New Wi-Fi adapter not working on Linux Mint 19.1

[Newbie Day-Trader]

Hi, so I recently moved to the US, & got a new PC & Wi-Fi adapter but it's not working on Linux Mint 19.1, though it IS working perfectly (plug-&-play) on pre-installed Windows 10 that the PC came with. I tried this solution to no avail - https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=XJ0gcA778Ms Other solutions seemed a bit too complicated to me without proper guidance. So, it's the one that is worth $22.99 - https://www.amazon.com/AC1200Mbps-EDUP- ... H1W3HUESPN

Interestingly enough, an older tiny Wi-Fi adapter works plug-&-play on LM 19.1 but it is doesn't work on Windows 10 whereas as I've said, the above new one works plug-&-play on Windows 10 but not on LM 19.1

I will be very grateful if someone is able to find a solution to this problem, otherwise I'll just have to try to return it.

[kc1di]

we really need to know what chip set is being used in that adapter with the adapter plugged in and in Linux go to a terminal and type the following command

Code: Select all

inxi -Nn

and post the output here.

[Newbie Day-Trader]

This is the output with the new adapter plugged in

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Network:
  Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network driver: e1000e 
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: 34:17:eb:bf:7b:5d 
  Device-2: BUFFALO (formerly Mel ) WLI-UC-GNM Wireless LAN Adapter [Ralink 
  RT8070] 
  type: USB driver: rt2800usb 
  IF: wlxdcfb02586406 state: up mac: dc:fb:02:58:64:06

With the new adapter unplugged

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Network:
  Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network driver: e1000e 
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: 34:17:eb:bf:7b:5d 
  Device-2: BUFFALO (formerly Mel ) WLI-UC-GNM Wireless LAN Adapter [Ralink 
  RT8070] 
  type: USB driver: rt2800usb 
  IF: wlxdcfb02586406 state: up mac: dc:fb:02:58:64:06 

Bear in mind, that that Buffalo is the older tiny little adapter that works plug-&-play on LM 19.1, so the new one doesn't seem to show up with this command as there's no change in the output with the new adapter plugged or unplugged, & I tried it with different USB ports but didn't detect any changes in the output.


Though if I use the lsusb command, then the new one seems to sort of show up

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Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 413c:2105 Dell Computer Corp. Model L100 Keyboard
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 0461:4d22 Primax Electronics, Ltd 
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0411:01a2 BUFFALO INC. (formerly MelCo., Inc.) WLI-UC-GNM Wireless LAN Adapter [Ralink RT8070]
Bus 003 Device 006: ID 0bda:b812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

And then, I cross-checked it on google & found this - https://wikidevi.com/wiki/0bda
And, as per that list, it seems to be - 0bda:b812 Realtek RTL8812BU Wireless 802.11ac 2x2 USB 3.0 Realtek RTL8812BU USB Module, Simplecom NW621 AC1200

So, make whatever you can of that. I've no idea how to interpret these things.

I talked to Amazon support, & they suggested returning it.

So, I also want to ask that if I do end up returning the above new adapter, what would be a good alternative that is known to work on Linux Mint 19.1? Like I said, I have a tiny adapter that works on LM 19.1 as plug-&-play but it drops off every now & then, so I was looking for something that will offer me a better range since the router is downstairs, so I was considering this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JD ... 4659&psc=1 Reviewers there seem to be relatively happy with its range but some reviewers are saying that it only works with the host LM 19 & not for virtualization, & that's important to me because I do intend to run virtual Windows 10 on my host LM 19.1
Of course, I'm open to considering all suggestions since you guys would definitely know better than me. Thanks.

[HAWR]

I think, here you may find the solution for installing a driver for your Realtek wifi adapter with the chip RTL8812BU. The thread there is solved

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php ... st13776566

[Pjotr]

I think, here you may find the solution for installing a driver for your Realtek wifi adapter with the chip RTL8812BU. The thread there is solved

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php ... st13776566

That should work. Any solution from the great chili555 is usually spot on. There's no greater WiFi guru than he.

Make sure you have temporary internet access by other means before you start. Use copy/paste to transfer each individual line to the terminal. Press Enter after each line. Reboot afterwards (shouldn't be necessary, but do it anyway).

[mediclaser]

One of the reviewers of the adapter identifies it as Realtek RTL8811AU. If what HAWR linked to doesn't work, you may want to try any of these open-source drivers made for that adapter:
https://github.com/sloretz/rtl8811au
https://github.com/Rajpratik71/Realtek- ... ource-code

[Newbie Day-Trader]

You guys are great! HAWR's solution did work, & now, it seems to be working fine, & speedtests seem to suggest that it's much faster than the older little adapter. Thanks.

Still, if you guys wouldn't mind answering, I do want to know if this new adapter is likely to have better range than the previous one. After all, the whole reason I bought the new bigger adapter was to solve the problem of the connection dropping off at times since a lot of reviewers on Amazon were saying that they are receiving good signals from several tens of feet away. As you guys can see in the following picture, the wifi signal indicator still doesn't seem to be too thrilled with the new adapter, so I'll have to keep watching for the next few days if the new adapter too drops off occasionally or not.




Another question I have is what is the wire-thing that I have received with the new adapter? You can see the little old adapter to the right, then the new adapter in the middle which can be plugged directly into USB ports, & then that wire-thing with USB inlets. The reviewers on Amazon are talking about receiving an antenna with the adapter, so maybe it's supposed to be some weird type of antenna (though it definitely does NOT look like the antennas that reviewers on Amazon are posting pictures of); if so, is it REALLY going to help with the range or it's useless?




Another unrelated question I have is that, as previously mentioned, I just moved here & bought a new computer, which came in with pre-installed Windows 10, so I ended up installing Linux Mint 19.1 as a dual-boot because 2TB is a lot of space for me anyway, so I don't mind leaving Windows 10 as it is even though I'd not be using it due to security concerns (though I definitely need to install Windows on Virtualbox inside Linux Mint 19.1 since some of my important software only works with Windows). Nonetheless, I'm wondering if such dual-boot would pose any system-stability issues in the long-run given the Windows NTFS filesystem & what not, so I want to know if I should leave things as they are or wipe out the entire disk & re-install Linux Mint as the only host OS?

[Pjotr]

I'm wondering if such dual-boot would pose any system-stability issues in the long-run given the Windows NTFS filesystem & what not, so I want to know if I should leave things as they are or wipe out the entire disk & re-install Linux Mint as the only host OS?

No issues to be expected from a dual boot, except this: once in a while, Windows 10 decides to update its bootloader. Roughly about twice a year.

In that case, Windows 10 tends to ruthlessly overwrite the Grub bootloader from Linux. Which makes booting Linux impossible. You'll have to re-install the Grub bootloader then, which (although doable) is no piece of cake:
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... epair.html

But apart from that, a dual boot is no problem.

[mediclaser]

..Another question I have is what is the wire-thing that I have received with the new adapter? You can see the little old adapter to the right, then the new adapter in the middle which can be plugged directly into USB ports, & then that wire-thing with USB inlets...

That looks like a USB extension for solving simple but inconvenient issues like WiFi adapter getting in the way of the mouse position, or when you use a very thin laptop where the USB mount would be too low for the bulky adapter.

[Korporal]

I think, here you may find the solution for installing a driver for your Realtek wifi adapter with the chip RTL8812BU. The thread there is solved

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php ... st13776566

Many thanks HAWR for pointing me in the right direction, I have a similar wifi adapter, which I purchased recently, but have been unable to use until now. Thanks also to Pjotr, for your ELTP which I find invaluable, and of course chili555 for the solution..