Edimax EW-7811Un working - almost!

[Iirijkg]

So I installed Linux Mint 14, cinnamon x64 and quickling noticed an issue: The wifi dongle was picking up my wireless router, but not able to successfully connect. I spent a few days logging back and forth between my dual boot, trying this and that and the other. Due to my newness with linux, I was unable to successfully install the driver I pulled directly from the Edimax website. A bit more digging, however, allowed me to navigate through to the Realtek website where I grabbed the newest driver.

I followed some more instructions, but shifted them up a bit. Eseentially, I saw that the drivers were runnning (but obviously not working) so I closed them, installed the new driver, and everything worked like a charm. Until I rebooted.

Now, in order to get the wireless to work, I have to jump into the terminal and do the following:

iiri@JKGIIRI ~ $ lsmod | grep 8192
rtl8192cu 67616 0
rtl8192c_common 48779 1 rtl8192cu
rtlwifi 74705 1 rtl8192cu
mac80211 539908 3 rtl8192cu,rtl8192c_common,rtlwifi
iiri@JKGIIRI ~ $ sudo modprobe 8192cu
[sudo] password for iiri:
WARNING: /etc/modprobe.d/rt2800usb.conf line 1: ignoring bad line starting with 'sudo'
FATAL: Error inserting 8192cu (/lib/modules/3.5.0-17-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/8192cu.ko): Device or resource busy

(I figured out that I couldn't start the new driver while the two others that I had shut down innitially were running, so I shut them down)

iiri@JKGIIRI ~ $ sudo rmmod -f rtl8192cu
iiri@JKGIIRI ~ $ sudo rmmod -f rtl8192c_common
iiri@JKGIIRI ~ $ lsmod | grep 8192
iiri@JKGIIRI ~ $ sudo modprobe 8192cu
WARNING: /etc/modprobe.d/rt2800usb.conf line 1: ignoring bad line starting with 'sudo'


And again, all is right in the world, and I have internet.

What can I do to either automate this process on startup, or fix the issue?

[agm8036]

I know that you have an outstanding question in your post. Unfortunately, I cannot help you. Instead I am seeking assistance from you.

After reading your post, if you consider yourself a newbie, I'm still in the womb! I am new to Linux. Up to this point, I've been able to stumble through and resolve most of my issues (which have all been created by me).

Anyway – I have an Edimax EW-7811Un. I've downloaded the Realtek Linux driver, filename... RTL8192xC_USB_linux_v3.4.4_4749.20121105.zip
(Linux Kernel 2.6.18~2.6.38 and Kernel 3.0.8 – v3.4.4_4749 – dated 2012/11/12)

I was hoping it was going to be simple install using GDebi Package Installer; however, no such luck.

The more I google searched and read about installing this device driver, the more confused I got.

I was relieved to see your post listing what I think are post-installation terminal commands.

Can you point me to a resource that will help me do the initial driver installation?? I'm hoping that it would be simple instruction – a Realtek Linux Driver Installation For Dummies, if you will.

And if I ever get to the point of installing the Realtek driver and using the USB dongle, do you think that my internal NIC card will still be seen by the system or will it disappear, never to be seen again?

I am running Mint Maya 32-bit. I'm hoping the instruction for your configuration will work on mine.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

[Catchpole]

Hi Iirijkg,

I am thinking of using the Edimax usb wifi and have been having a look around.
It appears that there is a driver within the dongle for windows and the operating system sees this first before the wifi.
This post about the Pi seemed to point to the fix by using usb_modeswitch.
bigcowpi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/raspberry-pi-as-3g-huawei-e303-wireless.html

I've not tried it yet but perhaps you can figure it out from there.
If you find a fix, please re-post for the benefit of all.

[Sam234]

So I installed Linux Mint 14, cinnamon x64 and quickling noticed an issue: The wifi dongle was picking up my wireless router, but not able to successfully connect....

Have you tried blacklisting the bad drivers by editing blacklist.conf ?

I.e sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf

(replace gedit with your preferred text editor)
At the end of the file add the line:

blacklist rtl8192cu

If the correct driver will still not auto-start, edit etc/modules adding 8192cu on a new line