The chipset in these devices (AIC8800) is currently not supported in the mainline Linux kernel. The BrosTrend driver is installed as an out-of-tree module using DKMS (Dynamic Kernel Module Support), which automatically "rebuilds" the module(s) whenever the kernel is updated.
Currently the BrosTrend driver only support Debian based distributions. For a list of supported and non-supported distributions, see Reference [3].
If you have not already purchased the usb adapter antenna, I highly recommend that you purchase one that is supported in the mainline Linux kernel. The problem is if you need both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you may not find one.
If you already purchased the adapter, I hope you purchased the WB2P with Bluetooth. You cannot make this stuff up. You pay $7 to $11 more, and you get less (no Bluetooth). What about the Linux compatibility? It's only instructions for installing the driver, and they are here [4].
| Manufacture | Model No. | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | Spead | Height | Gain | milliamps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BrosTrend | AX900 | 6 | 5.4 | 600 Mbps on 5GHz 286 on 2.4 GHz | 10/8 in | 6 db | 60 |
Before installing the driver, the output of lsusb is:
ID a69c:5732 aicsemi Aic MSC
The instructions on Brostrend's website says do install the antenna until after the driver has been installed:
The installation of this driver requires an Internet connection.
To install the Linux driver, execute the following command:
sh -c 'wget linux.brostrend.com/install -O /tmp/install && sh /tmp/install'
If your antenna is not detected (and it won't be if you are following the instructions), select the option for:
aic8800 for AX7L/AX7LP (AX900), AX5L (AX300)".
This driver has to compile and build four modules. This took about one minute on a fast Debian machine; however, on a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, it took over 21 minutes.
After successfully installing the driver, executing "lsusb" showed:
ID 368b:8d81 AICSemi AIC 8800D80
After executing "ip a", my MAC address was:
68:15:79:13:44:e4
The MAC address prefix 68:15:79 is registered to BrosTrend Technology LLC.
The wifi interface should now be recognized, but it may not connect until you run:
rfkill unblock all
On a Raspberry Pi, with the internal wifi interface disabled, I also had to run:
sudo nmcli con up wlan0
You will need the following:
I was not successful in installing this driver over the internal Wi-Fi interface. With an external Ethernet adapter, it took approximately 21 minutes for the RPi Zero 2W to compile and build the four modules.
| Manufacture | Model No. | Wi-Fi | Bluetooth | Speed | Height | Gain | milliamps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelbras | AX900 | 6 | 5.4 | 600 Mbps on 5GHz 286 on 2.4 GHz | 6.5 in. | 5 db | 60 |
This WiFi and Bluetooth adapter is available vi Amazon for only $10.
The Interlbras AX900 uses the same chipset as in the BrosTrend AX900. Hence, use the BrosTrend driver.