1.4.4 Setting up drivers

Why drivers matter right after installation

Right after installing Linux, most hardware will work out of the box: keyboard, mouse, basic graphics, wired networking, and storage. However, some components may need extra attention:

• Graphics card (for 3D, games, video acceleration, multiple monitors)
• Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth
• Touchpad and special laptop keys
• Printers and scanners
• Some audio devices and webcams
• Certain USB devices (Wi‑Fi dongles, capture cards, etc.)

This chapter focuses on how to set these up on a freshly installed desktop system, using beginner‑friendly methods where possible.

You don’t need to install “drivers for everything” like in Windows. Most drivers are already inside the Linux kernel. You usually only:

• Enable the correct driver that’s already available
• Install proprietary firmware or a proprietary driver if needed
• Adjust some configuration for your desktop or laptop model

Where possible, we’ll use graphical tools first and then mention command‑line approaches.

General preparation

Before touching drivers:

1. Update your system first

Updated kernels and packages often include new drivers and firmware. Use your distribution’s update mechanism (covered in the “Updating the system” chapter), typically:

• Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade
• Fedora: sudo dnf upgrade
• openSUSE: sudo zypper update
• Arch: sudo pacman -Syu

2. Connect using wired networking if possible

If your Wi‑Fi doesn’t work yet, plug in an Ethernet cable or use a USB‑to‑Ethernet adapter. It makes installing Wi‑Fi drivers much easier.

3. Know how to identify hardware

Often you’ll be told “you need a driver for your XYZ device.” To see what’s in your system, you can use tools like:

   lspci      # internal PCI/PCIe devices: graphics, network, etc.
   lsusb      # USB devices: dongles, webcams, etc.
   inxi -F    # (if installed) nice overview of system hardware

These commands are for reference; don’t worry if they look advanced now. Graphical tools will usually be enough at first.

Graphics drivers

Most distributions handle graphics automatically, but there are three common cases:

• Intel graphics – almost always works out of the box
• AMD graphics – open‑source drivers included and used by default
• NVIDIA graphics – may benefit from proprietary drivers

Using distribution driver tools (recommended)

Several beginner‑friendly distributions include a dedicated driver tool:

• Ubuntu / Linux Mint / many Ubuntu‑based: “Additional Drivers”
• Manjaro: “Hardware Configuration” (mhwd)
• Linux Mint: “Driver Manager”
• openSUSE (Leap/Tumbleweed): YaST hardware modules

Typical workflow on Ubuntu‑based systems:

1. Open “Software & Updates” from the application menu.
2. Go to the “Additional Drivers” tab.
3. Wait while it scans your hardware.
4. For NVIDIA cards, you’ll see options like:
• Using NVIDIA driver metapackage from ...
• Using X.Org X server - Nouveau display driver (open source)
5. Select the recommended proprietary NVIDIA driver if present.
6. Click Apply Changes.
7. Reboot when asked.

On other distributions, look for a similar “driver” or “hardware configuration” tool in system settings or the software center.

Recognizing graphics issues

You may need to adjust drivers if you experience:

• Very low performance in games or 3D apps
• Screen tearing or flickering
• Fans running loudly during simple tasks
• The system booting only to a basic or low‑resolution mode
• External monitors not detected

If you have an NVIDIA card and see these problems, using the proprietary driver usually helps.

Command‑line hints (for later use)

Not essential for your first setup, but for reference:

• Check which graphics driver is in use:

  lspci -k | grep -A 3 -E "VGA|3D"

• On Ubuntu: list available NVIDIA drivers:

  ubuntu-drivers devices

• Install recommended NVIDIA driver:

  sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

At a beginner level, rely on your distribution’s GUI driver tool unless a guide you’re following explicitly tells you otherwise.

Network drivers (Wi‑Fi and Ethernet)

Wired Ethernet usually just works. If it doesn’t, or if Wi‑Fi is missing, you may need firmware or a specific driver.

Checking basic network status

On a new install:

1. Look at the network icon in your panel (top or bottom bar).
2. If you see:
• Wired Connected – Ethernet driver is working.
• Wi‑Fi with available networks – Wi‑Fi driver is working.
• No Wi‑Fi option at all – Wi‑Fi adapter may need a driver.
• No network icon – desktop environment or NetworkManager may not be running (different problem).

If Wi‑Fi is missing entirely (not just failing to connect), it’s usually a driver/firmware issue.

Installing Wi‑Fi firmware/drivers

Different Wi‑Fi chips sometimes need extra firmware packages.

Typical approaches:

• Ubuntu/Debian:
• Make sure restricted / multiverse or non-free repos are enabled (often already done in desktops).
• Install firmware collections, for example:

    sudo apt install linux-firmware

• For some Broadcom chips:

    sudo apt install bcmwl-kernel-source

• Fedora:
• Firmware is usually in linux-firmware and installed by default.
• Keep your system fully updated; newer kernels support more Wi‑Fi chips.
• Arch-based:

  sudo pacman -S linux-firmware

(already installed in standard setups, but update if necessary)

If your distribution offers a “Driver Manager” or “Additional Drivers” tool, try that first; it often lists proprietary Wi‑Fi drivers too.

USB Wi‑Fi adapters

USB Wi‑Fi dongles are a frequent source of driver trouble.

Tips:

• If you haven’t bought one yet, choose adapters explicitly known to work with Linux (search by chipset, not brand).
• If it’s not recognized:
1. Plug it in and run:

     lsusb

(to see the chipset name or vendor:product ID)

2. Search the web for linux <chipset or ID>; often there’s a specific driver package or a community driver.
3. Follow a guide specific to your distribution and that chipset.

At beginner level, it’s often easier to:

• Use wired Ethernet during early setup.
• Replace a problematic Wi‑Fi dongle with a Linux‑friendly one.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is often handled by the bluez stack and a desktop Bluetooth applet.

If Bluetooth is missing:

• Ensure Bluetooth support is installed:
• Ubuntu/Debian:

    sudo apt install blueman bluez

• Fedora:

    sudo dnf install bluez bluez-tools
    sudo systemctl enable --now bluetooth

• Reboot, then look for the Bluetooth icon or settings page.

Bluetooth issues can be hardware‑specific; for a beginner, start by ensuring bluez is installed and running, then consult distro‑specific docs if needed.

Touchpads, keyboards, and special laptop keys

Most laptops will have working touchpads and keyboards immediately. You might still want to:

• Enable tap‑to‑click
• Adjust two‑finger scroll direction
• Configure function keys (volume/brightness)

These are usually set in:

• Settings → Mouse & Touchpad (GNOME, XFCE)
• System Settings → Input Devices → Touchpad (KDE Plasma)

If the touchpad doesn’t work at all:

1. Check BIOS/UEFI to ensure the touchpad is enabled.
2. In Linux, verify it’s detected:

   xinput list

3. If you have a very new laptop, a newer kernel may be needed. Updating to the newest kernel offered by your distribution often fixes modern touchpad issues.

Special keys (brightness, volume, Wi‑Fi toggle):

• Often work out of the box.
• If not, check Keyboard Shortcuts in system settings and ensure the right key combinations are assigned.
• Some laptops need a specific module (e.g., asus-nb-wmi, thinkpad-acpi) which is usually already included in the kernel; on newer models you may need a newer kernel from your distribution.

Audio devices

Basic audio usually works without extra drivers, but there are common issues:

• No sound
• Wrong device selected (e.g., HDMI vs laptop speakers)
• Headphones not detected
• USB audio interface not appearing

Basic steps:

1. Open Sound Settings.
2. Under Output, select the correct device:
• “Speakers – Built‑in Audio”
• “Headphones – USB Audio”
• “HDMI / DisplayPort – Monitor”
3. Adjust volume and ensure nothing is muted.

For USB headsets and microphones:

• They usually “just work” via standard USB audio drivers.
• If they don’t show up, try a different USB port or cable.
• For very specialized pro audio hardware, you may need distro‑specific or vendor‑provided instructions.

If audio doesn’t work at all across all devices, updating your system (especially the kernel and alsa / pipewire / pulseaudio packages) is the first step. Beyond that, audio troubleshooting quickly becomes advanced; as a beginner, focus on device selection and updates first.

Printers and scanners

Linux printing support is generally good but can be brand‑dependent.

Using distribution tools

Most desktop environments offer a GUI:

• In GNOME: Settings → Printers
• In KDE: System Settings → Printers
• Many distros: a “Printers” item in your menu

Basic workflow:

1. Connect the printer via USB or ensure it’s on your network.
2. Open Printers.
3. Click Add or +.
4. Wait while the system discovers printers.
5. Select your printer and follow on‑screen prompts.

For many common models, Linux will:

• Use automatic drivers provided by CUPS and cups-filters.
• Offer model‑specific drivers if available.

Vendor‑specific drivers

For some all‑in‑one devices or newer models, you may need vendor packages:

• HP: Many models work well via HPLIP.
• Often already installed; if not:

    # Ubuntu/Debian
    sudo apt install hplip hplip-gui

• Then use the HPLIP tool (often called “HP Device Manager”).

• Brother, Epson, Canon:
• Often provide .deb and .rpm packages on their websites.
• Download the package matching your distribution family and install via:
• Software center (double‑click the file), or
• Package manager (for example, sudo dpkg -i file.deb or sudo rpm -i file.rpm).

For scanners:

• Many are supported automatically via SANE.
• Use Simple Scan (GNOME) or XSane to test.
• For multi‑function printers, vendor drivers or plugins may be necessary.

USB and other peripheral devices

Besides printers and network adapters, you may have:

• Game controllers
• External sound cards
• Capture cards
• Drawing tablets
• External storage

Most of these use generic drivers and work automatically. If something doesn’t:

1. Plug it in and run:

   lsusb

to confirm it’s detected at hardware level.

2. Search for “Linux <device name or model>” plus your distribution name.
3. Check whether:
• There’s a package in your software center (tablet drivers, game controller, etc.).
• The vendor offers a Linux driver or configuration tool.

For external storage (USB sticks, external HDDs/SSDs):

• They typically show up in your file manager automatically.
• If not, that usually indicates a different kind of problem (filesystem or partitioning), not a driver issue.

Proprietary vs open-source drivers

Some hardware (especially NVIDIA graphics and certain Wi‑Fi chips) has:

• Open‑source drivers (included in the kernel)
• Proprietary drivers (closed‑source, provided by the vendor)

As a beginner:

• Prefer distribution defaults unless you have a clear reason to switch.
• Use GUI driver tools to switch between drivers when needed.
• Follow distribution documentation when enabling proprietary drivers (e.g., enabling non-free or restricted repositories).

Common reasons to use proprietary drivers:

• NVIDIA graphics for games and GPU‑accelerated applications.
• Some Broadcom Wi‑Fi adapters.

Trade‑offs:

• Proprietary drivers sometimes break after major system updates.
• Open‑source drivers usually integrate better and are easier to maintain, but may have lower performance or missing features for certain hardware.

When to consider a newer kernel

In some cases, your system is too new for the kernel shipped with your distribution (common with brand‑new laptops, latest Wi‑Fi chips, or GPUs). Symptoms:

• Device not detected at all.
• No driver available in “Additional Drivers.”
• People online say “it’s supported from kernel X.Y onward,” and your kernel is older.

Options (depending on your distribution):

• Enable the hardware‑enablement (HWE) kernel or “LTS enablement” kernel on Ubuntu‑based systems.
• Use the latest mainline kernel offered by your distribution (e.g., Fedora usually has a very recent kernel).
• Switch to a distribution with a newer kernel if you’re still early in your Linux journey.

Changing kernels is more advanced; for a beginner, treat it as a last resort and follow a step‑by‑step guide specific to your distribution.

Practical checklist: after installation

Here’s a simple order of operations to follow on a new system:

1. Update the system (kernel, firmware, packages).
2. Check graphics:
• Are resolution and multiple monitors working?
• If NVIDIA, open “Additional Drivers” (or equivalent) and install the recommended driver.
3. Check networking:
• Does wired Ethernet work?
• Is Wi‑Fi visible and can you connect?
• If Wi‑Fi is missing, use driver tools or install firmware packages.
4. Check input devices:
• Is the touchpad working and configured how you like?
• Do brightness and volume keys work?
5. Check audio:
• Play a test sound.
• Select the correct output device in Sound settings.
6. Check printers/scanners (if you use them):
• Open “Printers,” add your printer, and print a test page.
7. Test any special hardware:
• Bluetooth, USB headsets, gamepads, tablets, capture cards.

If something doesn’t work, first look for:

• A graphical driver/hardware tool in your distribution.
• A firmware or driver package in the software center.
• A hardware‑specific guide for your distro and device model.

From there, you can move into more advanced troubleshooting as your command‑line and system knowledge grows in later chapters.