# Need help installing driver!



## IndustrialSpoon (Jun 23, 2018)

Hey, i'm a noob to FreeBSD and just got done with my 13th install. Finally got kde working but i need help getting this driver.

link to driver: https://github.com/khanzf/rtl8188ee

This is the right driver, on every linux install that gave me driver trouble i had, this was the one. Please help, i'm using this as a development computer! (and yes, i'm aware FreeBSD isnt the best home operating system!)

I haven't tried the driver yet because I don't know how to use it.

--Thanks


----------



## flipper_88 (Jun 23, 2018)

Go get a Intel based gig it based network interface  card from Amazon , Newegg,Tigerdirect  po r Ebay  they have pic and third Generation  PCI nics  for as long as  $20 us  and Intels drivers are built directly into the kernel of  nearly Every  modern Dar BSD andc Linux. As Intel unlike Apple and other  vertically integrated  hardware and Software manufacture  opengl ti contributes  their code into the BSD and Linux  and Free Software  Foundation backed projects. 

A word to the wise if you intend to stock with BSD as you're  daily driver you should also have a bare minimum of 32gb of Physical  Random Access Memory (RAM) innlaymens  terms, as the Zed FSA file system can be quite ram ,CPU and IOPS hungry even by modern day standards, if you can afford it I'# alson highly recommend  Error Correcting Code RAM for the extra security o ft. Its parity  bit  and please go with acceptable  ram manufacture  Crucial (Micron Technologies),Samsung or Kingston


----------



## IndustrialSpoon (Jun 23, 2018)

I can't get another network card because i'm using a laptop,  thanks for the reply!


----------



## k.jacker (Jun 23, 2018)

Not sure if you know, but you don't install drivers from github in FreeBSD.

Most drivers are part of the GENERIC kernel already and many others are loadable as kernel modules.

The driver you refer to, is the /boot/kernel/if_rtwn.ko which supports the RTL8188 and RTL8192 family of wifi devices.
Those weird names used by Realtek, don't make it easy to see what's really supported and for that reason Realtek isn't the brand of choice for many.

The driver on github is an addition to that driver as it seems, though it's not yet ready.
It says it has been added to HEAD (development Branch of FreeBSD), but the README says only monitor mode is supported for now.
That won't get you far and is so to say useless in it's current state, but will probably become a working state later.
So if you haven't already done, check the wifi section of the Handbook and try if your card works.
I have a RTL8188CE wifi device (mini-PCIe in a laptop) working with the rtwn(4) driver.



IndustrialSpoon said:


> I can't get another network card because i'm using a laptop, thanks for the reply!


Most laptops can be opened to swap the wifi card, though it can be very easy of very hard to do, very depending on brand and model.
Search youtube  for disassembling videos for your laptop and see if it's doable.
If you want to get you some other wifi card, check the Hardware Notes page.




Chipper8827 said:


> A word to the wise if you intend to stock with BSD as you're daily driver you should also have a bare minimum of 32gb of Physical Random Access Memory (RAM) innlaymens terms, as the Zed FSA file system can be quite ram ,CPU and IOPS hungry even by modern day standards, if you can afford it I'# alson highly recommend Error Correcting Code RAM for the extra security o ft. Its parity bit and please go with acceptable ram manufacture Crucial (Micron Technologies),Samsung or Kingston


That isn't even near what the TS asked or will help him solve his problem... and it's wrong, too.


----------



## IndustrialSpoon (Jun 23, 2018)

Thanks for the reply, that clears things up! so what do i do to get the driver working and load the module at startup?


----------



## aragats (Jun 24, 2018)

IndustrialSpoon said:


> what do i do to get the driver working and load the module at startup?


Add the following line to /boot/loader.conf:
	
	



```
if_rtwn_load="YES"
```
 k.jacker already mentioned the corresponding page of the handbook.


----------



## IndustrialSpoon (Jun 24, 2018)

i added the command, but my device wont show up when typing "ifconfig -l" or "sysctl net.wlan.devices"! but i'm getting closer

ps: thanks everybody for helping out!


----------



## aragats (Jun 24, 2018)

Do you see anything about _rtwn0_ in `dmesg` output?
Have you followed the section *31.3.4.1* of the handbook?
	
	



```
# ifconfig wlan create wlandev rtwn0
```


----------



## IndustrialSpoon (Jun 24, 2018)

that command results in ifconfig: SIOIFCREATE2: Device not configured
dmesg results in it showing rlphy0
thanks


----------



## IndustrialSpoon (Jun 24, 2018)

so i ran i different command (i forgot which one) and it outputted this:

i used emacs to paste it, im on my freebsd laptop now

What would i do now?


----------



## Phishfry (Jun 24, 2018)

Did you also load the firmware as the handbook shows?

```
legal.realtek.license_ack=1
rtwn-rtl8192cfwU_load="YES"
rtwn-rtl8192cfwU_B_load="YES"
```


----------



## k.jacker (Jun 24, 2018)

Exactly, both what aragats and Phishfry posted must be added to /boot/loader.conf to get the driver loaded.

To get an understanding of what you are doing, it is essential that you read the handbook.
Reading the rtwn(4) manpage is also very helpful.



```
none1@pci0:1:0:0:
```
The "none1" should change to "rtwn0" when the driver has attached to the device.
If that won't happen, you have to wait until the driver finally will fully support your device... or get yourself another wifi device.


----------



## scottro (Jun 24, 2018)

If you have extra USB ports, you can always get a USB to wireless device.  
The edimax ew-7811UN works with 11.x, and it's about $10.00 on Amazon in the US.


----------

