Intel WiFi 6 AX200 not working on Ubuntu 16.04

According to Intel, Intel® Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160MHz device is only guaranteed to work with the kernel version 5.1+. (For your information, it works on Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS with kernel version 5.3.0-28.)

What I want to achieve

However, I need to get Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 working on Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS with kernel version 4.15.0-88. (The reason is that I need CUDA 10 Toolkit, and the highest version of kernel supported by CUDA 10, as of this post, is 4.15 according to NVIDIA.)

Is there any way to get this work in Ubuntu 16.04.6 with kernel 4.15?

What I tried

• I tried copying the firmware, by following this, but no differnce:

  git clone https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git
  cd linux-firmware
  cp iwlwifi-*.ucode /lib/firmware
  

• I tried installing the backport driver by following this guide but it gives the following error:

  git clone https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/iwlwifi/backport-iwlwifi.git
  cd backport-iwlwifi
  make defconfig-iwlwifi-public
  sed -i 's/CPTCFG_IWLMVM_VENDOR_CMDS=y/# CPTCFG_IWLMVM_VENDOR_CMDS is not set/' .config
  make -j4
  sudo make install
  ...
  ...
  At main.c:160:
  - SSL error:02001002:system library:fopen:No such file or directory: bss_file.c:175
  - SSL error:2006D080:BIO routines:BIO_new_file:no such file: bss_file.c:178
  sign-file: certs/signing_key.pem: No such file or directory
  ...
  
  

  The Wifi does get detected after reboot. However, Ubuntu freezes just right after trying to connect.

  Here are some of the information.

  user@laptop:~$ sudo modprobe iwlwifi
  

  user@laptop:~$ modinfo iwlwifi | grep file
  filename:       /lib/modules/4.15.0-91-generic/updates/drivers/net/wireless/intel/iwlwifi/iwlwifi.ko
  parm:           nvm_file:NVM file name (charp)
  

  user@laptop:~$ dmesg | grep iwl
  [    4.857473] Loading modules backported from iwlwifi
  [    4.857474] iwlwifi-stack-public:master:8324:9176b151
  [    4.931567] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
  [    4.938095] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwl-dbg-cfg.ini failed with error -2
  [    4.938218] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-55.ucode failed with error -2
  [    4.938328] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-54.ucode failed with error -2
  [    4.938555] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-53.ucode failed with error -2
  [    4.938567] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-52.ucode failed with error -2
  [    4.938577] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-51.ucode failed with error -2
  [    4.940246] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 58.3.35.22
  [    4.940249] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Found debug destination: EXTERNAL_DRAM
  [    4.940251] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Found debug configuration: 0
  [    4.940498] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: loaded firmware version 50.3e391d3e.0 cc-a0-50.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
  [    4.940511] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwl-debug-yoyo.bin failed with error -2
  [    4.958898] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160MHz, REV=0x340
  [    5.128296] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: base HW address: 50:eb:71:74:fc:52
  [    5.216966] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0 wlp4s0: renamed from wlan0
  [    7.615869] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: BIOS contains WGDS but no WRDS
  

  user@laptop:~$ rfkill list all
  0: hci0: Bluetooth
      Soft blocked: yes
      Hard blocked: no
  1: phy0: Wireless LAN
      Soft blocked: nob
      Hard blocked: no
  

  user@laptop:~$ cat /var/log/syslog | grep -e iwl -e wlp
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.089819] Loading modules backported from iwlwifi
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.089820] iwlwifi-stack-public:master:8324:9176b151
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.120067] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.127062] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwl-dbg-cfg.ini failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.127308] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-55.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.128596] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-54.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.128618] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-53.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.129199] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-52.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.129220] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-51.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.129318] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-50.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.129334] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwlwifi-cc-a0-49.ucode failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.131300] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: TLV_FW_FSEQ_VERSION: FSEQ Version: 43.2.23.17
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.131308] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Found debug destination: EXTERNAL_DRAM
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.131311] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Found debug configuration: 0
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.131728] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: loaded firmware version 48.4fa0041f.0 cc-a0-48.ucode op_mode iwlmvm
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.131751] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Direct firmware load for iwl-debug-yoyo.bin failed with error -2
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.174508] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Detected Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6 AX200 160MHz, REV=0x340
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.186490] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Applying debug destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.187531] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Allocated 0x00400000 bytes for firmware monitor.
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.344711] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: base HW address: 50:eb:71:74:fc:52
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.360401] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0 wlp4s0: renamed from wlan0
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.7886] rfkill1: found WiFi radio killswitch (at /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.5/0000:04:00.0/ieee80211/phy0/rfkill1) (driver iwlwifi)
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.8192] devices added (path: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.5/0000:04:00.0/net/wlp4s0, iface: wlp4s0)
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.8192] device added (path: /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.5/0000:04:00.0/net/wlp4s0, iface: wlp4s0): no ifupdown configuration found.
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.8499] (wlp4s0): using nl80211 for WiFi device control
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.8512] device (wlp4s0): driver supports Access Point (AP) mode
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.8523] manager: (wlp4s0): new 802.11 WiFi device (/org/freedesktop/NetworkManager/Devices/0)
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629726.8535] device (wlp4s0): state change: unmanaged -> unavailable (reason 'managed') [10 20 2]
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.780946] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp4s0: link is not ready
  Mar 19 21:55:26 laptop kernel: [    4.792594] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: Applying debug destination EXTERNAL_DRAM
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop kernel: [    4.942557] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: FW already configured (0) - re-configuring
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop kernel: [    4.948463] iwlwifi 0000:04:00.0: BIOS contains WGDS but no WRDS
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop kernel: [    4.950788] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp4s0: link is not ready
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629727.1088] device (wlp4s0): supplicant interface state: init -> starting
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop wpa_supplicant[1193]: Could not read interface p2p-dev-wlp4s0 flags: No such device
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629727.1881] device (wlp4s0): supplicant interface state: starting -> ready
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629727.1882] device (wlp4s0): state change: unavailable -> disconnected (reason 'supplicant-available') [20 30 42]
  Mar 19 21:55:27 laptop kernel: [    5.115444] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlp4s0: link is not ready
  Mar 19 21:55:30 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629730.4391] device (wlp4s0): supplicant interface state: ready -> inactive
  Mar 19 21:55:52 laptop NetworkManager[1003]: <info>  [1584629752.8460] device (wlp4s0): Activation: starting connection 'AndroidAPA24A' (fbf53422-d295-49ed-b45c-6c5383cb931c)
  Binary file (standard input) matches
  

Notes

• In a similar post, the provided answer is to upgrade the kernel to 5.1+, which doesn't meet the requirement in my case.

Solution 1:

I have completely no idea how this repository is different from the official backport driver from Intel. But it does work on my laptop.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:canonical-hwe-team/backport-iwlwifi
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install backport-iwlwifi-dkms