Feature #7071

Support the rtl8723au Wi-Fi chipset

Added by Anonymous 2014-04-12 06:40:31 . Updated 2014-10-16 08:10:31 .

Status:
Resolved
Priority:
Low
Assignee:
Category:
Hardware support
Target version:
Tails_1.2
Start date:
2014-04-12
Due date:
% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Wait
Blueprint:

Starter:
0
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

Ragazzi,
I need improved connectivity. I have a lenovo yoga which has an wifi adaptor, on usb, rtl8723au
the wifi adapter is not working in tails.
a driver is available at https://github.com/lwfinger/rtl8723au‎

please include it into the next build of tails. so far I can only play with tails in a virtual machine… which is terrible.

please

Subtasks

History

#1 Updated by intrigeri 2014-04-12 07:58:33

  • Subject changed from connectivity - wifi adapter to Support the rtl8723au Wi-Fi chipset
  • Category set to Hardware support
  • Status changed from New to Confirmed
  • Priority changed from Urgent to Low
  • Type of work changed from Debian to Upstream

Thank you for reporting this hardware support problem.

Please refrain from creating tickets with priority higher than normal: supporting a specific Wi-Fi adapter is definitely not the highest priority item on our plate, considering it’s probably an option to plug a USB Wi-Fi adapter to workaround the problem.

The next thing to do is to have the relevant driver integrated in Linux upstream. I’m setting a low priority to this ticket, which means: we’re not going to do it ourselves, but any help is warmly welcome.

#2 Updated by Anonymous 2014-04-12 09:15:34

appreciate your swift action on the matter, intrigeri
however, I must say I am disappointed as you downgraded it to “low”
I searched for a usb device compliant to FSF, but h-node.org shows bulky devices which are not available in my area: I am in the middle of f*ing nowhere and ebay is not shipping to me.
anyway, bulky devices would blow the whole idea of portability

my understanding (as I am newbie in Debian) is the driver is available, therefore minimum work is required when compiling the build.

can you please raise the level and included it into the next build of tails?

please

#3 Updated by sajolida 2014-04-12 12:01:09

For a list of USB dongle that would work in Debian, see that list:

https://wiki.debian.org/WiFi#USB_Devices

I’m sure you can find one a compatible one in almost any computer store.

In Tails we try to carry as little custom code and work as possible, and for example we don’t compile drivers ourselves. Even if this might not be a lot of work, we could multiply such “small tasks” infinitely and end up with an unsustainable project. Our position is rather to be strict and only include stuff that is already in Debian, and only code ourselves stuff that is really specific to Tails. Which is not the case here. See our relationship with upstream:

https://tails.boum.org/contribute/relationship_with_upstream/

This is not about us being this, this is about keeping the project sustainable.

#4 Updated by Anonymous 2014-04-14 16:05:54

Ok… problem solved for anyone with the same problem
get an android phone (ie samsung galaxy) and share the wifi/3g connection via usb
no configuration needed.

#5 Updated by intrigeri 2014-09-22 11:25:44

  • Status changed from Confirmed to Fix committed
  • Target version set to Tails_1.2
  • % Done changed from 0 to 100
  • Type of work changed from Upstream to Wait

Linux 3.15 added support for this chipset, with the r8723au module, that is now built in Debian kernels (starting with 3.16.2-3) that will be in Tails 1.2.

#6 Updated by anonym 2014-10-16 08:10:31

  • Status changed from Fix committed to Resolved