can i use a RTL8188ETV tablet wifi module with my pc (usb) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Mugiwara303
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2016, 03:27:34 pm
content: hello everyonerecently my brother's tablet was broken, and i wasn't lucky to fik it, and i noticed it has a rtl8188etv wifi module and has only 6 pins 2 for antenna and the 4 others are 3.3v GND usb+ usb- , so i thought about making this to work with my pc, i don't know if i can just connect it directly to a usb port even if it has 5v i can use a regulator to get 3.3v but what about the data pins usb+ usb- ! is it going to work or i need something like an FTDI... thanks in advance

author: daveshah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 23, 2016, 07:02:44 pm
content: Should work fine, U+ and U- are the standard USB D+ and D- signals, no components should be needed on these. You will need a 3.3v regulator and decoupling capacitors for power; and will also need device drivers for the OS on your PC (not sure what the situation is with these modules).

author: Mugiwara303
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2016, 10:08:44 pm
content: yes i tried it and it works, but the problem is i don't have a 3.3 voltage regulator so i feed it using arduino's 3.3vi tried using 2 resistors voltage divider but it didn't work, the resistors draws all the current and the device wasn't recognized properly on windows... i need to buy a ams1117 3.3 is a zener diode can do the job?

author: daveshah
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 24, 2016, 07:54:58 am
content: I believe the modules draw a few hundred milliamps so a proper voltage regulator (like the ams1117) is the best solution. A zener diode in shunt configuration might work but it would need to be a fairly beefy zener and a low series resistor.

author: lapm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2016, 08:53:53 am
content: You cant use resistor voltage divider this way. Buy proper 3.3 volts regulator. Problwn is as your devices drawn current changes so does voltage division on resistors.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2016, 06:21:41 pm
content: You can make a small PCB with an AMS1117-3.3, a USB plug and a SMA RF connector on it and solder this module onto it. It will work just like any other USB Wi-Fi module and for most operating systems except OS X you will probably be able to auto-install the driver (or find the driver already preinstalled as for some chips a generic driver would work)

author: Mugiwara303
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2016, 09:19:32 pm
content: thank you guys for your answersi have used a broken SD card reader to put the module on it, and i searched for the 3.3v i found 3.5vsoldered everything and it's working as expected, ( i can't wait for the ams1117 to arrive and do nothing)

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2016, 11:05:29 pm
content: 3.5V is slightly high but should still be within specs for the RTL8188 (maximum 3.6V)

author: ebclr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2016, 07:29:28 am
content: Here the drivershttps://pt.aliexpress.com/item/High-Speed-NEW-Realtek-RTL8188ETV-USB-150M-150Mbps-802-11b-g-n-n-Wireless-WiFi-mini/32447429523.html?spm=2114.02020208.3.166.hYCJA8&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_3_10057_10065_10056_10068_10037_10055_10054_10069_301_10059_10033_10058_10032_418_10073_10017_10070_10060_10061_10052_10062_10053_10050_10051,searchweb201603_6&btsid=94bf0efd-3c59-44b9-89d3-42c928caf0a4