[SOLVED] TP-LINK TL-WN725N not working on Mint 16

[castillohair]

Hello,

I just got a TP-LINK TL-WN725N nano usb wifi adapter, but Mint 16 is not able to recognize it. I searched some other posts, and followed the procedure outlined here: https://github.com/pvaret/rtl8192cu-fixes. However, after restarting, nothing happens - Mint still doesn't recognize the device.

If I run lsusb I get the following:

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Bus 009 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:8179 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 003: ID 045e:07b9 Microsoft Corp. 
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:c05a Logitech, Inc. M90/M100 Optical Mouse
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

And ifconfig gives me this:

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eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 1c:6f:65:2d:0f:e6  
          UP BROADCAST MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:0 (0.0 B)  TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:65536  Metric:1
          RX packets:2792 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:2792 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:249624 (249.6 KB)  TX bytes:249624 (249.6 KB)

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[chili555]

I don't believe it is an rtl8192cu device; I believe it is an 8188eu device. From modinfo 8188eu:

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$ modinfo Desktop/Forum/rtl8188eu/8188eu.ko | grep 8179
alias:          usb:v0BDAp8179d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*

With a temporary wired ethernet connection:

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sudo apt-get install git
git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtl8188eu.git
cd rtl8188eu
make
sudo make install
sudo modprobe 8188eu

Detach the ethernet and let us hear your report.

[castillohair]

That did it. The device is not recognized and I have internet access. Thanks! I'll mark this thread as solved.

[chili555]

I assume you mean the device is now recognized.

You have compiled the driver for your current kernel version only. When Update Manager installs a later kernel version, known in Mint as linux-image, after the required reboot, you must recompile:

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cd ~/rtl8188eu
make clean
make
sudo make install
sudo modprobe 8188eu

Please retain the file and these instructions for that time.

Glad it's working. Have fun!

[aroute]

@chili555

Yours is the only solution that worked for me, after countless hours of searching.

However, after getting a sigh of relief, I realized that I am suffering from another big problem. My wifi connection would not give me more than 2% (max 15%) of signal. Most of the time, it does not even work.

I have gone through several threads on this. It seems this tiny TP-LINK USB card has issues with speed/connection. I don't get any speed even after sitting right in front of my Wi-fi router. The bars are just not there, but the card has green blinking lights (it is connected, as it sometime works, but very slow).

I am really hoping that you could help me troubleshoot this? Your solution below worked like a magic. But I could only go so far with it.

Please help. Thank you.

I don't believe it is an rtl8192cu device; I believe it is an 8188eu device. From modinfo 8188eu:

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$ modinfo Desktop/Forum/rtl8188eu/8188eu.ko | grep 8179
alias:          usb:v0BDAp8179d*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*

With a temporary wired ethernet connection:

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sudo apt-get install git
git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtl8188eu.git
cd rtl8188eu
make
sudo make install
sudo modprobe 8188eu

Detach the ethernet and let us hear your report.

[chili555]

There are a few things you might try. First, check the settings in the router. WPA2-AES is preferred; not any WPA and WPA2 mixed mode and certainly not TKIP. Second, if your router is capable of N speeds, I have better luck with a channel width of 20 MHz in the 2.4 GHz band instead of automatic 20/40 MHz. I also have better luck with a fixed channel, either 1, 6 or 11, rather than automatic channel selection. After making these changes, reboot the router.

Next, I recommend that your regulatory domain be set explicitly. Check yours:

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sudo iw reg get

If you get 00, that is a one-size-maybe-fits-all setting. Find yours here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2 Then set it temporarily:

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sudo iw reg set IS

Of course, substitute your country code if not Iceland. Set it permanently:

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gksudo gedit /etc/default/crda

Use nano or kate or vim if you don't have the text editor gedit.

Change the last line to read:

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REGDOMAIN=IS

Proofread carefully, save and close the text editor.

Next, I'd set IPv6 to Ignore in Network Manager: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fed ... ignore.png This example is for ethernet, but you want wireless.

If none of those changes help, post back and we'll try a few other things.

[aroute]

I followed and checked everything you mentioned below. It did not help.

My channel width is 20Mhz only. Channel set to 11. Security WPA2 Personal. I configured the code to US, and set ignore the IPv6.

The connection gets established with a single bar (saw it go up to 27%) but it drops.

Please let me know what else can I do?

Thanks.

There are a few things you might try. First, check the settings in the router. WPA2-AES is preferred; not any WPA and WPA2 mixed mode and certainly not TKIP. Second, if your router is capable of N speeds, I have better luck with a channel width of 20 MHz in the 2.4 GHz band instead of automatic 20/40 MHz. I also have better luck with a fixed channel, either 1, 6 or 11, rather than automatic channel selection. After making these changes, reboot the router.

Next, I recommend that your regulatory domain be set explicitly. Check yours:

Code: Select all

sudo iw reg get

If you get 00, that is a one-size-maybe-fits-all setting. Find yours here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1_alpha-2 Then set it temporarily:

Code: Select all

sudo iw reg set IS

Of course, substitute your country code if not Iceland. Set it permanently:

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/default/crda

Use nano or kate or vim if you don't have the text editor gedit.

Change the last line to read:

Code: Select all

REGDOMAIN=IS

Proofread carefully, save and close the text editor.

Next, I'd set IPv6 to Ignore in Network Manager: http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fed ... ignore.png This example is for ethernet, but you want wireless.

If none of those changes help, post back and we'll try a few other things.

[chili555]

The next step is to try to see the reason it drops; after it does, please run:

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cat /var/log/syslog | grep -e wlan -e 8188 | tail -n20 

Post the result and we hopefully will see a fixable reason it drops.

[aroute]

Hey, just came back here to inform that I gave up on that Tp-Link dongle (returned it back to the store). I have since then bought Asus dongle so it may work out of the box (fell for the idiotic reviews on Amazon). In any case, the Asus USB dongle uses rtl8192cu and this(1) particular github fix did the job. My laptop now connects to wifi like never before.

(1) https://github.com/pvaret/rtl8192cu-fixes

The next step is to try to see the reason it drops; after it does, please run:

Code: Select all

cat /var/log/syslog | grep -e wlan -e 8188 | tail -n20 

Post the result and we hopefully will see a fixable reason it drops.

[PatH57]

Hi chili555
is it really you?
"Oh, Ubuntu, you are my favorite Linux-based operating system" --Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Ph.D.

[chili555]

Hi chili555
is it really you?
"Oh, Ubuntu, you are my favorite Linux-based operating system" --Dr. Sheldon Cooper, Ph.D.

Indeed it is! I also post at askubuntu and even, once in a while, fedoraforums. Love to be busy!

[drewmint]

Hi,

I'm using the same network adaptor with Mint 17, experiencing exactly the same problem, and would very much appreciate hearing the other options you were going to suggest.

After changing my country code to GB it does seem to have helped... now I have a minimum of approx 6% signal instead of 2%, and a max of about 75% (but only rarely).

Unfortunately I don't have access to the router settings (maybe I can get them but there be demons there) so that's all I've managed to do from your suggestions so far. Some further background is that I was connected fine; Mint 17 picked up the adaptor instantly and connected with good signal for almost a week. To the best of my knowledge, nothing had changed physically or with the settings; one day the connection just dropped.

Look forward to hearing what else you think might work.

Many thanks,
Andrew

[stewschneider]

OK...this mystery is above my pay grade. I'm stumped. I've got a TP-Link TL-WN722N I can't get to connect to the office wireless network. I'm running Linux Mint 17 KDE.

The dongle is recognized:

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stewart@Church:~ > lsusb
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0cf3:9271 Atheros Communications, Inc. AR9271 802.11n
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 003: ID 0461:4d64 Primax Electronics, Ltd 
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 04f2:0833 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

Then I get this, none of which I understand.

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stewart@Church:~ > dmesg
...
247.938503] wlan1: authenticate with 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d
[  248.242827] wlan1: direct probe to 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d (try 1/3)
[  248.446296] wlan1: direct probe to 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d (try 2/3)
[  248.650423] wlan1: direct probe to 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d (try 3/3)
[  248.854537] wlan1: authentication with 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d timed out
[  402.508858] wlan1: authenticate with 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e
[  402.808607] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 1/3)
[  403.012271] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 2/3)
[  403.216376] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 3/3)
[  403.420467] wlan1: authentication with 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e timed out
[  405.654051] wlan1: authenticate with 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e
[  405.854435] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 1/3)
[  406.057806] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 2/3)
[  406.261865] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 3/3)
[  406.465971] wlan1: authentication with 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e timed out
[  418.945010] wlan1: authenticate with 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e
[  419.145235] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 1/3)
[  419.348346] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 2/3)
[  419.552440] wlan1: direct probe to 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e (try 3/3)
[  419.756543] wlan1: authentication with 00:12:17:d8:fd:7e timed out
[  472.994524] wlan1: authenticate with 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d
[  473.298047] wlan1: direct probe to 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d (try 1/3)
[  473.501938] wlan1: direct probe to 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d (try 2/3)
[  473.706001] wlan1: direct probe to 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d (try 3/3)
[  473.910120] wlan1: authentication with 90:48:9a:35:ac:9d timed out

stewart@Church:~ > iwconfig wlan1
wlan1     IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off

Now...the mystery. Instead of trying to connect to the wireless network here, I powered up a hotspot on my phone. Now I get:

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stewart@Church:~ > iwconfig wlan1
wlan1     IEEE 802.11bgn  ESSID:"SCH-I535E2C7"  
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.462 GHz  Access Point: 38:AA:3C:BD:E2:C7   
          Bit Rate=54 Mb/s   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry  long limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality=63/70  Signal level=-47 dBm  
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:0  Invalid misc:102   Missed beacon:0

The office network is accessible on my Macbook and my Android phone. Whither have I gone astray?