Need help installing rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.2.4.4_25643.20171212_COEX20171012-5044

Question

Have ubuntu 19.10 on a system with an onboard 100mbps wireless adapter. Recently upgraded my broadband service to gigabit fiber. I bought a usb wifi adapter to take advantage of higher speeds. I have not been able to install the new wifi adapter. I've tried several times using instructions I found related to the realtek driver on the new device without success. I can get around in terminal and follow instructions, but I'm otherwise a linux neophyte and must be missing some fundamental knowledge. I'm stumped and need help.

xxx@xxx:~$ iwconfig

enp2s0 no wireless extensions.

wlp3s0 IEEE 802.11 ESSID:"utopia"
Mode:Managed Frequency:2.462 GHz Access Point: BC:99:11:51:8B:5F
Bit Rate=72.2 Mb/s Tx-Power=20 dBm
Retry short limit:7 RTS thr=2347 B Fragment thr:off Power Management:on Link Quality=60/70 Signal level=-50 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0 Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:793 Missed beacon:0

lo no wireless extensions.

xxx@xxx:~$ lsusb 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 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub Bus 005 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 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub Bus 003 Device 004: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver Bus 003 Device 003: ID 04f2:0963 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 2.4G Multimedia Wireless Kit Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0bda:8813 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8814AU 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wireless Adapter Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Answer 1

The correct driver for your device is not 88x2bu; as the name of the device implies, it is 8814au. Let's install it:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git dkms
git clone https://github.com/zebulon2/rtl8814au.git
sudo dkms add ./rtl8814au
sudo dkms install rtl8814au/4.3.21

Reboot and your USB wireless should now be working.

I suggest that you also disable the internal device by blacklisting its driver. Find out which to blacklist with:

lspci -nnk | grep 0280 -A3

One of the items reported will be 'kernel driver in use.' For example:

03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 [8086:08b2] (rev 83)
    Subsystem: Intel Corporation Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 [8086:c270]
    Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
    Kernel modules: iwlwifi

Blacklist the driver with:

sudo -i
echo "blacklist iwlwifi"  >>  /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
modprobe -r iwlwifi
exit

Of course, substitute your exact driver, if not iwlwifi. If in doubt, post the lspci result here and we'll be happy to help.

EDIT: The previous approach was not productive, for reasons that I don't understand. I did notice, as I compiled the driver myself, that there were many warnings; however, no errors. We always hope that the warnings are harmless, but, in this case, perhaps not.

Let's remove the unproductive driver and try a different version that compiles with no warnings at all and, certainly, no errors, on my 19.10 system. From the terminal:

sudo dkms remove rtl8814au/4.3.21 --all
sudo rm -rf rtl8814au

Now, let's install a hopefully more stable driver:

git clone https://github.com/tpircher/rtl8814AU.git
sudo cp -R . /usr/src/rtl8814au-4.3.21
sudo dkms build -m rtl8814au -v 4.3.21
sudo dkms install -m rtl8814au -v 4.3.21

Reboot and tell us if there is any improvement.