Compile Linux kernel module without .config

Question

I have an embedded Linux device based on BusyBox which doesn't ship with WiFi drivers. I'd like to make WiFi work by compiling the rtl8192cu driver for it (for the wifi usb dongle I have).

The device is very limited in CPU & RAM, but also in the software available on it (BusyBox). It doesn't have a package manager, so there's no way of compiling the driver on the device itself. I'll have to cross-compile on my laptop. That shouldn't be a problem.

To compile the driver (aka kernel module), I need the linux headers for the kernel used in the device, for which I need .config which was used to compile the kernel. However, the manufacturer doesn't provide it, nor it's baked into the kernel via CONFIG_IKCONFIG.

Is there any way to compile the driver such that it would work on the device?

I'm guessing the driver doesn't depend on so many configurable options, if any at all, so it may be possible to craft a .config similar enough and use it to build the linux headers, which are needed to compile the driver.

Any suggestions how to do that?

Similar: Compile Linux kernel module without Module.symvers

The embedded device supplier might show some unwilingness (or ignorance) to comply with the Linux licence (GPLv2): GPL Violations - Source Code Release FAQ - What are "scripts used to control installation"? "Also, some programs such as the Linux kernel tend to have compile-time configuration (in case of the Linux kernel the .config file). Since this compile-time configuration undoubtedly controls the process of compilation, you need to include any such compile-time configuration files, too." — A.B, Nov 25 '19 at 18:50

Compile Linux kernel module without .config

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