How to get Realtek USB Wireless working

[csmart]

Please tell us if this works for you!

Supported chipsets:
8188
8191

Terry Polzin on the Fedora list today posted a request for help with getting a Realtek 8188S(U) working. I replied saying that I had a similar device and shared my experiences.

I told him that there is a driver in staging which supports the device, but that Fedora only ships quality working drivers by default, so no staging drivers are included. It's easy enough to get them though, just add the RPMFusion Free repository and install their kmod-staging package which (as the name might give away) includes the staging drivers for the current kernel.

Once you have that installed, the r8192s_usb module can be loaded, but the device still needs external (presumably proprietary) firmware to work. Fortunately, although the driver available from Realtek does not include it, it was included on the disk, and is also available in the Billion driver from their website. So, once you have put the firmware in the right place, the device just works.

Here are the steps to get it working (you will need to have RPMFusion enabled, and run these as root).

yum install kmod-staging unzip
depmod -a
wget http://au.billion.com/downloads/3011N/3011N_Linux_Driver.zip
unzip -j 3011N_Linux_Driver.zip "*rtl8192sfw.bin" -d RTL8192SU
mv RTL8192SU /lib/firmware/

Now, plug in your device and check that the module and firmware have been loaded, using dmesg. You should see something like this:

usb 1-2.3: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 16
usb 1-2.3: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8172
usb 1-2.3: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
usb 1-2.3: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001
==>ep_num:4, in_ep_num:1, out_ep_num:3
==>RtInPipes:3  
==>RtOutPipes:4  6  13  
==>txqueue_to_outpipemap for BK, BE, VI, VO, HCCA, TXCMD, MGNT, HIGH, BEACON:
1  1  0  0  2  2  2  2  2  
Dot11d_Init()
rtl819xU: --->FirmwareDownload92S()

usb 1-2.3: firmware: requesting RTL8192SU/rtl8192sfw.bin
rtl819xU:signature:8192, version:902b, size:30, imemsize:7408, sram size:9688

rtl819xU:--->FirmwareDownloadCode()

rtl819xU:--->FirmwareCheckReady(): LoadStaus(1),
rtl819xU:<---FirmwareCheckReady(): LoadFWStatus(1), rtStatus(0)

rtl819xU:--->FirmwareDownloadCode()

rtl819xU:--->FirmwareCheckReady(): LoadStaus(2),
rtl819xU:-->FirmwareEnableCPU()

rtl819xU:IMEM Ready after CPU has refilled.

rtl819xU:<--FirmwareEnableCPU(): rtStatus(0x0)

rtl819xU:<---FirmwareCheckReady(): LoadFWStatus(2), rtStatus(0)

rtl819xU:--->FirmwareDownloadCode()

rtl819xU:--->FirmwareCheckReady(): LoadStaus(3),
rtl819xU:DMEM code download success, CPUStatus(0x3f)

rtl819xU:Polling Load Firmware ready, CPUStatus(ff)

rtl819xU:FirmwareCheckReady(): Current RCR settings(0x157e20e)

rtl819xU:<---FirmwareCheckReady(): LoadFWStatus(3), rtStatus(0)

rtl819xU:Firmware Download Success!!

ADDRCONF(NETDEV_UP): wlan0: link is not ready
=====>rtl8192SU_link_change 1
<=====rtl8192SU_link_change 2

Now, you should have a wireless device and network interface, which you can check with iwconfig and ifconfig -a.

wlan0     802.11b/g/n  Mode:Managed  Frequency=2.422 GHz  
          Access Point: Not-Associated   Bit Rate:130 Mb/s   
          Retry min limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=0/100  Signal level=0 dBm  Noise level=0 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:0   Missed beacon:0

And that's it. The device should now work with NetworkManager, etc.

The main downside here (apart from the obvious) is that you will be relying on RPMFusion to build an updated kmod-staging version when you get a Fedora kernel update. Sometimes this might not happen before you get your kernel, so when you reboot, you lose your wireless (because there's no driver). If so, boot to your older kernel for a while, or build the driver yourself, or create an akmod instead of kmod.

-c

[beek]

Yes, this procedure worked for me today. I am running F14 with the D-Link DWA-130 wireless USB.

Bus 001 Device 005: ID 07d1:3300 D-Link System DWA-130 802.11n Wireless N Adapter(rev.E) [Realtek RTL8192SU]

Let me know if I can provide any more info.

Thanks very much for posting.
Bob

[pedora]

How good is the performance and signal? I was thinking of ordering the D-Link DWA-131 usb nano wifi adapter and it has the same chipset. Oh, the DWA-130 might be sufficiently different hardware at least regarding antenna?

Anyway, so, the procedure isn't too brutal?

Are the staging drivers stable/reliable?

[csmart]

They seem to be OK for me.. although in the end I ran a cat5 cable :-)

-c

[beek]

No problems with the driver. I can't really speak for the signal strength since the device is plugged into a server that does not get moved and the wirless router is in the same room.

beek

[the8lack8ox]

Backup firmware download link: http://svn.debian.org/wsvn/kernel/di...rtl8192sfw.bin

[tekaryace]

K I did all above steps and i still can not get my wlan usb to work, it is a hiro brand but uses realtek drivers, detail info Realtek RTL8191SU WLan 802.11n usb 2.0 net adap.
dmesg info

[ 320.629803] usb 1-6: USB disconnect, address 3
[ 331.020290] SELinux: initialized (dev sdb1, type vfat), uses genfs_contexts
[ 696.149031] usb 1-6: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 6
[ 696.265635] usb 1-6: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8172
[ 696.265639] usb 1-6: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 696.265643] usb 1-6: Product: 11n Adapter
[ 696.265645] usb 1-6: Manufacturer: Manufacturer Realtek
[ 696.265647] usb 1-6: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001

iwconfig info

no wireless extensions.

eth0 no wireless extensions.

[root@xxxxxxxxx Documents]#

[JEO]

Did you "modprobe r8192s_usb" or reboot?

[tekaryace]

Originally Posted by JEO

Did you "modprobe r8192s_usb" or reboot?

Not shur what modprobe means I dont have a lot of exp with lunix, but i did end up rebooting after i got tired of trying to get it to work, i might just wait till i get my own internet so i can just use a direct connect, my neighbor lets me use there wireless. I have used fedora 11 with an Ethernet connection and had no problems except for my video card was not supported but i saw 15 was so I thought I would give it another go.
p.s. i am duel booted with vista but I dont think that would have anything to do with that. And i am using 64 bit on both OP's .
I cant remember, on my video card do i have to install the 32 bit befor the 64 bit drivers?

[DarkFang420]

i realize this thread is kinda old, but im installing the rtl8192su chip.. i followed instructions found in the forums, installing kmod-staging, depmod -a, downloading and copying the firmware rtl8192sfw.bin to lib/firmware..

my problems start with modprobe r8192s_usb - FATAL: module not found.. in dmesg the usb bus sees the device and the chip, but stops there.. lsmod shows no 8192 mods loading (of course).. dunno what do try next.. dont really want to use ndiswrapper, but will if i have to..

anyone have any suggestions?

__________________________________________________ ______

addition

i fixed the problem.. i had a noob moment and installed the wrong kmod-staging version.. needed PAE... :P~
device works better than in my winslowz...

thankz

[JEO]

I see some references to the driver name in staging changing from r8192s_usb to r8712u or 8712u so you might try modprobe r8712u or modprobe 8712u and see if those modules exist from kmod-staging. For using ndiswrapper there is a good chance it will work with the windows XP driver if you are using 32 bit Fedora. If using 64 bit it probably won't work due to stack overflow.

[tekaryace]

Originally Posted by JEO

I see some references to the driver name in staging changing from r8192s_usb to r8712u or 8712u so you might try modprobe r8712u or modprobe 8712u and see if those modules exist from kmod-staging. For using ndiswrapper there is a good chance it will work with the windows XP driver if you are using 32 bit Fedora. If using 64 bit it probably won't work due to stack overflow.

Yes I am using 64 bit , I might try to just use the 32 bit and see if can gt it to work. Thanks for the tip.

[JEO]

I just examined what is in kmod-staging and I see r8712u so make sure you try that one.

[roMancer]

Hi there,

using Fedora 16 x86_64 on AMD quadcore,
uname -a says: Linux fbox.localdomain 3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64 #1 SMP Thu Jun 14 20:17:26 UTC 2012 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

here's what I tried - no success so far:

1. purchased cheap WiFi-stick, on plugging in /var/log/messages says:

Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox kernel: [ 1083.117500] usb 2-2: new high-speed USB device number 4 using ehci_hcd
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox kernel: [ 1083.234687] usb 2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8171
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox kernel: [ 1083.234696] usb 2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox kernel: [ 1083.234703] usb 2-2: Product: RTL8188S WLAN Adapter
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox kernel: [ 1083.234709] usb 2-2: Manufacturer: Manufacturer Realtek
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox kernel: [ 1083.234713] usb 2-2: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox mtp-probe: checking bus 2, device 4: "/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.2/usb2/2-2"
Jul 4 14:51:51 fbox mtp-probe: bus: 2, device: 4 was not an MTP device


2. tried ifconfig -a, no news here, started googling, found this thread

3. followed the initial instructions posted her
(note the slight changes, but shouldn't make a difference, should it?):

yum install kmod-staging
wget http://au.billion.com/downloads/3011...nux_Driver.zip
depmod -a
unzip -j 3011N_Linux_Driver.zip "*rtl8192sfw.bin" -d RTL8192SU
mv RTL8192SU /lib/firmware/

(at some point something "...network manager... new firmware at /lib/firmware..." showed up in /var/log/messages, but I can't remember exactly what/when)

then some un-/replugging WiFi-stick

4. tried ifconfig -a, tried iwconfig, no news here (nothing wifi), dmesg stops after displaying device information up to "SerialNumber: ....", reboot

5. tried...
modprobe r8192s_usb
FATAL: Module r8192s_usb not found.
modprobe r8712u
FATAL: Module r8712u not found.
modprobe 8712u
FATAL: Module 8712u not found.

6. tried "locate modules | grep 81", here's what seems to be the relevant portion:

/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x/rtl8180
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x/rtl8187
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x/rtl8180/rtl8180.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtl818x/rtl8187/rtl8187.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192c
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192ce
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192cu
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192de
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192se
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192c/rtl8192c-common.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192ce/rtl8192ce.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192cu/rtl8192cu.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192de/rtl8192de.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/rtlwifi/rtl8192se/rtl8192se.ko

tried modprobe'ing some of the above (e.g. rtl8187, rtl8192se, rtl8192ce)
with un-/replugging WiFi-stick

RESULT:
ifconfig -a gives me no new device,
iwconfig says "no wireless extensions." on all existing devices.

:-(

any help appreciated!

thanks in advance,
Ro

[JEO]

Looking through the kmod-staging rpm, I see:

/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/extra/staging/r8187se.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/extra/staging/r8192e_pci.ko
/lib/modules/3.4.2-1.fc16.x86_64/extra/staging/r8192u_usb.ko

So try "modprobe r8192u_usb"