Realtek Wireless LAN Driver Won't Install? Here's the Solution

If you're struggling to install the Realtek wireless LAN driver on your Linux system, you're not alone. The issue lies with the dependencies required for the installation process. Specifically, Realtek-rtl88xxau-dkms depends on Realtek-rtl8814au-dkms since May 25th, 2021.

The good news is that we can resolve this by obtaining deb files of both packages. As of the time of writing, the latest deb files are available for Debian and its derivatives (x86 and x86_64 platforms), including Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, elementary OS, and more.

To install the Realtek wireless LAN driver on your Kali system, you can use the local deb file feature in version 1.1 or later. This allows you to install realtek-rtl88xxau-dkms from Kali's repository. However, if this isn't an option for you, follow the same instructions above for Kali Linux.

It's worth noting that the security edition of Kali comes with realtek-rtl88xxau-dkms installed by default. Additionally, if you're running a Kali Linux ARM image on a Raspberry Pi, the driver should already be installed.

If you're using UEFI Secure Boot on your system, you may need to disable it or sign the kernel module before you can load the driver. This is because this driver is not mainlined and will require a self-compiled out-of-tree kernel module.

Kali currently uses a separate driver for RTL8814AU, which was developed internally by Realtek and then patched by open community members. The target devices supported by this driver include adapters with chipsets such as RTL8811AU, RTL8812AU, and RTL8814AU.

If you're using your USB device in a virtual machine, be sure to check out our guide on pitfalls when using USB devices in virtual machines.

In summary, the Realtek wireless LAN driver won't install due to dependency issues. To resolve this, obtain deb files of both packages, use the local deb file feature in version 1.1 or later, and follow the instructions for your specific system configuration. With these steps, you should be able to successfully install the driver on your Linux system.

Realtek wireless lan driver wont install