drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtlwifi/rtl8723com · keep-annotate

Realtek RTL8723AE and RTL8723BE Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo cards (shared code)

Shared support code used by the Linux drivers for Realtek's RTL8723AE and RTL8723BE single-stream 802.11n PCIe mini-card chipsets, which were widely fitted to budget and mid-range laptops from roughly 2013 through 2017 and combined Wi-Fi with Bluetooth on one module.

keep-annotate conf=0.79 last_sold=2017 deploy=low replacement=none subsystem=net category=networking-wireless

79%

recommendation

Worth keeping but documenting its niche, because the RTL8723AE/BE chips are still inside a large pool of older laptops that run current kernels, and the shared code received small but real cleanups upstream as recently as late 2023. New-old-stock modules even turn up on eBay in 2025, though that is replacement-part territory rather than fresh deployment, so flagging it as legacy and low-activity is appropriate.

repository signals

8 files

829 source lines

2 commits, 5y

+2 / −41 lines added / removed, 5y

2 authors, 5y

monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 2 total · active in 2/61 months

sources

msgid.link
Recent upstream maintenance existed in late 2023 for rtl8723_common, indicating the code is not abandoned.
lore.kernel.org
Another 2023 rtl8723 common-code cleanup landed upstream, showing at least occasional maintenance.
cateee.net
rtl8723ae remains present in current kernel configuration data and maps to Realtek RTL8723AE PCIe hardware.
cateee.net
rtl8723be remains present in current kernel configuration data and maps to Realtek RTL8723BE PCIe hardware.
ebay.com
New-old-stock RTL8723BE modules were still being sold as new in 2025, suggesting residual replacement-part availability rather than mainstream new deployment.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

Local `git log` on the directory showed only two substantive touches since 2021, both in 2023, and exposed the cited msgid/lore URLs. Web search found LKDDb pages confirming current in-tree support for rtl8723ae/rtl8723be, and found no lore results indicating an active removal series. Web search also found a 2025 eBay new-stock listing, which supports `hardware_still_sold_new_in_2025=true` but only as low-volume replacement stock. This directory is shared common code for legacy 802.11n PCIe parts still present in older laptops, so removal is not justified; annotate as legacy/low-activity instead.