Unable to use usb network card

User Support Hardware Issues
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1

I’ve been trying to use an usb network card, but I’m new to Qubes and seems that can’t get it right.

The thing is that I know that the drivers are the correct ones, also the firmware is updated and using lsusb I can see that the usb is connected to sys-net, as the other usb devices, but still isn’t working. The sys-net qube is using the debian-12 template. I have another Debian machine and is working, that’s how I know the drivers are the right ones.

So my questions are the following: Do I have to install the drivers in the debian template or the sys-net or both? If my main qube is “personal” or “work”, which are also using the Debian template, is enough to intall the drivers and then where is going to show my network interface? In the other machines I have experience with, once the drivers are installed and the headers updated, etc, the interface shows up automatically.

I hope to learn more about Qubes and really excited to use it in the future! Any help is appreciated!

2

You need to install it in template.

Your network interface will show up in the qube to which you’ve attached your network controller e.g. sys-net. You’ll see the sys-net NetworkManager applet in the dom0 tray and you can configure your network using it.
Sys-net will provide network for other qubes when you connect your qubes to it.

What’s your USB network adapter (model or VID:PID)? Is it WiFi or Ethernet?
You can also check the log in sys-net to see if there are any errors related to your network controller:
Disconnect USB network adapter from sys-net.
Open sys-net terminal and run this command there:

sudo journalctl -f -n0

Attach USB network adapter to sys-net.
Check the journalctl output or post it here. Remove the network controller MAC address from the log if it’ll be there and you don’t want to show it.

3

Tanks you for your time to reply.

Blockquote You’ll see the sys-net NetworkManager applet in the dom0 tray and you can configure your network using it.

At the dom0 tray appears the Ethernet connection, but nothing wireless.

Blockquote What’s your USB network adapter (model or VID:PID)? Is it WiFi or Ethernet?

Using lsusb it says is 0bda:b832. The chipset is rtl8832bu Realtek.

The command sudo journalctl -f -n0 prompted:

May 28 19:47:04 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=1a2b, bcdDevice= 0.00
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: Product: DISK
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: Manufacturer: Realtek
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Created slice system-usb_modeswitch.slice - Slice /system/usb_modeswitch.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Starting usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1...
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=15/TERM
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Stopped usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Starting usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1...
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=15/TERM
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Stopped usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Starting usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1...
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=15/TERM
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Failed with result 'signal'.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Stopped usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1.
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: Starting usb_modeswitch@4-1.service - USB_ModeSwitch_4-1...
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb-storage 4-1:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb-storage 4-1:1.0: device ignored
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver uas
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net usb_modeswitch[2228]: switch device 0bda:1a2b on 004/006
May 28 19:47:05 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: USB disconnect, device number 6
May 28 19:47:06 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: new high-speed USB device number 7 using xhci_hcd
May 28 19:47:06 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=b832, bcdDevice= 0.00
May 28 19:47:06 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
May 28 19:47:06 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: Product: 802.11ac WLAN Adapter
May 28 19:47:06 sys-net kernel: usb 4-1: Manufacturer: Realtek

There’s not any MAC, should it appear there?

At first I though it was an issue related to usb_modeswitch because of

May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Main process exited, code=killed, status=15/TERM May 28 19:47:05 sys-net systemd[1]: usb_modeswitch@4-1.service: Failed with result 'signal'.

But it doesn’t seems to be the problem because in my other machine the same message is displayed.

4

What’s your sys-net kernel version?
Check the output of this command in sys-net terminal:

uname -r

If it’s older than 6.4 then update your kernel version. The latest stable kernel version provided to qubes by dom0 is kernel-qubes-vm-6.6.29-1.

A few versions ago (around 6.4 IIRC), rtw88x2bu support has been added to the mainline Linux kernel.

5

Thanks you for your help.

I ended up reinstalling Qubes as I didn’t have something valuable. Probably I messed up with something before while trying to figure how USB and Qubes works. This time I was more confident thanks to your explanation and the wireless interface appeared after installing the drivers :slight_smile: