I plugged the USB stick back into the troublesome Mint machine and now I can see the files- the master zip. Were the files not stored on the Mint machine?

Where it "says make sure your in the directory with the source code" does that mean having the terminal window on top of the window that contains the source code? Before I start entering commands I want to know if I am doing it correctly.. this time.

sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential dkms[/QUOTE]

I just did this. It shows I have the latest linux headers 4.15.0-29-generic
dkms is newest version.

<Some packages can not be installed, etc etc (because I could not get online)
The following packages have unmet dependencies.
build-essential depends g++ (>= 4:7.2) but it not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.>

What does it all mean. Shall I persist in trying to make this work or should I find another distro?
When I enter sudo <./dkms-install.sh> it says command not found.

It's saying command not found because you are not in the directory where the dkms-install.sh script is located at.

You don't have g++ installed so this is not going to work.

I thought Mint came with g++

It would be easier to install the driver for the usb dongle that you purchased.
OR> install another distro.

It would be easier to install the driver for the usb dongle that you purchased.
OR> install another distro.[/QUOTE]

Installing another distro is the direction I am thinking of going. I think you recommended Ubuntu. Any particular version. The latest one I'd expect but maybe not given the possible problem of it not having drivers for my new machine. What do you think?

[QUOTE=Ztcoracat;5977439]It's saying command not found because you are not in the directory where the dkms-install.sh script is located at.

You don't have g++ installed so this is not going to work.

I thought Mint came with g++ quote]

How do I get into the directory where the dkms-install.sh script is found?
I don't think it said that g++ is not there. It said it will not be installed.. I think.

1 members found this post helpful.

Ubuntu 18.04.

Open the terminal and type the exact path to the rtl8821ce directory is which has the install.sh script.

For example this is the path where the rtl8821ce file is on my system.

cd /home/zebracat/Downloads/rtl8821ce-master/

Than become root and run the script.

I am not familiar with a lot of the terms you use. What does it mean to become root? Also, how do I decide what to type into my machine? You used: cd /home/zebracat/Downloads/rtl8821ce-master/
Would it work to use what you did but change some part of it, like zebracat.
Perhaps I should have studied one of those 'dummies' books on Linux before I attempted this. The last two times I have installed Ubuntu it went off without a hitch. Seems that the only stumbling block is the lack of wifi driver. It seems like it should not be that difficult, and it probably is not, for those who know how to do it.

1 members found this post helpful.

To become root means to take over your system with elevated privileges. In other words become the super user.

I used the path to the file on my machine to the rtl8821ce-master file. The username and location would be different on your machine depending on your username and where (what directory) you have that file in. CD means change directory.
Yours would be more like this:

cd /home/username (yourname)/Directory (where you have the file)/ret8821ce-master

Do some reading online to become familiar with how to run linux and how to use the command-line when you have the time.

http://linuxcommand.org/
https://ryanstutorials.net/linuxtutorial/
https://www.guru99.com/must-know-linux-commands.html

1 members found this post helpful.

I will take a break from this in a bit and do some reading from those links you gave me. How do I become the super user? Shouldn't the master file say zip. I noticed that the one I was given the option to extract- I guess that means unzip- just said master. The one that said master zip appeared to already be unzipped??

Ok-

Once you unzipped the master.zip it should just say master at the end of the file.

This video might help you to get the wifi working.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p19b5EbfQlk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn66pApjLa4

Look in your tray down at the bottom of your desktop of Mint.
Do you see a icon for wifi?

I only see what I take to be an ethernet icon- two arrows pointing right to left. Under network setting the options are wired or network proxy. On the bottom left there is what I take to be a wifi symbol- looks like a fan, circular lines forming a triangle. If I click it it takes me to network settings. I found under accounts the place to make myself the administrator. Does that make me the superuser?

I have tried to enter the command twice. Both times I get- 'no such directory exists. I wonder if I have the name of the file location right. It is a folder labled store n go. That is also the name of the usb device. Under help and then about it says Nemo. I made myself the administrator and used the name I entered. I also am confused about a letter in the name of the file. [rt?8821ce-master] The question mark is the one in question. Is it an l or a line or a 1 or what?
Ubuntu is starting to feel like the way to go.

Yes, being the administrator has root privileges.

It sounds like you are having trouble getting the path/to/the file right.
Yeah that's an l as in small letter L.

You might want to go with Ubuntu until you understand how to run commands and use the command-line.

It's 12:35 a.m. here. I'll have to go to bed soon.