Wireless Lan 802.11n: Realtek 8188gu
A: No. This chip is 2.4 GHz only . It will not see 5 GHz networks.
| Pros | Cons | | :--- | :--- | | Extremely cheap ($5–$10) | Slow (150 Mbps max) | | Low power consumption | No 5 GHz band (crowded) | | Works on many legacy OSes | Difficult Linux driver installation | realtek 8188gu wireless lan 802.11n
For Windows 10/11, it’s plug-and-play. For everyone else, proceed with caution. Q: What is the maximum speed of the Realtek 8188GU? A: It supports 802.11n with a theoretical maximum of 150 Mbps . Actual speeds will be lower depending on distance, obstacles, and network congestion. | Pros | Cons | | :--- |
Found in cheap USB Wi-Fi dongles. ✅ Good for: Old PCs, basic browsing, IoT. ❌ Bad for: Gaming, 4K streaming, Linux (without hacking). A: It supports 802
Max speed: 150 Mbps on 2.4 GHz. Price: ~$8. Verdict: Works, but don't expect miracles. 📡💾
A: Yes. Most adapters using this chipset will auto-install via Windows Update. If not, download the driver from the seller’s website.
A: Not automatically. The default Raspberry Pi OS does not include the driver. You must install a third-party driver (e.g., rtl8188gu from GitHub) and compile it. Beginner users may struggle with this.