New Realtek usb-wifi device RTL8912AU Wifi7

[Kiwimannen]

Realtek RTL8912AU - only Windows drivers are available, providing some info from Linux and Windows

Linux:

lsusb -v
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 0bda:8912 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 802.11be WLAN Adapter
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x0bda Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
  idProduct          0x8912 
  bcdDevice            0.00
  iManufacturer           1 Realtek
  iProduct                2 802.11be WLAN Adapter
  iSerial                 3 XXXXXXXXXXX
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength       0x0051
    bNumInterfaces          1
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0 
    bmAttributes         0xe0
      Self Powered
      Remote Wakeup
    MaxPower              500mA
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           9
      bInterfaceClass       255 Vendor Specific Class
      bInterfaceSubClass    255 Vendor Specific Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol    255 Vendor Specific Protocol
      iInterface              2 802.11be WLAN Adapter
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x84  EP 4 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x05  EP 5 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x06  EP 6 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x07  EP 7 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x88  EP 8 IN
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x09  EP 9 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x0a  EP 10 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x0b  EP 11 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x0c  EP 12 OUT
        bmAttributes            2
          Transfer Type            Bulk
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0200  1x 512 bytes
        bInterval               0
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
  bLength                10
  bDescriptorType         6
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass            0 
  bDeviceSubClass         0 
  bDeviceProtocol         0 
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  bNumConfigurations      1
Device Status:     0x0001
  Self Powered

In Windows:

netsh wlan show driver

Interface name: Wi-Fi 3

    Driver                    : Realtek 8912AU Wireless LAN WiFi 7 USB NIC
    Vendor                    : Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Provider                  : Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Date                      : 2024-06-20
    Version                   : 5002.24.117.0
    INF file                  : oem31.inf
    Type                      : Native Wi-Fi Driver
    Radio types supported     : 802.11b 802.11g 802.11n 802.11ac 802.11ax 802.11a
    FIPS 140-2 mode supported : Yes
    802.11w Management Frame Protection supported : Yes
    Hosted network supported  : No
    Authentication and cipher supported in infrastructure mode:
                                Open             None
                                WPA2-Personal    CCMP
                                Open             WEP-40bit
                                Open             WEP-104bit
                                Open             WEP
                                WPA-Enterprise   TKIP
                                WPA-Personal     TKIP
                                WPA2-Enterprise  TKIP
                                WPA2-Personal    TKIP
                                WPA-Enterprise   CCMP
                                WPA-Personal     CCMP
                                WPA2-Enterprise  CCMP
                                WPA3-Personal    CCMP
                                WPA3-Enterprise 192 Bits GCMP-256
                                OWE              CCMP
                                Vendor defined   TKIP
                                Vendor defined   CCMP
                                Vendor defined   Vendor defined
                                Vendor defined   Vendor defined
                                WPA2-Enterprise  Vendor defined
                                WPA2-Enterprise  Vendor defined
                                Vendor defined   Vendor defined
                                Vendor defined   Vendor defined
                                WPA3-Enterprise  CCMP
    Number of supported bands : 3
                                2.4 GHz   [ 0 MHz - 0 MHz]
                                5 GHz   [ 0 MHz - 0 MHz]
                                6 GHz   [ 0 MHz - 0 MHz]
    IHV service present       : Yes
    IHV adapter OUI           : [00 e0 4c], type: [00]
    IHV extensibility DLL path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\Rtlihvs.dll
    IHV UI extensibility ClSID: {6c2a8cca-b2a2-4d81-a3b2-4e15f445c312}
    IHV diagnostics CLSID     : {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
    Wireless Display Supported: Yes (Graphics Driver: Yes, Wi-Fi Driver: Yes)

netsh wlan show wirelesscapabilities

Wireless System Capabilities
----------------------------
    Number of antennas connected to the 802.11 radio (value not available)
    Max number of channels the device can operate on, simultaneously (value not available)
    Co-existence Support                        : Unknown


Wireless Device Capabilities
----------------------------

Interface name: Wi-Fi 3

    WDI Version (Windows)                       : 0.1.1.12
    WDI Version (IHV)                           : 0.1.1.12
    WiFiCx Version (IHV)                        : WiFiCx Interface Not Supported
    Firmware Version                            : rtwlanu
    Station                                     : Supported
    Soft AP                                     : Not supported
    Network monitor mode                        : Not supported
    Wi-Fi Direct Device                         : Supported
    Wi-Fi Direct GO                             : Supported
    Wi-Fi Direct Client                         : Supported
    Protected Management Frames                 : Supported
    DOT11k neighbor report                      : Supported
    ANQP Service Information Discovery          : Supported
    Action Frame                                : Supported
    Diversity Antenna                           : Not Supported
    IBSS                                        : Not Supported
    Promiscuous Mode                            : Not Supported
    P2P Device Discovery                        : Supported
    P2P Service Name Discovery                  : Not Supported
    P2P Service Info Discovery                  : Not Supported
    P2P Background Discovery                    : Not Supported
    P2P GO on 5 GHz                             : Not Supported
    ASP 2.0 Service Name Discovery              : Not Supported
    ASP 2.0 Service Information Discovery       : Not Supported
    IP Docking Capable                          : Not Supported
    FIPS                                        : Supported
    Instant Connect                             : Not Supported
    Dx Standby NLO                              : Not Supported
    Extended Channel Switch Announcement        : Supported
    Function Level Reset                        : Supported
    Platform Level Reset                        : Supported
    Bus Level Reset                             : Not Supported
    MAC Randomization                           : Not Supported
    Fast Transition                             : Supported
    MU-MIMO                                     : Supported
    Miracast Sink                               : Supported
    BSS Transition (802.11v)                    : Supported
    IHV Extensibility Module Configured         : Supported
    SAE Authentication                          : Supported
    SAE Hash-to-Element Authentication          : Supported
    WPA3 SUITE-B Authentication                 : Supported
    WPA3 SUITE-B FIPS Mode                      : Not Supported
    OWE Authentication                          : Supported
    FTM as Initiator                            : Not Supported
    MBO Support                                 : Supported
    Number of Tx Spatial Streams                : 2
    Number of Rx Spatial Streams                : 2
    Number of Concurrent Channels Supported     : 1
    P2P GO ports count                          : 1
    P2P Clients Port Count                      : 1
    P2P Max Mobile AP Clients                   : 8
    Max ANQP Service Advertisements Supported   : 0
    Maximum Number of Secondary STAs supported  : 0
    Number of MultiLink Connections supported   : 0
    Co-existence Support                        : Wi-Fi performance is maintained

[morrownr]

@Kiwimannen

Thanks for the post. I think the warnings to Linux users about Realtek WiFi 6 USB adapters that I continue to post apply to Realtek WiFi 7 also.

Realtek historically has maintained 2 separate groups of wifi developers for Linux. The team working on internal chips works with linux-wireless to maintain and add Linux Standards Compliant drivers for the internal cards that are available. You can see their work in rtw88 and rtw89. On the other hand, the Realtek USB wifi group does not and never has worked with linux-wireless and only provides external drivers that are not fully standards compliant. Additionally, these external drivers can be hard to find, they are certainly not maintained at a centrally available repo. Then you throw in the fact that they are not regularly maintained and Realtek does not take bug reports from end users and you have a situation that does not end well for most Linux users. I was hoping that we would see better support from Realtek for WiFi 7 and maybe will happen. I have not seen any evidence of it so far.

[alexmi256]

Good to see this here as I was hoping to use it on linux which doesn't seem possible at the moment.

[morrownr]

...which doesn't seem possible at the moment.

As far as I know, it does not seem possible at the moment. Somebody will like post here if more info becomes available.

I am already using a WiFi 7 capable M.2 card. It is based on the Mediatek mt7925 chip. I installed it in my mini-pc a couple of months ago and then installed Ubuntu 24.04. The card just worked. The driver for the mt7925 chip was added to kernel 6.7 and Ubuntu 24.04 uses kernel 6.8. I tested with Windows 11 and it works well there also. I'm not a Windows user but my mini does have a Win11 partition so I can test if need be.

We should mt7925 based usb wifi adapters sometime this year. The support is already in kernel 6.7 and later.

[frans-panken]

Are you also surprised that 802.11be is not among the radio types supported?

[Kiwimannen]

Are you also surprised that 802.11be is not among the radio types supported?

I think the windows drivers are a work in progress like most drivers, there are windows drivers for the CF-983BE available at the Comfast website, but the newest drivers i have found are for a EDUP model - EP-BE1703 - with the same chip:

https://www.szedup.com/content/137

All models with the same chip can use available drivers.

[morrownr]

I think the windows drivers are a work in progress like most drivers...

I was looking at the capabilities report earlier in this thread. It appears the Windows driver is indeed a work in progress as I only see managed and P2P modes as supported. Monitor and AP modes are not supported and those modes are very popular with Linux users.

I still have not run into any information about a Linux driver for this Realtek chip. What I do know is that the Linux kernel has code in it to refuse to run WiFi 7 drivers that depend on the very old Wireless Extensions support. That means Realtek can't continue with their out-of-kernel driver model. They have to do it right.

I'm not so sure that I would agree that other WiFi 7 drivers are a work in progress. I have a little M.2 card that uses the mt7925 chip and it supports managed, AP, monitor, P2P and modes. I run it on a system with Ubuntu 24.04 and it worked immediately after I installed it and I have seen no problems at all in managed mode. I don't have a WiFi 7 capable wifi router yet but it does over 1 Gbps with my WiFi 6 dual band router.

What we need is for an adapter maker to release an adapter with the mt7925 chip. The chip is available for USB.

[Kiwimannen]

I have the mt7925 M.2 too, but personally I would love to see a new "mesh point" capable usb-adapter, like the old MT7612U

(or if Mediatek could add it to existing MT7921AU driver - the EDUP AX3000M with MT7921AU is great)

[morrownr]

@Kiwimannen

I would love to see a new "mesh point" capable usb-adapter, like the old MT7612U...

Then I would make this known. See link below:

https://wireless.wiki.kernel.org/en/users/drivers/mediatek

I would use the email addresses that end with mediatek.com. A nice explanation of what you want along with a note that if this is not the right place for a feature request, can they provide the correct contact information?

[Kiwimannen]

I would use the email addresses that end with mediatek.com. A nice explanation of what you want along with a note that if this is not the right place for a feature request, can they provide the correct contact information?

Will do, thanks! :)

[lukejenkins]

EDUP has a USB adapter based on the RTL8912AU posted to their page. Nothing interesting other than the driver download link seems to be a .1 of the .0 windows driver @Kiwimannen mentioned 3 weeks ago.

No I'm not brave enough to install it.

[Kiwimannen]

Its interesting to see that in Windows, RTL8912AU share the same drivers with 8922:

https://oemdrivers.com/network-realtek-5002-24-117-1

And there is already Linux drivers for 8922 in RTW89.

[morrownr]

Hi @Kiwimannen

Its interesting to see that in Windows, RTL8912AU share the same drivers with 8922:

This follows Realtek's naming scheme. Example: rtl8822b driver supports rtl8822b and rtl8812b chips. The 22 will have bluetooth support and the 12 will not.

And there is already Linux drivers for 8922 in RTW89.

Yes, that is correct but rtw89 has zero USB support. It currently only supports internal cards. Realtek never added USB support to rtw88, it was added by a community member and improvements continue to come from additional community members. Realtek's USB support has been and continues to be abysmal. Adding USB support to rtw89 is something that Realtek needs to do but I have seen no evidence of it happening. This is why I have placed warning messages in several places on this site for Linux users to AVOID Realtek WiFi 6 and 7 USB WiFi adapters. One of the warning messages is pinned, recommend that you read it.

[Kiwimannen]

Yes, i have been looking for usb-support in rtw89 - but nothing yet. I knew when I got the RTL8912AU that it probably wouldnt get linux-support at all - im just using it to test wifi-speeds from OpenWRT in Windows at the moment.
I have read your warnings and have several other of your recommended usb-wifi that work really good in linux :)

[morrownr]

@Kiwimannen

I do not know what Realtek's plans are for USB WiFi 7 support. What I do know is that if they come up with something, it cannot be like the previous out-of-kernel drivers that are not standards compliant. The kernel has code in it to detect if the drivers are not standards compliant starting with WiFi 7 so Realtek has no choice but to get it together. They have known this was coming for years.

If you can find an out-of-kernel driver for your adapter, I'd like to see it.

[Kiwimannen]

I frequently look around for updated drivers and if i happen to stumble on something interesting i will be sure to let you know :)