[SOLVED] Help with usb wifi "plug and play" adaptors (2024)

My machine (as reported by inxi -Fxzd):-

Host: Laptop Kernel: 5.7.0-050700-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc
v: 9.3.0 Desktop: MATE 1.22.2 Distro: Linux Mint 19.3 Tricia
base: Ubuntu 18.04 bionic

I want to buy an usb adaptor which is truly "plug and play" i.e. no need to install or make drivers. When I last upgraded my kernal it took me hours of frustration to get wifi working. I am wanting to move to Mint 20 and I do not want the wifi heartache again. I want high speed connectivity i.e. 867 mbps on 5GHz as claimed for example by the BrosTrend 1200Mbps Linux USB adapter because where i live is about to have 1GB fibre to the house. In reviews I often see phrases like "incredible Linux compatibility" or "works out of the box" but never any mention of "plug and play".

So can any one recommend a suitable usb wifi adapter that is fast and truly plug and play?

Thanks in anticipation

duncan wrote: ⤴Wed Dec 23, 2020 11:49 amMy machine (as reported by inxi -Fxzd):-

Host: Laptop Kernel: 5.7.0-050700-generic x86_64 bits

Whatever you do, do not install unsupported Mainline kernels. Roll back to an official kernel.

Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
Keep your Linux Mint healthy: Avoid these 10 fatal mistakes
Twitter: twitter.com/easylinuxtips
All in all, horse sense simply makes sense.

duncan wrote: ⤴Wed Dec 23, 2020 1:28 pmPjotr
What are you talking about. I do not understand your comment.

Kernel: 5.7.0-050700-generic x86_64 bits

Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
Keep your Linux Mint healthy: Avoid these 10 fatal mistakes
Twitter: twitter.com/easylinuxtips
All in all, horse sense simply makes sense.

Larry78723 and Pjotr
Kernel version 5.10 is available see https://<blocked blogspam>/linux-kernel-5-9- ... 10-lts-now and other sites.

This does not solve my basic problem but highlights the need for a plug and play usb wifi adaptor.

For 19.3 Tricia, only 5.4.x and 4.15.x are officially supported. Weird that you say you don't know where you got that unofficial vanilla upstream kernel from.... You've created your very own Frankenstein system, it seems.

I recommend to do a clean fresh installation of Mint 20, and take it from there. Once you've done that, avoid these fatal mistakes:
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... takes.html

For good measure: for Mint 20, currently only kernel 5.4.x and 5.8.x are officially supported. Which means: only those are present in the official software sources of Linux Mint 20.x / Ubuntu 20.04.x, and are being kept secure by the Ubuntu developers.

Don't concern yourself with what happens upstream. It has no importance at all for you. EOL upstream (kernel.org devs) does not equal EOL downstream (Ubuntu devs).

Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
Keep your Linux Mint healthy: Avoid these 10 fatal mistakes
Twitter: twitter.com/easylinuxtips
All in all, horse sense simply makes sense.

As luck would have it my hard disk failed shortly after posting my query.

So I did a clean install of Mint 20 as in
System:
Kernel: 5.4.0-58-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0
Desktop: MATE 1.24.0 Distro: Linux Mint 20 Ulyana base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal .

During the installation the wifi connected without trouble.

The lesson appears to be use 5.4.x or 5.8.x based kernels.

Tip: 10 things to do after installing Linux Mint 21.3 Virginia
Keep your Linux Mint healthy: Avoid these 10 fatal mistakes
Twitter: twitter.com/easylinuxtips
All in all, horse sense simply makes sense.