Maintaining 5 Realtek out-of-kernel drivers as well as the informational sites related to using USB adapters on Linux is something that I enjoy but I have some requests and information I want to pass on. Most of the issues that are reported are not bugs but are configuration and setup issues. I am requesting anyone with knowledge on the subject being reported to offer help. Any issues that you can help resolve allows me to work on the things you really need me working on... like keeping these drivers working on new kernels as they are released.
If you are reporting an issue, please give us a statement about what you are trying to accomplish with your setup, the pertinent hardware and software details, exactly what the problem is and what the results should be and lastly, please provide the steps necessary to duplicate the issue. These drivers can and do work on a vast number of operating systems and hardware combinations so you need to set the table for those that can help you.
Note: My experience maintaining and using these drivers causes me to offer this advice. Many Linux users would be better served with adapters that do not use these Realtek drivers. These Realtek drivers are not Linux Wireless standards compliant. This causes a variety of issues when using various apps and utilities. Realtek does not release these drivers publicly and they do not support them. Have you tried to report a bug to Realtek lately? My recommendation to most Linux users is to use usb adapters that use in-kernel drivers as those drivers do support Linux Wireless standards and it is possible to report bugs. To that end, I have established this site:
Do I plan to keep maintaining these Realtek drivers? Yes, I have and support adapters that use the Realtek chipsets. Will I be buying new adapters that use Realtek chipsets? No, not as long as there are good alternatives that are properly supported.
All,
Maintaining 5 Realtek out-of-kernel drivers as well as the informational sites related to using USB adapters on Linux is something that I enjoy but I have some requests and information I want to pass on. Most of the issues that are reported are not bugs but are configuration and setup issues. I am requesting anyone with knowledge on the subject being reported to offer help. Any issues that you can help resolve allows me to work on the things you really need me working on... like keeping these drivers working on new kernels as they are released.
If you are reporting an issue, please give us a statement about what you are trying to accomplish with your setup, the pertinent hardware and software details, exactly what the problem is and what the results should be and lastly, please provide the steps necessary to duplicate the issue. These drivers can and do work on a vast number of operating systems and hardware combinations so you need to set the table for those that can help you.
Note: My experience maintaining and using these drivers causes me to offer this advice. Many Linux users would be better served with adapters that do not use these Realtek drivers. These Realtek drivers are not Linux Wireless standards compliant. This causes a variety of issues when using various apps and utilities. Realtek does not release these drivers publicly and they do not support them. Have you tried to report a bug to Realtek lately? My recommendation to most Linux users is to use usb adapters that use in-kernel drivers as those drivers do support Linux Wireless standards and it is possible to report bugs. To that end, I have established this site:
https://github.com/morrownr/USB-WiFi
Do I plan to keep maintaining these Realtek drivers? Yes, I have and support adapters that use the Realtek chipsets. Will I be buying new adapters that use Realtek chipsets? No, not as long as there are good alternatives that are properly supported.
Comments welcome.
Regards,
Nick