How to enable WIFI on a NitroPC | Realtek RTL8821CE

User Support Hardware Issues
1

Since some time I run a NitroPC as my desktop machine using qubes os 4.0 on a LAN line.
It has a built-in WIFI adapter that does not run out of the box due to a missing kernel module.
My sys-net is based on the fedora-33 template.

I solved the issue by adding the missing driver to the template. My information comes from this post:
https://ask.fedoraproject.org/t/install-realtek-rtl8821ce-wifi-driver/9170

Open a terminal on the fedora-33 template. Then issue the following commands:

sudo dnf update
sudo dnf install dkms make kernel-devel -y
git clone https://github.com/tomaspinho/rtl8821ce.git
cd rtl8821ce/
sudo ./dkms-install.sh 
exit

and reboot your machine.

Security remark: Only do it if you trust the cloned git repository. At least I did not find a package to install from official sources.

Please give any remarks / improvements. Hope my comment is helpful for somebody.

2

Hi,

In sys-net Qubes settings :

  1. I set Virtualization mode on PV in place of HVM
  2. I moved Connections from Available Applications to Selected
  3. I was then able to create a (USB) tethering connection with my smartphone to (see sys-net started at reboot then have been able to) use those command lines

In the fedora template :

      sudo dnf update
      sudo dnf install dkms make kernel-devel -y
      git clone https://github.com/tomaspinho/rtl8821ce.git
      cd rtl8821ce/
      sudo ./dkms-install.sh 
      exit

BUT, before going further, at the command line : git clone …
I received the error :
“fatal: unable to access ‘GitHub - tomaspinho/rtl8821ce’: Could not resolve host: github.com”

Stopped by this error I read here below the recommandations of DVM and set the “provide by qube” kernel as explained. After a reboot sys-net did not started and when I did a qvm-start sys-net in dom0 ot returned : Start failed: internal error: libxenlight failed ro create new domain ‘sys-net’, see /var/log/libvirt/libxl/libxl-driver.log

I am not surprised due to the fact I was not able to finalize the previous command lines at the git clone.

So how could I solve this git clone resolve problem ?

How to solve this please ?

Have a nice day.

3

Instead of using PV, which exposes the hypervisor to attack, have you tried HVM with kernel provided by qube and memory balancing disabled?

4

Dear DVM,

I did not know what you are talking about.
I just now set now the “provided by qube” default kernel you mentionned.

But in regard of the memory balancing there is no way to disable it. There is a “Minimum qube memory” value and a “Additional dom0 memory” one. Where could I disable it ?

Thanks for your answers.

Have a nice day.

5

It’s a checkbox under it, set it like that:
2023-07-25-174039

6

Dear DVM,

then I just find out now (during you was answering this) that you was talking about memory balancing in sys-net Qubes settings (I just saw already disabled by default) and not in the Qubes Global Settings where I previously changed it in the “Default kernel used by qubes” and where I changed it to “provided by qubes”. OMG.

I supposed you previously also talkzed about “provided by qube” kernel on this sys-net Qubes settings and not in the Qubes Global Settings.
Then I set it back on this Global to the 5.15.94-1.f 32 and set the sys-net kernel to your recommanded “provided by qube”.

I rebooted with your sys-net Qubes settings (provided by qube kernel and already disabled memory balancing.

Now sys-net start at boot but did not connect in wireless to my router even the fact I set the router ssid and pwd and saw the connection perfectly set to “Connect automatically with priority 0”.
Then I disabled the “Enable networking” (by righrt clicking on the network icon available in the systray) but when I enable it back to see if it will try to connect to a network it just displayed the message : “Disconnected The network connection has been disconnected”.
It does not say that when I disable it but well when I enable it (it reverse the message)…

When I right click the NetworkManager it just offer me to enable/disable Networking and Notifications.
I mean it does not display an item allowing to enable/disable wifi… and this even if I created a wifi connections through the Edit connections item (NetworkManager) menu.

7

Dear DVM,

Because I saw that sys-net is based on fedora-template…
As you said I set sys-net the kernel setting to “provided by qube” and have memory balancing disabled with HVM virtualization mode

But I saw that fedora-template has not memory balancing disabled and the kernel is to the default 5.15.94-1.fc32 (then not to the “provided by qube” too).

Is it ok with that ?

8

This is a normal behavior, template have no networking access. You have to download this git repository to a different vm and then copy or move the folder using qvm-copy (or qvm-move) to the template, then you will be able to run the script.

Set the template to the same kernel (provided by qube), then do your building steps inside it.

9

Ok. That will be foe tomorow because I use a tethering for this internet download on the concerned laptop.

Please read back my 20 min ago end text concerning the NetworkManager (unexisting) wifi item menu.

Have a good night and sincerely thank you for your support until now. I learned more even if it still does not work :wink:

I hope to get it working because I will not be able to go back to a classic distribution :wink:

10

Dear all,

Today I tried to go further by running the dkms-install.sh in the fedora template as recommanded here above.

As its script returned an error saying :
sudo: ./dkms-install.sh: command not found

I successfully ran (with sudo) the four lines (cp then the three dkms command lines) you can read in this sh script.

Afterthat I rebooted and as I was still not able to see the “Enable WiFi” as item menu in the NetworkManager (from the systray) I forced (in dom0) a sys-net shutdown followed by a restart.

Nothing happend to give me the way to enable the wifi in the NetworManager.

Now I succefully installed the RTL8821CE (with this dkms-install command lines) how could I enavle the wifi ?

Sincerely thank you to whom could help me here.

Have a nice day.