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really, really wanted to use the Cinnamon desktop to set up a new system my 83-year-old Dad could navigate. I struggled to get any USB WiFi device working with Debian using Cinnamon, gave up and installed Ubuntu, but still struggled (I think) because I had immediately changed to the Cinnamon desktop before attempting to get the WiFi device set up.

It just kept prompting for the password, no matter what fixes I tried. Not sure if Cinnamon was the problem, or if I just hadn’t found the right solution online.networkingdriverswirelessusbcinnamon

Solution

This is what worked for me with a fresh default install of Ubuntu 18.04:

1. Install default Ubuntu setup with a wired Internet connection.
2. Allow updates to install when prompted after initial login.
3. Open a terminal and execute the following commands: sudo apt update sudo apt install git git clone https://github.com/kelebek333/rtl8188fu sudo apt install dkms sudo dkms add ./rtl8188fu sudo dkms build rtl8188fu/1.0 sudo dkms install rtl8188fu/1.0 sudo cp ./rtl8188fu/firmware/rtl8188fufw.bin /lib/firmware/rtlwifi/ reboot For the Netgear rtl8812au, the following commands worked: sudo apt update sudo apt install git git clone https://github.com/gnab/rtl8812au.git sudo cp -r rtl8812au /usr/src/rtl8812au-4.2.2 sudo apt install dkms sudo dkms add -m rtl8812au -v 4.2.2 sudo dkms build -m rtl8812au -v 4.2.2 sudo dkms install -m rtl8812au -v 4.2.2 reboot
4. After reboot, the WiFi network was recognized and I was able to connect.
5. I then installed Cinnamon using the following command: sudo apt install cinnamon-desktop-environment lightdm (select the “lightdm” display manager when prompted)

…Reboot, then click the gear next to username to select Cinnamon before logging in.