[SOLVED] Does the kernel contain drivers for all the devices listed in "usb.ids"?

Matthew Wai · 03-05-2024, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

I have never heard of a speaker needing a driver or module. Have you?

USB speakers are just an example. Perhaps I will have to buy a USB Wi-Fi adapter in the future. Do all Wi-Fi adapters work on Linux?

business_kid · 03-05-2024, 07:01 AM

A good check is to google the "pci id +linux +module." You could also check github.com for drivers. The former are first class, the latter 2nd class.

Generally, Realtek put their newest dirty thoughts into a new chip and release it. There is no linux driver until somebody writes one. Most of the other players are ok, but I'd be suspicious of Mediatek & Ralink (= Mediatek also). Qualcomm is top notch. The drivers are in the kernel and never give issues.

wpeckham · 03-05-2024, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew Wai

USB speakers are just an example. Perhaps I will have to buy a USB Wi-Fi adapter in the future. Do all Wi-Fi adapters work on Linux?

No.
Most of them do, and all the standardized ones do, but they sometimes make a WIFI adapter that is not standard and for which they do not make or release a Linux driver. Then we have to reverse-engineer form the hardware behavior and make our own. (These are the ones that get into the kernel module set, because they are FOSS and follow the kernel licensing model.)