USB WiFi - cannot find compatible for love nor money

akamikeym · 03-25-2018, 02:02 AM

Hi,

I have a success rate of about 0 for 10 over the years for getting a USB WiFi device that is Linux compatible. (of course they all say their compatible) Can anyone help?

I have tried various strategies. Looking at what's available to buy online and researching them to make sure they're Linux compatible only to order them and find that a different revision comes that has a new chipset that's not compatible this has happened several times. Most recently with the TL-WN722N which came with the v2.0.

This latest time I decided I would try searching what Computer shops still exist for devices and check the model number online for a compatible one, however it appears that I read a bad bit of advice that the Archer T2U(EU) v1.0 was compatible with the MT7601U driver which is in the linux kernel, no it's a MT7610U chipset which is supported nowhere.

Assistance would be very much appreciated.

P.S I'm in Germany (if anyone has any advice for where to buy locally)

ferrari · 03-25-2018, 02:22 AM

Many wifi devices do require proprietary driver support which needs to be installed first. Chipset detail are relevant here (and these are often not disclosed on the packaging). However, the TL-WN722N v2 device is supported by the r8188eu driver (kernel 4.4+). Which distro/kernel version are you using?

akamikeym · 03-25-2018, 02:29 AM

The TL-WN722N v2 indeed has a RTL8188 chipset which absolutely didn't work last year when I bought it. Now I don't know as it was chucked out in a move unfortunately.

Using Fedora. The reason I need one is I need to connect my Desktop to wifi to update it as it's been without an internet connection for about 6 months and I want to upgrade from fedora 25 to the latest, 27 or 28 if I don't get it sorted in the next month.

ferrari · 03-25-2018, 02:31 AM

The MT7601U device should be supported by a driver of the same name. For example, on my system (openSUSE 42.3 with kernel 4.44.4.114) I note the following chipset support...

Code:

# modinfo mt7601u
filename:       /lib/modules/4.4.114-42-default/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/mediatek/mt7601u/mt7601u.ko
license:        GPL
firmware:       mt7601u.bin
srcversion:     E8B632D369E0C2A9F1CF7D8
alias:          usb:v7392p7710d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v2A5Fp1000d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v2955p1001d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v2955p0001d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v2717p4106d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v2001p3D04d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v148Fp760Dd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v148Fp760Cd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v148Fp760Bd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v148Fp760Ad*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v148Fp7601d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v13D3p3434d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v13D3p3431d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v0E8Dp760Bd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v0E8Dp760Ad*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
alias:          usb:v0B05p17D3d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
depends:        mac80211,cfg80211,usbcore
intree:         Y
vermagic:       4.4.114-42-default SMP mod_unload modversions 
signer:         openSUSE Secure Boot Signkey
sig_key:        03:32:FA:9C:BF:0D:88:BF:21:92:4B:0D:E8:2A:09:A5:4D:5D:EF:C8
sig_hashalgo:   sha256

As you can see firmware is required first. This should be supplied as a firmware package available for your distro. With openSUSE the 'kernel-firmware' package includes the required firmware.

akamikeym · 03-25-2018, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrari

The MT7601U device should be supported by a driver of the same name. For example, on my system (openSUSE 42.3 with kernel 4.44.4.114) I note the following chipset support...

It is but the MT7610U which I have is not.

syg00 · 03-25-2018, 02:41 AM

The TP-Link (supplied) driver is so out of date it is junk. However, the community on github have patched drivers that work for me fine - Archer T9U-H from memory. Seems most (all ?) of the chipsets are supported in some way.
However, it requires compiling the driver, and (best) setting up DKMS for it. If Suse maintain drivers, that would be a good way to go IMHO. It appears Kali also do this, but I wouldn't recommend that.

akamikeym · 03-25-2018, 02:51 AM

Just spent the weekend trying every community version available on github and didn't find any that worked, outside of:

https://github.com/chenhaiq/mt7610u_...2_dpo_20130916

With the following patches manually applied to compile for the 4.15 kernel:

https://github.com/chenhaiq/mt7610u_...130916/pull/39

Which compiled and seemed to work on my laptop with Fedora 27 but it was not playing well with the internal wifi card so it's hard to tell if it was working because of the other card, either way I've not been able to get it to work on my desktop, and it's a long way from a stable long term solution.

beachboy2 · 03-25-2018, 05:18 AM

akamikeym,

Have a look at post #4 here:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...0/#post5827811

From Panda's product sheet:

Quote:

Compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 8/7/Vista, Mac OS 10.4/10.5/10.6/10.7/10.8/10.9 and the latest version of
32-bit and 64-bit Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, etc.

Specs:
http://www.pandawireless.com/Specs%2...0Wireless.html

Fedora Instructions (are they current?):
http://www.pandawireless.com/downloa...inux_v1.0s.pdf

Download the latest driver for Fedora:
http://www.pandawireless.com/downloa....5.0.3.tar.bz2

I suggest that you contact Panda before purchase:
http://www.pandawireless.com/Contact...0Wireless.html

Possibly useful link:
https://willhaley.com/blog/linux-usb...-less-reliable

fatmac · 03-25-2018, 05:53 AM

Personal experience says Atheros ath9k or Intel iwlifi are most compatible, but I've also had good success with TPLINK PCI cards in desktops, TL-WN781ND & TL-WN751ND, & also with an external USB TL-WN822N, (works with OpenBSD too).
Plug in type USB wifi that I use with both Linux & OpenBSD is made by ADDON, NWU271.

https://wikidevi.com/wiki/List_of_Wi...e_IDs_in_Linux
http://www.wirelesshack.org/top-linu...-adapters.html
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...CardsSupported
https://www.linux-drivers.org/network.html

akamikeym · 03-25-2018, 11:33 AM

fatmac, the PCI suggestion just might be an ideals solution if they are more reliable. I'm reluctant to try the TL-WN822N again after having so little success before with the v2.0.

beachboy2, unfortunately the Panda USB devices don't seem to be readily available in Germany, all I've seen are deliveries on ebay from the states.

beachboy2 · 03-25-2018, 04:28 PM

akamikeym,

Alfa Network AWUS036NHA 802.11b/g/n uses the Atheros AR9271L chipset:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Network-AWU.../dp/B004Y6MIXS

Feedback from Amazon customers suggests that this works in recent Ubuntu, Mint etc.

eurodk:
https://www.eurodk.com/en/products/a...iABEgIzQvD_BwE

frankbell · 03-25-2018, 08:50 PM

ThinkPenguin carries USB wireless devices guaranteed to work with Linux. I needed one once and it worked like a charm.

beachboy2 · 03-26-2018, 02:42 AM

akamikeym,

As mentioned earlier, I have a TP-Link WN727N (Ralink Technology, Corp. MT7601U Wireless Adapter) which definitely works OOTB with Linux Mint 18.2.

This link features an EDUP EP-N8553 wifi adapter, using the same MT7601U chipset and it works OOTB with Linux Mint 18.1.

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=241874

EDUP:
http://www.szedup.com/about-us/

£2.64 (shipping included), at dx.com:
http://www.dx.com/p/edup-ep-n8553-mi...1#.WriuW9Yh1pR

This should not be needed but since EDUP list it on their website:

Driver download:
http://www.szedup.com/support/driver...-n8553-driver/

EDUP do many other USB wifi adapters including a 300Mbps EP-N1557:

https://www.lightinthebox.com/usb-wi...ml?prm=1.3.5.2

Also,
EDUP EP-AC1619P (600 Mbps):
http://www.szedup.com/product-item/w...802-11-abgnac/

https://www.lightinthebox.com/mini-5...48473871350_au

Driver download:
http://www.szedup.com/support/driver...ac1619-driver/