{
  "id": "realtek/rtl8812bu",
  "vendor": "Realtek",
  "model": "RTL8812BU / RTL8822BU USB Wi-Fi adapter",
  "aliases": [
    "RTL8812BU",
    "USB3.0 802.11ac 1200M Adapter",
    "AC1200 USB Wi-Fi",
    "ASUS - USB-AC58 rev A1",
    "ASUS AC1300 USB-AC55 B1",
    "ASUS U2",
    "BUFFALO WI-U2-866DM",
    "BUFFALO WI-U3-866DHP",
    "D-Link DWA-T185 rev. A1",
    "Dlink - DWA-181",
    "Dlink - DWA-182 - D1",
    "Dlink - DWA-183 D Ver",
    "ELECOM WDB-867DU3S",
    "Edimax EW-7822UAD",
    "Edimax EW-7822ULC",
    "Edimax EW-7822UTC",
    "Hawking HW12ACU",
    "Linksys WUSB3600 v2",
    "Linksys WUSB6400M",
    "Mercusys MA30H",
    "Mercusys MA30N",
    "Netgear A6150",
    "TP-Link Archer T3U Plus v1",
    "TP-Link Archer T3U v1",
    "TP-Link Archer T4U V3",
    "TRENDnet TEW-805UBH",
    "TRENDnet TEW-808UBM"
  ],
  "category": "peripheral",
  "identifiers": {
    "usb": [
      "0bda:b812",
      "0bda:b82c",
      "0bda:2102",
      "7392:b822",
      "7392:c822",
      "7392:d822",
      "7392:e822",
      "7392:f822",
      "0bda:b81a",
      "0b05:1841",
      "0b05:184c",
      "0b05:19aa",
      "0b05:1870",
      "0b05:1874",
      "2001:331e",
      "2001:331c",
      "2001:331f",
      "13b1:0043",
      "13b1:0045",
      "2357:012d",
      "2357:0138",
      "2357:0115",
      "2357:012e",
      "2357:0116",
      "2357:0117",
      "0846:9055",
      "0e66:0025",
      "04ca:8602",
      "20f4:808a",
      "20f4:805a",
      "056e:4011",
      "2c4e:0107",
      "2c4e:010a",
      "2001:3322",
      "0411:03d1",
      "0411:03d0"
    ],
    "chips": [
      "RTL8812BU",
      "RTL8822BU"
    ]
  },
  "status": "controllable",
  "vendor_support": "active",
  "summary": "Realtek's common 802.11ac dual-band USB Wi-Fi chip, found in many \"AC1200 / 1200M\" USB 3.0 dongles (TP-Link Archer T3U/T4U, ASUS USB-AC55/AC58, D-Link DWA-181/182/183, Edimax, Netgear A6150, Mercusys MA30H…). The RTL8822BU variant adds Bluetooth. Driven by the mainline Linux rtw88 driver since Linux 6.2 (6.12 or later recommended); the chip loads a Realtek firmware file shipped in linux-firmware. No free replacement firmware exists yet. Writing one is possible in principle (as done before for Atheros open-ath9k-htc-firmware, Broadcom OpenFWWF) but nobody has started. The radio hardware is undocumented, and the firmware licence (LICENCE.rtlwifi_firmware.txt) forbids disassembling it, so a project would have to work clean-room from the open drivers (rtw88, Realtek's GPL vendor drivers) and from observing the chip, keep regulatory radio limits, and get legal advice first. Claim it here if you start.",
  "interfaces": [
    {
      "name": "Wi-Fi (802.11ac) over USB",
      "transport": "usb",
      "status": "documented",
      "confidence": "high",
      "notes": "Linux driver rtw88_8822bu (mainline since 6.2); firmware rtw88/rtw8822b_fw.bin. Find your adapter's id with lsusb."
    }
  ],
  "install": [
    {
      "project": "Linux rtw88 driver",
      "method": "host-software",
      "guide": "https://github.com/morrownr/USB-WiFi/blob/main/home/USB_WiFi_Chipsets.md",
      "difficulty": "easy",
      "tools": [
        "Linux 6.2 or later with linux-firmware"
      ],
      "opens_device": false,
      "mains_powered": false,
      "brick_risk": "none",
      "reversible": "yes",
      "notes": "Plug it in: a recent kernel loads the driver by itself. Older kernels can use the out-of-tree morrownr driver."
    }
  ],
  "projects": [
    {
      "name": "Linux rtw88 driver",
      "url": "https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtw8822bu.c",
      "kind": "driver",
      "license": "GPL-2.0",
      "freedom": {
        "nonfree": [
          "device-firmware"
        ],
        "cloud": "none",
        "notes": "The driver is free; the chip runs Realtek firmware (rtw88/rtw8822b_fw.bin) loaded from linux-firmware. No free replacement firmware exists; its licence forbids disassembly, so one would have to be written clean-room from the open drivers."
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "morrownr 88x2bu (out-of-tree, old kernels)",
      "url": "https://github.com/morrownr/88x2bu-20210702",
      "kind": "driver",
      "license": "GPL-2.0"
    },
    {
      "name": "morrownr USB-WiFi guide",
      "url": "https://github.com/morrownr/USB-WiFi",
      "kind": "other"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "sources": [
      "curated",
      "https://github.com/opendevicedb/opendevicedb/issues/2",
      "https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtw8822bu.c"
    ],
    "ai_assisted": true,
    "tools": [
      "claude-code"
    ]
  },
  "updated": "2026-10-25"
}