WiFi 6 networks issue on Win 7/8.1

Question

Hello!

I have found an issue with my program which uses Wlan API on Windows 7/8.1 (Virtual Machine). The problem is, it reports the wrong Auth. algorithm and encryption for WiFi 6 networks (WPA3-SAE version selected in the AX1800 Wi-Fi 6 Router). Such networks are reported as Encryption: WEP and Auth. Algorithm: 802.11 Open, which are incorrect. On Windows 10 and Windows 11 (Virtual Machine), such networks reports correctly - Encryption: AES (CCMP) and Auth. Algorithm: WPA3-Personal (WPA3-PSK). Please, check out the screenshots below.

Screenshots:

What could cause such issue? Also, I have found some information here: windows-10-2004-comes-with-wi-fi-6-and-wpa3-support
So, it means that older Operating systems does not support the WiFi 6 standard (WPA3)? Thank you.

Updated: 11.08.2022:
Hello!

I have run this command: netsh wlan show drivers, so it supports the 802.11ax. I have added this command details below. On Win 10, it reports the auth. algorithm as WPA3-PSK, the not connectable reason displays: The operation was successful. (0). This info is correct.
When I use other wireless adapter which does not support the WiFi 6 on Win 10, it still reports auth. algorithm as WPA3-PSK and the not connectable reason Capability matching failed at network (262162), which also is correct. The problem occurs only on Win 7/8.1. So, I can confirm that it reports the wrong auth. algorithm and encryption when networks are WPA3-PSK (WiFi 6), it reports such networks as: Auth. Algorithm: 802.11 Open and Encryption: WEP. I think, it is a bug in Windows 7/8.1, because it should report the auth. algorithm as WPA3-PSK for WiFi 6 networks.

C:\Windows\system32>netsh wlan show drivers
Interface name: Wi-Fi 4
Driver : ASUS Wireless USB Adapter
Vendor : Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Provider : Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Date : 7/27/2021
Version : 5001.0.13.104
INF file : oem29.inf
Type : Native Wi-Fi Driver
Radio types supported : 802.11n 802.11g 802.11b 802.11ax 802.11ac 802.11n 802.11a
FIPS 140-2 mode supported : Yes
802.11w Management Frame Protection supported : Yes
Hosted network supported : No
Authentication and cipher supported in infrastructure mode:
Open None
WPA2-Personal CCMP
Open WEP-40bit
Open WEP-104bit
Open WEP
WPA-Enterprise TKIP
WPA-Personal TKIP
WPA2-Enterprise TKIP
WPA2-Personal TKIP
WPA-Enterprise CCMP
WPA-Personal CCMP
WPA2-Enterprise CCMP
WPA3-Personal CCMP
Vendor defined TKIP
Vendor defined CCMP
Vendor defined Vendor defined
Vendor defined Vendor defined
WPA2-Enterprise Vendor defined
WPA2-Enterprise Vendor defined
Vendor defined Vendor defined
Vendor defined Vendor defined
Wireless Display Supported: Yes (Graphics Driver: Yes, Wi-Fi Driver: Yes)

I know these OS are old and no longer supported but in case of such WiFi 6 networks it should report them as WPA3-PSK or Not supported/Unknown value than just switching to 802.11 Open (WEP), which I assume is the default value at this moment. You can try to reproduce it on Windows 7/8.1 by running a test example (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/wlanapi/nf-wlanapi-wlangetavailablenetworklist), I just added the check for WPA3 (DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_WPA3_SAE) to this code to illustrate this issue:

#ifndef UNICODE  
#define UNICODE  
#endif  
  
#include <windows.h>  
#include <wlanapi.h>  
#include <objbase.h>  
#include <wtypes.h>  
  
#include <stdio.h>  
#include <stdlib.h>  
  
// Need to link with Wlanapi.lib and Ole32.lib  
#pragma comment(lib, "wlanapi.lib")  
#pragma comment(lib, "ole32.lib")  
  
int wmain()  
{  
  
 // Declare and initialize variables.  
  
 HANDLE hClient = NULL;  
 DWORD dwMaxClient = 2;      //      
 DWORD dwCurVersion = 0;  
 DWORD dwResult = 0;  
 DWORD dwRetVal = 0;  
 int iRet = 0;  
 WCHAR GuidString[39] = { 0 };  
 unsigned int i, j, k;  
  
 /* variables used for WlanEnumInterfaces  */  
  
 PWLAN_INTERFACE_INFO_LIST pIfList = NULL;  
 PWLAN_INTERFACE_INFO pIfInfo = NULL;  
  
 PWLAN_AVAILABLE_NETWORK_LIST pBssList = NULL;  
 PWLAN_AVAILABLE_NETWORK pBssEntry = NULL;  
  
 int iRSSI = 0;  
  
 dwResult = WlanOpenHandle(dwMaxClient, NULL, &dwCurVersion, &hClient);  
 if (dwResult != ERROR_SUCCESS) {  
 wprintf(L"WlanOpenHandle failed with error: %u\n", dwResult);  
 return 1;  
 // You can use FormatMessage here to find out why the function failed  
 }  
  
 dwResult = WlanEnumInterfaces(hClient, NULL, &pIfList);  
 if (dwResult != ERROR_SUCCESS) {  
 wprintf(L"WlanEnumInterfaces failed with error: %u\n", dwResult);  
 return 1;  
 // You can use FormatMessage here to find out why the function failed  
 }  
 else {  
 wprintf(L"Num Entries: %lu\n", pIfList->dwNumberOfItems);  
 wprintf(L"Current Index: %lu\n", pIfList->dwIndex);  
 for (i = 0; i < (int)pIfList->dwNumberOfItems; i++) {  
 pIfInfo = (WLAN_INTERFACE_INFO *)&pIfList->InterfaceInfo[i];  
 wprintf(L"  Interface Index[%u]:\t %lu\n", i, i);  
 iRet = StringFromGUID2(pIfInfo->InterfaceGuid, (LPOLESTR)&GuidString,  
 sizeof(GuidString) / sizeof(*GuidString));  
 // For c rather than C++ source code, the above line needs to be  
 // iRet = StringFromGUID2(&pIfInfo->InterfaceGuid, (LPOLESTR) &GuidString,   
 //     sizeof(GuidString)/sizeof(*GuidString));   
 if (iRet == 0)  
 wprintf(L"StringFromGUID2 failed\n");  
 else {  
 wprintf(L"  InterfaceGUID[%d]: %ws\n", i, GuidString);  
 }  
 wprintf(L"  Interface Description[%d]: %ws", i,  
 pIfInfo->strInterfaceDescription);  
 wprintf(L"\n");  
 wprintf(L"  Interface State[%d]:\t ", i);  
 switch (pIfInfo->isState) {  
 case wlan_interface_state_not_ready:  
 wprintf(L"Not ready\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_connected:  
 wprintf(L"Connected\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_ad_hoc_network_formed:  
 wprintf(L"First node in a ad hoc network\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_disconnecting:  
 wprintf(L"Disconnecting\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_disconnected:  
 wprintf(L"Not connected\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_associating:  
 wprintf(L"Attempting to associate with a network\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_discovering:  
 wprintf(L"Auto configuration is discovering settings for the network\n");  
 break;  
 case wlan_interface_state_authenticating:  
 wprintf(L"In process of authenticating\n");  
 break;  
 default:  
 wprintf(L"Unknown state %ld\n", pIfInfo->isState);  
 break;  
 }  
 wprintf(L"\n");  
  
 dwResult = WlanGetAvailableNetworkList(hClient,  
 &pIfInfo->InterfaceGuid,  
 0,  
 NULL,  
 &pBssList);  
  
 if (dwResult != ERROR_SUCCESS) {  
 wprintf(L"WlanGetAvailableNetworkList failed with error: %u\n",  
 dwResult);  
 dwRetVal = 1;  
 // You can use FormatMessage to find out why the function failed  
 }  
 else {  
 wprintf(L"WLAN_AVAILABLE_NETWORK_LIST for this interface\n");  
  
 wprintf(L"  Num Entries: %lu\n\n", pBssList->dwNumberOfItems);  
  
 for (j = 0; j < pBssList->dwNumberOfItems; j++) {  
 pBssEntry =  
 (WLAN_AVAILABLE_NETWORK *)& pBssList->Network[j];  
  
 wprintf(L"  Profile Name[%u]:  %ws\n", j, pBssEntry->strProfileName);  
  
 wprintf(L"  SSID[%u]:\t\t ", j);  
 if (pBssEntry->dot11Ssid.uSSIDLength == 0)  
 wprintf(L"\n");  
 else {  
 for (k = 0; k < pBssEntry->dot11Ssid.uSSIDLength; k++) {  
 wprintf(L"%c", (int)pBssEntry->dot11Ssid.ucSSID[k]);  
 }  
 wprintf(L"\n");  
 }  
  
 wprintf(L"  BSS Network type[%u]:\t ", j);  
 switch (pBssEntry->dot11BssType) {  
 case dot11_BSS_type_infrastructure:  
 wprintf(L"Infrastructure (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11BssType);  
 break;  
 case dot11_BSS_type_independent:  
 wprintf(L"Infrastructure (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11BssType);  
 break;  
 default:  
 wprintf(L"Other (%lu)\n", pBssEntry->dot11BssType);  
 break;  
 }  
  
 wprintf(L"  Number of BSSIDs[%u]:\t %u\n", j, pBssEntry->uNumberOfBssids);  
  
 wprintf(L"  Connectable[%u]:\t ", j);  
 if (pBssEntry->bNetworkConnectable)  
 wprintf(L"Yes\n");  
 else {  
 wprintf(L"No\n");  
 wprintf(L"  Not connectable WLAN_REASON_CODE value[%u]:\t %u\n", j,  
 pBssEntry->wlanNotConnectableReason);  
 }  
  
 wprintf(L"  Number of PHY types supported[%u]:\t %u\n", j, pBssEntry->uNumberOfPhyTypes);  
  
 if (pBssEntry->wlanSignalQuality == 0)  
 iRSSI = -100;  
 else if (pBssEntry->wlanSignalQuality == 100)  
 iRSSI = -50;  
 else  
 iRSSI = -100 + (pBssEntry->wlanSignalQuality / 2);  
  
 wprintf(L"  Signal Quality[%u]:\t %u (RSSI: %i dBm)\n", j,  
 pBssEntry->wlanSignalQuality, iRSSI);  
  
 wprintf(L"  Security Enabled[%u]:\t ", j);  
 if (pBssEntry->bSecurityEnabled)  
 wprintf(L"Yes\n");  
 else  
 wprintf(L"No\n");  
  
 wprintf(L"  Default AuthAlgorithm[%u]: ", j);  
 switch (pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm) {  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_80211_OPEN:  
 wprintf(L"802.11 Open (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_80211_SHARED_KEY:  
 wprintf(L"802.11 Shared (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_WPA:  
 wprintf(L"WPA (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_WPA_PSK:  
 wprintf(L"WPA-PSK (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_WPA_NONE:  
 wprintf(L"WPA-None (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_RSNA:  
 wprintf(L"RSNA (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_RSNA_PSK:  
 wprintf(L"RSNA with PSK(%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_AUTH_ALGO_WPA3_SAE:  
 wprintf(L"WPA3-PSK (%u)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 default:  
 wprintf(L"Other (%lu)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultAuthAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 }  
  
 wprintf(L"  Default CipherAlgorithm[%u]: ", j);  
 switch (pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm) {  
 case DOT11_CIPHER_ALGO_NONE:  
 wprintf(L"None (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_CIPHER_ALGO_WEP40:  
 wprintf(L"WEP-40 (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_CIPHER_ALGO_TKIP:  
 wprintf(L"TKIP (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_CIPHER_ALGO_CCMP:  
 wprintf(L"CCMP (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_CIPHER_ALGO_WEP104:  
 wprintf(L"WEP-104 (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 case DOT11_CIPHER_ALGO_WEP:  
 wprintf(L"WEP (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 default:  
 wprintf(L"Other (0x%x)\n", pBssEntry->dot11DefaultCipherAlgorithm);  
 break;  
 }  
  
 wprintf(L"  Flags[%u]:\t 0x%x", j, pBssEntry->dwFlags);  
 if (pBssEntry->dwFlags) {  
 if (pBssEntry->dwFlags & WLAN_AVAILABLE_NETWORK_CONNECTED)  
 wprintf(L" - Currently connected");  
 if (pBssEntry->dwFlags & WLAN_AVAILABLE_NETWORK_HAS_PROFILE)  
 wprintf(L" - Has profile");  
 }  
 wprintf(L"\n");  
  
 wprintf(L"\n");  
 }  
 }  
 }  
  
 }  
 if (pBssList != NULL) {  
 WlanFreeMemory(pBssList);  
 pBssList = NULL;  
 }  
  
 if (pIfList != NULL) {  
 WlanFreeMemory(pIfList);  
 pIfList = NULL;  
 }  
  
 system("Pause");  
 return dwRetVal;  
}  

Please, fix this issue. Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello @Ruslan Sydorovych
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

You can use cmd to check whether the computer supports WI-FI6.
Enter the following command and press Enter to execute.

netsh wlan show drivers  

If it shows that the [802.11ax] protocol is supported, it means that the computer supports Wi-Fi 6.

In the Windows support document Faster and more secure Wi-Fi in Windows , there is no mention of Windows8.

Thank you.

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