regulatory domain/country is not taking effect on Raspberry Pi 3B+

[fa1rid]

iw reg set DE 
iw reg get
global
country 98: DFS-FCC
        (2402 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
        (5170 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 17), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
        (5250 - 5330 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS, AUTO-BW
        (5725 - 5730 @ 5), (N/A, 24), (0 ms), DFS
        (5735 - 5835 @ 80), (N/A, 30), (N/A)

uname -a
Linux rpi3b 6.12.37-v8+ #1894 SMP PREEMPT Fri Jul 11 16:47:45 BST 2025 aarch64 GNU/Linux

I also tried using raspi-config

cat /boot/firmware/cmdline.txt
console=serial0,115200 console=tty1 root=PARTUUID=76998517-02 rootfstype=ext4 fsck.repair=yes rootwait cfg80211.ieee80211_regdom=DE

cat /sys/module/cfg80211/parameters/ieee80211_regdom
DE

I just freshly installed RPi OS lite.

I'm unable to use some 5Ghz channels like 104 on my USB WiFi.

I have RPi5 and the iw reg set command works.

any help would be appreciated.

[fa1rid]

I was able to fix the problem by doing: iw reg reload
any idea why like that?

[ZerBea]

I have an older device (from outside Europe) that is showing a similar behavior:

$ iw reg get
global
country DE: DFS-ETSI
	(2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5350 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5470 - 5725 @ 160), (N/A, 26), (0 ms), DFS
	(5725 - 5875 @ 80), (N/A, 13), (N/A)
	(5945 - 6425 @ 320), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR
	(57000 - 66000 @ 2160), (N/A, 40), (N/A)

Plug in the USB device:

$ iw reg get
global
country 98: DFS-UNSET
	(2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 100), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5350 @ 100), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5725 - 5850 @ 80), (N/A, 13), (N/A)
	(57240 - 59400 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)
	(59400 - 63720 @ 2160), (N/A, 40), (N/A)
	(63720 - 65880 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)

phy#2
country CN: DFS-FCC
	(2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5350 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5725 - 5850 @ 80), (N/A, 33), (N/A)
	(57240 - 59400 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)
	(59400 - 63720 @ 2160), (N/A, 44), (N/A)
	(63720 - 65880 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)

Setting the regulatory domain failed epically, because it is hard coded in the firmware of the device:

$ sudo iw reg set DE
$ iw reg get
global
country 98: DFS-UNSET
	(2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 100), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5350 @ 100), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5725 - 5850 @ 80), (N/A, 13), (N/A)
	(57240 - 59400 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)
	(59400 - 63720 @ 2160), (N/A, 40), (N/A)
	(63720 - 65880 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)

phy#2
country CN: DFS-FCC
	(2400 - 2483 @ 40), (N/A, 20), (N/A)
	(5150 - 5250 @ 80), (N/A, 23), (N/A), NO-OUTDOOR, AUTO-BW
	(5250 - 5350 @ 80), (N/A, 20), (0 ms), NO-OUTDOOR, DFS, AUTO-BW
	(5725 - 5850 @ 80), (N/A, 33), (N/A)
	(57240 - 59400 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)
	(59400 - 63720 @ 2160), (N/A, 44), (N/A)
	(63720 - 65880 @ 2160), (N/A, 28), (N/A)

I have absolutely no idea to handle this, without modifying (hacking) the firmware.

[strasharo]

Haven't updated in in a while, but you can tweak whatever region your adapter is locked to with the limitations you need:
https://github.com/strasharo/wifi_channel_unlocking

Will try to get it refreshed in the next few days.

[strasharo]

For example for CN you can edit the limits here:
https://github.com/strasharo/wifi_channel_unlocking/blob/master/wireless-regdb/db.txt#L241

And just copy them over from DE:
https://github.com/strasharo/wifi_channel_unlocking/blob/master/wireless-regdb/db.txt#L319

[ZerBea]

Thanks for that information.

Unfortunately this settings are ignored by this device, because it always use the EEPROM hard coded defaults
https://wireless.docs.kernel.org/en/latest/en/users/drivers/ath.html

Also recompiling the Linux kernel does not lead to the goal
https://wireless.docs.kernel.org/en/latest/en/developers/regulatory/crda.html

https://ath9k-devel.ath9k.narkive.com/xfJsMejl/ath9k-changing-regulatory-domain