Cannot get USB Wifi adapter to work in Fedora 37

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1

Hi!
I am a relatively new user of Fedora, and after setting it up as I wanted, have been trying a number of USB WiFi dongles which came with driver software. But they don’t work. The installation stalls.
In lsusb the device is recognized:
x@x-fedora:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 010: ID 046d:c52e Logitech, Inc. MK260 Wireless Combo Receiver
Bus 002 Device 009: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 002 Device 012: ID 0bda:b812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL88x2bu [AC1200
Techkey]
Bus 002 Device 007: ID 1b3f:2002 Generalplus Technology Inc. 808 Camera
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 05e3:0612 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 005: ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd USB Sound Blaster HD
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 0b05:17cb ASUSTek Computer, Inc. Broadcom BCM20702A0 Blu
etooth
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

I have extracted the linux driver from the CD to the /tmp folder, where it made its its owb subfolder. Then I started the install.sh routine , and a lot happens. but at the end I get the following output:

/tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/driver/rtl88x
2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_sta_mgt.c:379:2
5: warning: the comparison will always evaluate as ‘true’ for the address of ‘l
ock’ will never be NULL [-Waddress]
379 | if (&psta->lock != NULL)
| ^~
In file included from /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180
427-5959/driver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/in
clude/drv_types.h:107,
from /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180
427-5959/driver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/co
re/rtw_sta_mgt.c:17:
/tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/driver/rtl88x
2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/include/sta_info.h:252:1
7: note: ‘lock’ declared here
252 | lock lock;
| ^~~~
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_ap.o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/mesh/rtw
mesh.o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/mesh/rtw_
mesh_pathtbl.o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/mesh/rtw_
mesh_hwmp.o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_xmit.
o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_p2p.o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_rson.
o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_tdls.
o
CC [M] /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/dri
ver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_br_ex
t.o
/tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/driver/rtl88x
2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_br_ext.c:20:18:
fatal error: net/ipx.h: No such file or directory
20 | #include <net/ipx.h>
| ^~~~~~~~~~~
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:250: /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_2767
8.20180430_COEX20180427-5959/driver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_
COEX20180427-5959/core/rtw_br_ext.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [Makefile:2009: /tmp/RTL88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_CO
EX20180427-5959/driver/rtl88x2BU_WiFi_linux_v5.3.1_27678.20180430_COEX20180427-
5959] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory ‘/usr/src/kernels/6.1.11-200.fc37.x86_64’
make: *** [Makefile:1986: modules] Error 2
##################################################
Compile make driver error: 2
Please check error Mesg
#######################################

I have tried several versions of these drivers for different Realtek wifi modukes, but always get this in the end.

And when I open the network settings and try to set up a new wifi network, the adapter is not found.

I have read that the current kernel should have a driver for the RTL88x2BU included, Why does it not work? Should I not have installed the drivers, and now the conflict with the built-in driver? H

Can anyone tell me what is the problem and how I can solve it?

2

When attaching a dongle you should always reboot and test to see if it loads the proper driver before attempting to install a different driver. Some may already be supported by drivers and firmware in the updated OS. Some may have the proper firmware but need a different driver, and some may not have the proper firmware available.

Please show us the output of inxi -Nxx and lsusb

3

Make sure to disable Secure Boot in BIOS/EFI and then build the modules with DKMS:

sudo dnf install git dkms kernel-devel openssl
sudo git clone https://github.com/cilynx/rtl88x2bu.git \
/usr/src/rtl88x2bu-git
sudo sed -i -e "/^MAKE/s|\ssrc=\S*VERSION||
/^DEST_MODULE_LOCATION/s|/.*/net|/extra|" \
/usr/src/rtl88x2bu-git/dkms.conf
sudo dkms add rtl88x2bu/git
sudo systemctl restart dkms.service
sudo tee /etc/modules-load.d/rtl88x2bu.conf << EOF > /dev/null
88x2bu
EOF
sudo systemctl restart systemd-modules-load.service
4

Hi and thanks for your response.
The lsusb is at the beginning of the post. The adapter is shown: ‘Bus 002 Device 012: ID 0bda:b812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL88x2bu [AC1200
Techkey]’
Inxi? Is nothing I am familiar with. When I type inxi in the console, it tells me ‘cammand not found’ However, I have shown the last part of the CLI output when I tried to install the driver. For me, it appears that the routine is quite happily compiling the driver bu then cannot access some folder to install it.
I understand (too late) that it is possible to have the driver in the kernel already. The instructions that come with the dongle say: Install driver first, then connect. Obviously not always a good idea.
Unclear, what I can do now. I have read somewhere that the installation of an additional driver would deactivate the internal driver? And uninstalling it could reactivate it again? But these driver packages don’t include an uninstall script. So how can I revert to the original state and find out if there was an included driver?
Your help would be very much appreciated.

5

Thanks for this step by step guide.
I did accordingly, no errors occurred
Then I restarted the computer . ad have the same situation: The adapter is recognized in system Info and lsusb:
johann@johann-fedora:~$ lsusb
Bus 002 Device 008: ID 046d:c52e Logitech, Inc. MK260 Wireless Combo Receiver
Bus 002 Device 007: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 008 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 007 Device 003: ID 0bda:b812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL88x2bu [AC1200 Techkey]
Bus 007 Device 002: ID 0b05:17cb ASUSTek Computer, Inc. Broadcom BCM20702A0 Bluetooth
Bus 007 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 005 Device 002: ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 05e3:0612 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 005: ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd USB Sound Blaster HD
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 1b3f:2002 Generalplus Technology Inc. 808 Camera
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

But it is not available when I do nmcli device:
johann@johann-fedora:~$ nmcli device
DEVICE TYPE STATE CONNECTION
enp5s0 ethernet connected Kabelgebundene Verbindung 1
E4:84:D3:DA:87:A9 bt disconnected –
lo loopback unmanaged –

Is that normal? Should I not have restarted the computer and should I restart the service every time?
Sorry, more help needed…

6

Verify the loaded module and the driver:

lsmod | grep -e 88x2bu; lsusb -v -v -t
7

It looks like some effort may be needed to find a driver that works for your use case.

It can be helpful to boot with the rhgb quiet entries removed so you see error messages.
You should have a choice of several kernels when booting. You can check to see if the USB wifi dongle works with other kernels installed on your system, but:

Realtek Semiconductor RTL88x2bu [AC1200 Techkey] says: " We have not found a driver for the device in any Linux kernel versions up to 6.1 according to the LKDDb." and gives a list of 3 available drivers that were found to work (with limitations). There are nearly 1000 reports for linux systems, and only 10 report that the dongle works.

There may be more diagnostic details in dmesg and journalctl. Please post relevant lines from
from dmesg (you can use dmesg | less to search for keywords) and journalctl. I you do get it
working please add the probe report for your system to the linux hardware database (the hw-probe tool is available in Fedora) so others don’t have to repeat your explorations.

8

Thanks again! I have been surfing around in the meantime, found a post in the Linux Mint Forum (used to Mint user before) and did what was proposed there:
sudo apt install git dkms
git clone GitHub - cilynx/rtl88x2bu: rtl88x2bu driver updated for current kernels.
sudo dkms add ./rtl88x2bu
sudo dkms install rtl88x2bu/5.8.7.1

Possibly that’s an old version or whatever, but it worked like acharm. The Adapter is available now and works fine. So I can finally also use KDE Connect…

Once again, thanks for your advice!

1 Like
9

Thanks also for your response and advice. I have solved my problem, as posted in the other answer. So I am fine.
Thanks again!

10

is one that was reported to work on https://linux-hardware.org.

1 Like
11

Hi again!
After some weeks of working perfectly it stopped working. Turns out that probably the driver is installed into the current kernel. But once the kernel is updated (which happens automatically), the WiFi driver is lost. Had to install it again manually (which worked great again).
I am not good enough in Linux to install it it in a way that keeps the driver surviving kernel updates. How can I do that?

12

Uninstall and remove the old DKMS modules:

sudo dkms uninstall rtl88x2bu/git --all
sudo dkms remove rtl88x2bu/git --all
sudo rm -f -R /usr/src/rtl88x2bu-git

And use the updated instructions with the working repo.

13

Thanks so much! Worked like a charm. Up and running. Immediately and after reboot. With a new Kernel I cannot report yet. Will report when I see that.
Thanks again and have a great day!

14

Hmmm,
next day, one system update further, no wifi again…
???

15

I did the complete routine again. Uninstall, then reinstall following the updated instructions.
Alas: No success! WiFi does not start.
Did that twice, just to make sure, got no errors, but oes not work
When I do the restart an fire up one version earlier from the Grub menuy, WiFi works just fine. But obviously, it does not work in the latest system version. And won’t get re-installed either.
Mystery for me.

16

To try and find out what is going on I did
lsmod | grep -e 88x2bu; lsusb -v -v -t
in the last system version where the WiFi dongle refuses to work

This is the result: /: Bus 08.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 5000M
ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb8 /dev/bus/usb/008/001
/: Bus 07.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/2p, 480M
ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb7 /dev/bus/usb/007/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=btusb, 12M
ID 0b05:17cb ASUSTek Computer, Inc. Broadcom BCM20702A0 Bluetooth
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-1 /dev/bus/usb/007/002
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 1, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=btusb, 12M
ID 0b05:17cb ASUSTek Computer, Inc. Broadcom BCM20702A0 Bluetooth
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-1 /dev/bus/usb/007/002
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 2, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=btusb, 12M
ID 0b05:17cb ASUSTek Computer, Inc. Broadcom BCM20702A0 Bluetooth
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-1 /dev/bus/usb/007/002
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 3, Class=Application Specific Interface, Driver=, 12M
ID 0b05:17cb ASUSTek Computer, Inc. Broadcom BCM20702A0 Bluetooth
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-1 /dev/bus/usb/007/002
|__ Port 2: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
ID 1b3f:2002 Generalplus Technology Inc. 808 Camera
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-2 /dev/bus/usb/007/003
|__ Port 2: Dev 3, If 1, Class=Video, Driver=uvcvideo, 480M
ID 1b3f:2002 Generalplus Technology Inc. 808 Camera
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-2 /dev/bus/usb/007/003
|__ Port 2: Dev 3, If 2, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 480M
ID 1b3f:2002 Generalplus Technology Inc. 808 Camera
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-2 /dev/bus/usb/007/003
|__ Port 2: Dev 3, If 3, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 480M
ID 1b3f:2002 Generalplus Technology Inc. 808 Camera
/sys/bus/usb/devices/7-2 /dev/bus/usb/007/003
/: Bus 06.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/4p, 5000M
ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb6 /dev/bus/usb/006/001
/: Bus 05.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/1p, 480M
ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb5 /dev/bus/usb/005/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M
ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/5-1 /dev/bus/usb/005/002
/: Bus 04.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/4p, 5000M
ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb4 /dev/bus/usb/004/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 5000M
ID 05e3:0612 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/4-1 /dev/bus/usb/004/002
/: Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/1p, 480M
ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb3 /dev/bus/usb/003/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M
ID 2109:3431 VIA Labs, Inc. Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1 /dev/bus/usb/003/002
|__ Port 1: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M
ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.1 /dev/bus/usb/003/003
|__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 0, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 12M
ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.4 /dev/bus/usb/003/004
|__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 1, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 12M
ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.4 /dev/bus/usb/003/004
|__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 2, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 12M
ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.4 /dev/bus/usb/003/004
|__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 3, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 12M
ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.4 /dev/bus/usb/003/004
|__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 4, Class=Audio, Driver=snd-usb-audio, 12M
ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.4 /dev/bus/usb/003/004
|__ Port 4: Dev 4, If 5, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
ID 041e:30d7 Creative Technology, Ltd
/sys/bus/usb/devices/3-1.4 /dev/bus/usb/003/004
/: Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/2p, 480M
ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb2 /dev/bus/usb/002/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/8p, 480M
ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1 /dev/bus/usb/002/002
|__ Port 3: Dev 7, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=, 480M
ID 0bda:b812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL88x2bu [AC1200 Techkey]
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.3 /dev/bus/usb/002/007
|__ Port 5: Dev 8, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.5 /dev/bus/usb/002/008
|__ Port 5: Dev 8, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.5 /dev/bus/usb/002/008
|__ Port 5: Dev 8, If 2, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.5 /dev/bus/usb/002/008
|__ Port 6: Dev 9, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
ID 046d:c52e Logitech, Inc. MK260 Wireless Combo Receiver
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.6 /dev/bus/usb/002/009
|__ Port 6: Dev 9, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
ID 046d:c52e Logitech, Inc. MK260 Wireless Combo Receiver
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.6 /dev/bus/usb/002/009
/: Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/2p, 480M
ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb1 /dev/bus/usb/001/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/6p, 480M
ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/1-1 /dev/bus/usb/001/002

Near the end, in Bus Port 3 it shows the WiFi dongle alright…

When I restart the system with the older kernel version, the output seems to be the same:
/: Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/2p, 480M
ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/usb2 /dev/bus/usb/002/001
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/8p, 480M
ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1 /dev/bus/usb/002/002
|__ Port 3: Dev 7, If 0, Class=Vendor Specific Class, Driver=rtl88x2bu, 480M
ID 0bda:b812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL88x2bu [AC1200 Techkey]
/sys/bus/usb/devices/2-1.3 /dev/bus/usb/002/007

What else can I do to show why the module does not work? in the latest system version?

17

Check the status of the DKMS service and verify the module is loaded:

systemctl status dkms.service; lsmod | grep -e 88x2bu; uname -a
18

OK.
This is the output in the system where WiFi is working:
$ systemctl status dkms.service; lsmod | grep -e 88x2bu; uname -a
● dkms.service - Builds and install new kernel modules through DKMS
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/dkms.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (exited) since Mon 2023-03-06 12:55:09 EET; 23min ago
Docs: man:dkms(8)
Main PID: 1284 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
CPU: 233ms

Mar 06 12:55:07 johann-fedora systemd[1]: Starting dkms.service - Builds and install >
Mar 06 12:55:09 johann-fedora dkms[1544]: Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file.
Mar 06 12:55:09 johann-fedora dkms[1544]: File: /var/lib/dkms/8812au/5.6.4.2_35491.20>
Mar 06 12:55:09 johann-fedora systemd[1]: Finished dkms.service - Builds and install >
lines 1-11/11 (END)

I will restart to the non-working system and report again.

19

There might be a conflict between 8812au and rtl88x2bu.
You should check dkms status and remove unrelated modules.

20

And this is the output in the non-working system:

systemctl status dkms.service; lsmod | grep -e 88x2bu; uname -a
● dkms.service - Builds and install new kernel modules through DKMS
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/dkms.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (exited) since Mon 2023-03-06 13:22:39 EET; 1min 52s ago
Docs: man:dkms(8)
Main PID: 1217 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
CPU: 220ms

Mar 06 13:22:36 johann-fedora systemd[1]: Starting dkms.service - Builds and install >
Mar 06 13:22:39 johann-fedora dkms[1530]: Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file.
Mar 06 13:22:39 johann-fedora dkms[1530]: File: /var/lib/dkms/8812au/5.6.4.2_35491.20>
Mar 06 13:22:39 johann-fedora systemd[1]: Finished dkms.service - Builds and install >
lines 1-11/11 (END)

Is there a difference?
In both cases ‘cannot locate dkms.conf’
???