rtl8188eu (8188eu.ko)

Realtek RTL8188EU Wireless Lan Driver for Linux

• v5.13.3 (20210615)
• Based on EDIMAX EW-7811Un V2 Linux Driver (Version : 1.0.1.3) 2021-10-01
• Support Kernel: 3.8 - 5.4 (Realtek)
• Support up to Kernel 6.3

Specification

• Supported interface modes:
  • IBSS
  • managed
  • AP
  • monitor
  • P2P-client
  • P2P-GO
• Packet injection
• TX power control
• LED control
• Power saving control
• Driver debug log level control
• REGD source selection
• Security:
  • WEP 64/128-bit, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3

Supported adapters

• TP-Link TL-WN722N V2/V3 150Mbps High Gain Wireless USB Adapter
• TP-Link TL-WN727N V5.20 150Mbps Wireless N USB Adapter
• TP-Link TL-WN725N V3 150Mbps Wireless N Nano USB Adapter
• EDIMAX EW-7811Un V2 N150 Wi-Fi 4 Nano USB Adapter
• ASUS USB-N10 Nano B1 USB Adapter Wireless-N
• D-Link DWA-125 Wireless N 150 USB Adapter(rev.D)
• D-Link DWA-123 Wireless N 150 USB Adapter(rev.D)
• D-Link GO-USB-N150 Wireless N 150 Easy USB Adapter(rev.B)
• D-Link DWA-121 Wireless N 150 USB Adapter(rev.B)
• Realtek RTL8188EU Wireless LAN 802.11n USB 2.0 Network Adapter
• Realtek RTL8188ETV Wireless LAN 802.11n USB 2.0 Network Adapter
• 802.11bgn Mini Wireless LAN USB2.0 Adapter
• ELECOM WDC-150SU2M Wireless Adapter
• Sitecom WLA-1100 V2 Wi-Fi USB adapter N150
• MERCUSYS MW150US V2 N150 Wireless Nano USB Adapter
• Rosewill RNX-N150NUB N150 Wireless Nano USB Adapter

Tested Linux Distros and Tools

Successful tested injection aireplay-ng -9 <interface>, deauthentication aireplay-ng -0 1 -a <bssid> <interface>.

NO fixed channel 1 issue.

Successful hcxdumptool driver test hcxdumptool -i <interface> --check_driver and capture packets hcxdumptool -i <interface> -o test.pcapng --filterlist_ap=targets.lst --filtermode=2 --enable_status=15 (hcxdumptool -i <interface> -o test.pcapng --filterlist=targets.lst --filtermode=2 --enable_status=15).

Connecting to AP with WPA3 (WPA3-SAE) authentication method (IMPORTANT: Test distro Ubuntu 22.04 kernel 5.15 - NetworkManager 1.36.4 nmcli tool, version 1.36.4. Otherwise use wpa_supplicant).

Start WPA3 (WPA3-SAE) SoftAP.

TX power control tested with SoftAP mode and OpenWrt firmware (OpenWrt 21.02.0 r16279-5cc0535800, Channel Analysis Feature).

• Ubuntu 22.04 (kernel 5.19)
  • Aircrack-ng 1.6
  • hcxdumptool 6.2.6
  • wpa_supplicant v2.11-devel-hostap_2_10-309-gc3d389b72
  • hostapd v2.11-devel-hostap_2_10-309-gc3d389b72

HOW TO

Install

Download source:

git clone https://github.com/ivanovborislav/rtl8188eu.git
cd rtl8188eu

Install missing packages:

sudo apt-get install bc build-essential

Install linux headers:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

or

apt-cache search linux-headers
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-5.14.0-kali4-amd64 (for example)
apt-cache search linux-image
sudo apt-get install linux-image-5.14.0-kali4-amd64 (for example)

Compile:

make
sudo make install

or

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh -i

IMPORTANT: Prevent loading old driver r8188eu.

echo "blacklist r8188eu" > /etc/modprobe.d/realtek.conf

Raspberry Pi:

Edit Makefile:

Ln145 - CONFIG_PLATFORM_I386_PC = y to CONFIG_PLATFORM_I386_PC = n

Ln146 - CONFIG_PLATFORM_RPI_ARM = n to CONFIG_PLATFORM_RPI_ARM = y for ARM

or

Ln147 - CONFIG_PLATFORM_RPI_ARM64 = n to CONFIG_PLATFORM_RPI_ARM64 = y for ARM64

DKMS installation

sudo git clone "https://github.com/ivanovborislav/rtl8188eu.git" /usr/src/rtl8188eu-5.13.3
sudo dkms add -m rtl8188eu -v 5.13.3
sudo dkms autoinstall
dkms status

or

sudo git clone "https://github.com/ivanovborislav/rtl8188eu.git" /usr/src/rtl8188eu-5.13.3
sudo dkms add -m rtl8188eu -v 5.13.3
sudo dkms build -m rtl8188eu -v 5.13.3
sudo dkms install -m rtl8188eu -v 5.13.3
dkms status

Monitor mode

sudo airmon-ng check kill
sudo ip link set <interface> down
sudo iw dev <interface> set type monitor
sudo ip link set <interface> up

Managed mode

sudo ip link set <interface> down
sudo iw dev <interface> set type managed
sudo ip link set <interface> up
sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager (sudo service network-manager restart)

TX power control

Note: Set TX power before start SoftAP mode. ...set txpower fixed 3000 = txpower 30.00 dBm.

sudo iw dev <interface> set txpower fixed 3000

Driver options

Change driver options during inserting driver module

Remove (unload) a module from the Linux kernel.

sudo rmmod /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/8188eu.ko

Insert (load) a module into the Linux kernel.

sudo insmod /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/8188eu.ko rtw_ips_mode=1 rtw_drv_log_level=4 rtw_power_mgnt=2 rtw_led_ctrl=1

Change driver options loading from file

Create a file 8188eu.conf containing options 8188eu rtw_ips_mode=1 rtw_drv_log_level=4 rtw_power_mgnt=2 rtw_led_ctrl=1. Copy a file to /etc/modprobe.d/ directory.

sudo cp -f 8188eu.conf /etc/modprobe.d

Power saving control.

IPS (Inactive Power Saving) Function, rtw_ips_mode=

0:Disable IPS
1:Enable IPS (default)

LPS (Leisure Power Saving) Function, rtw_power_mgnt=

0:Disable LPS
1:Enable LPS
2:Enable LPS with clock gating (default)

Driver debug log level control, rtw_drv_log_level=

0:_DRV_NONE_
1:_DRV_ALWAYS_
2:_DRV_ERR_
3:_DRV_WARNING_
4:_DRV_INFO_ (default)
5:_DRV_DEBUG_
6:_DRV_MAX_

Driver LED control, rtw_led_ctrl=

0:led off
1:led blink (default)
2:led on

Driver REGD source selection, rtw_regd_src=

0:Realtek defined
1:OS (default, get channel plan from OS)

Connecting with wpa_supplicant

Example wpa_supplicant.conf with WPA3-Personal (WPA3-SAE).

ctrl_interface=/var/run/wpa_supplicant
update_config=1
country=EN
p2p_no_group_iface=1
sae_groups=19 20 21
network={
    ssid="WPA3"
    proto=RSN
    key_mgmt=SAE
    pairwise=CCMP
    group=CCMP
    ieee80211w=2
    psk="1234567890"
}

Now start...

sudo systemctl stop NetworkManager
sudo killall wpa_supplicant
sudo wpa_supplicant -B -i <interface> -c wpa_supplicant.conf
sudo dhclient <interface>

Start SoftAP mode

Example hostapd.conf with WPA3-Personal (WPA3-SAE).

ctrl_interface=/var/run/hostapd
ctrl_interface_group=0
driver=nl80211
ssid=WPA3
country_code=EN
channel=6
beacon_int=100
dtim_period=1
fragm_threshold=2346
rts_threshold=2347
hw_mode=g
ieee80211n=1
max_num_sta=16
wmm_enabled=1
ht_capab=[HT40-][SHORT-GI-20][SHORT-GI-40][RX-STBC1][MAX-AMSDU-7935][DSSS_CCK-40]
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0

auth_algs=1
wpa=2
wpa_key_mgmt=SAE
wpa_pairwise=CCMP
rsn_pairwise=CCMP
ieee80211w=2
sae_groups=19 20 21
sae_require_mfp=1
wpa_passphrase=1234567890

Now start...

sudo killall hostapd
sudo hostapd -i <interface> hostapd.conf

Kali NetHunter Kernel module Samsung Galaxy S5

Test devices

• TP-Link TL-WN722N V3

• Linksys WRT1200AC V2

  • OpenWrt 21.02.0 r16279-5cc0535800 / LuCI openwrt-21.02 branch git-21.231.26241-422c175

config wifi-iface 'default_radio1'
    option device 'radio1'
    option network 'lan'
    option mode 'ap'
    option macaddr '30:23:03:XX:XX:XX'
    option ssid 'WPA3'
    option encryption 'sae'
    option key '1234567890'
    option ieee80211w '2'