Unable to install AX88179_178A driver for Gigabit USB 3.0 LAN Network Adapter

[wiz70]

The problem is associated to Ubuntu 18.04.

I have 2 debian linux OS laptops. One laptop ( Mint17.3) uses 3.13.0-156 generic kernel. I downloaded the linux driver from ' www.asix.com.tw/ (http://www.asix.com.tw/) ' and complied / installed it on this laptop. The LAN connection was made and
ethernet interface worked.

Second laptop (Ubuntu 18.04) uses 4.15.0-36 generic kernel. I used the same driver that as installed on first laptop. I made sure build essentials, linux headers, elfutil and libelf packages were install on this laptop before
executing "make and make install". This device doesn't work on the second laptop. Included and attached, are screen shots of the compile/install and listing of dmesg for the usb device.

[image: compile1.jpg]

[image: dmesg1.jpg]



*************
I did some additional work to install the driver. This time I used
'checkinstall' and got the following results .

This the results of 'checkinstall'
****************************************
**** Debian package creation selected ***
*****************************************
*** Warning: The package name "AX88179_178A_LINUX_DRIVER_v1.19.0_SOURCE"
contains
upper case
*** Warning: letters. dpkg might not like that so I changed
*** Warning: them to lower case.
*** Warning: The package name "ax88179_178a_linux_driver_v1.19.0_source"
contains illegal
*** Warning: characters. dpkg might not like that so I changed
*** Warning: them to dashes.
This package will be built according to these values:
0 - Maintainer: [ root@wiz3-Aspire-E5-576 ]
1 - Summary: [ USB3LAN ]
2 - Name: [ ax88179-178a-linux-driver-v1.19.0-source ]
3 - Version: [ 20181008 ]
4 - Release: [ 1 ]
5 - License: [ GPL ]
6 - Group: [ checkinstall ]
7 - Architecture: [ amd64 ]
8 - Source location: [ AX88179_178A_LINUX_DRIVER_v1.19.0_SOURCE ]
9 - Alternate source location: [ ]
10 - Requires: [ ]
11 - Provides: [ ax88179-178a-linux-driver-v1.19.0-source ]
12 - Conflicts: [ ]
13 - Replaces: [ ]
Enter a number to change any of them or press ENTER to continue:
Installing with make install...
========================= Installation results ===========================
su -c "cp -v ax88179_178a.ko
/lib/modules/4.15.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/usb && /sbin/depmod
-a"
'ax88179_178a.ko' ->
'/lib/modules/4.15.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.ko'
======================== Installation successful ==========================
Copying files to the temporary directory...OK
Stripping ELF binaries and libraries...OK
Compressing man pages...OK
Building file list...OKKernel modules found. Calling depmod in the
postinstall script
Building Debian package...OK
Installing Debian package... FAILED!
*** Failed to install the package
Do you want to see the log file? [y]:
Selecting previously unselected package
ax88179-178a-linux-driver-v1.19.0-source.
(Reading database ... 228933 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack
.../ax88179-178a-linux-driver-v1.19.0-source_20181008-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking ax88179-178a-linux-driver-v1.19.0-source (20181008-1) ...
dpkg: error processing archive
/usr/local/src/AX88179_178A_LINUX_DRIVER_v1.19.0_SOURCE/ax88179-178a-linux-driver-
v1.19.0-source_20181008-1_amd64.deb (--install):
trying to overwrite
'/lib/modules/4.15.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.ko',
which is
also in package linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-36-generic 4.15.0-36.39
Errors were encountered while processing:
/usr/local/src/AX88179_178A_LINUX_DRIVER_v1.19.0_SOURCE/ax88179-178a-linux-driver-
v1.19.0-source_20181008-1_amd64.deb
/var/tmp/tmp.msbax7CC7b/dpkginstall.log (END)
*** SIGINT received ***
Restoring overwritten files from backup...OK
Cleaning up...OK
Bye.



I sent emails to the 'Support@asix.com.tw' identifying the problem but,
they don't respond.

Any idea on how to fix the problem?????

[chili555]

trying to overwrite
'/lib/modules/4.15.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.ko',
which is
also in package linux-modules-extra-4.15.0-36-generic 4.15.0-36.39Why are you trying to install this driver in place of the built-in already driver? What problem are you having that you think can be solved by installing a possibly older, possibly no better driver?

[wiz70]

This what I found in dmesg when adapter was plugged in.

[ 20.852031]Bluetooth: RFCOMM TTY layer initialized
[ 20.852036]Bluetooth: RFCOMM socket layer initialized
[ 20.852041]Bluetooth: RFCOMM ver 1.11
[ 28.164259]ip6_tables: (C) 2000-2006 Netfilter Core Team
[ 245.943793] usb2-2: new SuperSpeed USB device number 2 using xhci_hcd
[ 245.971540] usb2-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0b95, idProduct=1790
[ 245.971549] usb2-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 245.971556] usb2-2: Product: AX88179
[ 245.971562] usb2-2: Manufacturer: ASIX Elec. Corp.
[ 245.971567] usb2-2: SerialNumber: 00000000000340
[ 246.000938]Lockdown: Loading of unsigned modules is restricted; see mankernel_lockdown.7
wiz3@wiz3-Aspire-E5-576:~$


$ mankernel_lockdown.7
No manual entry forkernel_lockdown.7

I'm still some what of a novice. I thought the driver needed to be updated and that is why I downloaded the driver from manufacture. So I did and tried to complie it. As a result nothing was installed.

But, the following exists on my laptop.... I don't know how to get around the unsigned module restriction. Open to suggestions on what to do to correct this problem... Thx.....

'/lib/modules/4.15.0-36-generic/kernel/drivers/net/usb/ax88179_178a.ko

[chili555]

Please see comment #1 here: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1599197

You could probably also disable secure boot in the BIOS.

[wiz70]

My laptop is a dual boot system. When I installed Ubuntu, 'Secure Boot' was disabled. 2 weeks ago, I tried to install a different application. That required the install of 'linux-modules-extra-xxxxx'. After the install, I did a update which included a new 'grub' package. After a reboot, found Bios 'Boot Order' was changed. I just checked Bios and 'Secure Boot' was enabled. Disabled 'SecureBoot' and the USB-Ethernet adapter works. THANKS FOR THE HELP!!!! SOLVED.....

[wiz70]

Solved