I'm considering an ASUS ROG X870 motherboard because it's part of a great bundle, but I've heard that its built-in MediaTek Wi-Fi hardware has had compatibility problems on Linux. Has support improved with newer kernels and firmware, and should it work properly with CachyOS? I could install a separate Wi-Fi adapter if necessary, but I'd prefer to use the motherboard's integrated wireless if possible.
4 Answers
I have the same motherboard and initially needed a newer kernel plus the MediaTek firmware files in /lib/firmware. Once those were installed, the card worked normally. It’s worth preparing an internet fallback before changing boards, such as Ethernet or USB phone tethering, because you may need it to install updates if Wi-Fi is unavailable on the first boot.
I’ve also seen MediaTek Wi-Fi work on CachyOS after updates. Some newer wireless features, especially Wi-Fi 6 or 6E, may not work correctly with an older kernel but can start working after driver and firmware improvements. So compatibility is generally good now, though the exact experience depends on the chip revision and installed kernel.
Recent Linux support seems much better. On boards using the MediaTek MT7921K/RZ608, the mt7921e driver works, including on relatively recent Ubuntu releases. CachyOS should also be a reasonable match since it uses a current Arch-based kernel, but keeping the kernel and linux-firmware packages updated is important.
The integrated card should be usable, but if you want the least hassle, an Intel AX210 is an easy replacement in many systems and can be found cheaply. It’s also smart to have one available as a backup in case the onboard module needs firmware or kernel updates before it starts working.
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