I am attempting to install a USA wireless adapter. Being totally new to Linux (18.3) I am unable to get any adapters to get recognized. I plug them in, nothing, try to install drivers (off disk) nothing will run. Help! Desktop,

When you plug in the USB adapter, do you get any system logs? The way to check is to use the "dmesg" command. Issue that command before plugging in the adapter, note the end of the log, insert the USB adapter, and then issue the dmesg command again and see what new logs appear. Those will be helpful to let members know about. Further, the model of your system or hardware specifications of it, as well as the model of the USB wireless adapter you are trying to get working.

Wireless adapters all use external firmware. If you don't have the firmware installed (from the package repos), the adapter won't work. You can check if the system recognizes the adapter with lsusb.

wlong1136,

Welcome to LQ.

This link may help you and your desktop PC:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...og.php?b=37274

As you will see from this link, many USB wifi adapters do not work out-of-the-box (OOTB) with Linux:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtop...f9e64&start=20

Using an ethernet cable is a good solution, but I guess it may not be possible for you to use one for some reason?


UPDATE
Just to add that this TP Link TL-WN727N wifi adapter which years ago never used to work in Linux now works fine OOTB in a desktop PC running Linux Mint 18.2:
https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wirel.../dp/B001WU2N1G

Also, according to customer feedback this Panda 300Mbps Wireless N USB Adapter works OOTB with Linux:
https://www.amazon.com/Panda-300Mbps...ct_top?ie=UTF8

See attached screenshot for supported Linux distributions.

Panda Wireless makes several USB wifi adapters that are "plug and play" in Linux:
http://www.pandawireless.com/

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