# How to get wifi USB working (TL-WN725N / Realtek RTL8188EUS)

## MartinB

Hello,

I've just bought a "TP-LINK 150Mbps Wireless N Nano USB Adapter" (Model No. TL-WN725N).  Below is how Linux identifies the device:

dmesg (immediately after plugging it in):

```
[  948.016228] usb 4-4: USB disconnect, device number 3

[  954.913645] usb 4-4: new high-speed USB device number 4 using ehci-pci

[  955.029038] usb 4-4: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=8179

[  955.029041] usb 4-4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3

[  955.029042] usb 4-4: Product: 802.11n NIC

[  955.029043] usb 4-4: Manufacturer: Realtek

[  955.029044] usb 4-4: SerialNumber: 00E04C0001
```

lsusb:

```
Bus 009 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 004 Device 003: ID 0bda:8179 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8188EUS 802.11n Wireless Network Adapter

Bus 004 Device 002: ID 0951:1665 Kingston Technology Digital DataTraveler SE9 64GB

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 005 Device 003: ID 093a:2516 Pixart Imaging, Inc. 

Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:089d Logitech, Inc. QuickCam E2500 series

Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1058:1021 Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Elements Desktop (WDBAAU)

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
```

After failing to identify which wireless driver to enable in the kernel, I downloaded Ubuntu 14.04 Live to test if the USB wifi dongle is supported by Linux.  This test was successful and I was able to connect to my router (and the Internet) using wifi from the Ubuntu Live environment.

I ran lsmod to see which module may be used for the USB wifi dongle.  This is the list of modules loaded in Ubuntu:

```
Module                  Size  Used by

cfg80211              450560  0 

dm_crypt               24576  0 

snd_usb_audio         143360  1 

snd_usbmidi_lib        28672  1 snd_usb_audio

gspca_zc3xx            57344  0 

gspca_main             28672  1 gspca_zc3xx

r8188eu               421888  0 

videodev              139264  2 gspca_main,gspca_zc3xx

snd_emu10k1_synth      16384  0 

snd_emux_synth         36864  1 snd_emu10k1_synth

snd_seq_midi_emul      16384  1 snd_emux_synth

snd_seq_virmidi        16384  1 snd_emux_synth

media                  24576  1 videodev

snd_hda_codec_realtek    69632  1 

dm_multipath           24576  0 

snd_emu10k1           143360  3 snd_emu10k1_synth

scsi_dh                16384  1 dm_multipath

snd_hda_codec_generic    65536  1 snd_hda_codec_realtek

snd_hda_intel          32768  3 

snd_util_mem           16384  2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1

snd_hda_controller     32768  1 snd_hda_intel

snd_ac97_codec        106496  1 snd_emu10k1

kvm_amd                53248  0 

snd_hda_codec         122880  4 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller

kvm                   413696  1 kvm_amd

ac97_bus               16384  1 snd_ac97_codec

snd_hwdep              16384  4 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec,snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1

snd_seq_midi           16384  0 

snd_seq_midi_event     16384  2 snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi

snd_pcm                94208  6 snd_usb_audio,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_emu10k1,snd_hda_controller

edac_core              49152  0 

snd_rawmidi            28672  4 snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_emu10k1,snd_seq_midi

edac_mce_amd           24576  0 

k10temp                16384  0 

snd_seq                57344  5 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi_emul,snd_seq_midi

emu10k1_gp             16384  0 

serio_raw              16384  0 

bnep                   20480  2 

snd_seq_device         16384  5 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_emu10k1_synth,snd_emu10k1,snd_seq_midi

gameport               16384  2 emu10k1_gp

rfcomm                 61440  0 

8250_fintek            16384  0 

snd_timer              28672  3 snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_emu10k1

i2c_piix4              20480  0 

bluetooth             430080  10 bnep,rfcomm

shpchp                 32768  0 

snd                    69632  28 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_usb_audio,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_pcm,\

snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_emux_synth,\

snd_seq_virmidi,snd_emu10k1,snd_seq_device

asus_atk0110           20480  0 

soundcore              16384  2 snd,snd_hda_codec

mac_hid                16384  0 

parport_pc             32768  1 

ppdev                  20480  0 

lp                     16384  0 

parport                40960  3 lp,ppdev,parport_pc

squashfs               49152  1 

overlay                36864  1 

nls_iso8859_1          16384  2 

dm_mirror              24576  0 

dm_region_hash         20480  1 dm_mirror

dm_log                 20480  2 dm_region_hash,dm_mirror

pata_acpi              16384  0 

hid_generic            16384  0 

usbhid                 49152  0 

hid                    98304  2 hid_generic,usbhid

uas                    24576  0 

usb_storage            57344  3 uas

nouveau              1208320  3 

mxm_wmi                16384  1 nouveau

video                  20480  1 nouveau

i2c_algo_bit           16384  1 nouveau

ttm                    86016  1 nouveau

drm_kms_helper        114688  1 nouveau

8139too                32768  0 

drm                   282624  6 ttm,drm_kms_helper,nouveau

8139cp                 28672  0 

pata_atiixp            16384  0 

ahci                   32768  1 

r8169                  73728  0 

libahci                32768  1 ahci

mii                    16384  3 r8169,8139cp,8139too

wmi                    20480  2 mxm_wmi,nouveau
```

The only interesting one seems to be r8188eu.  However, I can't find anywhere in the kernel to enable this module in Gentoo.  I am using kernel version 4.1.12.

Can someone please point me in the right direction for getting this USB wifi dongle working in Gentoo?

Cheers,

Martin[/code]

Added line breaks - NeddySeagoon

----------

## charles17

 *MartinB wrote:*   

> The only interesting one seems to be r8188eu.  However, I can't find anywhere in the kernel to enable this module in Gentoo.  I am using kernel version 4.1.12

 

```
  │ Symbol: R8188EU [=n]

  │ Type  : tristate

  │ Prompt: Realtek RTL8188EU Wireless LAN NIC driver

  │   Location:

  │     -> Device Drivers

  │ (1)   -> Staging drivers (STAGING [=n])

  │   Defined at drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/Kconfig:1

  │   Depends on: STAGING [=n] && WLAN [=y] && USB [=y]

  │   Selects: WIRELESS_EXT [=n] && WEXT_PRIV [=n] 
```

According to https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/rtl819x#staging_drivers it will be renamed rtl8xxxu.

----------

