Hey everyone! I have a quick question that might seem a bit silly, but I really want to understand better how WiFi drivers work with Linux kernels. Is it possible for a newer version of the kernel to not have the right driver for my device, while an older version does?
Here's the backstory: My first Linux distribution was Mint, and my WiFi worked perfectly right off the bat. However, when I tried other distributions like Fedora and Kubuntu, I faced some issues with my WiFi. I could connect, but after a few minutes, the internet would slow down to almost a standstill.
I get that Fedora is quite different from Mint, so I wasn't shocked that WiFi didn't work there. But I was surprised it also didn't work on Kubuntu, especially since Mint and Kubuntu share a common base. I thought my WiFi would work on Kubuntu too. My theory is that the newer kernel on Kubuntu just doesn't support my TP-Link WiFi adapter. Is that a real possibility? Or could there be other issues at play?
P.S. I've done some reading, and it looks like TP-Link adapters can be a bit tricky on Linux. I'm thinking of just getting a new adapter that plays nicer with Linux, but I'm curious about how this all works!
1 Answer
Absolutely, it's possible for a newer kernel to lack support for certain drivers, even if those drivers were available in an older version. However, in recent years, most common WiFi chipsets have maintained support across kernel updates. To really figure out what's going on, we’d need to know the specific chipset of your WiFi adapter since the brand name alone isn’t always enough.
If you’re leaning towards a new adapter, I recommend looking at ones that use Intel chipsets, like the AX200 or AX210. They tend to have great support in Linux and are easy to install.
Thanks for the tips! My adapter is a TP-Link Archer T4U Plus, and it seems like it uses the Realtek RTL8812BU chipset. I ran some commands to check, and currently, it’s using the rtw_8822bu driver, which might explain some of my issues. Do you think the drivers are the problem? Also, how well do Intel PCIe cards work at a distance? My router is about 15 meters away, and my PC is under my desk, so I’m worried about the connection quality.