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I have been trying to install the driver for a USB Wifi Adapter 802 .11ac (Realtex I think).

This has been a difficult process. The device came with a CD Rom. What I have done is:

  1. Open the folder LINUX/8811AUlinux (there is another folder called RTL81888192EUS_linux_v4.3.0.4_11485.20140519... which has similar looking files including an install.sh file which I tried installing to no avail)
  2. Extract the files in "RTL8821AU_Linux_v5.2.6_21981_COEX20170206-6760.20170407.zip" to a new folder Documents/USB Wifi
  3. Open the folder location in terminal by right-clicking the folder and choosing "open in terminal" (glad I finally figured out that shortcut)
  4. Run the command "sudo bash install.sh" - i had tried without sudo privilege and ran into an authentication error.
  5. I get a long string of text and then this at the end:

Authentication requested [root] for make driver: make ARCH=x86_64 CROSS_COMPILE= -C /lib/modules/5.8.0-38-generic/build M=/home/n/Documents/USB Wifi/RTL8821AU_Linux_v5.2.6_21981_COEX20170206-6760.20170407/driver/rtl8821AU_WiFi_linux_v5.2.6_21981.20170407_COEX20170206-6760 modules make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.8.0-38-generic' make[1]: *** No rule to make target 'Wifi/RTL8821AU_Linux_v5.2.6_21981_COEX20170206-6760.20170407/driver/rtl8821AU_WiFi_linux_v5.2.6_21981.20170407_COEX20170206-6760'. Stop. make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.8.0-38-generic' make: *** [Makefile:1877: modules] Error 2 ################################################## Compile make driver error: 2 Please check error Mesg ##################################################

This is what the adapter seems to show up like when I type "lsusb" in terminal: Bus 003 Device 005: ID 0bda:c811 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 802.11ac NIC

Please let me know if you have any suggestions. I'm using Ubuntu 20.04 on a Thinkpad T530. Thank you.

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4
  • This driver won't install on Ubuntu 20.04. You need to know what is the wireless chip and find an answer with a manual.
    – Pilot6
    Jan 26, 2021 at 14:34
  • Please post results from terminal for lsusb with the usb wifi plugged in
    – Jeremy31
    Jan 26, 2021 at 22:21
  • Thank you! I think most likely I will take the advice to find another usb driver since it sounds unlikely that I can get it to work, and honestly it's a relief to know there may be adapters out there that just work! However I'll post the lsusb results above and will be open to exploring that slightly further if there's much possibility there for a solution.
    – Nick C
    Jan 27, 2021 at 15:48
  • @user535733 Best driver installer advice on the web...the way to a better user experience is to follow these instructions to the letter.
    – Hektor
    Jun 1, 2021 at 11:58

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Check mokutil --sb-state as Secure Boot needs to be disabled, then in terminal do

sudo apt install git dkms
git clone https://github.com/morrownr/8821cu.git
cd 8821cu
sudo ./install-driver.sh

Reboot

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7
  • Thank you for your help! When I enter mokutil --sb-state I get "Command 'mokutil' not found, but can be installed with: sudo apt install mokutil:" Should I install it? Also is there something I need to do additionally do disable Secure Boot, and is that permanent or temporary? Lastly do those other steps get entered all at once in terminal or one at a time?
    – Nick C
    Jan 28, 2021 at 15:24
  • If mokutil isn't installed, just run the other commands
    – Jeremy31
    Jan 28, 2021 at 15:30
  • Thank you. The first two seem successful and then when I try cd rtl8821cu I get "bash: cd: rtl8821cu: No such file or directory"
    – Nick C
    Jan 28, 2021 at 15:35
  • I just fixed that, should be cd 8821
    – Jeremy31
    Jan 28, 2021 at 15:42
  • Hmm... "bash: cd: 8821: No such file or directory"...
    – Nick C
    Jan 28, 2021 at 16:03

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