Installing HP WiFi Driver on Ubuntu

The HP TouchSmart tm2 is a versatile device that offers various features, including touchscreen capabilities and multiple monitor support. One of its notable features is the ability to install an operating system other than Windows, such as Ubuntu. However, this process can be challenging without proper guidance.

To begin with, it's essential to identify the type of WiFi driver required for your device. You can do this by running the command lsusb and searching for a device like 0bda:b728 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. in the output list. For instance, I needed the rtl8723be driver, which is part of the rtlwifi_new package.

To install the required WiFi driver, you'll need to perform the following steps:

1. Install necessary packages: Run the command `sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic build-essential git` to install the required packages.

2. Remove old kernel: After installing the new packages, run the command `sudo apt-get purge linux-image-3.14` to identify and remove older versions of the Linux image.

3. Remove unnecessary kernels: List the current kernels present on your system by running the command `sudo dpkg -list | grep linux-image`. Identify the older version, for example, `linux-image-3.11`, and remove it using the same command.

4. Reboot and run autoremove: After rebooting, run the command `sudo apt-get -f autoremove` to clean up any remaining packages.

5. Upgrade kernel: Finally, upgrade your kernel to 3.16 as described in the accepted answer at this link 'Installing Realtek wifi driver in ubuntu (any version)'.

Once you've completed these steps, you should be able to connect to WiFi using your HP TouchSmart tm2 and Ubuntu.

Install hp wifi driver ubuntu