ROG Phone 5 Wi-fi and Hotspot problem. Safe to Update?

[Sarkiri]

Please tell us some basic information before asking for help:
Model Name: ROG Phone 5_I005DA / ZS673KS
Firmware Version:
Rooted or not: Not
Frequency of Occurrence: Always
APP Name & APP Version (If your issue relates to the app):
In addition to information above, please also provide as much details as you can, e.g., using scenario, what troubleshooting you've already done, screenshot, etc.
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What is happening with the ROG Phone 5 Wi-Fi problem? Can anyone please confirm if its a hardware or a software issue or only a few devices or batches are affected?
I have mostly seen Indians complaining about the Wi-fi and Hotspot issue. Is it because we Indians don't have access to other gaming smart phones by other brands in India since India banned most of the Chinese products and its mostly Indians that bought the ROG Phones and so there are more Indians complaining?
I had received my phone on 22nd of October and so far I have not faced any of the issues because I have not updated the firmware. I'm still on the stock firmware that came with the phone but for the past 3 days Asus has been forcing the update 18.0840.2103.26 update on my phone even with the System Update settings disabled to not automatically download and install the updates over Wi-fi or Cellular Data.
The update was somehow downloaded and installed on the phone and the System Update page asked me to reboot the phone but instead I disabled the "apply update automatically when device restarts" on Developer Option and cleared the cache and storage for FOTAService and then Shutdown the Phone and Factory Resetted the Phone thinking I had messed up the settings somewhere that allowed the phone to update and prevented the phone from updating the firmware but even after the factory reset I keep getting the System Update Notification to 18.0840.2103.26 with no way to disable it. I was presented with only 2 options "Update now or "Later" which starts downloading after 30 minutes even if I don't press any of the options or press the back or any button.
To prevent downloading I have to keep force stopping the "FOTAService" and clear "Cache and Storage" and disable the system updates settings but when I connect to the internet the update notification would pop up again and then starts downloading the update after 30 minutes again and I have to repeat the same process again which is getting really tiresome and if you're lucky the notification won't pop up until next reboot.
Why isn't Asus disabling the firmware update that's causing the Wi-fi and Hotspot to stop working if it is a firmware issue? And if it is a hardware issue can't the Wi-fi module just be replaced instead of replacing the whole motherboard or the whole motherboard is faulty here? Sorry for the stupid question.
I am scared whether I should update the firmware or not as I don't want my phone to be opened and replaced with a refurbished motherboard. I would have been fine with the stock firmware if Asus didn't force the update but now I can't even disable it. Should I keep preventing the system update until Asus releases a Stable Firmware for the ROG Phone 5 that won't make the Wi-fi to stop working or update it as the firmware might still download while I leave the phone unattended as I can't be on the phone all the time. I have been thinking that it would be best if I update the firmware within the warranty period but I don't know what's the best course of action to take here. Need some help here please.

[FunBike31]

In addition to deactivating the automatic updates, you have to go to settings, update the system, click on the cogwheel at the top right and deactivate the download.

it is not a problem related to the firmware but a hardware problem, Asus absolutely does not want to communicate on this problem, everyone is reduced to hypotheses, to be likened also with the same problem on the Xaomi .
The most likely is a bad series of SOC 888s or a faulty manufacturing process.

[Sarkiri]

FunBike31

In addition to deactivating the automatic updates, you have to go to settings, update the system, click on the cogwheel at the top right and deactivate the download.

it is not a problem related to the firmware but a hardware problem, Asus absolutely does not want to communicate on this problem, everyone is reduced to hypotheses, to be likened also with the same problem on the Xaomi .

The most likely is a bad series of SOC 888s or a faulty manufacturing process.

View post

The cogwheel option is what I meant when I had mentioned I had disabled the system update. I had already disabled the option to install updates automatically and through Wi-Fi and Cellular Data but ASUS is forcing the 18.0840.2103.26 update and ignoring those settings and keeps downloading the update every 30 minutes.
So, is the firmware safe to update? Thanks!

[FunBike31]

Users on the reddit and Xda threads who have updated do not report any problems, for my part, I am still in .176, the update .188 is not offered to me yet.

[k_huat]

I have updated to .188 since 7/11, so far nothing different from .176