Intel i226-v

You REALLY dont get it. its the Intel wifi 6e and intel i225/6 drivers that windows 11 dont have when we make a clean install. And i dont give a flying biip anout wifi 7 cause that will take you another 10 years to have then in windows.

I am changing all our computers but one to Linux, windows is getting worse by every single "update"

And READ what i wrote or are you using the ai c.ap

Dear CEFQuark

I'm very sorry that you marked Kyo.Y's reply as not helpful.

We understand your frustration, especially when there is no network connection during the first-time configuration of Windows.

In fact, you don’t have to worry too much. After all subsequent software and hardware compatibility tests are completed, I believe these INTEL drivers will be included in the native Windows.iso.

Before that, you can press CTRL+SHIFT+F3 or CTRL+SHIFT+F3+FN to enter the audit mode. Even if there is no network, you can manually install the INTEL network card driver in this mode.

Additionally, you can inject WIFI and wired network drivers during Windows installation preparation.

1. Preparation work

1. Prepare USB flash drive: Make sure you have an empty USB flash drive formatted in FAT32 format.
2. Download the driver:

Go to the official Intel website to download the Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 and Intel i226 LAN drivers.

Choose the appropriate driver versions for your operating system and make sure they are up to date.

2. Copy the driver to the USB disk

1. Create a folder: Create a new folder on the USB flash drive, for example, name it Drivers.
2. Copy the driver: Copy the downloaded driver (which may be an .exe or .zip file) into the Drivers folder.

3. Perform Windows installation

1. Start the installer: Boot your computer using the Windows 11 installation USB. You can create a bootable USB drive using official Microsoft tools such as Windows Media Creation Tool.
2. Start the installation: Follow the steps of the installation wizard until you reach the "Select installation location" stage.

4. Load the driver

1. Load the driver:

In the "Select Installation Location" screen, if you see that the network device is missing, you will see the "Load Driver" option.

Click "Load Driver" and insert the backed up USB flash drive.

2. Select driver:

Browse to the Drivers folder on the USB drive.

Windows automatically scans the folder and displays available drivers.

Select the appropriate driver and install it.

5. Complete the installation

1. After completing the driver installation, return to the "Select Installation Location" interface to continue your Windows 11 installation process.

Things to note

Make sure the driver you download matches your system architecture (x64 or x86).

Before proceeding with installation, you can confirm hardware compatibility from the device manufacturer's official website.

If you still don't recognize the device, try using another version of the driver or updating the BIOS/UEFI firmware

Hope the above information can help you.

We are very sorry to bring you a bad experience, we are not robots or AI.

Best Wish

Shawn.Z-MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Hi CEFQuark,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

We understand that you may be frustrated by the lack of support for Wi-Fi 7 products in Windows 11 24H2, which may slow down the experience of the latest features.

We also understand that you may have had some bad experiences with “the team”, but please allow “us” (“members of the Answers community”) to explain that members of the Answers community do not interact directly with the core product team.

Intel's approach to driver distribution and integration involves collaborating with hardware vendors, operating system developers, and end-users. Typically, Intel releases drivers through its official website to ensure compatibility with various operating systems and hardware configurations. However, the availability of drivers can sometimes lag behind new hardware releases, causing issues like the ones you've experienced. For example, the Intel i226-V LAN drivers are provided for popular operating systems such as Windows and Linux, but their distribution can be inconsistent for less common systems or specific hardware configurations. This inconsistency can result in users facing difficulties when performing fresh installations due to the unavailability of the necessary drivers.

When a new device is connected to a Windows system, the Plug and Play (PnP) service searches for a compatible driver. If a suitable driver is found, it is installed immediately.

Windows plays a crucial role in the distribution of drivers by checking Windows Update for the latest driver versions and installing them if available. This process is automated to ensure devices are running the most up-to-date drivers.

The interaction between the vendor, driver, and end client is a collaborative process. Vendors submit drivers to Windows Update for evaluation and approval by Microsoft. Once approved, these drivers are distributed to end clients through Windows Update, ensuring timely updates for compatibility and performance. However, challenges such as immediate driver availability and compatibility with specific hardware configurations can lead to user frustration, as highlighted in your initial problem description.

Partner Center for Windows Hardware - Windows drivers | Microsoft Learn

Wi-Fi 7 is the latest generation of wireless technology, offering significant improvements in speed, latency, and overall performance. While Intel has been promoting its support for Wi-Fi 7, the actual implementation involves ensuring not only the hardware but also the appropriate drivers and firmware are in place. As of now, Wi-Fi 7 is still in the early stages of adoption, with many devices and systems gradually transitioning to support the new standard. Intel's efforts to integrate Wi-Fi 7 into its products are commendable, but the process of ensuring full compatibility and performance across all platforms remains ongoing. Customers may need to wait for further updates and improvements from both Intel and their hardware vendors to fully realize the benefits of Wi-Fi 7.

According to the support article provided by Intel, higher level Intel teams may still be working on Windows-related teams analyzing/researching the details of Wi-Fi 7's functionality under a specific release.

Intel® Wireless Wi-Fi Drivers for Windows® 10 and Windows 11*

In other words, Windows itself is not the direct provider of drivers for any hardware.

For the Intel® Ethernet Controller I226-V component, the content at this link provides drivers that may be relevant.

Intel® Ethernet Controller I226-V

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Best Regards,

Kyo.Y - MSFT | Microsoft Community Technical Support