Hostapd TL-WN722N with custom driver?

Hardware Driver Woes
1

Hi,
I just got a TP-link TL-WN722N v2/v3 (2357:010c). The driver is RLT8188EUS. The webGUI does not show this interface. I play arround with the hostapd config file to force using this NIC. When trying /etc/init.d/hostapd restart, I have this error:

nl80211: Driver does not support authentication/association or connect commands

It seems to be a driver issue. There is a post in unix stack exchange on this: a specific driver seems to work but it is out of the main tree

→ how can I use a custom driver on IPfire ? Is it a good idea?
Thanks,

2

@jean46 Welcome to our comunity.

IPFire is compiled with a kernel module called RTL8188EE. If you want to compile a different module that is not in the official tree, I think you need to patch the kernel and build it yourself. This is the documentation.

Please note that, for security reasons, you cannot simply drop a .ko file module and use ‘modprobe’ or ‘insmod’ to instruct the IPFire kernel to load the module. In IPFire, the kernel will only load modules that have been signed and built together with the kernel. As a result, adding a new module requires recompiling the entire kernel to ensure it is properly signed and integrated.

2 Likes
3

Maybe it is already part of ipfire?!?

I found this 2357p010C

[root@ipfire ~] # modinfo r8188eu | grep -i 010C
alias:          usb:v2357p010Cd*dc*dsc*dp*ic*isc*ip*in*
[root@ipfire ~] #
4

Is it confirmed TP-Link TL-WN722N card is working in AP mode?

5

As mentioned by @arne_f in

https://community.ipfire.org/t/does-my-usb-wifi-stick-have-ap-capability/11279/2

run the command iw list in the IJPFire console and under the Supported Interface Modes section if it has AP then it can work as an AP.

2 Likes
6

It’s hard as it’s still in a store warehouse …
Is there any compatibility list?
For cards or drivers.

7

There is this list in the wiki

https://www.ipfire.org/docs/hardware/networking

which is based on IPFire users experiences.

The TL-WN722N card is not in that list.

The only other option is if someone else on this forum has used that device and can feedback if it worked or not.

I can’t help as I don’t use any internal wireless cards. I have always used separate wifi AP’s connected with ethernet cable to my network

8

I just looked up the TL-WN722N and have realised that it is not an internal wireless card but a USB wireless dongle.

However no TP Link products are in the IPFire usb lan dongle either and the original poster never replied back after his first post.

I would suspect you would be better off looking to buy something that is on the USB LAN Dongle list.

1 Like
9

The Problem with such TP-Link dongles is that they use different chipsets without changing the name. My TL-WN722N v1 doesn’t use a realtek chip. It is an Atheros HTC based module which works but is very unstable. So i cannot suggest TL-WN722N at all.

3 Likes
10

Thanks guys, Will look for other dongle.