How to use Realtek RTL8188S WLAN USB adapter in BookwormPup64 10.0.9(solved)

[oldaolgeezer]

I would like to use my old Realtek RTL8188S WLAN Adapter in BookwormPup64_10.0.9

(My household has recently changed our Internet providers and my desktop PC's
suddenly needed WIFI hardware.)

I've tried to use a tiny old USB WIFI dongle with BookwormPup64_10.0.9 on
my old Dell OptiPlex 760 DCNE desktop PC:
idVendor=07b8, idProduct=8188, bcdDevice= 2.00

When I plug it in and boot, dmesg shows the following messages:

[Thu Feb 6 17:42:24 2025] usb 1-2: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:24 2025] usb 1-2: New USB device found, idVendor=07b8, idProduct=8188, bcdDevice= 2.00
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:24 2025] usb 1-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:24 2025] usb 1-2: Product: RTL8188S WLAN Adapter
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:24 2025] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: Manufacturer Realtek
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:24 2025] usb 1-2: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] rtl8192cu: Chip version 0x10
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] rtl8192cu: Board Type 0
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] rtl_usb: rx_max_size 15360, rx_urb_num 8, in_ep 1
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] rtl8192cu: Loading firmware rtlwifi/rtl8192cufw_TMSC.bin
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] ieee80211 phy1: Selected rate control algorithm 'rtl_rc'
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8192cu
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] usb 1-2: firmware: direct-loading firmware rtlwifi/rtl8192cufw_TMSC.bin
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] r8712u: module is from the staging directory, the quality is unknown, you have been warned.
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:25 2025] usbcore: registered new interface driver r8712u
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:26 2025] rtl8192cu: Failed to polling REG_APS_FSMCO[APFM_ONMAC] done!
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:26 2025] rtl8192cu: Failed to init power on!
[Thu Feb 6 17:42:26 2025] rtl8192cu: init mac failed!

I guess that "rtl8192cu" is used for a number of different Realtek
hardware but it needs some more tweeking to get it to work for me.

Long ago the last time I used it with Puppy Linux, I used this:
https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtop ... 2a#p462469
according to the old forum's attachment count, that old "driver" has been
downloaded a large number of times:
8712u-k2.6.33.2.pet for Puppy 5.1.x (170.96 KiB) Downloaded 4060 times

Somehow, when I just rebooted my old Dell OptiPlex 760 DCNE desktop from BookwormPup64_10.0.9
to run Windows 10, Microsoft seemed to "find" a Windows 10 driver and it seems to work:

Years ago there was a method of using Microsoft Windows WIFI driver files
in Linux WIFI but I would need help if that method is still available.

Thank you for any help.

[ozsouth]

@oldaolgeezer - The last method you are talking about is ndiswrapper. Would be surprised if that worked under Bookwormpup64.
You may just need different firmware. With adaptor plugged in, in a terminal, run: dmesg | grep irmware
(that is shorthand for dmesg | grep -i firmware). That will tell you if any firmware is missing. If so, see rtlwifi folder at:
https://github.com/endlessm/linux-firmware
& copy needed file into /usr/lib/firmware/rtlwifi
Then try again to connect.

If no joy there, compiling a driver is needed. Also, there is probably an in-kernel file which needs removing/blacklisting for compiled drivers to work - in a terminal, run: lsmod | grep 81
Any rtl wifi modules shown need to be removed before trying new modules (i.e. rmmod rtl8192cu), & blacklisted if you find a working module via method below.

The way search engines work today, I'm have trouble pinning down source for adaptor type 07b8:8188 .
There is rtl8188ftv, then rtl8188fu , then rtl8192cu , then others! In times gone by googling the adaptor type would render the correct source.
I'm also assuming you have standard kernel 6.1.119 with its kbuild available (standard frugal install). If so, you can try different source files.
For each, in Bookwormpup64-10.0.9, unzip source file, cd into folder created, then run make clean , then run make. Will create driver (.ko file type). Place this in /usr/lib/modules/6.1.119/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi & run depmod. Plug in adaptor, wait 5 sec, then modprobe driver .ko name (i.e. modprobe rtl8188fu). Wait 5 sec, then try to connect. If fails, run rmmod (i.e. rmmod rtl8188fu), & remove .ko file from long path above. Then try another. Good luck!

P.S. I made an rtl8188fu driver .pet with unloading & blacklisting (see below). May wish to try on non-mission critical system, at own risk, with adaptor plugged in.

[oldaolgeezer]

Hi ozsouth:

Thank you for all your WIFI driver wisdom and for building the new pet driver.
I am typing this reply on my old computer with your working new driver pet.

I'll also answer a few of your questions in your post:

Firstly, yes, I am running the current Bookwormpup64-10.0.9 with kernel 6.1.119:

I have never, in all my years using Puppy Linux since 2006, compiled anything !
(A little too complex for me. So that suggestion of compiling a driver was not for me.)

So, on another PC I downloaded and then installed your pet rtl8188fu driver on my Dell OptiPlex 760 DCNE desktop PC via a USB flash drive.

Both then and earlier, I found I needed to try something, then save and then
power off my Dell OptiPlex 760 DCNE desktop PC.
I found that I liked to test with "Network Wizard" and test less often with conman.
(there seemed to be some interaction between them both when changing WIFI drivers
without saving then powering down and rebooting.)

During my testing, I rebooted my PC many times and because my PC's BIOS CR-2032 battery was dead, I was frequently entering month day year and hour and minute in the BIOS !
Durning lunch, I booted Windows 10, and let it run for a while !
Microsoft needed some updates and it installed a newer Windows 10 WIFI driver and now my WIFI could no longer work in Windows 10 !

Back in Puppy, I noticed in "Network Wizard", the wrong driver: "rtl8192cu" was being selected, so I renamed that module, saved and rebooted and my Puppy WIFI now worked.
(I think the correct way of doing this is to use "blacklisted" rather than renaming a driver module.
I'll have to find out how to do that.)

Thank you again and your pet should work for others who have this old WIFI dongle.

[bigpup]

To blacklist

menu ->System ->BootManager ->Click here to blacklist a module

[oldaolgeezer]

Again, I want to thank both ozsouth and bigpup for the BookwormPup64 Realtek RTL8188S WLAN software and "unwanted driver" black list instructions.

My own Realtek RTL8188S WLAN USB adapter was a number of years old and was left in the back of my dusty drawer. (I had found it attached to the back panel of someone's thrown away DVR or maybe it was a DVD player.)

Just yesterday, I noticed that "new", maybe improved, tiny Realtek RTL8188S WLAN USB adapters, could be bought from Florida USA, with free shipping for less than two USA dollars from a number of EBAY vendors !

Also, somehow my Windows 10 did some regression and now my Realtek RTL8188S WIFI is working again on Windows on my Dell OptiPlex 760 DCNE desktop PC.

Who knew !

[Florexmachine]

Hello! I understand you're trying to use the Realtek RTL8188S adapter on your Dell OptiPlex 760 DCNE desktop with BookwormPup64_10.0.9. From the dmesg logs, it appears the system recognizes the device, but you're encountering issues initializing the network card. The rtl8192cu driver is used for various Realtek devices but may require additional configuration to work correctly with your adapter.
In the past, for older Realtek network cards, Puppy Linux users utilized the ndiswrapper tool, which allowed the use of Windows drivers in Linux. You might try installing the Windows driver for your adapter using ndiswrapper. However, this method may not be ideal and could require extra configuration. Alternatively, check if newer drivers for your adapter are available in Puppy Linux repositories or on the official Realtek website.
Let me know what worked for you! I'm sure it will help others who might run into the same issue. Don't hesitate to share your findings here!

[mikewalsh]

^^^ Yet ANOTHER AI-generated 'generic' response....

The content might be getting better & more accurate, but they stand out like a sore thumb.....because they try TOO hard to be not just 'pleasant', but super-friendly. Dead giveaway!

No human acts quite like that.....at least, not in my experience. One can be pleasant to people WITHOUT trying to be an instant, new "best friend" to complete strangers. Perhaps I'm a cynical old bugger, but that sort of behaviour makes me want to gag.....and immediately puts me on-guard.

(*shrug...*)

Mike.