RTL8187L

Kernel configuration for native kernel method

Before beginning, settings must be applied to the kernel configuration. For information on this see compiling and installing the new kernel. To configure it the module in the kernel:

• Do not select Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (select the mac80211 version instead)
• Enable EEPROM 93CX6 support
• Choose Realtek 8187 USB support in Wireless LAN drivers

General setup  --->
  [*] Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers

Networking --->
  [*] Networking support
  Wireless --->
    <*> Generic IEEE 802.11 Networking Stack (mac80211)

Device Drivers --->
  [*] Misc Devices --->
    <M> EEPROM 93CX6 support
  Network device support --->
    Wireless LAN --->
      [*] Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11)
      <M> Realtek 8187 and 8187B USB support

Cryptographic options --->
  [*]Cryptographic API
  <*>ARC4 cipher algorithm
  Library routines
    ---CRC32 functions

Using and testing the driver

Now you can save your kernel config and start compiling. Don't forget to modify your /boot/grub/grub.conf if necessary. You can load it like this:

modprobe rtl8187

In order to check if it has worked, run:

dmesg | grep rtl8187

You should see some output like this:

usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8187

If you see that line everything should be OK

Configuring your wireless access

If everything is right, you should have two new interfaces: wlan0 and wmaster0 If you don't see wlan0 just run

ifconfig wlan0 up

To list all available wifi-networks just run

iwlist wlan0 scan

See Wireless/Configuration for more information on configuring your card.

Adding modules to boot

At this point you should need to add these modules (or whatever you see fit) to /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6:

rtl8187

Now reboot and hope that it works! It should talk about connecting using net.wlan0 during boot.

Troubleshooting

RTL8187B

Since kernel 2.6.27, RTL8187B is supported natively by the RTL8187 driver (see [1]). It uses the driver provided by Cuervo.

If your card is not supported but you are sure it is an RTL8187B-based one, try these module parameters (unload the module first using rmmod rtl8187):

modprobe rtl8187 force_card=0x8189.

or

modprobe rtl8187 force_card=0x8187

If this does not help, you can try this driver that was modified to work for chips only with the ID 8198:

http://rapidshare.com/files/152036377/rtl8187b_linux_driver_modified_for_0bda-8198_darck.zip.html

If you have problems with the official driver, there are alternatives:

• rtl8187b-modified-jadams-2-1-2008.tar.gz works well with kernel-2.6.24
• rtl8187b-modified-dist.tar.gz works only up to kernel-2.6.22