Realtek RTL8188CUS chip requires nonfree software.

I connected the AirLink101 AWLL5088 card in a shop and nothing happened.

This chip is also used in the first version of the device with the name TP-LINK TL-WN725N. Please note it is a different chip in the second version, TP-LINK TL-WN725N v2.

The Realtek variant works without firmware in Debian 10.

23: USB 00.0: 0282 WLAN controller
  [Created at usb.122]
  Unique ID: DBwJ.x9IMWGGtcg8
  Parent ID: 2XnU.9T1GDCLyFd9
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb5/5-5/5-5:1.0
  SysFS BusID: 5-5:1.0
  Hardware Class: network
  Model: "Realtek RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter"
  Hotplug: USB
  Vendor: usb 0x0bda "Realtek Semiconductor Corp."
  Device: usb 0x8176 "RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter"
  Revision: "2.00"
  Serial ID: "00e04c000001"
  Driver: "rtl8192cu"
  Driver Modules: "rtl8192cu"
  Device File: wlx0013efc02014
  Features: WLAN
  Speed: 480 Mbps
  HW Address: 00:13:ef:c0:20:14
  Permanent HW Address: 00:13:ef:c0:20:14
  Link detected: yes
  WLAN channels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
  WLAN frequencies: 2.412 2.417 2.422 2.427 2.432 2.437 2.442 2.447 2.452 2.457 2.462 2.467 2.472
  WLAN encryption modes: WEP40 WEP104 TKIP CCMP
  WLAN authentication modes: open sharedkey wpa-psk wpa-eap
  Module Alias: "usb:v0BDAp8176d0200dc00dsc00dp00icFFiscFFipFFin00"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: rtl8192cu is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe rtl8192cu"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
  Attached to: #30 (Hub)

[   15.086280] rtl8192cu: MAC auto ON okay!
[   15.128673] rtl8192cu: Tx queue select: 0x05
[   18.682859] rtl8192c_common: Polling FW ready fail! REG_MCUFWDL:0x00000006.
[   18.682910] rtl8192c_common: Firmware is not ready to run!
[   19.033841] RTL8211B Gigabit Ethernet r8169-0-100:00: attached PHY driver [RTL8211B Gigabit Ethernet] (mii_bus:phy_addr=r8169-0-100:00, irq=IGNORE)