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ERROR_NDIS_DOT11_AP_CHANNEL_NOT_ALLOWED
ERROR_NDIS_DOT11_AP_CHANNEL_NOT_ALLOWED (0x80342007) means that starting an AP on the requested channel was rejected for regulatory reasons. This is not a generic signal-quality error and not the transient condition reported by ERROR_NDIS_DOT11_AP_CHANNEL_CURRENTLY_NOT_AVAILABLE.
What the code establishes
The decision concerns active AP operation on one channel. Regulatory processing can restrict frequency ranges, channel width, transmit power and other operating conditions; device-specific limits can narrow those permissions further. The status does not disclose which country or rule produced the decision, so the failed request must be correlated with the adapter, driver and effective local regulatory context.
A received BSS is not an AP authorization
Windows scan data includes bInRegDomain, which is derived from the observed BSS and its country information element when present. That field describes an observed AP or peer entry. It is not a grant to make the local device transmit an AP beacon on the same channel, and it must not replace the driver capability and policy decision for the local radio.
What to verify
- Log the requested channel, frequency and width together with the adapter model, driver version and firmware version.
- Determine whether the channel was selected by the application, an automatic channel algorithm or a persisted profile.
- Inspect the effective country or regulatory information available to the WLAN driver and any device-programmed limits that can further restrict it.
- Use the adapter-supported channel and AP capability data as the source of truth; do not infer permission from a nearby network being visible.
What will not resolve this status
Repeating the same request, changing only the SSID, or editing an application-side channel list does not change a regulatory decision. Do not alter firmware, EEPROM or country settings to bypass a restriction. Select only a channel that the actual adapter and WLAN stack report as permitted for AP operation.
Microsoft: WLAN_BSS_ENTRY, country information and bInRegDomain
Microsoft: Native 802.11 multi-domain and ExtAP attributes
Linux Wireless: regulatory rules and device EEPROM restrictions
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