Safe picks. A gigabit adapter with a Realtek RTL8153 or ASIX AX88179 chip. A Realtek RTL8156 2.5G adapter is fine too, but on a USB 2.0 port it's no faster.
The chips
| chip | on LG TVs |
|---|---|
Realtek RTL8153 (gigabit), 0bda:8153 | The most common. Many kernels have Realtek's r8152 built in. Newer ones may only have the slower generic cdc_ncm driver, and a few none at all, where a driver built for that kernel can be loaded. |
Realtek RTL8156 (2.5G), 0bda:8156 | Works on cdc_ncm out of the box, and faster with Realtek's newer r8152_oot driver where one is built for your kernel. |
ASIX AX88179 (gigabit), 0b95:1790 | Works out of the box on many TVs with the kernel's own ax88179_178a driver. Where it's missing, there's often one to get or test. |
| ASIX AX88179A, AX88772D | Skip for now: newer chips older TV kernels may not handle, and untested on a TV. |
| Aquantia AQC111/112, Davicom DM9601, Microchip LAN78xx | No LG kernel includes these drivers. Builds are waiting for testers, but a Realtek or ASIX adapter is the safer buy. |
Tested on real TVs
| adapter | chip | TV | result |
|---|---|---|---|
| UGREEN USB-C to 2.5G | RTL8156BG | 2022 C2, webOS 25 | 272 down, 287 up with r8152_oot |
| TP-Link UE306 | AX88179 | 2020 UN7300, webOS 5 | 228 down, 325 up with a driver from get-driver |
| TP-Link UE306 | AX88179 | 2024 C4 | about 300, out of the box |
| RTL8153 adapter | RTL8153 | 2024 G4, webOS 24 | 293 down, 285 up |
| Cable Matters USB Ethernet | RTL8153 | 2020 UN7300, webOS 5 | 184 down, 229 up with a driver from get-driver |
| ASIX AX88179 adapter | AX88179 | 2024 G4, webOS 25 | 292 down, 51 up |
| RTL8153 adapter | RTL8153 | 2026 G6, webOS 26 | 247 down, 312 up |
More models that use the same chips, with plain links and no affiliate codes, are in the LG-USB-2-ETH0 README. Sellers sometimes change parts without changing the listing, so check the chip before you buy.
USB Ethernet adapter not working on an LG TV?
Three causes cover almost every case:
- It's working, but as eth1. The adapter has a link and an address, yet settings say "Not Connected" and some apps won't play. webOS only treats
eth0as the wired connection. On a rooted TV, LG-USB-2-ETH0 fixes the name. - No driver for its chip. The adapter isn't detected at all, because the kernel on your model and firmware has no driver for that chip. LG-USB-2-ETH0's
statusshows adapters the kernel sees without a driver, andget-driveroffers one built for your kernel when one exists. - The slow generic driver. A Realtek adapter on
cdc_ncmworks but drops and tops out lower. Realtek mode moves it to the TV's ownr8152where the kernel has one.
USB 2.0 vs USB 3.0
Many LG TVs, the C2 included, only have USB 2.0 ports. There every adapter tops out around 300 Mbit/s, about three times the built-in port. If your TV has a USB 3.0 port (usually the blue one), plug into that. A USB-C adapter needs a USB-C to USB-A converter on most LG TVs, and those are usually USB 2.0.
Check before you buy
On a rooted TV, LG-USB-2-ETH0's status lists which USB network drivers your kernel has. Its firmware audit lists them model by model, read straight from LG's firmware.
Related
LG TV Ethernet stuck at 100 MbpsWhy, and how to go fasterLG-USB-2-ETH0Make the adapter the TV's eth0Install guideRoot, Homebrew Channel, repo
FAQ
Does the brand matter?
Less than the chip. The TV needs a driver for the adapter's chip, and that depends on its kernel. Realtek RTL8153 or RTL8156 and ASIX AX88179 are the safe picks.
Should I buy a 2.5G adapter?
Only if your TV has a USB 3.0 port. On a USB 2.0 port, which many LG TVs have, a gigabit adapter does about as well for less. Both land around 300 Mbit/s.
How do I know which chip an adapter has?
Check the maker's datasheet or reviews, since many listings don't say. On the TV,
lsusb shows the ID: 0bda:8153 is Realtek RTL8153, 0bda:8156 is RTL8156, and 0b95:1790 is ASIX AX88179.Which adapter for an LG C2, C4 or G4?
All three have a Realtek or ASIX driver to use. Tested: an RTL8156 2.5G adapter on a C2, a TP-Link UE306 (AX88179) on a C4, and RTL8153 and AX88179 adapters on G4s. Their ports run at USB 2.0 speed, so a gigabit adapter does as well as a 2.5G one.
My adapter isn't detected. Now what?
The kernel probably has no driver for its chip. LG-USB-2-ETH0's
status lists adapters the kernel sees without a driver, get-driver offers a driver built for your kernel when one is known, and test-driver one waiting for testers.