RTL8812AU/21AU and RTL8814AU drivers

Only for use with Linux & Android

Supports

* Monitor mode
* Frame injection
* WPA3 SAE
* Wi-Fi Direct
* Hostapd
* USB 3.0 (currently forced down to 2.0)
* Kernel up to v5.3+
* RTKMPtool for low level debug

Known Issues

* VMware Workstation has issues, giving kernel oops on module load.
* Ubuntu has enabled module signing (kernel) by default, workaround: turn off "secure boot"

TODO

* Test & fix the 8821au support (@fariouche has been working on it)
* Clean out Windows & FreeBSD code (partially. some NDIS code and switches around)
* Clean out unsupported chipsets (partially. some switches left all around
* Throw/rip Intel WIDI support out, it's left behind anyway.
* Consider adding rtl8188eus HAL/phydm support into the driver for simplicity.

IPERF3 benchmark

[Device] Alfa Networks AWUS036ACH
[Chipset] 88XXau (rtl8812au)
[Branch] v5.6.4.1
[Distance] 10m free sight

[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bitrate         Retr  Cwnd
[  5]   0.00-1.00   sec  11.6 MBytes  97.4 Mbits/sec    0   96.2 KBytes
[  5]   1.00-2.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    100 KBytes
[  5]   2.00-3.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    100 KBytes
[  5]   3.00-4.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    100 KBytes
[  5]   4.00-5.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    100 KBytes
[  5]   5.00-6.00   sec  11.4 MBytes  95.9 Mbits/sec    0    105 KBytes
[  5]   6.00-7.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    105 KBytes
[  5]   7.00-8.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]   8.00-9.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]   9.00-10.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  94.3 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  10.00-11.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  11.00-12.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  12.00-13.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  94.4 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  13.00-14.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  14.00-15.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  94.4 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  15.00-16.00  sec  10.9 MBytes  91.7 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  16.00-17.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  94.4 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  17.00-18.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  94.4 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  18.00-19.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  94.4 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  19.00-20.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  20.00-21.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  21.00-22.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
[  5]  22.00-23.00  sec  11.2 MBytes  93.8 Mbits/sec    0    157 KBytes
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bitrate         Retr
[  5]   0.00-23.15  sec   260 MBytes  94.2 Mbits/sec    0             sender
[  5]   0.00-23.15  sec  0.00 Bytes  0.00 bits/sec                  receiver

DKMS

This driver can be installed using [DKMS]. This is a system which will automatically recompile and install a kernel module when a new kernel gets installed or updated. To make use of DKMS, install the dkms package, which on Debian (based) systems is done like this:

sudo apt-get install dkms

Installation of Driver

In order to install the driver open a terminal in the directory with the source code and execute the following command:

sudo ./dkms-install.sh

Removal of Driver

In order to remove the driver from your system open a terminal in the directory with the source code and execute the following command:

sudo ./dkms-remove.sh

Make

For building & installing the driver with 'make' use

make
make install

Notes

Download

git clone -b v5.6.4.1 https://github.com/aircrack-ng/rtl8812au.git
cd rtl*

Package / Build dependencies (Kali)

sudo apt-get install build-essential
sudo apt-get install bc
sudo apt-get install libelf-dev
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`

For Raspberry (RPI)

sudo apt-get install bc raspberrypi-kernel-headers

Then run this step to change platform in Makefile, For RPI 1/2/3/ & 0/Zero:

$ sed -i 's/CONFIG_PLATFORM_I386_PC = y/CONFIG_PLATFORM_I386_PC = n/g' Makefile
$ sed -i 's/CONFIG_PLATFORM_ARM_RPI = n/CONFIG_PLATFORM_ARM_RPI = y/g' Makefile

But for RPI 3B+ & 4B you will need to run those below which builds the ARM64 arch driver:

$ sed -i 's/CONFIG_PLATFORM_I386_PC = y/CONFIG_PLATFORM_I386_PC = n/g' Makefile
$ sed -i 's/CONFIG_PLATFORM_ARM64_RPI = n/CONFIG_PLATFORM_ARM64_RPI = y/g' Makefile

In addition, if you receive an error message about unrecognized command line option ‘-mgeneral-regs-only’ (i.e., Raspbian Buster), you will need to run the following commands:

sed -i 's/^dkms build/ARCH=arm dkms build/' dkms-install.sh
sed -i 's/^MAKE="/MAKE="ARCH=arm\ /' dkms.conf

For setting monitor mode

1. Fix problematic interference in monitor mode.

airmon-ng check kill

You may also uncheck the box "Automatically connect to this network when it is avaiable" in nm-connection-editor. This only works if you have a saved wifi connection.

2. Set interface down

sudo ip link set wlan0 down

3. Set monitor mode

sudo iw dev wlan0 set type monitor

4. Set interface up

sudo ip link set wlan0 up

For setting TX power

sudo iw wlan0 set txpower fixed 3000

LED control

You can now control LED behaviour statically by Makefile, for example:

CONFIG_LED_ENABLE = n

value can be y or n

statically by module parameter in /etc/modprobe.d/8812au.conf or wherever, for example:

options 88XXau rtw_led_enable=0

value can be 0 or 1

or dynamically by writing to /proc/net/rtl8812au/$(your interface name)/led_enable, for example:

$ echo "0" > /proc/net/rtl8812au/$(your interface name)/led_enable

value can be 0 or 1

check current value:

$ cat /proc/net/rtl8812au/$(your interface name)/led_enable

USB Mode Switch

0: doesn't switch, 1: switch from usb2.0 to usb 3.0 2: switch from usb3.0 to usb 2.0

$ rmmod 88XXau
$ modprobe 88XXau rtw_switch_usb_mode:int (0: no switch 1: switch from usb2 to usb3 2: switch from usb3 to usb2)

NetworkManager

Newer versions of NetworkManager switches to random MAC address. Some users would prefer to use a fixed address. Simply add these lines below

[device]
wifi.scan-rand-mac-address=no

at the end of file /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf and restart NetworkManager with the command:

sudo service NetworkManager restart

Credits / Contributors

astsam      - https://github.com/astsam
aircrack-ng - https://github.com/aircrack-ng
evilphish   - https://github.com/evilphish
fariouche   - https://github.com/fariouche
CGarces     - https://github.com/CGarces
ZerBea      - https://github.com/ZerBea
lwfinger    - https://github.com/lwfinger
Ulli-Kroll  - https://github.com/Ulli-Kroll

Aldo, thanks to Realtek and Alfa Networks for all they're help & support.

All the others interested and participating. Appreciate it!