### System details

Framework 13, intel ax210 wifi chip, and  Ryzen™ AI 9 HX 370

### What's wrong?

# iwd does not respect BSSID setting on boot - stuck on 2.4GHz

## System Details
- **Device:** Framework 13 AMD
- **WiFi Card:** Intel AX210 (WiFi 6E)
- **Router:** eero Pro 7 (WiFi 6E with 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands)
- **Omarchy Version:** Latest
- **iwd Version:** 3.10

## Problem Summary

iwd ignores the `BSSID` setting in `/var/lib/iwd/<network>.psk` on boot and always connects to the 2.4GHz band, even when 5GHz and 6GHz bands are available with better speeds. Manual reconnection after boot correctly connects to the specified BSSID on 5GHz/6GHz.

## Expected Behavior

iwd should connect to the BSSID specified in the network configuration file on boot, allowing users to force connection to a specific band (5GHz or 6GHz).

## Actual Behavior

- On boot, iwd connects to 2.4GHz (~70-170 Mbps) regardless of BSSID setting
- After manually running `iwctl station wlan0 disconnect && iwctl station wlan0 connect <SSID>`, iwd correctly connects to the specified BSSID on 6GHz (~2161 Mbps)
- The `[Rank]` settings (`BandModifier5GHz`, `BandModifier6GHz`, `BandModifier2_4GHz`) in `/etc/iwd/main.conf` did not work and broke connectivity

## Configuration Files

### /etc/iwd/main.conf
```ini
[General]
Country=US
```

### /var/lib/iwd/wireless_network.psk
```ini
[Settings]
AutoConnect=true
BSSID=24:2d:6c:63:b4:c9

[Security]
Passphrase=<password>
```

### /etc/conf.d/wireless-regdom
```
WIRELESS_REGDOM="US"
```

## Prerequisites for 6GHz to Work

1. **Regulatory domain must be set to US** (or appropriate country) - without this, 6GHz channels are blocked
2. **WPA3 must be enabled on the router** - 6GHz requires WPA3 by WiFi 6E specification
3. **Client/band steering should be disabled on router** - eero was forcing devices to 2.4GHz

## Available BSSIDs (same SSID, different bands)

```
24:2d:6c:63:b4:c8 - 2.4GHz (freq: 2437.0)
24:2d:6c:63:b4:ca - 5GHz (freq: 5500.0)
24:2d:6c:63:b4:c9 - 6GHz (freq: 6375.0)
```

## Speed Comparison

| Band | Frequency | RX Bitrate | TX Bitrate |
|------|-----------|------------|------------|
| 2.4GHz | 2437 MHz | ~70-170 Mbps | ~30-60 Mbps |
| 5GHz | 5500 MHz | ~1900 Mbps | ~490 Mbps |
| 6GHz | 6375 MHz | ~2161 Mbps | ~890 Mbps |

## Workarounds Attempted

### 1. BSSID in network config (partial success)
Setting `BSSID=<5GHz or 6GHz BSSID>` in `/var/lib/iwd/<network>.psk` works after manual reconnect but not on boot.

### 2. Rank settings (did not work)
```ini
[Rank]
BandModifier2_4GHz=0.0
BandModifier5GHz=2.0
BandModifier6GHz=3.0
```
This broke connectivity entirely.

### 3. systemd service for auto-reconnect (unreliable)
Created a service to disconnect/reconnect after boot - was unreliable and not a proper fix.

## Current Workaround

After each reboot, manually run:
```bash
iwctl station wlan0 disconnect && iwctl station wlan0 connect wireless_network
```

Or create an alias:
```bash
alias rewifi='iwctl station wlan0 disconnect && iwctl station wlan0 connect wireless_network'
```

## Diagnostic Commands

```bash
# Check current connection
iw dev wlan0 link

# Check regulatory domain
iw reg get

# Scan for available BSSIDs
sudo iw dev wlan0 scan | grep -B10 "SSID: <your-ssid>" | grep -E "BSS|freq"

# Check iwd config
cat /etc/iwd/main.conf
cat /var/lib/iwd/<network>.psk

# Check iwd version
iwctl version
```

## Possible Root Causes

1. iwd's auto-connect happens before regulatory domain is fully applied
2. iwd does not properly read BSSID setting during initial boot connection
3. Timing issue between iwd service start and wireless regulatory domain initialization

## Related Issues

- Arch Linux forums report similar issues with iwd band selection
- iwd by design does not expose BSSIDs directly and uses automatic band selection
- The 5GHz multiplier in iwd's ranking algorithm is only 1.1x, which may not be enough to prefer 5GHz over a stronger 2.4GHz signal

## Request

Please investigate why iwd ignores the BSSID setting on boot. Ideally, users should be able to:
1. Specify a preferred BSSID that is respected on boot
2. Or specify a preferred band (5GHz/6GHz only) that works reliably

This is particularly important for WiFi 6E users who want to utilize the 6GHz band for maximum performance.

Also, as I move closer to the router the connection is not roaming, or hopping on to the strong 5ghz or 6ghz connection. On my macbook not seeing this performance issue.