Pi Zero + TL-WN725N

Troubleshooting
1

Hi Everyone,
the goal is to install DietPi on a Raspberry PI Zero (not Pi Zero W/WH) with Tp Link Network USB Adapter TL-WN725N.
After fiew reserches, seems that is not impossible but:

  • DietPi need network for first boot, so
  • Network Adapter must be installed before DietPi network checking
  • TL-WN725N driver must be precompiled and copied in a convenient place, so
  • Custom script must do something like :
sudo install -p -m 644 8188eu.ko /lib/modules/5.10.17+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless
sudo insmod /lib/modules/5.10.17+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/8188eu.ko
sudo depmod -a

and be added in dietpi.txt at #Custom Script (pre-networking and pre-DietPi install).

  • First installation must be keyboard less due to USB must be used by USB adapter… or is a fake problem?

Anyway the problems for me (not so confident in Linux) are:

  • Compile or (better) find correct precompiled driver for the right Kernel ( 5.10.17+).
  • Write the custom script.
  • Everithing I’v not considered or understanded.
  • TL-WN725N Documentation show Linux compatibility with Kernel 2.6.18 - 3.19.3). Does it means that the Adapter is not compatible with Kernel 5.10.17+ ???

So my question is simple, it is possible to install DietPi on Raspberry Pi Zero + Tp Link Network USB Adapter TL-WN725N?
If yes, can someone help me in this?
Thank you!

2

Have you tried the r8188eu module included with the RPi kernel?

3

Hi!
I’ve not found that module but /lib/modules/5.10.17-v8+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl818x/rtl8187.ko
Can you please suggest me where to search?

4

Update:
after flashing sd card, I’ve made Automation_Custom_PreScript.sh file like this:

sudo install -p -m 644 8188eu.ko /lib/modules/5.10.17-v8+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless
sudo insmod /lib/modules/5.10.17-v8+/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/8188eu.ko
sudo depmod -a

but the 8188eu.ko file I’ve found in https://www.tp-link.com/it/support/download/tl-wn725n/v3/ is not correct.
May good file solve the problem?
Any suggestions?

5

r8188eu is not present?? :thinking:
It’s definitely there, just checked again:

modprobe r8188eu

Probably you did not yet reboot after the latest kernel upgrade? That is an issue in general with the method you currently try: You install it for the 5.10.17 kernel, but the automatically applied APT upgrade installs v5.10.52, so that the module is lost. You’d need a kernel upgrade hook script to automatically re-download/install the driver after every kernel upgrade. But really, I think that is doomed to fail as long as you do not compile it, so try to reboot and then use the pre-installed module above.