to try to unlock channels: the code must reflect your location and applicable rules.

  3. Check what the wireless interface is connected to with iw dev <interface> link. Replace <interface> with your wireless interface name. To see the interface and its parent PHY, use iw dev; then inspect its capabilities with iw phy <phy> info, replacing <phy> with the PHY name.

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  4. Compare the Wi-Fi link information with an internet speed test, and, if practical, compare from another device on the same network or test nearer the router. These comparisons help distinguish a wireless link limitation from an internet-service or signal issue; they do not by themselves identify a regulatory-domain fault.

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Command availability and interface details can vary by distribution and installed tools. Consult your distribution’s iw manual if a command is unsupported. Whether a manually set domain persists after reboot depends on the distribution and its wireless-management configuration; the cited documentation does not establish one persistence method for all Linux systems.

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When channel width or driver support is the issue

A router and adapter can both support a wide channel yet fail to use it together if regulatory rules or the driver disallow it. The Linux kernel cfg80211 documentation describes per-channel restrictions, including conditions that can prevent 80 MHz operation. The Linux Wireless ath10k configuration documentation gives an access-point configuration example and warns: “If you get ‘set channel failed to set in kernel’ error message, most likely your regulatory database doesn’t support 80 MHz channels.” That example concerns ath10k AP setup; it is not a universal diagnosis for a slow client connection.

If the regulatory country is already correct, compare the adapter’s reported capabilities with the router’s band and channel settings. A driver or hardware limit can remain even after the country code is corrected.

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Check band and power saving without forcing client width

NetworkManager exposes a band selector and a Wi-Fi power-save setting. Its channel-width property is for Access Point mode, not a client-side control for forcing a laptop to connect at a chosen width. See the NetworkManager wireless settings reference before changing a connection profile.

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You can query power-saving state with iw dev <interface> get power_save. The iw documentation covers power-save commands, and NetworkManager documents its related setting. Power saving is worth checking during troubleshooting, but the documentation does not establish that disabling it universally improves throughput.

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Interpret the result before changing hardware

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