RTL8188CUS wifi driver faliure

[TransistorTime!]

Hi, I'm quite new to linux and i am running Debian 9 and ubuntu 19.04 dual-boot (the ubuntu is a backup) on an Optiplex 755 which dosen't have wifi.
I have a little RTL8188CUS usb dongle that requires a wifi driver installed. I have downloaded the driver off the internet and according to the 'readme', I need to run the shell script file install.sh. everything seems normal until I receive the following error:

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cc1: some warnings being treated as errors
compilation terminated.
/usr/src/linux-headers-4.9.0-8-common/scripts/Makefile.build:309: recipe for target '/home/optiplex/RTL8192CU_8188CUS_8188CE-VAU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208/driver/rtl8192CU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208/core/rtw_cmd.o' failed
make[4]: *** [/home/optiplex/RTL8192CU_8188CUS_8188CE-VAU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208/driver/rtl8192CU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208/core/rtw_cmd.o] Error 1
/usr/src/linux-headers-4.9.0-8-common/Makefile:1546: recipe for target '_module_/home/optiplex/RTL8192CU_8188CUS_8188CE-VAU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208/driver/rtl8192CU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208' failed
make[3]: *** [_module_/home/optiplex/RTL8192CU_8188CUS_8188CE-VAU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208/driver/rtl8192CU_linux_v2.0.1212.20101208] Error 2
Makefile:152: recipe for target 'sub-make' failed
make[2]: *** [sub-make] Error 2
Makefile:8: recipe for target 'all' failed
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/usr/src/linux-headers-4.9.0-8-amd64'
Makefile:269: recipe for target 'modules' failed
make: *** [modules] Error 2
Compile make driver error: 2, Please check error Mesg

I have been all over the internet trying to fix it but nothing seems to work for me. (installing linux headers, updating the system, working around bugs, etc.) I just keep getting the same error message. so I came here hoping someone would help me. The wifi symbol shows up and asks me to connect and I enter the wifi password but it just says "connecting..." "not connected". Thank you in advance!

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I have a little RTL8188CUS usb dongle that requires a wifi driver installed.

Are you sure? I think the driver for that device is included in the kernel.

Have you seen https://wiki.debian.org/rtl819x?

I have downloaded the driver off the internet

That's a bit vague, can you provide a URL or is this a challenge for the forum members?

according to the 'readme', I need to run the shell script file install.sh

Yeah, that's what I would put in the README if I was malicious and wanted to pwn your machine

installing linux headers

There are many header packages, which one did you install?

I would use

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# apt install module-assistant
# m-a prepare

[TransistorTime!]

Sorry I took so long to reply,

I checked out the Debian Wiki link and, sure enough, my model number is in there. But when I try to connect, sometimes it shows a list of wifi networks then just says 'not connected' when I try to connect. other times it says wifi is turned off and refuses to turn back on when I try to click it.

I will also try module-assistant sometime as well. Maybe tonight.

EDIT:
For anyone who needs it, this is what I get when I type lsusb:

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Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0bda:8176 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8188CUS 802.11n WLAN Adapter

[Bulkley]

Does your RTL8188CUS need a proprietary blob from the non-free repository? Debian keeps proprietary stuff separate. Did you read the link Head_on_a_Stick gave you? Firmware-realtek covers several RTL8188 versions including a fallback. My guess is that it wouldn't hurt to install it.