# RTL8411/RTL8111 Card Reader/Ethernet Card device no driver

## erg_samowzbudnik

I have this piece of hardware that is dead weight and I'm getting already upset about it. Couldn't find much on it apart from this, somewhat related (hardware is not identical) topic:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-922794-start-0.html

hardware in question is this weird integrated card reader / ethernet card:

Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8411 PCI Express Card Reader (rev 01)

Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 0a)

now, if there was no way to get it to work I would just give up. But it used to work. Laptop came with Ubuntu from System76. If they could get it to work surely there would be a way to do it on Gentoo?

I used to use modules that would make either card reader or ethernet work on Gentoo although never both at the same time.

lspci shows that at the moment ethernet card uses:

Kernel driver in use: r8169

Kernel modules: r8169

card reader doesn't work, not sure about ethernet (I may need r8168 instead, can't recall)

Any ideas?

----------

## bunder

try enabling RTSX_PCI and MMC_REALTEK_PCI, I have a gazelle and it needs those for the card reader to work.

----------

## NeddySeagoon

erg_samowzbudnik,

```
Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 0a)

...

Kernel driver in use: r8169

Kernel modules: r8169 
```

Is correct. However some cards that use the r8169 driver also have firmware. dmesg will tell if the kernel module is looking for firmware and can't find it.

```
Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8411 PCI Express Card Reader (rev 01)
```

hints at what bunder posted above.

The output of 

```
lspci -nn
```

would be good. It will list the vendor and device IDs, which is how drivers identify hardware to bind to.

----------

## erg_samowzbudnik

Thanks a ton Bunder, card reader works now.

NeddySeagoon:

here's output from lscpi -nn:

Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8411 PCI Express Card Reader [10ec:5289] (rev 01)

Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 0a)

does that mean I should use r8168 module instead?

----------

## NeddySeagoon

erg_samowzbudnik,

10ec:8168 I don't even need to look that one up.

It should work with the r8169 driver. If r8169 is built in, build it as a module and install linux-firmware.

Now, when the module loads it will find its firmware, if it needs any.

If that fails, try the r8168 driver from the Realtek site. I don't know if that builds against current kernels but I'm aware of anecdotal evidence that suggests that r8168 works when r8169 is supposed to but doesn't.

----------

## Anon-E-moose

use the r8169 driver

----------

## bunder

ethernet should be working, i have at least 3 machines with that device, don't forget the firmware though...    :Wink: 

----------

## erg_samowzbudnik

Thanks, that sorted it out.

----------

