No Wi-Fi on Asus M1502YA after installing Linux

September 6, 2026 4 answers
Asked by MellowPine42
I recently bought an Asus M1502YA laptop and tried installing Zorin OS, Linux Mint, and elementary OS. None of them detects the laptop's Wi-Fi hardware. The laptop has no built-in Ethernet port, and I don't currently have a USB Wi-Fi adapter. What's the easiest way to get online and install the correct driver? I'm completely new to Linux, so beginner-friendly instructions would be appreciated.

Answers

SilverCactus8
That laptop appears to use a MediaTek MT7902 wireless card. Support may require a newer Linux kernel than the one included with the distributions you tried. You could temporarily connect your phone with a USB cable and enable USB tethering, then install a newer kernel or the appropriate third-party driver. Fedora KDE may also be worth trying because it often ships newer hardware support, and itโ€™s reasonably beginner-friendly.

MellowPine42: Thanks for explaining. Iโ€™m completely new to Linuxโ€”would Fedora KDE be reasonably easy for a beginner to use?

Reply to this answer
CopperLemon31
You donโ€™t necessarily need a Wi-Fi dongle. A USB-to-Ethernet adapter can provide a wired connection through one of the laptopโ€™s USB ports, including a USB-C port if you have one. That would let you install updates and drivers normally.
Reply to this answer
BriskMeadow6
For a more permanent fix, replace the internal wireless card if itโ€™s removable. An Intel AX210 is commonly used as a replacement and generally has much better Linux support. Check that the card is accessible and compatible with the laptop before buying one.
Reply to this answer
QuietOrbit27
The quickest temporary option is USB tethering from a phone. Once the laptop has internet access, you can install the needed kernel or driver directly. If that isnโ€™t possible, use another computer to download the required packages or modules onto a USB flash drive, then transfer them to the laptop. Youโ€™ll need to identify the exact driver and matching kernel version first.
Reply to this answer

Add your answer

Answers are reviewed before publication.

Related Discussions