IWX(4) FreeBSD Kernel Interfaces Manual (amd64) IWX(4)
NAME
iwx - Intel WiFi 6 IEEE 802.11ax wireless network driver
SYNOPSIS
To compile this driver into the kernel, include the following lines in
your kernel configuration file:
device iwx
device pci
device wlan
Alternatively, to load the driver as a module at boot time, place the
following lines in loader.conf(5):
if_iwx_load="YES"
DESCRIPTION
The iwx driver supports the Intel Wi-Fi 6 series of M.2 wireless network
adapters. If the appropriate hardware is detected, and iwlwifi(4) is
blacklisted in rc.conf(5), the driver will be automatically loaded with
devmatch(8). The iwx driver can be configured at runtime with
ifconfig(8) or at boot with rc.conf(5).
These are the modes the iwx driver can operate in:
station mode This is used when associating with an access point, through
which all traffic passes. Background scanning is supported
in this mode, see ifconfig(8). Station mode is the
default.
monitor mode In this mode the driver is able to receive packets without
associating with an access point. This disables the
internal receive filter and enables the card to capture
packets from networks which it wouldn't normally have
access to, or to scan for access points.
HARDWARE
The iwx driver supports the following M.2 wireless network adapters:
o Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
o Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 CNVi
o Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX210
o Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX211 CNVi
SYSCTL VARIABLES
The iwx driver supports the following sysctl(8) variables:
dev.iwx.?.debug Specify debug level as a bitmask. Default `0'.
FILES
The iwx driver requires firmware from
ports/net/wifi-firmware-iwlwifi-kmod. This firmware package will be
installed automatically with fwget(8) if the appropriate hardware is
detected at installation or runtime.
DIAGNOSTICS
iwx0: device timeout A frame dispatched to the hardware for transmission
did not complete in time. The driver will reset the hardware. This
should not happen.
iwx0: fatal firmware error For some reason, the firmware crashed. The
driver will reset the hardware. This should not happen.
iwx0: radio is disabled by hardware switch The radio transmitter is off
and thus no packet can go out. The driver will reset the hardware. Make
sure the laptop radio switch is on.
iwx0: could not read firmware ... (error N) For some reason, the driver
was unable to read the firmware image from the filesystem. The file
might be missing or corrupted.
iwx0: firmware too short: N bytes The firmware image is corrupted and
can't be loaded into the adapter.
iwx0: could not load firmware An attempt to load the firmware into the
adapter failed. The driver will reset the hardware.
SEE ALSO
intro(4), iwlwifi(4), iwlwififw(4), wlan(4), networking(7), fwget(8),
ifconfig(8), wpa_supplicant(8)
HISTORY
The iwx driver appeared in FreeBSD 15.0.
CAVEATS
The iwx driver does not support hardware encryption offload.
The iwx driver does not support 802.11ax. Additional work is required in
ieee80211(9) before those features can be supported.
FreeBSD 15.1-STABLE-HBSD November 14, 2025 IWX(4)