Fixing the RTL8191SEvB wifi under Ubuntu 11.4

Remark: If you're running Ubuntu 11.10, please use this new procedure.

Out of the box, Ubuntu 11.4 has no support for the RTL8191SEvB chipset that ships with my Medion Akoya S5612 laptop. Luckily, the manufacturer provides drivers for Linux.

Follow the next steps:

• First, make sure you uninstall ndiswrapper if you experimented with it (check in synaptic)
• Download the Linux driver from http://www.wireless-driver.com/realtek-rtl8191se-rtl8192se-wireless-linux-driver-ver0019/ and untar it in your home directory.
  
• In a Terminal, execute the following commands (*)
  cd ~/rtl8192se_linux_2.6.0019.1207.2010
sudo su
make
make install
modprobe r8192se_pci


• After the modprobe, wifi should work. If everything is OK, you can persist the modprobe command by appending a line with "r8192se_pci" to /etc/modules:
  gksudo gedit /etc/modules
  

(*) Don't try to sudo every single command as the 'make install' will give strange compilation errors. Those errors vanish with the recommended (in this case) sudo su approach.


background:

• http://forum.ubuntu-nl.org/internet-en-draadloos/hoe-de-driver-te-installeren-voor-medion-akoya-voor-draadloos/
  
• http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1635892