Realtek RTL8191/8192SE WiFi Drivers

Problem: Realtek RTL8191/8192SE WiFi Drivers
-Toshiba Qosmio x505-Q870
-OpenSuSe v11.2 (Installed today, 02/26/2010)

Everything works wonderfully. I’ve switched this evening from Ubuntu v9.10 on over to OpenSuSe for a variety of reasons and am extremely happy with it thus far. In Ubuntu I also had a problem with this wireless card and found the solution via:

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-source-2.6.31 linux-headers-generic
cd /usr/src
sudo tar -xvjf linux-source-2.6.31.tar.bz2
sudo ln -s /usr/src/linux-source-2.6.31 /usr/src/linux
cd ~
mkdir Realtek
cd Realtek
wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/33927923/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009.tar.gz
tar -xvzf rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009.tar.gz
cd rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009
make
sudo su   
make install

modprobe r8192se_pci
iwconfig

I’m ‘fairly’ new to Linux and love it as a complete system over everything else out there. I’ve heard of Zypper, but am unsure how to get what I’ve listed above to work in OpenSuSe in some form using anything. The code above works 100% for me with Ubuntu and gets my card working. I’m just unsure how to translate that into something I can use in OpenSuSe so I can move forward with playing around with this system.

The first 4 lines can be replaced with:

sudo zypper install automake make linux-kernel-headers

The rest, you can use it as such.

I appreciate the very quick response. Unfortunately when I do ‘make’, I get the following error.

cj@linux-kvdt:~/Realtek/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009> make
make: *** /lib/modules/2.6.31.12-0.1-desktop/build: No such file or directory.  Stop.
make: *** [all] Error 2

I’m unsure what to do. I replaced the first 4 lines as you suggested, and that worked perfectly. I even see Make installed when I go and double-check. I’m so close, I can feel it. Once I have this wireless going, I’m going to take lots of time to really sink myself into the basics of using, operating and efficiently learning Linux. OpenSuSe for teh win!

In this Dell Vostro, I am using now the driver is realtek; no issues with wireless using GNOME.

I’m using OpenSuSe v11.2 with KDE. It’s only the Realtek 8191/8192 series that doesn’t seem to work inately. I’ve found hundreds and hundreds of posts over in the Ubuntu forums of folks with the same issue with the same card and was foruntate to have found the fix over there. I’m just not able to use those same commands that worked back in Ubuntu Gnome -and- Kubuntu KDE that did get this wireless card working to work over here in OpenSuSe KDE. I don’t wish to use Gnome anymore or the Ubuntu setups, and know that the problem doesn’t stem from the Desktop Environment.

With Ubuntu, although if I went back to it, this problem would be solved in a few commands, I just always didn’t like the lack of freedom compared to OpenSuSe. I’ve been messing around with OpenSuSe for only 1 day and have already felt more comfortable customizing my computing experience than I’ve ever felt in Ubuntu. The -only- thing I liked better in Ubuntu is the Software Management where everything had nice big icons sorting the software for easier sifting around, and I had gotten used to DEBs, but RPMs always are more common when I search the internet for anything specific, hence my switch to OpenSuSe and wanting to fix this Wireless so bad. I’m on a laptop, no wireless = no fun, lol.

Have you tried using 11.1 instead?

Sorry, I missed out the kernel source in the first zypper command, it should have been as follows:

sudo zypper install automake make linux-kernel-headers kernel-desktop-devel kernel-syms

Since you have already installed the rest, just do:

sudo zypper install kernel-desktop-devel kernel-syms

Ok, got that installed too, after that’s done, verified to be installed: I type make, here’s what I’m getting.

cj@linux-kvdt:~/Realtek/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009> make
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.31.12-0.1-obj/x86_64/desktop'
make -C ../../../linux-2.6.31.12-0.1 O=/usr/src/linux-2.6.31.12-0.1-obj/x86_64/desktop/. modules
/usr/src/linux-2.6.31.12-0.1/arch/x86/Makefile:80: stack protector enabled but no compiler support
make[3]: gcc: Command not found
  CC [M]  /home/cj/Realtek/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009/HAL/rtl8192/rtl_core.o
/bin/sh: gcc: command not found
make[4]: *** [/home/cj/Realtek/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009/HAL/rtl8192/rtl_core.o] Error 127
make[3]: *** [_module_/home/cj/Realtek/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009/HAL/rtl8192] Error 2
make[2]: *** [sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.31.12-0.1-obj/x86_64/desktop'
make: *** [all] Error 2
cj@linux-kvdt:~/Realtek/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0010.1012.2009>

Stack Protector Enabled but No Compiler Support is the first thing I notice. Wish I could be of more help, I’ve not learned enough yet to be able to know what I’m doing yet. I’ll do anything to get this to work and not have to switch to Kubuntu. I know it works in Kubuntu with the code I originally posted, just havin’ a tough time with this 1 thing in OpenSuSe.

I’m no wireless expert, but a silly question … did you install gcc ?

I have no idea, lol. Ubuntu seemed to be ready for me to have to do all this with this wireless card, but openSUSE is making me learn a few things, lol, I love it! I’m trying that now.

That worked, and it installed, and when doing the modprobe command, it recognized and loaded the Wireless but after 3 seconds, even after many reboots and retries, it locks up the system.

Is it possible to be a 64bit conflict? Maybe I should switch to openSUSE 32bit. I’m going to try Kubuntu 64bit real quick just to see if that same driver works on it, as the previous Ubuntu’s I used were all 32bit when I know it did work. If it works in Kubuntu 64bit, I’ll be lost as to why I can’t get it to work in openSUSE 64bit with all your helps.

On 02/27/2010 09:56 AM, Bornabe wrote:
>
> That worked, and it installed, and when doing the modprobe command, it
> recognized and loaded the Wireless but after 3 seconds, even after many
> reboots and retries, it locks up the system.
>
> Is it possible to be a 64bit conflict? Maybe I should switch to
> openSUSE 32bit. I’m going to try Kubuntu 64bit real quick just to see
> if that same driver works on it, as the previous Ubuntu’s I used were
> all 32bit when I know it did work. If it works in Kubuntu 64bit, I’ll
> be lost as to why I can’t get it to work in openSUSE 64bit with all your
> helps.

There are seldom 64-bit problems with the kernel. More likely, it is with the
awful driver from Realtek. Download


http://download.opensuse.org/factory/repo/oss/suse/x86_64/kernel-desktop-2.6.33-3.3.x86_64.rpm

and install it with

sudo rpm -iv kernel-desktop-2.6.33-3.3.x86_64.rpm

You will now have an additional option in your GRUB menu. This kernel has the
driver for your device built in. It is still the vendor driver, but it has been
tweaked a little by an expert.

There is someone working on a proper conversion of the vendor driver to kernel
standards, but that may take a while.

After doing that, I can’t get anywhere with it. That Kernel when clicked on in the Boot Loader just draws a black screen. So now I’m in the process of just trying openSUSE 32bit, and will try that Kernel first, if that fails, will try the original plan of utilizing the Realtek driver itself and if that fails… unfortunately will have to return to Kubuntu only because it works with that driver and will get me up and away from the stationary desk I can’t stay at forever with my lappy, lol. Oh I hope this works, I’m really liking openSUSE. I don’t want to bounce around anymore. I want to settle in to 1 distro and that’s that.

Ok, got it with openSUSE v11.2 32bit with my original Ubuntu instructions modified to fit Zypper. Thanks for everyone’s help! I only have 1 other ‘issue’ to resolve or ignore possibly and I’m 100% on my way to replacing Windows completely!

On 02/27/2010 01:56 PM, Bornabe wrote:
>
> After doing that, I can’t get anywhere with it. That Kernel when
> clicked on in the Boot Loader just draws a black screen. So now I’m in
> the process of just trying openSUSE 32bit, and will try that Kernel
> first, if that fails, will try the original plan of utilizing the
> Realtek driver itself and if that fails… unfortunately will have to
> return to Kubuntu only because it works with that driver and will get me
> up and away from the stationary desk I can’t stay at forever with my
> lappy, lol. Oh I hope this works, I’m really liking openSUSE. I don’t
> want to bounce around anymore. I want to settle in to 1 distro and
> that’s that.

That is the penalty for using an out-of-kernel driver for your graphics card.
Whenever the kernel changes, your graphics breaks, and you have to reinstall
that driver. That condition is particularly important with openSUSE as they
distribute no closed-source software. If you post what graphics card you have,
someone will tell you how to fix your driver. I’m a wireless expert and cannot
help. I have an nVidia adapter, but I use the open-source 2D accelerator so I
don’t have that problem as I change kernels several times a week.

Is this driver now supported in the Tubleweed Kernel? I am running a Toshiba Satellite Pro L450D with a RTL8191SE Wireless chip and it wasn’t detected in either 11.4 or Tumbleweed?

I have tried pressing Function F8 in case the wireless was turned off but with no joy?

Any ideas

Thanks

I have it working now with Tumbleweed I had downloaded the wrong driver from Realtek (I used the link on this but realised it was for 11.2 so most likely was too old) do I need to make install when each new kernel comes in?

Thanks