Intel 8260 card supports WiFi but not Bluetooth connectivity.
Intel 8260 card supports WiFi but not Bluetooth connectivity.
I recently recovered an Intel 8260 Wireless card from a vintage laptop. My motherboard, an Asrock B550M Steel Legend, includes a dedicated M.2 Wi-Fi slot, so I installed the card. After turning on Windows 11, it detected the Intel wireless drivers properly and connected to Wi-Fi without issues. Yet, even though the card claims to have built-in Bluetooth, I can't detect any devices in Device Manager. When I run the troubleshooter in Windows settings, it simply states "This device doesn't support Bluetooth." I've attempted to install the Intel Bluetooth drivers manually, but they still fail to appear. It's unclear what else to try. Any suggestions?
Consider reinstalling it, as these cards usually use PCIe for WLAN and USB for BT. If the USB connection isn't working well, you might end up with just one functional card. Or the motherboard may only support certain cards; previously had a problem with one, upgraded the built-in WiFi chip and it refused to start with the new one.
You might want to reposition the device again and ensure the contacts on the card are clean. Also, check the BIOS settings for BT and turn it on if needed. Trying to activate Bluetooth there could help resolve the problem.
This solution surprised me, but changing it again resolved the issue. Let's check how it holds up. Thanks!