How can I get WiFi to work on my installation of Arch? (Mobile data's killing me!)
Tags: linux, archlinux, help, productivity
Published: 2021-06-27 21:31:49

So, this is a more detailed version of [a post I made on Unix&Linux StackExchange](https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/655953/how-can-i-get-wifi-drivers-for-rtl8822ce-on-my-arch), which is a repost of [a (wrongfully placed) post on AskUbuntu](https://askubuntu.com/questions/1348397/how-can-i-get-wifi-drivers-for-rtl8822ce-on-my-arch?noredirect=1#comment2304789_1348397).
<br/>
So I have a WiFi-adapter that is integrated with my motherboard; `Network controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8822CE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter` and `Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 16)`.
So after I installed GNOME, I went straight to finding WiFi drivers, and I found [this package (tomaspinho/rtl8821ce)](https://github.com/tomaspinho/rtl8821ce).

So, I tried to install the package way:
<h3>First,</h3>
I tried the method of `git clone`, then manually build (using `dkms-install.sh`), but that produced these errors:
```
About to run dkms install steps...
Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file.
File: /usr/src/rtl8821ce-v5.5.2_34066.20200325/dkms.conf does not exist.
Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file.
File: /usr/src/rtl8821ce-v5.5.2_34066.20200325/dkms.conf does not exist.
Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file.
File: /usr/src/rtl8821ce-v5.5.2_34066.20200325/dkms.conf does not exist.
Finished running dkms install steps
```
So, I tried to find a way to fix this error( collection).
I found [this post on AskUbuntu (`Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file`)](https://askubuntu.com/questions/227258/error-could-not-locate-dkms-conf-file).
They used `dkms-reconfigure`, so brainlessly, I just followed along, and probably not to your surprise, it didn't work.
I tried looking for some kind of Arch equivalent, but there was none.

It was apparent I had to change strategy, so then,
<h3>second,</h3>
I tried installing the driver right from the [AUR (Arch User Repository)](https://aur.archlinux.org/); [rtl8821ce-dkms-git 1.0.5.r36.gca4abd8-1](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/rtl8821ce-dkms-git/).
I tried installing it by doing `yay -S rtl8821ce`, I even tried to follow [this tutorial](https://miloserdov.org/?p=5930) to help me, but to no avail.



I'm very lost. I've basically tried everything (on the surface level that I could find) to get the driver(s) to work with my installation.
<br/>
So, how/where can I install a driver that works with my adapter?
Computer/Installation specs:
```yaml
Kernel Version: 5.10.46-1-lts
Hardware Model: HP HP ENVY TE01-0xxx
Disk Capacity: 512.1 GB
Secure Boot: false
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-8700 CPU @ 3.20GHz × 12
OS Type: 64-bit
GNOME: 40.2.0
```
`ip link` output:
```
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
2: enp1s0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state DOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 04:0e:3c:2e:c0:8e brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
3: enp0s20f0u8: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc fq_codel state UNKNOWN mode DEFAULT group default qlen 1000
    link/ether 8e:4f:00:c2:35:ee brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
```
<br/>
<h1><b><center><b>Thanks!<br/>Cheers!</b></center></b></h1>