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Tutorial on Realteks Driver Website
Realtek is a provider of many products, most of which are aimed at facilitating network and connectivity based functions. They do produce other hardware as well, including things like display and audio controllers for integrated systems. Few of their products are standalone devices, but many sound cards and motherboards use Realtek components in their construction; even though you may not see the company's brand name plastered on your computer, there is a decent chance that you may be using one or more of their chipsets.
The Realtek website is easily navigable and straightforward in its presentation. Their home page can be found at "http://www.realtek.com". Type that address in your web browser's URL input bar and press enter to get started on your path towards downloading official drivers for any of these components. On the main page you'll be presented with a myriad of links to various sections and pages containing different types of information. In this case we will be concerning ourselves only with the "Downloads" portion of the website, although for identification purposes you may find the "Products" page useful as well should you be unsure which of their products you are dealing with. Assuming you know the model name or number of the device for which you are attempting to acquire drivers, you may move straight to the drivers section by clicking the "Downloads" link at the top of the main page, found in the center of the thin navigational toolbar just beneath the company logo.
Once you've arrived at the "Downloads" page, you'll find a couple of different functions which will aid you in your search for the files you seek. On the left-hand side is a vertical toolbar which displays a list of product categories, logically grouped. Hovering over any one of these entries expands the list into sub-categories which continue until finally its constituent models appear; click on the one which applies to you and you'll be taken to its specific driver download page. The other option available is a search box, which allows direct access to the driver download page for your model should you already know its name or number. Ultimately, both of these techniques will send you to the same destinations; the route you choose is simply a matter of preference.
Once you select your product model by whichever method you choose, you must first read and agree to a small paragraph dictating how the software may be used, as well as a brief disclaimer. To agree, first click the tiny "check box" and then the "Next" button located directly beneath it. The page will reload automatically, updating the display with a list of all software available for the chosen device. Not all of this software is driver-related; some are utilities which while not mandatory may expand the usability or functionality of the device. Each entry will be clearly labeled with all necessary information, including which operating system with which it is compatible as well as release date and file size. There are usually multiple servers or "mirrors" hosting each file; if one doesn't work at all or is downloading slowly, try one of the others.
When you've made your final selection a new pop-up window will appear, and the download will begin once you have selected a destination on your computer's hard drive for the file. It's a good idea to save the file in a location designated either specifically for driver file backups or an easy-to-find folder such as the desktop. When the file transfer is complete, navigate to its location using your file manager and double click on its icon to begin the installation. All of Realtek's drivers and software are packaged as self-extracting executable installers which make installation a snap. A graphical, step-by-step installation window will guide you through the process to completion. Simply follow the prompts using the provided directions, input any necessary information (if any), and before you know it you'll be notified that the process was successful, and subsequently asked if you would like to restart your computer now or later. If you have multiple drivers to install, rebooting after each one is unnecessary. Once all drivers are installed, go ahead and reboot so that the changes may take effect. Make sure your hardware is working properly, and the job is complete!