R8168

R8168 is a Linux kernel network driver developed by Realtek for PCI Express Ethernet controllers, particularly the RTL8168/8111 family. It is distributed as a standalone driver package and is often used as an alternative to the in-kernel r8169 driver when hardware support or performance with the built-in driver is insufficient.

Hardware support for r8168 covers a range of Realtek RTL8168/8111-based adapters and revisions. While many devices work with the in-kernel r8169 driver, some users and hardware revisions have historically benefited from using the r8168 driver, depending on kernel version and system configuration. The two drivers are not always interchangeable on all systems, so users may choose one based on stability and feature support for their specific device.

Installation and maintenance typically involve building the driver from source or using a DKMS package. Distributions often provide a DKMS package (for example, r8168-dkms) to automatically recompile the module after kernel upgrades. Manual installation generally includes extracting the driver tarball, running make and make install, and then loading the module with modprobe r8168. Users may need to unload or blacklist the in-kernel r8169 driver and reboot or reload modules to ensure the system uses r8168.

Usage considerations include possible conflicts with the in-kernel driver and the need to sign modules for Secure Boot in some environments. In many setups, the in-kernel r8169 remains suitable, and the r8168 package is used only when specific hardware support or stability requirements justify it.

See also Realtek RTL8169, DKMS, and Realtek network drivers.