Odroid N2+ no wifi with RTL8821CU USB adapter

43976989 · 8 November 2023 10:48

Hi all,

I’ve got a 4GB Odroid N2+, and recently purchased a RTL8821CU USB adapter (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GSBYX66) as that chip is supposed to be supproted OOTB.

It’s detected fine, but there’s no wifi adapters available from it. Weirdly, bluetooth is working though. I’ve checked several other threads and tried the suggestions, like /t/wifi-dongle-5b-odroid/17555, /t/working-usb-wifi-ethernet-adapters-for-coreelec/548/71, and /t/working-usb-wifi-ethernet-adapters-for-coreelec/548/63, but it makes no difference (removed discourse[.]coreelec[.]org because link limit)

Followed wiki[.]coreelec[.]org/coreelec:ce_support#prior_to_posting_an_error, brand new install on a flash drive instead of the normal emmc.

lsusb/dmesg output:

CoreELEC:~ # lsusb
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 05e3:0620 Genesys Logic, Inc. GL3523 Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0bda:c820 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 802.11ac WLAN Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
CoreELEC:~ # dmesg | grep usb
[    0.490194@5]- usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[    0.490228@5]- usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[    0.490254@5]- usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[    0.611507@2]- usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_acm
[    0.611550@2]- usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[    0.611624@2]- usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial
[    0.611653@2]- usbcore: registered new interface driver usbserial_generic
[    0.611676@2]- usbserial: USB Serial support registered for generic
[    0.614313@3]- usbcore: registered new interface driver usbhid
[    0.614315@3]- usbhid: USB HID core driver
[    0.709133@4]- amlogic-new-usb2-v2 ffe09000.usb2phy: USB2 phy probe:phy_mem:0xffe09000, iomap phy_base:0xffffff80084db000
[    0.709411@4]- amlogic-new-usb3-v2 ffe09080.usb3phy: USB3 phy probe:phy_mem:0xffe09080, iomap phy_base:0xffffff80084f9080
[    0.953455@2]- usbcore: registered new interface driver snd-usb-audio
[    1.216351@5]- usb usb1: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0002
[    1.216353@5]- usb usb1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[    1.216355@5]- usb usb1: Product: xHCI Host Controller
[    1.216356@5]- usb usb1: Manufacturer: Linux 4.9.269 xhci-hcd
[    1.216358@5]- usb usb1: SerialNumber: xhci-hcd.0.auto
[    1.216697@5]- usb usb2: We don't know the algorithms for LPM for this host, disabling LPM.
[    1.216722@5]- usb usb2: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0003
[    1.216724@5]- usb usb2: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[    1.216726@5]- usb usb2: Product: xHCI Host Controller
[    1.216727@5]- usb usb2: Manufacturer: Linux 4.9.269 xhci-hcd
[    1.216728@5]- usb usb2: SerialNumber: xhci-hcd.0.auto
[    1.218456@5]- dwc_otg: usb0: type: 2 speed: 0, config: 0, dma: 0, id: 0, phy: ffe09000, ctrl: 0
[    1.541224@5]- usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 2 using xhci-hcd
[    1.683545@5]- usb 1-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0610
[    1.683548@5]- usb 1-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[    1.683549@5]- usb 1-1: Product: USB2.1 Hub
[    1.683551@5]- usb 1-1: Manufacturer: GenesysLogic
[    1.801347@0]- usb 2-1: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci-hcd
[    1.823894@0]- usb 2-1: New USB device found, idVendor=05e3, idProduct=0620
[    1.823898@0]- usb 2-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[    1.823901@0]- usb 2-1: Product: USB3.1 Hub
[    1.823903@0]- usb 2-1: Manufacturer: GenesysLogic
[    2.041202@5]- usb 1-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 3 using xhci-hcd
[    2.169544@5]- usb 1-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=c820
[    2.169548@5]- usb 1-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[    2.169550@5]- usb 1-1.2: Product: 802.11ac WLAN Adapter
[    2.169551@5]- usb 1-1.2: Manufacturer: Realtek
[    2.169552@5]- usb 1-1.2: SerialNumber: 00e04c000001
[    2.176876@5]- usb 1-1.2: Unsupported device
[    2.177011@5]- usb 1-1.2: Unsupported device
[    2.177112@5]- usb 1-1.2: Unsupported device
[    4.819192@3]- usbcore: registered new interface driver btusb
[    5.697694@0]- usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8821cu

Log file: http://ix.io/4KYq

Any suggestions would be awesome, as I’m at a loss.

Thanks!

vpeter · 8 November 2023 11:59

Can you try

rmmod 8821cu
modprobe 8821cu
dmesg | paste

43976989 · 8 November 2023 12:04

No output from the first two, 3rd: http://ix.io/4KYL

Edit: there were a few additional lines on dmesg after I ran that, but nothing related to the adapter:

[  122.186562@2]- usbcore: deregistering interface driver rtl8821cu
[  129.668522@0]- usbcore: registered new interface driver rtl8821cu
[  157.942076@0]- asoc-aml-card auge_sound: TDM[2] Playback stop
[  157.942258@1]- tdm playback mute: 0, lane_cnt = 4
[  167.942574@1]- tdm playback mute: 1, lane_cnt = 4
[  167.942641@1]- audio_ddr_mngr: frddrs[0] released by device ff642000.audiobus:i2s2hdmi

vpeter · 8 November 2023 12:08

From what I see this stick should just work

43976989 · 8 November 2023 12:13

That’s what I thought, and the bluetooth is - but there’s nothing showing up that I can find for wlan

vpeter · 9 November 2023 06:20

Try with nightly build because looks like it is working there.

Portisch · 9 November 2023 06:33

Please try this test image:

43976989 · 9 November 2023 09:28

Fresh install, no tweaks or anything with that image - still not working.

dmesg link: http://ix.io/4L3a
lsusb link: http://ix.io/4L3c

There’s no udev rules though, so perhaps not modeswitching properly? Installed system-tools and ran echo 'SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ACTION=="add", ATTR{idVendor}=="0bda", ATTR{idProduct}=="1a2b", RUN+="/storage/.kodi/addons/virtual.system-tools/bin/usb_modeswitch -KW -v 0bda -p 1a2b"' >/storage/.config/udev.rules.d/90-rtl8188gu_cdrom_mode.rules

Still no wifi, but bluetooth still works.
Tried the autostart.sh script too, no change (rebooted in between each change).
Latest dmesg: http://ix.io/4L3s

Portisch · 13 November 2023 08:04

The device does attach already with correct wifi pid:vid. So there is no need to use modswitch.
I guess the driver does not support such “new” devices. Maybe something changed in the wifi chip.

Please install this update and after update make a dmesg | paste with the 8821cu device plugged in on boot. It should have debug output about the 8821cu driver.

43976989 · 15 November 2023 12:56

Done. Still no wifi

dmesg | paste: http://ix.io/4Lz1

CoreELEC:~ # lsusb
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 05e3:0620 Genesys Logic, Inc. GL3523 Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 1b1c:1b0a Corsair Corsair K30A Gaming Keyboard
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0bda:c820 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. 802.11ac WLAN Adapter
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
CoreELEC:~ # dmesg | grep -i c820
[    2.147281@3]- usb 1-1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0bda, idProduct=c820
CoreELEC:~ # dmesg | grep -i wif
[    3.289828@4]- Triggered SDIO WiFi power on and bus rescan.
[    3.289839@4]- (NULL device *): [extern_wifi_set_enable] WIFI  Disable! 0
[    3.598957@3]- (NULL device *): [extern_wifi_set_enable] WIFI  Enable! 0
CoreELEC:~ # ifconfig 
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:1E:06:42:68:DC  
          inet addr:192.168.77.189  Bcast:192.168.77.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:2268 errors:0 dropped:239 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:909 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
          RX bytes:1725037 (1.6 MiB)  TX bytes:308887 (301.6 KiB)
          Interrupt:14 

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:65536  Metric:1
          RX packets:36 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:36 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1 
          RX bytes:12469 (12.1 KiB)  TX bytes:12469 (12.1 KiB)

43976989 · 15 November 2023 13:03

I’ve given up and bought one of the official HardKernel Odroid wifi dongles - it worked out of the box. I’m going to chalk this up to it being a dodgy USB adapter, as opposed to something wrong with CoreElec.

That said, if you want to test further I’m happy to do so - thanks for the help so far.

Portisch · 15 November 2023 16:05

It’s your hardware what is might “programmed differently”:

[    5.265501@2]- Empty EFUSE with unknown REF type!!
[    5.265501@2]- 
[    5.265501@2]- RTW: ERROR please program efuse or specify correct RFE type.
[    5.265502@2]- RTW: ERROR cmd: insmod rtl8821cx.ko rtw_RFE_type=<rfe_type>

Try with this test image and the USB dongle plugged in:

rmmod 8821cu
dmesg -c
echo 'options 8821cu rtw_RFE_type=7' > /storage/.config/modprobe.d/8821cu.conf
modprobe 8821cu
dmesg | paste

The Odroid version shows:
rtw_RFE_type=34

I was also reading they provide a extra driver for this stick. You might request the sources as it should be under GPL. They did modify the driver so the stock is working with it.

Portisch · 16 November 2023 09:13

This is how a “real” 8821CU EEPROM should look like:

[    5.940059@3]- RTW: HW EFUSE
[    5.940063@3]- RTW: 0x000: 29 81 00 BC  09 00 21 00  6E 04 A4 34  10 00 30 0B  
[    5.940078@3]- RTW: 0x010: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF 02  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940093@3]- RTW: 0x020: FF FF 25 25  23 23 2B 2A  2A 29 2B 2D  2D 2C 2D 2E  
[    5.940107@3]- RTW: 0x030: 00 FF FF FF  FF FF 00 FF  FF FF 2D 2D  2E 2E 2E 2E  
[    5.940121@3]- RTW: 0x040: 2D 2D 2E 2E  2E 00 FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940135@3]- RTW: 0x050: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940150@3]- RTW: 0x060: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940164@3]- RTW: 0x070: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940178@3]- RTW: 0x080: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940193@3]- RTW: 0x090: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940207@3]- RTW: 0x0A0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940221@3]- RTW: 0x0B0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  7F 35 1C 00  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940235@3]- RTW: 0x0C0: FF 21 00 41  00 00 00 00  00 FF 22 FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940250@3]- RTW: 0x0D0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940264@3]- RTW: 0x0E0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940278@3]- RTW: 0x0F0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940292@3]- RTW: 0x100: DA 0B 20 C8  E3 46 02 E0  E1 A9 38 67  F5 09 03 52  
[    5.940307@3]- RTW: 0x110: 65 61 6C 74  65 6B 0E 03  38 30 32 2E  31 31 61 63  
[    5.940321@3]- RTW: 0x120: 20 4E 49 43  08 03 31 32  33 34 35 36  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940335@3]- RTW: 0x130: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940349@3]- RTW: 0x140: FF FF FF FF  00 00 31 0F  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940364@3]- RTW: 0x150: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940378@3]- RTW: 0x160: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940392@3]- RTW: 0x170: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940406@3]- RTW: 0x180: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940421@3]- RTW: 0x190: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940435@3]- RTW: 0x1A0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940449@3]- RTW: 0x1B0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940463@3]- RTW: 0x1C0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940478@3]- RTW: 0x1D0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940492@3]- RTW: 0x1E0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940506@3]- RTW: 0x1F0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.940522@3]- RTW: EEPROM ID = 0x8129
[    5.940524@3]- RTW: EEPROM Version = 0
[    5.940528@3]- RTW: EEPROM Regulatory=0x01
[    5.940530@3]- RTW: EEPROM Board Type=0x01
[    5.940729@3]- RTW: EEPROM Enable BT-coex, ant_num=1
[    5.940737@3]- RTW: hal_com_config_channel_plan chplan:0x7F
[    5.940738@3]- RTW: EEPROM crystal_cap=0x35
[    5.940740@3]- RTW: EEPROM ThermalMeter=0x1c
[    5.940741@3]- RTW: EEPROM Customer ID=0x00
[    5.940743@3]- RTW: EEPROM SupportRemoteWakeup=0
[    5.940744@3]- RTW: EEPROM rfe_type=0x22
[    5.940746@3]- RTW: EEPROM PAType_2G is 0x0, ExternalPA_2G = 0
[    5.940748@3]- RTW: EEPROM PAType_5G is 0x0, external_pa_5g = 0
[    5.940750@3]- RTW: EEPROM LNAType_2G is 0x0, ExternalLNA_2G = 0
[    5.940751@3]- RTW: EEPROM LNAType_5G is 0x0, external_lna_5g = 0
[    5.940752@3]- RTW: EEPROM TypeGPA = 0x0
[    5.940753@3]- RTW: EEPROM TypeAPA = 0x0
[    5.940754@3]- RTW: EEPROM TypeGLNA = 0x0
[    5.940755@3]- RTW: EEPROM TypeALNA = 0x0
[    5.940757@3]- RTW: EEPROM tx_bbswing_24G =0x00
[    5.940758@3]- RTW: EEPROM tx_bbswing_5G =0x00
[    5.940759@3]- RTW: EEPROM USB Switch=0
[    5.940760@3]- RTW: EEPROM VID = 0x0BDA, PID = 0xC820

Your’s is almost empty so it looks like a “fake” product:

[    5.265206@2]- RTW: HW EFUSE
[    5.265209@2]- RTW: 0x000: 29 81 FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265220@2]- RTW: 0x010: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265231@2]- RTW: 0x020: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265241@2]- RTW: 0x030: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265249@2]- RTW: 0x040: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265258@2]- RTW: 0x050: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265266@2]- RTW: 0x060: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265275@2]- RTW: 0x070: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265283@2]- RTW: 0x080: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265291@2]- RTW: 0x090: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265300@2]- RTW: 0x0A0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265308@2]- RTW: 0x0B0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265317@2]- RTW: 0x0C0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265325@2]- RTW: 0x0D0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265334@2]- RTW: 0x0E0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265342@2]- RTW: 0x0F0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265351@2]- RTW: 0x100: FF FF 20 C8  E3 46 FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265359@2]- RTW: 0x110: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265367@2]- RTW: 0x120: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265376@2]- RTW: 0x130: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265384@2]- RTW: 0x140: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265393@2]- RTW: 0x150: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265401@2]- RTW: 0x160: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265410@2]- RTW: 0x170: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265418@2]- RTW: 0x180: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265427@2]- RTW: 0x190: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265435@2]- RTW: 0x1A0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265444@2]- RTW: 0x1B0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265452@2]- RTW: 0x1C0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265460@2]- RTW: 0x1D0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265469@2]- RTW: 0x1E0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265477@2]- RTW: 0x1F0: FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  FF FF FF FF  
[    5.265487@2]- RTW: EEPROM ID = 0x8129
[    5.265489@2]- RTW: EEPROM Version = 255
[    5.265491@2]- RTW: EEPROM Regulatory=0x00
[    5.265492@2]- RTW: EEPROM Board Type=0x00
[    5.265493@2]- RTW: EEPROM Disable BT-coex, ant_num=1
[    5.265496@2]- RTW: hal_com_config_channel_plan use def_chplan:0x7F
[    5.265497@2]- RTW: EEPROM crystal_cap=0x00
[    5.265498@2]- RTW: EEPROM ThermalMeter=0x12
[    5.265499@2]- RTW: EEPROM Customer ID=0xff
[    5.265500@2]- RTW: EEPROM SupportRemoteWakeup=0
[    5.265501@2]- RTW: ERROR 
[    5.265501@2]- 
[    5.265501@2]- Empty EFUSE with unknown REF type!!
[    5.265501@2]- 
[    5.265501@2]- RTW: ERROR please program efuse or specify correct RFE type.
[    5.265502@2]- RTW: ERROR cmd: insmod rtl8821cx.ko rtw_RFE_type=<rfe_type>

system · 15 February 2024 15:14

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