Realtek RTW89 Wi-Fi Driver Installer for Kali Linux

🚀 Overview

This is a definitive, automated installation script for Realtek RTW89 series Wi-Fi drivers, specifically optimized and tested for Kali Linux. The script was developed after extensive troubleshooting and combines all successful installation steps into a single, reliable solution.

🎯 What This Script Does

The script automates the complete installation process:

1. System Preparation: Updates Kali Linux and installs all required dependencies
2. Source Download: Clones the latest RTW89 driver source code
3. Intelligent Compilation: Automatically detects and patches known compilation errors
4. Clean Installation: Performs manual driver installation to avoid installer bugs
5. Bug Fixes: Corrects known driver filename issues
6. Driver Activation: Loads and verifies the newly installed driver

📋 Supported Hardware

This script supports Realtek RTW89 series Wi-Fi adapters, including:

• RTL8851BE (Primary target)
• RTL8852AE
• RTL8852BE
• RTL8852CE
• Other RTW89 series adapters

🔧 Requirements

System Requirements

• Kali Linux (2023.x or newer recommended)
• Root/sudo access (required for driver installation)
• Active internet connection (for downloading dependencies and source code)
• Minimum 1GB free disk space

Pre-Installation Check

Before running the script, verify your Wi-Fi adapter:

lspci | grep -i wireless
# or
lsusb | grep -i realtek

📥 Download & Installation

Method 1: Direct Download

# Navigate to your desired directory
cd ~/Downloads

# Download the script
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Ns81000/Realtek-RTW89-Wi-Fi-Driver/main/install_wifi_final.sh

# Make it executable
chmod +x install_wifi_final.sh

Method 2: Clone Repository

# Clone the entire repository
git clone https://github.com/Ns81000/Realtek-RTW89-Wi-Fi-Driver.git
cd Realtek-RTW89-Wi-Fi-Driver

# Make the script executable
chmod +x install_wifi_final.sh

Method 3: Manual Creation

1. Copy the script content from install_wifi_final.sh
2. Create a new file: nano install_wifi_final.sh
3. Paste the content and save
4. Make executable: chmod +x install_wifi_final.sh

🚀 Usage

Quick Start

# Run with sudo privileges
sudo ./install_wifi_final.sh

Step-by-Step Execution

1. Open Terminal in Kali Linux
2. Navigate to the script directory:

   cd /path/to/script/directory

3. Execute the script:

   sudo ./install_wifi_final.sh

4. Follow the on-screen prompts
5. Reboot when installation completes:

   sudo reboot

📊 Installation Process Details

Phase 1: System Preparation (2-5 minutes)

• Updates package repositories
• Upgrades existing packages
• Installs build-essential, git, kernel headers
• Installs firmware-realtek package

Phase 2: Source Code Management (1-2 minutes)

• Removes any existing RTW89 directories
• Clones fresh source code from lwfinger/rtw89
• Prepares compilation environment

Phase 3: Intelligent Compilation (2-3 minutes)

• Attempts initial compilation
• Auto-detects common compilation errors
• Automatically patches known issues in mac80211.c
• Recompiles with fixes applied

Phase 4: Manual Installation (1 minute)

• Creates proper system directories
• Copies compiled drivers to system location
• Fixes filename bugs (renames rtw_.ko to rtw89.ko)
• Updates module dependencies

Phase 5: Activation & Verification (30 seconds)

• Loads the rtw89_8851be driver
• Verifies driver is active
• Provides success confirmation

🔍 Technical Details

Key Features

• Error-Resilient: Continues execution even if intermediate steps fail
• Intelligent Patching: Automatically fixes known compilation issues
• Clean Installation: Bypasses problematic automated installers
• Comprehensive Logging: Color-coded output for easy troubleshooting
• Safety Checks: Validates root privileges and system compatibility

Files Modified/Created

/lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/
├── rtw89core.ko
├── rtw89pci.ko
├── rtw898851be.ko
└── [other driver files]

Automatic Patches Applied

The script automatically fixes this common compilation error:

// Original (causes error):
static void rtw89_ops_stop(struct ieee80211_hw *hw

// Patched (works correctly):
static void rtw89_ops_stop(struct ieee80211_hw *hw, bool changed)

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Common Issues & Solutions

❌ "Permission Denied" Error

Solution: Ensure you're running with sudo:

sudo ./install_wifi_final.sh

❌ "Command Not Found" Errors

Solution: Update package lists and install missing dependencies:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential git

❌ "No Space Left on Device"

Solution: Free up disk space:

sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt autoclean

❌ Compilation Fails

Solution: Install kernel headers for your specific kernel:

sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

❌ Driver Loads But Wi-Fi Still Not Working

Solution:

1. Reboot your system: sudo reboot
2. Check if firmware is properly installed: sudo apt install firmware-realtek
3. Verify driver is loaded: lsmod | grep rtw89

❌ Wi-Fi Stops Working After Kernel Update

Problem: Kernel updates remove custom-installed drivers as they're tied to specific kernel versions.

Solution: Reinstall the driver after any kernel update:

# 1. Remove old driver files
sudo rm -rf /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/

# 2. Run the installation script again
sudo ./install_wifi_final.sh

# 3. Reboot
sudo reboot

Prevention: After every apt upgrade that includes kernel updates, remember to reinstall this driver.

Verification Commands

# Check if driver is loaded
lsmod | grep rtw89

# Check Wi-Fi interfaces
ip link show

# Check NetworkManager status
systemctl status NetworkManager

# View kernel messages
dmesg | grep rtw89

📋 Post-Installation

Immediate Steps

1. Reboot your system (highly recommended)
2. Enable Wi-Fi in network settings
3. Connect to your wireless network

⚠️ Important: Dual Boot Systems

Critical Notice for Dual Boot Users: If you're running Kali Linux in a dual boot configuration with another operating system (Windows, macOS, or another Linux distribution):

Before booting into Kali Linux:

1. If you previously booted into your other operating system
2. Completely shutdown your computer (don't use restart)
3. Wait for 1 minute after shutdown
4. Then boot into Kali Linux

Why this is necessary:

• Other operating systems may leave the Wi-Fi hardware in an inconsistent state
• A complete shutdown ensures proper hardware reset
• The 1-minute wait allows capacitors to discharge completely
• This prevents driver initialization conflicts

Symptoms if you skip this step:

• Wi-Fi adapter not detected
• Driver loads but no networks visible
• Intermittent connection issues
• Hardware appearing as "disabled" in system settings

Important: Kernel Updates

⚠️ Critical Notice: After any kernel update (via apt upgrade or apt dist-upgrade), you must reinstall this driver. Kernel updates will remove the custom-installed Wi-Fi driver.

After kernel updates:

1. Delete old driver: sudo rm -rf /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/
2. Run installation script again: sudo ./install_wifi_final.sh
3. Reboot: sudo reboot

Verification

After reboot, verify installation:

# Check loaded modules
lsmod | grep rtw89

# Check available interfaces
iwconfig

# Test connectivity
ping -c 4 google.com

🔄 Uninstallation

To remove the installed driver:

# Remove driver files
sudo rm -rf /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw89/

# Update module dependencies
sudo depmod -a

# Reboot
sudo reboot

🤝 Contributing

Reporting Issues

If you encounter problems:

1. Run the script with verbose output
2. Collect system information: uname -a and lspci
3. Include full error messages
4. Specify your Kali Linux version

📞 Support

Resources

• Kali Linux Documentation: kali.org/docs
• RTW89 Driver Source: lwfinger/rtw89
• Project Repository: Ns81000/Realtek-RTW89-Wi-Fi-Driver
• Kernel Headers: packages.debian.org

Before Seeking Help

1. Read this entire README
2. Try the troubleshooting steps
3. Check if your hardware is supported
4. Verify you're using a supported Kali version

⚖️ License

This script is provided as-is for educational and practical purposes. The underlying RTW89 driver source code follows its original license terms.

⚠️ Disclaimer

• Backup your system before running the script
• This script modifies system kernel modules
• Test in a virtual machine first if possible
• Use at your own risk on production systems

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Made with ❤️ for the Kali Linux community