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Does the Marvell Technology Group 88W8687 [TopDog] 802.11b/g Wireless work on Linux?

Driver available. Kernel ID match for mwl8k — Linux 3.0 or earlier. The driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check which files your device requires.

Technical details

Device categoryWi-Fi adapter
BusPCIe
Device IDs11ab:2a2b, 11ab:2a30
Kernel drivermwl8k
In kernel sinceLinux 3.0 or earlier

Firmware requirement

The driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check which files your device requires. This is a driver-family list, not a per-device requirement. Optional features and other chips may use different files. Presence is checked against linux-firmware WHENCE File and Link records, including patterns.

FirmwareManifest check
lbtf_usb.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/gspi8385.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
libertas/gspi8385_helper.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
libertas/gspi8385_hlp.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
libertas/gspi8686.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
libertas/gspi8686_hlp.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
libertas/gspi8686_v9.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/gspi8686_v9_helper.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/gspi8688.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/gspi8688_helper.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8385.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8385_helper.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8686_v8.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8686_v8_helper.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8686_v9.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8686_v9_helper.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8688.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/sd8688_helper.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/usb8388.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
libertas/usb8388_v5.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/usb8388_v9.binListed in WHENCE
libertas/usb8682.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/pcie8766_uapsta.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mrvl/pcie8897_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/pcie8897_uapsta_a0.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mrvl/pcieuart8997_combo_v4.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/pcieusb8997_combo_v4.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sd8786_uapsta.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mrvl/sd8787_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sd8797_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sd8801_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sd8887_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sd8897_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sd8987_uapsta.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mrvl/sdiouart8997_combo_v4.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mrvl/sdiouartiw416_combo_v0.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sdsd8977_combo_v2.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/sdsd8997_combo_v4.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/usb8766_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/usb8797_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/usb8801_uapsta.binListed in WHENCE
mrvl/usbusb8997_combo_v4.binListed in WHENCE
mwl8k/fmimage_8363.fwNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mwl8k/fmimage_8366.fwListed in WHENCE
mwl8k/fmimage_8687.fwListed in WHENCE
mwl8k/helper_8363.fwNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
mwl8k/helper_8366.fwListed in WHENCE
mwl8k/helper_8687.fwListed in WHENCE
sd8385.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
sd8385_helper.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
sd8686.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
sd8686_helper.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
sd8688.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
sd8688_helper.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed
usb8388.binNot listed in WHENCE — external firmware may be needed

Firmware packaging varies by distribution; consult Debian firmware guidance or Arch network setup guidance. A missing manifest entry does not mean the device is unsupported.

Which distros work?

DistroKernelRequirements
Arch Linux✅ 7.2Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Fedora 44✅ 7.2Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Fedora 43✅ 7.2Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
openSUSE Tumbleweed✅ 7.2Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS✅ 7.0Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS✅ 6.8Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS✅ 5.15Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Debian 13✅ 6.12Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements
Debian 12✅ 6.1Kernel ID match available; driver-family needs firmware not in linux-firmware; check device requirements

Default kernels as of 2026-10-07; distributions may backport drivers. This table compares kernel ID-table support, not tested connectivity or firmware package availability.

Is this my device?

Run lspci -nn and look for 11ab:2a2b, 11ab:2a30. Paste IDs into the home lookup.

Sources

Listed ID matches are not hands-on tests of speed, Bluetooth version, or every device feature. See how this works and more Wi-Fi adapters.