I've tried to use TP-Link TL-WN722N V2 (ID 2357:010c) with AP mode on both Debian and my self compiled buildroot firmware. Using recent kernel (v5.5 and v4.19) and rtl8188eu module from staging and correct firmware rtlwifi/rtl8188eufw.bin. Driver get's loaded and possible to use in non-AP mode, but when trying to use it fails with nl80211: Driver does not support authentication/association or connect commands:
$ cat /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
interface=wlan0
driver=nl80211
ssid=foo
channel=6
hw_mode=g
macaddr_acl=0
auth_algs=1
ignore_broadcast_ssid=0
wpa=2
wpa_passphrase=12345678
wpa_key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
wpa_pairwise=TKIP
rsn_pairwise=CCMP
# hostapd -dd /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
random: Trying to read entropy from /dev/random
Configuration file: /etc/hostapd/hostapd.conf
nl80211: Driver does not support authentication/association or connect commands
nl80211: deinit ifname=wlan0 disabled_11b_rates=0
nl80211: Remove monitor interface: refcount=0
netlink: Operstate: ifindex=4 linkmode=0 (kernel-control), operstate=6 (IF_OPER_UP)
nl80211: Set mode ifindex 4 iftype 2 (STATION)
nl80211: Failed to set interface 4 to mode 2: -19 (No such device)
nl80211 driver initialization failed.
hostapd_interface_deinit_free(0x76c0d4f0)
hostapd_interface_deinit_free: num_bss=1 conf->num_bss=1
hostapd_interface_deinit(0x76c0d4f0)
wlan0: interface state UNINITIALIZED->DISABLED
hostapd_bss_deinit: deinit bss wlan0
wlan0: AP-DISABLED
hostapd_cleanup(hapd=0x76f187c0 (wlan0))
wlan0: CTRL-EVENT-TERMINATING
hostapd_free_hapd_data: Interface wlan0 wasn't started
hostapd_interface_deinit_free: driver=0 drv_priv=0 -> hapd_deinit
hostapd_interface_free(0x76c0d4f0)
hostapd_interface_free: free hapd 0x76f187c0
hostapd_cleanup_iface(0x76c0d4f0)
hostapd_cleanup_iface_partial(0x76c0d4f0)
hostapd_cleanup_iface: free iface=0x76c0d4f0
# iwconfig
wlan0 unassociated ESSID:"" Nickname:"<WIFI@REALTEK>"
Mode:Auto Frequency=2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Sensitivity:0/0
Retry:off RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality:0 Signal level:0 Noise level:0
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0
I've found many question for Kali Linux (e.g. Trying to install HostAPD on Kali linux Error = Driver does not support authentication/association or connect commands), but no answer.
Do I need to use out-of-tree kernel module (e.g. https://github.com/abhijeet2096/TL-WN722N-V2, https://github.com/Mange/rtl8192eu-linux-driver)? These drivers are similar to one in staging, but without cleanup (i.e. I guess functionality is worse, not counting problems with out-of-tree drivers and worse code quality).
And/or some out of tree hostapd driver? These out of tree drivers also refer to some config (probably for old wpa_supplicant/hostapd version) https://github.com/abhijeet2096/TL-WN722N-V2/blob/master/wpa_0_8.conf, but I'd prefer to use recent version.
I haven't set IP for wifi, hope that's not a problem:
# ip addr show wlan0
4: wlan0: <NO-CARRIER,BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP> mtu 1500 qdisc mq state DOWN group default qlen 1000
link/ether 50:3e:aa:7d:81:39 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
