Rtl8196e Openwrt Verified Jun 2026

– the popular Linux-based embedded OS for routers – does not officially support RTL8196E. The main reason: lack of open-source drivers for the integrated Ethernet switch and wireless MAC/PHY (RTL8192CE / RTL8188RE etc.).

However, users who:

The RTL8196E remains a unsuitable for modern open-source firmware. While Realtek has opened up their switch chips (RTL836x, RTL83xx), the integrated switch in RTL8196E never received the same attention. rtl8196e openwrt

If you are a kernel developer interested in this SoC, the best starting point is: – the popular Linux-based embedded OS for routers