[SOLVED] How to install Realtek wifi driver on Debian

joboy · 05-15-2024, 05:34 AM

I got a couple of USB wifi adapters I want to use on Mint Debian, one of them has Bluetooth built in, but the system does not recognize the devices. I can only tell via lsusb that both are Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 802.11ac NIC, no model no. provided, and I don't have a windows machine to check. I wonder if there is a generic driver I can install, and I don't understand why this common h/w vendor does not get supported on the OS.

Sauerland · 05-15-2024, 01:38 PM

Post

Code:

lsusb

and

Code:

uname -a

Because the ID's of the Chip are important.

joboy · 05-15-2024, 11:16 PM

As mentioned above, here's the full list.

lsusb

Bus 004 Device 002: ID 8087:8000 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:8008 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 138a:0017 Validity Sensors, Inc. VFS 5011 fingerprint sensor
Bus 002 Device 005: ID 0461:4e04 Primax Electronics, Ltd Lenovo Keyboard KB1021
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 058f:9540 Alcor Micro Corp. AU9540 Smartcard Reader
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 046d:c542 Logitech, Inc. M185 compact wireless mouse
Bus 002 Device 008: ID 04f2:b39a Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd Integrated Camera
Bus 002 Device 007: ID 8087:07dc Intel Corp. Bluetooth wireless interface
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:c811 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 802.11ac NIC
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

uname -a
Linux 6.1.0-21-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.1.90-1 (2024-05-03) x86_64 GNU/Linux

Its a Lenovo T440P with internal wifi, I just reinstall it but the USB wifi driver still not installed although detected.

beachboy2 · 05-16-2024, 02:37 AM

joboy,

According to the following link, it may depend on which kernel you are using:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1162...conductor-corp

You probably need to install build-essential if you do not already have it.

Sauerland · 05-16-2024, 08:22 AM

You have installed kernel 6.1.

Quote:

uname -a
Linux 6.1.0-21-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.1.90-1 (2024-05-03) x86_64 GNU/Linux

According to:
https://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/RTW88_8821CU.html

Quote:

lkddb usb 0bda c811 .. .. .. ff ff ff 0000 ffff : CONFIG_RTW88 CONFIG_RTW88_8821CU CONFIG_WLAN CONFIG_WLAN_VENDOR_REALTEK : drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtw8821cu.c # in 6.2–6.9

This Chip is supported by rtw88_8821cu from Kernel 6.2.
You could use:
https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw88

You can also use the driver from here:
https://github.com/morrownr/8821cu-20210916/tree/main

Quote:

{USB_DEVICE_AND_INTERFACE_INFO(USB_VENDER_ID_REALTEK, 0xC811, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff), .driver_info = RTL8821C}, /* 8811CU */

But you have to compile it by yourself.

Edit:
The git-Repo in the link of @beachboy2 is not up to date, that why I prefer:
https://github.com/morrownr/8821cu-20210916/tree/main

business_kid · 05-16-2024, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sauerland

You have installed kernel 6.1.

According to:
https://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/RTW88_8821CU.html

This Chip is supported by rtw88_8821cu from Kernel 6.2.
You could use:
https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw88

You can also use the driver from here:
https://github.com/morrownr/8821cu-20210916/tree/main

But you have to compile it by yourself.

Edit:
The git-Repo in the link of @beachboy2 is not up to date, that why I prefer:
https://github.com/morrownr/8821cu-20210916/tree/main

I compiled morrownr's driver not so long back and it worked. Look for recent commits - that's the clue that they are still live. There can be drivers up there that haven't been touched in 10 years!

joboy · 05-16-2024, 11:10 PM

Thank guys for the info., I just opened another can of worms, so I better off to use the Buffalo adapter that worked out of the box, the only difference is it does not come with antenna and can not add one to it.

joboy · 05-17-2024, 01:37 AM

I tried with a TP-Link adapter and it worked out of the box, it was identified as Ralink Technology, Corp. MT7610U ("Archer T2U" 2.4G+5G WLAN Adapter, I don't know how Debian, or Linux as a whole to decide what drivers to pre-install, and does system update add new driver to it ?

business_kid · 05-17-2024, 04:43 AM

Strewth - Ralink?

They made out a few wifi chips around 2010-2015. In 2015, if memory serves, they were bought over by Mediatek. Try your luck on github, ralink.com, or mediatek.com in that order. Ralink chips come cheap as dirt and in large quantity. So all the cheapskates buy a few, make a wifi dongle in China or somewhere. If there's a driver, don't lose it, or you'll never see it again. I got a Ralink 5370(?), which had a driver written on a 2.6 kernel and compiled on a RHEL 6(?) about 2012.The Arm devs laboriously bent it straight and compiled it while the things were about but they didn't last. The aerial fell off mine.

I'd regard it as wasted money. Check drivers before you buy, my friend.

Sauerland · 05-17-2024, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joboy

I tried with a TP-Link adapter and it worked out of the box, it was identified as Ralink Technology, Corp. MT7610U ("Archer T2U" 2.4G+5G WLAN Adapter, I don't know how Debian, or Linux as a whole to decide what drivers to pre-install, and does system update add new driver to it ?

That will be done with the ID of the hardware, f.e.:

Code:

Bus 003 Device 012: ID 2357:011f TP-Link 802.11ac WLAN Adapter

Code:

/sbin/modprobe -c | grep -i "2357.*011f"
alias usb:v2357p011Fd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin* rtw88_8821au

Code:

/sbin/modinfo rtw88_8821au
filename:       /lib/modules/5.14.21-150500.55.62-default/weak-updates/updates/RTW88/rtw88_8821au.ko.xz
license:        Dual BSD/GPL
description:    Realtek 802.11ac wireless 8821au/8811au driver
author:         Bitterblue Smith <rtl8821cerfe2@gmail.com>
suserelease:    SLE15-SP5
srcversion:     397BC657FEA414CB3E63228
alias:          usb:v7392pB611d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v7392pA813d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v7392pA812d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v7392pA811d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v3823p6249d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v2357p0120d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v2357p011Fd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v2357p011Ed*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v20F4p804Bd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v2019pAB32d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v2001p3318d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v2001p3314d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0E66p0023d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0846p9052d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v056Ep400Fd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v056Ep400Ed*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v056Ep4007d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v04BBp0953d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0411p029Bd*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0411p0242d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0BDApA811d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0BDAp0823d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0BDAp8822d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0BDAp0821d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0BDAp0820d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
alias:          usb:v0BDAp0811d*dc*dsc*dp*icFFiscFFipFFin*
depends:        rtw88_usb,rtw88_8821a,usbcore
retpoline:      Y
name:           rtw88_8821au
vermagic:       5.14.21-150500.53-default SMP preempt mod_unload modversions 
sig_id:         PKCS#7
signer:         home:Sauerland OBS Project
sig_key:        75:72:A9:A0:F0:D3:10:BA:9B:82:FF:99:9A:F4:99:29:15:87:15:44
sig_hashalgo:   sha256
signature:      7F:FA:DE:B4:5F:33:08:A3:D2:3B:36:97:EE:B6:0D:B8:EA:83:7F:75:
                4E:C7:D8:08:70:9F:AE:0F:08:86:84:7A:78:7A:89:9D:B8:91:94:73:
                52:A9:AB:0A:88:F7:0D:04:8B:70:B9:40:E1:78:5A:29:5B:EA:26:22:
                BA:48:99:87:5B:CE:F4:DB:D5:53:FE:0C:2E:BB:DA:4D:ED:E9:E3:21:
                37:24:B2:09:A4:AB:C5:A3:50:DD:88:89:2E:F6:28:10:7E:63:95:3C:
                44:B7:05:19:6C:95:FA:4C:59:FF:44:FB:F5:D6:5F:F6:B1:8C:30:23:
                B0:36:9F:F6:FB:E5:DE:67:DA:A7:E6:5C:FB:08:11:98:4C:8D:D1:86:
                7D:ED:E5:EE:F4:AE:CA:0F:91:0B:09:2F:23:C1:13:F3:45:73:B7:0D:
                86:6E:2B:31:AD:3E:98:F0:B7:C4:2B:D6:4B:EB:B7:A6:AB:45:1B:25:
                77:E6:9D:06:B3:0C:3E:B5:A6:C2:7F:6C:5E:1D:B2:63:D6:01:3D:F7:
                37:65:8C:AF:83:4B:AF:BE:82:11:00:F8:7B:3B:94:73:0B:1A:66:E3:
                74:D9:31:EC:E1:F1:D1:1B:FA:63:98:CB:E4:25:99:78:7D:C4:B5:91:
                56:D0:75:FD:13:B3:E1:5F:64:2A:3C:BD:A6:DE:F8:BB

If you see for the alias, many Wlan Chips are supported by this kernel-module.

joboy · 05-18-2024, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

...I'd regard it as wasted money. Check drivers before you buy, my friend.

I wish I could check the driver before buying, I don't even know the original maker of the it apart from the brand name they used, and they are cheap to 'waste money on'.

replica9000 · 05-18-2024, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joboy

Its a Lenovo T440P with internal wifi, I just reinstall it but the USB wifi driver still not installed although detected.

Slightly off-topic:

The 7260 that comes in the T440P isn't great, which I assume is why you're using a USB WiFi adapter? Every other Intel Wi-Fi chipset I've used had worked great except the 7260.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can remove the whitelist on the T440p to use any Wi-Fi card. I have an Intel AX200 in mine.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ce7kqUEccUM

joboy · 05-19-2024, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by replica9000

Slightly off-topic:

The 7260 that comes in the T440P isn't great, which I assume is why you're using a USB WiFi adapter? Every other Intel Wi-Fi chipset I've used had worked great except the 7260.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can remove the whitelist on the T440p to use any Wi-Fi card. I have an Intel AX200 in mine.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ce7kqUEccUM

I found in rare occasion the TP does not recognize some wifi network even if it was 2.4Ghz, and I tried to replace the wifi card with those from Ideapad and Samsung but they didn't fit, the antenna port is much smaller on the TP one and used different 'key' on the card.

business_kid · 05-20-2024, 09:33 AM

I found what seems a great way to test the quality of the various wifi cards you might have.

Code:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan |grep -i Quality

I have seen listings of APs with as bad as -95dBm Quality. I've got Qualcomm Atheros wifi cards, which are high performance devices. I don't think I could connect at that level, but I could see it was there.

On poor cards, I don't see anything over -70dBm. As you probably know decibels are a Logarithmic scale, as that's a huge difference.

I do have the added advantage of my early days in televisions, where reception problems were frequent. I learned about optimising reception. Even during the few seconds of download during a test from speedtest.net, you change the wifi aerial orientation, and notice the rise or fall in speed. With that information, you can work out your optimal position, and orientation.

joboy · 05-20-2024, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

I found what seems a great way to test the quality of the various wifi cards you might have.

Code:

sudo iwlist wlan0 scan |grep -i Quality

I have seen listings of APs with as bad as -95dBm Quality. I've got Qualcomm Atheros wifi cards, which are high performance devices. I don't think I could connect at that level, but I could see it was there.

On poor cards, I don't see anything over -70dBm. As you probably know decibels are a Logarithmic scale, as that's a huge difference.

I do have the added advantage of my early days in televisions, where reception problems were frequent. I learned about optimising reception. Even during the few seconds of download during a test from speedtest.net, you change the wifi aerial orientation, and notice the rise or fall in speed. With that information, you can work out your optimal position, and orientation.

Right, I found the signal strength does not mean a thing unless the card itself can produce enough output to be pickup by the router, similar to cell phone. Some times I got 50% signal still can pickup by the router but sometimes 70% can not do, but with USB dongle not much I can do.