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Wi-Fi Not Working on GEEKOM Mini PC Under Linux

Updated

Article ID Code: GK-LNX-02

Wi-Fi may not work immediately after installing Linux on a GEEKOM Mini PC. This is caused by missing or incompatible kernel drivers for the wireless network card. This article covers how to identify your network card and install the correct driver.

Applies to: GEEKOM A5, A6, A7 Max, A8 Max, A9 Max, IT12, IT13, IT15, GT1 Mega AI, and other models running Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, Fedora, Arch, and other distributions.

Step 1: Identify your network card model

Run the following commands in a terminal to identify your wireless adapter:

lspci | grep -i network
lspci | grep -i wireless
lsusb

Note the model name from the output (e.g. MT7922, AX210, RTL8852BE, AW-XB591-NF) before proceeding to the relevant section below.

Step 2: Install the driver for your network card

MediaTek MT7922 (used in A6, A7 Max, some A8 Max)

The MT7922 driver is included in Linux kernel 5.18 and later. First check your kernel version:

uname -r

If your kernel is below 5.18, update it:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade   # Ubuntu/Debian/Mint
sudo dnf upgrade                       # Fedora

After updating, restart and check whether Wi-Fi appears. If still not working on kernel 5.18+, install the out-of-tree driver:

sudo apt install git build-essential dkms
git clone https://github.com/openwrt/mt76.git
cd mt76
make
sudo make install
sudo modprobe mt7921e
Intel AX200 / AX210 / AX211 (used in IT12, IT13, IT15, GT1 Mega AI)

Intel Wi-Fi cards have excellent Linux support and are included in the kernel. If Wi-Fi is not working, install the firmware package:

sudo apt install firmware-iwlwifi   # Debian/Mint (non-free repo required)
sudo apt install linux-firmware     # Ubuntu

Restart after installation. Intel AX210 requires kernel 5.10 or later for full support.

Realtek RTL8852BE / RTL8852AE (used in some A5, Mini Air12)

Realtek RTL8852BE requires a manual driver installation on most distributions:

sudo apt install git build-essential dkms
git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw89.git
cd rtw89
make
sudo make install
sudo modprobe rtw89_8852be

To make the driver load automatically on boot:

echo "rtw89_8852be" | sudo tee -a /etc/modules
AW-XB591-NF (used in A6 — some variants)

Visit the GEEKOM technical support website and search for your model to download the Linux Wi-Fi/BT driver package provided by the GEEKOM test department. Follow the README instructions in the downloaded package to compile and install.

sudo apt install build-essential dkms

Step 3: Verify the driver is loaded

After installation, verify the driver is active:

lsmod | grep -i mt7921    # For MT7922
lsmod | grep -i iwlwifi   # For Intel AX series
lsmod | grep -i rtw89     # For Realtek RTL8852

If the module is listed, the driver is loaded. Open your network settings and check whether Wi-Fi networks are now visible.

Final Recommendation

If Wi-Fi still does not work after installing the driver, the issue may be a kernel version incompatibility specific to your distribution. Consider switching to a distribution with a newer kernel (Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Fedora 40+) for better out-of-the-box hardware support.

Contact GEEKOM Customer Service with your model, Linux distribution, kernel version (uname -r), and network card model if the issue persists.

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