Home/ Questions/Q 2200
Next
In Process

askthedev.com Latest Questions

Asked: 2024-09-24T04:33:11+05:30 In:

I have a Realtek RTL8188GU wireless USB adapter, and I’m encountering issues getting it to work on Ubuntu 22.04. Can anyone provide guidance or solutions to resolve this problem?

I’m really struggling here with my Realtek RTL8188GU wireless USB adapter and could use some help from anyone who’s been in a similar situation. I recently installed Ubuntu 22.04, and I thought everything was going smoothly until I realized I can’t get my Wi-Fi to work. It’s super frustrating because the adapter worked fine with my previous setup, but now it’s just… nothing.

I’ve tried a few basic things already. I plugged in the adapter, and it shows up in the “lsusb” command, which is somewhat reassuring, but it seems like the drivers aren’t playing nice with the new version of Ubuntu. The network manager just keeps showing that no Wi-Fi networks are detected. I’ve also attempted to manually connect using the terminal, but I can’t even see any available networks listed. It’s like the adapter is in a state of denial or something!

I found a few online threads suggesting that I might need to install some drivers manually or maybe use some specific configurations. I even tried looking for a .deb driver package but it’s a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which one is the right one. Has anyone else dealt with this model on Ubuntu 22.04?

Also, I’m not super tech-savvy, so if you could explain things in a straightforward way, that would be awesome. I’ve heard about compiling drivers from source, but that sounds a bit complicated, and I’m worried I might end up breaking something in the process.

Any suggestions on where to start? Are there specific commands or tools I should be using? Or maybe even a step-by-step guide if you happen to have one handy? I just want to get back to streaming my shows and browsing without having to rely on an Ethernet cable. If you’ve got any tips, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks.

Share

    Leave an answer

    You must login to add an answer.

    Need An Account,

    2 Answers



    1. Help with Realtek RTL8188GU on Ubuntu 22.04

      Struggling with Realtek RTL8188GU on Ubuntu 22.04?

      It sounds like you’re having a frustrating time with that Wi-Fi adapter! I’ll try to break it down into simple steps.

      Step 1: Check for Additional Drivers

      Ubuntu sometimes has additional drivers for wireless devices. Go to Settings > Software & Updates. Click on the Additional Drivers tab and see if there’s anything listed for your adapter. If there is, try enabling it!

      Step 2: Install Required Packages

      You might need some basic packages to get started. Open your terminal (you can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T) and type:

      sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)

      Step 3: Download and Install the Driver

      You can try downloading the driver from a GitHub repo. Here’s how you can do that:

      1. In the terminal, use the command to download the driver:
        2. git clone https://github.com/jeremyb31/rtl8188gu.git
      2. Now navigate into the directory:
        3. cd rtl8188gu
      3. Next, you need to compile it. Run:
        4. make
sudo make install

      Step 4: Load the Driver

      After installing, you need to load the driver with the command:

      sudo modprobe 8188gu

      Step 5: Restart Your Computer

      A simple restart can do wonders. Reboot your computer and check if the Wi-Fi networks show up.

      Step 6: Check the Network Manager

      After your system is back up, click on the network icon in the top right corner and see if you can now see networks.

      If it’s still not working, you might want to check the output of the command:

      iwconfig

      This will show you the status of your wireless adapter. If it’s not detecting any networks, double-check the steps above.

      Remember, if you’re ever not sure, Google is your friend! Look up specific errors if they pop up during any of these steps. Good luck, and may your streaming resume soon!



    2. It sounds like you’re facing a common issue with Realtek devices on newer versions of Ubuntu. Since the RTL8188GU is known to have driver complications, the first step is to ensure your system is fully updated. Run the following commands in the terminal to update your package list and upgrade any outdated packages: sudo apt update and sudo apt upgrade. After updating, reboot your computer and check if your Wi-Fi networks appear in the network manager. If that does not work, installing the rtl8188gu driver manually might be necessary. You can do this by using the apt package manager to install the driver: sudo apt install rtl8188gu-dkms.

      If the driver installation doesn’t resolve the issue, consider checking your network interface list using ifconfig or ip a. If you see the wireless interface listed but not recognized, you may have to blacklist other conflicting drivers. Create a blacklist file by running sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8188gu.conf and adding this line: blacklist rtl8187. Save and exit, then reboot your system. If you are comfortable, compiling from source might be your last resort. You can find source code on platforms like GitHub; however, ensure you follow the instructions closely to avoid breaking your setup. Always create backups before making significant changes.


    Related Questions