Can't get my alpha to recognize wifi networks

Hey guys!

Thanks in advance for your help! For context, I'm a high school robotics teacher. I absolutely love my job and I had high hopes about implementing the lattepanda alpha in my classroom, but I'm having second thoughts. I've used rpi for years, and I'm familiar with various linux distros and SBCs / microcontrollers in general, but right now I'm stumped.

I can't get my alpha to find any wifi networks! Ethernet, everything works just fine, but either at my house, or in my classroom, my alpha shows no wifi networks available. I've tried updating both windows, and the intel wifi chip driver, but no luck. I also randomly picked up an additional m.2 intel wifi board, plugged that sucker in and installed it, and that won't find any networks either. Any ideas? Other than the wifi issue, the board it great, but running ethernet only is a huge disappointment.

I was thinking my next step would be to try and run ubuntu. Would that have a better chance interfacing with the onboard wifi chip?