2022-03-08
Note: This document is under construction and there are currently mistakes that need to be corrected so please ask in issues if you need clarification. If you would like to improve it, please do so.
This document is a summary of the available USB WiFi chipsets and how well they work in Linux. The idea is to find the chipsets that support all the features you desire, then look for USB devices that use these chipsets.
Not all USB devices are created equal, however. While the chipset dictates which WiFi features are supported (e.g. which frequency bands), the vendor of the USB device is free to decide on the performance of the antenna(s) used, whether the device requires mode switching before it can be used, and so on.
Once you have decided on a chipset, see the main device list for a subset of available devices that have been tested or are known to work well.
For more details on each chipset, see the entry below the summary table.
| Chipset | Interface1 | Standard | MIMO | 2.4 | 5 | 6 | Linux In-Kernel Driver |
AP Mode | Monitor Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediatek MT7921u | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 6/6e | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | 80 | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8852au | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 6 | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ - avoid | bad driver | bad driver |
| Realtek RTL8832au | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 6 | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ - avoid | bad driver | bad driver |
| Mediatek MT7612u | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 5 | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8814au | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 5 | 3x3 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ - avoid | old driver | old driver |
| Realtek RTL8822bu | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 5 | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8812bu | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 5 | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8812au | USB3 / 5 Gbps | WiFi 5 | 2x2 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Mediatek MT7610u | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 5 | 1x1 | 20 | 80 | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8821au | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 5 | 1x1 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8821cu | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 5 | 1x1 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8811au | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 5 | 1x1 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8811cu | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 5 | 1x1 | 40 | 80 | N | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Ralink RT5572 | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 2x2 | 40 | 40 | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Ralink RT3572 | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 2x2 | 40 | 40 | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Ralink RT5372 | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 2x2 | 40 | N | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Realtek RTL8192cu | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 2x2 | 40 | N | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Ralink RT5370 | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 1x1 | 40 | N | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Atheros AR9271 | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 1x1 | 40 | N | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Mediatek MT7601u | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 1x1 | 40 | N | N | ✔️ | ❌ | limited |
| Ralink RT3070 | USB2 / 480 Mbps | WiFi 4 | 1x1 | 40 | N | N | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
😭 Not yet available (2022-03-08).
✔️ Probable in-kernel Linux support
ℹ️ Available in both PCIe and USB versions.
Supersedes MT7921. Adds support for 160 MHz channels to 5 and 6 GHz bands.
😭 Not yet available (2022-03-08).
mt76 driver. It has not yet been merged.
The USB version of the MT7921K.
- WiFi Alliance certification PDF (Not yet certified)
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
ℹ️ Available in both PCIe and USB versions.
Seems to be the same as RTL8832 but with the addition of Bluetooth.
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
ℹ️ Available in both PCIe and USB versions.
Same as RTL8812 but with the addition of WiFi 6 features. Only seems to be used in one router, and superseded by the RTL8852.
✔️ In-kernel Linux support (mt76 driver)
Same as MT7612U but with Bluetooth 5.0 LE support.
✔️ In-kernel Linux support (mt76 driver)
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
RTL8814AU is the USB version. Apparently rated AC1900.
- No WiFi Alliance certification
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
Same as RTL8812 but with the addition of Bluetooth.
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
ℹ️ Available in both PCIe and USB versions.
RTL8812BU is the USB version of the PCIe RTL8812AE.
✔️ In-kernel Linux support (mt76 driver)
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
- No WiFi Alliance certification
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
- No WiFi Alliance certification
❌ Requires out-of-tree drivers
- No WiFi Alliance certification
✔️ In-kernel Linux support
One of the few Realtek devices to have in-kernel support.
✔️ In-kernel Linux support
ℹ️ Dual band 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz.
✔️ In-kernel Linux support
- WiFi Alliance certification PDF (Not certified)
✔️ In-kernel Linux support
✔️ In-kernel Linux support
One of the few Realtek devices to have in-kernel support.
Footnotes
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The interface column lists the fastest interface natively supported by the chipset. You should still confirm the device you use operates at this speed, as for example some USB 3.0 capable devices are shipped with only USB 2.0 connectors, limiting their bandwidth. ↩