This is a wireless wifi adapter that works out of the box in Linux Mint!

[Pjotr]

A frequently asked question: where can I buy a wireless wifi adapter that works out of the box in Linux Mint? Please post your findings in this thread, so that others may benefit from your experiences!

I recently bought an EDUP EP-N8553 dongle, which is fully plug and play in Linux Mint 18.1; no need to do anything, it just works out of the box.

I bought it for only € 3,47 (shipping included), at dx.com:
http://www.dx.com/p/edup-ep-n8553-mini- ... M0VoUemkW0

This is what lsusb says about it:

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Bus 002 Device 006: ID 148f:7601 Ralink Technology, Corp. MT7601U Wireless Adapter

And inxi -Nn:

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Card-2: Ralink MT7601U Wireless Adapter driver: mt7601u

[MintBean]

Good info. Once the initial conversation has died down I think it would be worth tidying the thread up and making it a sticky in the networking forum.

[JerryF]

I have a Belkin N300 Wireless USB Adapter, Model F9L1002v1 that always come through for me. Not new, but consistent.

[Pjotr]

I have a Belkin N300 Wireless USB Adapter, Model F9L1002v1 that always come through for me. Not new, but consistent.

Good information! Could you also please provide the following terminal output about this adapter:

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lsusb

and:

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inxi -Nn

[JerryF]

I have a Belkin N300 Wireless USB Adapter, Model F9L1002v1 that always come through for me. Not new, but consistent.

Good information! Could you also please provide the following terminal output about this adapter:

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lsusb

and:

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inxi -Nn

Sure!

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lsusb
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 050d:845a Belkin Components F7D2101 802.11n Surf & Share Wireless Adapter v1000 [Realtek RTL8192SU]
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 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 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

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inxi -Nn
Network:   Card-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection driver: e1000e
           IF: enp0s25 state: down mac: e4:11:5b:45:a1:12
           Card-2: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 [Taylor Peak] driver: iwlwifi
           IF: wlo1 state: down mac: 10:0b:a9:9d:87:a4
           Card-3: Belkin F7D2101 802.11n Surf & Share Wireless Adapter v1000 [Realtek RTL8192SU] driver: r8712u
           IF: wlxc05627e12cfd state: N/A mac: N/A

As you can see, Card-2 is my internal wireless card for my laptop.

[uberdorf]

I have had good luck with Belkin, TP Link, and Panda USB wireless adapters in Linux Mint and Ubuntu. Belkin and TP Link seem to last a long time for me, Panda works well for a while but doesn't last.

I have problems with Netgear adapters overheating quickly, so I don't buy them anymore.

When possible, I have been trying to switch over to internal wireless adapters. A local store sells Netios adapters which work well in Linux Mint and Ubuntu.

I'm not on the computers that have adapters so I can't provide more info right now. Maybe later.

[uberdorf]

For the Panda Wireless USB adapter PAU06

lsusb

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Bus 001 Device 003: ID 148f:5372 Ralink Technology, Corp. RT5372 Wireless Adapter
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0461:4d20 Primax Electronics, Ltd HP Optical Mouse
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

inxi -Nn

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Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169
           IF: ens2 state: down mac: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
           Card-2: Ralink RT5372 Wireless Adapter driver: rt2800usb
           IF: wlx7cdd90910f3f state: N/A mac: N/A

[thom_A]

I bought a Netis wifi USB worth $10 about a year ago and it took a while for me to figure out why it's not getting strong signal. I even thought of buying a PCIE wifi adapter or a more expensive USB. Don't know which forum I came across with where another user was having the same issues, then applied the recommended solution from the link provided:

https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... /reserve-7

What a huge difference it made. It gave 100% signal strength.

The downside is I have to connect the PC to a wired connection first, type a couple of lines on the terminal, then reboot every time I do a fresh Mint installation.

Yeah, it would be good to get a wifi adapter that works without having to install anything.

[Jaydemir]

I bought a cheap Ralink adapter years ago that works just fine on Linux.

TBH it isn't hard to find a wireless USB adapter that's Linux compatible considering the popularity of the Raspberry Pi. They're almost as plug-n-play as USB mice.

[jimallyn]

I needed a USB wifi dongle a few years ago, and somebody suggested the NetGear WG111v2. I bought one on ebay for about 8 bucks. I have used it with several Linux distros, including Mint and RPi. Just now looked on ebay. You can get them used, shipped for as little as 7 USD. Or new in a sealed box for $3.99 plus $4.54 shipping. Or a lot of 15, new in box, for about 4 bucks each, shipped.

[shengchieh]

My experience:

For wifi cards where the makers ignore linux, it takes about 3 months for the linux driver to float on the internet and 3 more months for linux distros to include the driver.
In other words, just about any wifi that has been on the market for at least 1/2 year will work.

If the makers include linux, it will be faster.

Sheng-Chieh

[thom_A]

Reality is most of these wifi adapters work right out of the box. The real issue is is it producing the signal strength it's supposed to produce? Most users would rather assume what they bought is cheap and would think of replacing it with a more expensive one. Most times the signal is tolerable, which means you have no way of knowing whether it's good or bad. What I also discovered is just because it's built in, like adapter cards, it's better and stronger than a USB one. What I can say here is that if your PC didn't come with a built-in wifi card, a USB wifi is just as good, if not better, not to mention the convenience of not having to open your machine, plus the portability advantage. Two of my machines came with built-in cards and the cheap USB I bought has stronger signal, that is when the appropriate driver was installed.

[JerryF]

Reality is most of these wifi adapters work right out of the box. The real issue is is it producing the signal strength it's supposed to produce? Most users would rather assume what they bought is cheap and would think of replacing it with a more expensive one. Most times the signal is tolerable, which means you have no way of knowing whether it's good or bad. What I also discovered is just because it's built in, like adapter cards, it's better and stronger than a USB one. What I can say here is that if your PC didn't come with a built-in wifi card, a USB wifi is just as good, if not better, not to mention the convenience of not having to open your machine, plus the portability advantage. Two of my machines came with built-in cards and the cheap USB I bought has stronger signal, that is when the appropriate driver was installed.

Same for me here. My built-in wireless card on my laptop always has a weaker signal that my Belkin USB wi-fi.

[thom_A]

Same for me here. My built-in wireless card on my laptop always has a weaker signal that my Belkin USB wi-fi.

One of the 2 machines with built-in wifi I mentioned is a laptop as well. It even has a button for turning on/off wifi signals. Strange part is the USB won't work if it's turned off, so 2 wifi signals can be radiating for 2 wifi adapters canceling each other out, it would seem. So it's good to take it off it it's a tower PC, which I did, but I'd rather just turn it off via OS in my laptop than opening it, which I have no experience with.

[Pjotr]

One of the 2 machines with built-in wifi I mentioned is a laptop as well. It even has a button for turning on/off wifi signals. Strange part is the USB won't work if it's turned off, so 2 wifi signals can be radiating for 2 wifi adapters canceling each other out, it would seem. So it's good to take it off it it's a tower PC, which I did, but I'd rather just turn it off via OS in my laptop than opening it, which I have no experience with.

You can simply blacklist the kernel module of the internal wifi chipset.

[thom_A]

You can simply blacklist the kernel module of the internal wifi chipset.

I would try that at some point. Thanks. The list of signals emanating from this neighborhood is quite long, there's not even a scroll down arrow to get to the top where yours is listed. So it would be nice to remove these unwanted ones.

[phd21]

Hi "Pjotr", & Everyone Else,

Thanks for the information.

I have a wireless USB network (Internet) adapters based upon the Realtek chipset, equivalent to products from "Panda", that has worked "plug and play", "out of the box", with all editions of Linux Mint for years now.

"lsusb" results

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Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0bda:8172 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8191SU  802.11n WLAN Adapter

FYI: I would highly recommend that people get the fastest one for their physical wireless router's capabilities, like 300mbps for Wireless N routers, and faster for Wireless AC routers with dual band (2.4 ghz and 5 ghz). Amazon.com and Ebay have lot's of them that work with Linux and Linux Mint "out of the box" at very reasonable prices too. Be sure to read descriptions and user comments to see if it is "plug and play" or if you have to compile Linux drivers. I have also found that those adapters with external antennas do work better if your router is not close to your computer.

Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh ... B01LXLVRO5

Info on Panda Wireless
http://www.pandawireless.com/

For Wireless N routers
Panda Wireless PAU06 300Mbps N USB Adapter $14 us
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JDVRCI0/re ... B01LY35HGO

For Wireless AC routers
Panda Wireless PAU09 N600 Dual Band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) Wireless N USB Adapter W/ Dual 5dBi Antennas - Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Mint, Ubuntu, openSUSE, Fedora, CentOS, Kali Linux and Raspbian, $22.99 us
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-Wireless-P ... sb+adapter



Have a great day everyone.

[1.618]

I purchased an LM Technologies LM-001 wireless USB adapter when I first got online about 8 years ago, it's worked with every distro of linux I have installed. Several Mint, Several Ubuntu, several Ubuntu Studio, Backtrack 4/5 , kali, Debian, I don't think they make it anymore as I couldn't see any to buy online.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Technologies-8 ... B000CC3ZFS

inxi -Nn

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Card-2: ZyDAS ZD1211B 802.11g driver: zd1211rw 

lsusb

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Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0ace:1215 ZyDAS ZD1211B 802.11g

Has a better range than my laptops inbuilt wifi card, works on B G and N and sees clients when my laptop doesn't.

I think most will work out of the box with a distro like Mint or Ubuntu because they aim to work for the majority.

[pcpunk]

I wish folks would say on what Distro's these things are working? Sure many of them work on 17.xx but folks would like to know about 18.0 also, as some have mentioned.