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I just removed ubuntu-desktop from my Ubuntu Desktop install with tasksel to clear up some storage space since I don't use the desktop anymore, but during the process my wifi stopped working and the device no longer shows in ifconfig or iwconfig.

My device is a Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8188EE Wireless Network Adapter [10ec:8179] (rev 01)

When running lshw -C network, it shows up as UNCLAIMED.

When running a live Ubuntu Desktop disk it identified the network device and allows me to connect with no issues and I was able to chroot into my main install and update things from there.

This device no longer has internet access, but I can transfer debs/files from another pc if necessary.

How would I restore the device and allow it to connect to wifi again?

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  • Please edit your question to add the result of the terminal command: lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3 Also: sudo modprobe rtl8188ee && dmesg | grep rtl Welcome to Ask Ubuntu.
    – chili555
    Mar 18, 2020 at 20:56
  • The second command says `ERROR: could not insert 'rtl8188ee': Operation not permitted
    – jaquiviu marcel
    Mar 18, 2020 at 21:56
  • If you reboot, is the response the same? Please show: uname -r
    – chili555
    Mar 18, 2020 at 22:12
  • Yeah, rebooting has done nothing. 5.3.0-40-generic
    – jaquiviu marcel
    Mar 18, 2020 at 22:20
  • Let's see: ls -al /lib/modules/5.3.0-40-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi/rtl8188ee/rtl8188ee.ko As well as: sudo modprobe /lib/modules/5.3.0-40-generic/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi/rtl8188ee/rtl8188ee.ko Also: dmesg | grep rtl Very interesting problem!
    – chili555
    Mar 18, 2020 at 22:31

1 Answer 1

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Is there anything preventing you from using an ethernet cable?

Also, you could possibly use Live USB and mount the ubuntu install.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCdRecovery

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  • This machine moves around a lot so I would like the wifi to work, as I said in the post I have done a live usb install and have chrooted into the root partition with internet access, but I do not know how to permanently restore it for when I boot back into the main disk
    – jaquiviu marcel
    Mar 18, 2020 at 19:43
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    I. meant using the ethernet cabel to download the correct drivers Well through chroot you can run a normal apt install for the relevant drivers and as long as you dismount correctly the new drivers should remain on the install.
    – livaliva
    Mar 18, 2020 at 20:07
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    Ok, that sounds great, I don't know how to find the drivers though, since I never installed them in the first place, they came with Ubuntu. Is there a way to find out which ones to download?
    – jaquiviu marcel
    Mar 18, 2020 at 20:19
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    unix.stackexchange.com/questions/416180/… See if the commands in that thread don't work.
    – livaliva
    Mar 18, 2020 at 20:35
  • That didn't work, it didn't do anything, probably because I have a realtek adapter and not a broadcomm one
    – jaquiviu marcel
    Mar 18, 2020 at 22:04

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