modprobe: FATAL: Module 8188eu.ko not found in directory /lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64

[Pablompg]

I have bought a tp-link AC1300 and I wanted to use it on a Debian 11 server with kernel 5.10.0-19-amd64.

I have followed this instructions which basically are:

1. apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
2. apt-get install build-essential
3. Clone this repo and cd into it
4. sudo make all
5. sudo make install
6. modprobe 8188eu.ko

None of the steps gave any error and looked successfull except for the last one, which gives the error provided in the title:

modprobe: FATAL: Module 8188eu.ko not found in directory /lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64

Is there anything I am doing wrong or missing?

Please let me know if further information about my system is required and thank you in advance for your time.

[lwfinger]

That should have worked. Please show me the output of 'find /lib/modules/ -name 8188eu.ko', 'uname -r', and the line that starts with 'make -C' when you run make.

[Pablompg]

Hi @lwfinger, thanks for taking the time to have a look at this.

find /lib/modules/ -name 8188eu.ko returns

lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64/kernel/drivers/staging/r8188eu/8188eu.ko

uname -r returns

5.10.0-19-amd64

These are the results when running:

• sudo make all

make ARCH=x86_64 CROSS_COMPILE= -C /lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64/build M=/home/username/rt181888eu modules
make[1]: Entering directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.10.0-19-adm64'
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-5.10.0-19-amd64'

• sudo make install

install -p -m 644 8188eu.ko /lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64/kernel/drivers/staging/r8188eu/
/sbin/depmod -a 5.10.0-19-amd64
cp rt18188eufw.bin /lib/firmware/rtlwifi/.

I also have the following content inside /etc/modprobe.d/50-8188eu.conf

blacklist r8188eu

[lwfinger]

Your headers match the kernel, AND the .ko file is exactly where it should be. I have no idea why modprobe cannot find it.

One last desperate act. Do the command
sudo ln -s lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64/kernel/drivers/staging/r8188eu/8188eu.ko /lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64/8188eu.ko

If that works, it is because modprobe is not searching the entire drivers tree.

[Pablompg]

No luck, it fails to create the link:

ln: failed to create symbolic link './8188eu.ko': File exists

[sodapng]

Try https://github.com/aircrack-ng/rtl8188eus

[Pablompg]

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, it does not work either

[lwfinger]

Actually, you should not use the .ko on the modprobe command. With your version, it is looking for 8188eu.ko.ko!

Sorry I missed that before. I booted my only Debian instance, which is a powerpc running Debian 12. With the correct command, it works, but fails with your version.

[Pablompg]

Thanks for the suggestion again. However it is still not working:

modprobe: FATAL: Module 8188eu.ko not found in directory /lib/modules/5.10.0-19-amd64

The server has an intel i5 6500T. Could it be because of incompatibilities with the CPU?

[lwfinger]

Show me EXACTLY what you are doing starting with make.