Realtek RTL8188FTV WiFi Adapter on Linux

This step-by-step guide is designed for beginners who want to use the Realtek RTL8188FTV WiFi adapter on Linux. The instructions were tested on Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS x86_64 with Linux 5.15.0-58-generic. If you're using a different distro or version, some steps may vary. Feel free to ask any questions if needed.

Prerequisites:

• Plug in the Realtek RTL8188FTV WiFi adapter into one of the USB ports of your Linux PC.
• Boot up your Linux PC.

Step 1: Open Terminal

1. Click the Grid button (9 dots) to open the Application drawer.
2. Find and click "Terminal" to open it.
3. A Terminal window with a black background and white text will appear, similar to the Windows Command Prompt.

Step 2: Check WiFi Adapter

Check if the Realtek RTL8188FTV WiFi adapter is detected by the OS:

1. In Terminal, enter ip a and press Enter.
2. Look for a network interface with a prefix "wlx".
3. Alternatively, enter lsusb in Terminal and press Enter.
4. Look for "Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8188FTV 802.11b/g/n 1T1R 2.4G WLAN Adapter".

Step 3: Update Linux Packages

Update your Ubuntu to the latest packages:

1. Enter sudo apt update in Terminal and press Enter.
2. Enter sudo apt upgrade in Terminal and press Enter.
3. Enter sudo apt install net-tools in Terminal and press Enter.

Step 4: Add Kelebek Repository

Kelebek is the contributor who wrote the driver for the adapter. You can find more details here:

1. Enter sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kelebek333/kablosuz in Terminal and press Enter.
2. Enter sudo apt-get update in Terminal and press Enter.

Step 5: Install WiFi Adapter

Install the driver for the adapter:

1. Enter sudo apt-get install rtl8188fu-dkms in Terminal and press Enter.
2. (Optional) To remove the driver, enter sudo apt purge rtl8188fu-dkms in Terminal and press Enter.

Refer to the GitHub repository for more information.

Step 6: Change Driver Config

1. Enter echo "options rtl8188fu rtw_ips_mode=0 | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8188fu.conf in Terminal and press Enter.
2. Enter sudo modprobe -rv rtl8188fu && sudo modprobe -v rtl8188fu in Terminal and press Enter.

If MAC address of your dongle is changed after every reboot you may set it with this command:

echo "options rtl8188fu rtw_ips_mode=0 rtw_initmac="xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx" | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rtl8188fu.conf

Change "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx" with needed MAC and press Enter.

Step 7: Reboot PC

Restart your Linux PC to complete the setup:

1. Click the Power menu (top right of the screen).
2. Choose Restart.

Step 8: Connect to Wi-Fi

Connect to a Wi-Fi network:

1. Click Grid button > Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Turn ON Wi-Fi if it's off.
3. Select the network and enter the password.

That's it! You should now be able to use the Realtek RTL8188FTV WiFi adapter on your Linux PC.

How to Remove the Driver and PPA

If you want to remove the driver and the PPA, follow these steps:

1. Open Terminal.
2. Enter sudo apt purge rtl8188fu-dkms in Terminal and press Enter.
3. Enter sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:kelebek333/kablosuz in Terminal and press Enter.
4. Reboot your PC to complete the removal.

That's it! You should now be able to use the Realtek RTL8188FTV WiFi adapter on your Linux PC.