Best WIFI card /Wlan KisMAC Compatible

Best WIFI cards  /Wlan KisMAC Compatible

Also know as: KisMAC Network Adapters, USB Injector, USB NIC (Network Interface Card) or Kismac USB Re-Injection Adapters

Not all USB Network Adapters are created equal. If you have read some of the comments left, you have realized that buying the right "USB Thingy" will make your life a breeze Vs. a freakin' nightmare.

Some Networks Adapters will work, some may work in the future, and some will never work.
For the "Never" and "In a Distant Future" I will not spend too much time:  For the sake of you, don't try to finagle or to save $5, you'll end up in a nightmare: Been there, Done that.

For the Adapters that work right away, we have 3 types:  The Bad, the Ok , and The Excellent
If you believe that an higher price will determine The Excellent, you're in for a big surprise!
So, enough suspense, here it is: 

Best WiFi Card compatible with KisMAC

International buyers: look below  

BEST DEAL ALERT !!!!
Update, thanks to Jason K.

Alfa AWUS036H Deluxe Bundle 
This includes:
Alfa AWUS036H + 2 antennas (5 & 9dBi) + Suction mount + Neoprene Case + Free Shipping
$34  (USA only)


Alfa AWUS036H + 5dBi + Mount + FREE SHIPPING   Compatible Mac / Windows / Linux / Ubuntu      Card + USB + Antenna 5dBi + CD + Mount
Alfa AWUS036H  V5  1000mW    Compatible Mac / Windows / Linux / Ubuntu
Card + USB + Antenna 5dBi + CD  is about $29

The Best Deal is: Same as above + 9 dBi Antenna (One 5dBi + One 9dBi) + Suction Mount Cup  Alfa AWUS036H V5 1000mW + 5 dBi + 9 dBi + Suction Cup Mount + USB + CD
Price about $35 for the bundle.  Mount alone is ~$4, 9dBI antenna alone ~$9

International buyers: 
Please follow the link for your respective country: 

CANADA: Amazon.ca
FRANCE:  Alfa AWUS036H 500mW 
GERMANY  Amazon.de   Ships to All Europe, DHL, with insurance and tracking number. 
UK           Amazon.uk          Without Mount Dock    With Mount Dock

This Ref only. The Alfa AWUS036NH (2000mW) is not KisMAC compatible. All Drivers for the AWUS036H , KisMAC compatible are located here. Windows, Mac, Linux included.

Here is an example on how good is that card:
 

 Hawking HWUG1 Vs. Alfa AWUS036H


3,546 ft with the Alpha and a simple 5dBi Antenna
 Click to enlarge picture.

 GPS Verified.   Google Earth KML file
Update Dec '11:  ~15.5km  / 9.5 miles
Test with a 9 dBi Antenna.
Genuine Alfa AWUS036H 1000mW + 9dBi gain antenna
Contact @ 15,400m, GPS/WiGLE verified.  KisMAC 0.3.3: SNR 27 = 2-3bar @ 9,5 miles


























Second test, double GPS Verification with Matching BSSID 06:02:6F:7B:9A:C8
Distance "clamped to ground" 9.83 miles

























Make your choice: Best deals on this side of the universe






Benchmarks

Let's start with your Airport Extreme Card as a Benchmark.


All benchmarks were done from the EXACT same spot, with KisMAC running for 2 minutes. 
To test the antennas, I have interchanged them (I have few of them, from 2dB dipole to 12dB Yagi)

Airport Extreme
Unless you have the curiosity, you may not have noticed that the more expensive MacBook Pro have a lesser sensitivity that the cheaper MacBook.  The reason?  Plastic Vs. Aluminum: The body of the MacBook Pro, being in aluminum absorb some of the RF, hence a lesser sensitivity.  You would expect a better sensitivity for the price paid, but no!
Verdict: 
 Grade 3/10    Airport Extreme on a MBP Alu Unibody:  (Card Broadcom BCM43xx)
 Grade 5/10    Airport Extreme on a MacBook


USB Stick Hawking HWUG1 

The HWUG1 has few advantages: Fairly small* and it comes with a RP-SMA connector for the antenna. The Antenna that is sold with it is a dipole 2.2 dB gain. Don't expect much from the antenna.
I am going to give you straight out from the website, a pure copy of their own words" ....Removable antenna with reverse SMA connector - upgradeable to a higher power antenna for a wider wireless coverage. (For the best result, pair the HWUG1 with a Hawking Hi-Gain Antenna )"
In short, they tell you right away and in so many words: buy a high gain antenna. From us, Please.Well, at about $40, one would expect not to have to shell out another $40 (Ebay, from $25+SH to $135) for a better antenna to get some signals.

I am not impressed by it's sensitivity, nor by it's price. (in relation to the quality)

Verdict : Just OK. Grade 5/10

Hawking HWUG1 Specs:
Receive Sensitivity -70dBm@54Mbps, -83dBm@11Mbps
Transmit power 17dBm ± 2dBm (about 50mW)
hawking hwug1 Chipset: RT73     FCC ID#:   NDD957318S607


USB Stick Hawking HWUG1A

Ah!  This one is "Mac Compatible", White, and $10 more than the grey one.  A quick look will reveal to us that the FCC ID# is identical to the HWUG1: hence same Chipset.  Roughly, it's white and $10 more.
As for the sensitivity, well, as it is the same Chipset (RT73).... I can't see any difference. (but I am just a user, not a lab tech.)

Grade 4/10   but hey! it's white!!!! And between $50 to $60

Hawking HWUG1A Specs:
Receive Sensitivity -70dBm@54Mbps, -83dBm@11Mbps
Transmit power 17dBm ± 2dBm (about 50mW)

Hawking hwug1 Chipset: RT73     FCC ID#:   NDD957318S607

Edimax EW-7318USg

Okey... look like an Hawking. Or the Hawking look like an Edimax.
Chipset? identical (RT73)
FCC ID? Identical: NDD957318S607.
So, when it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quack like a duck, it's probably a duck.
The result are almost-almost the same, the antenna delivered is a "high gain" 4dB, but my test are giving me the exact same result as with a 2.2dB, and a 5dB.  So, I frown and wonder.....
Price is the same, or more .... from $35 to $73 (!!!!)
Verdict: Just Ok at $35, very bad at $73.

Grade 5/10 at $35 ,  2/10 at $73


* All USB sticks have a little issue: they are a bit "fat!".  Once you plug them, the width of the stick does not allow you to use the next USB port. For that, you'll need a USB extension.
* in any case, you better use a USB extension than a Coaxial Cable Extension: The longer the Coax cable, the more loss of signal.  


Who's Your Daddy?

Not the good, but the Excellent!


Warning:  Copies and knock-off of this Card are rampant on the internet.  They look the same, but you're in for a big disappointment and a lot of swearing if you don't make sure. 

First,  your average USB stick has a transmit power of 40 to 70mW, this one has 16 times more, and 25 times more than a D-link 122 ( Built-in antenna are baaaaaaad)
The Chipset (engine) works right off KisMAC. Plug and Play .... 
Compatible Mac, Windows and Linux (and it's not just white!) , RP-SMA Jack for Add-On antennas, USB Extension is provided.  

Sensitivity:  

The sensitivity is remarkable, at first try I got 42 AP's compared to the 2 that I had with my Airport and the 9 with the Hawking, respectively 2,100% and 466% increase.

Second try:  

I was so surprised that I had to double check:
Some SSID were named after the owner, i.e "Jane Doe's Network". As I live in the 'burbs, it's not really hard to figure out where the owner is compared to me: "Jane Doe" on the White Pages + Google Earth and the Ruler tool gives you the distance. 
So, "Jane Doe's Network" was ....1750 Feet away! 536 Meters
Okeyy... Where I am , it's the suburbs. Fairly flat but not "clear of obstacle" houses, trees, etc.

My first thought was: something is wrong. 1750 Feet with no directional antenna was too much. The signal was faint, but it was there...
I took note of the BSSID i.e  00:24:A0:F8.... and take the car for a little wardriving... go to the address and ...
Bang! Confirmed ! It was not an error. 1750 Feet
On the way back, I locked on MY SSID, and drove around. I went to a mount with a fairly clear line to my AP, and started scanning... Connection established... downloading emails 1900 feet away from my AP.
My Router is a Dual-Band, but still... it's behind a brick wall, above the natural ground level by 3 feet.  Don't get me wrong, I was not connected at 54MBPS, but I had a connection 1900 feet away. 

Third  try:  
As shown in the picture above: 3,546 ft (1km) on a non direct line of sight: Router inside a house, behind trees.   So, don't look any further, This is the card you want! Forget about the Hawking, Edimax & D-Link. Get that one!
And you know what? : It's cheaper than the Hawking!!! 

So, here is the link, and yes, it's a referral link.  So, why use this link?
A)  You have the absolute warranty to receive a genuine product, and not a non-working knock-off.  It's a plug-scan-smile product. (Only 3 Authorized dealers in the US)

B)  The Other business that sale this card has NOT a good reputation as per warranties and returns. Check the KisMAC-ng team review.  Consider yourself as warned.

C) The Other business is more expensive: the same deal will run at  $48 for the exact same bundle
C1) One Biz is selling Kock-Off from China and ships To CA. Here again you have been warned, example at the end

Links to the Card, Reviews and Tips 

Do NOT buy any other card. This reference only. Other Chipset are not / may not be compatible.

Before buying, read the paragraph below to determine your needs and Check my test to see how the Alfa just by itself blew away a Hawking equipped with a High Gain Directional Antenna.

If you live in a Urban Area, Campus or the Suburbs 
Alfa 1000mW + 5 dBi antenna + 9 dBi antenna + Suction cup mount

 Best Deal,  BEST Choice
 Alfa 1000mW + 5 dBi + 9 dBi + Suction Cup Mount

 If you live ONLY in a Urban Area,  Dense WIFI Area
 You do not really need the 9dBi Antenna, but hey, it's almost the same price ($5 difference.  Seriously,  get the previous one) This one has no suction cup mount either.  (Told ya! get the previous one.....)
Alfa 1000mW, 5 dBi antenna

The Network Adapter is provided with a 5dBi hi-gain Antenna.  Due to the nature of the WiFi RF, you do not need a ultra long range antenna, RF are bouncing between buildings and you can not expect to reach long distance: You line of sight is fairly limited, but the power of this USB adapter and it's sensitivity are more than enough. I get over 45 AP's with a 5dBi in the 'burbs

If you live in a Bunker, Deep Basement or a Cave. 
Get this 15ft USB extension. It's almost cheaper than rope!
If your cave is really deep, get 2 + a hub, or an active USB .  I know .... big expenses!  and keep on reading, it explains why you should get a USB extension Vs. an Antenna Cable Extension (Cheaper & Better)


Suburb / Wardriving

The equipment provided in the box should suffice.
If your suburb is sparsely populated or if you are in a dense wooded area, you may want to use the 9dBi antenna.
Magnetic Mount Antenna : Easy Wardriving, or for having the antenna outside. 

For Wardriving, you can add the GPS, always useful ;-)  I am having a blast with it. 
For GPS, I would avoid Holux like the plague: As soon as it's sold, you are on your own. They have no support whatsoever and the worst consumer service this side of the universe  


How to get a better WIFI Signal  Explained here
Cable Vs USB explained here


Not compatible with KisMAC 

Alfa AWUS036NH (2000mW) has a different Chipset, (Ralink RT3070 ) NO drivers available for KisMAC yet.

Gsky Blue Proton  should work, it's a knock off of the Alfa, But this card is known as junk. I do not endorse this card nor provide any support for it.  when you buy it, don't forget the Kleenex: You Are Going To Cry.

Rokland N3 , not compatible 
 
By experience, I came to realize that spending 8 hours to get a half baked fix in order to save $5 was not worth it. If you believe that your time is worth 62 cents per hour, feel free.......
Shipping back a junk card will cost you more than getting it right the first time.

Update:
We have received many questions about a pseudo non compatibility with OSX 10.6.7 and 10.6.8
we have no issues whatsoever with 10.6+ all the way to 10.6.8
For OSX Lion, there is a trick, but it works.
Screenshot published at the end

Copies, Knock Off, Counterfeit Cards

Non working copies, or sub-par knock off are rampant.  Take a good look at the following and consider that you have been Kindly Warned! 

Example of a non-working counterfeit card: Wrong Chipset inside
Even though everything look fine, even the hologram, the inside has a different Chipset and will NEVER work with KisMAC.  Sergey sent us the link after buying a non working Alfa. 
http://www.forlink.ru/index.php?module=Storefront&product=AWUS036H

DHGate has also a very high number of "Non-Delivered Products", Destroyed by Customs, Planted reviews, and surprisingly (!) Fake non working Alfa.

Few Examples of "Great Deals" from DHgate
1) The Alfa AWUS036H is NOT 802.11 /n 
2) Wrong antenna
3) Wrong case
4) Wrong Chipset. It will NEVER work.
5) Wrong CD
Does it look like a fake?  noooo, of course not.
It sells for $10, Free Air shipping included.  Quick! buy a case :-)
Last thing, IF you ever want to get your money back, you'll have to ship it back on your own dime.
To ship it back, it would cost you (US to China)  $14.  So, spend $14 to get $10 back?


Wrong CD
Wrong Antenna
Wrong Case
Wrong box
The case is an obvious Re-labelled Gsky Junk.  The best is that, the picture on the box does not match "the Alfa":-)
This vendor also shows a 036NHR on its front page and claims it as a 036H



Example of an Un-Authorized "Reseller" on eBay:  Copies &  Knock Off
For your own sake, only buy from Alfa Authorized Dealer: 3 only in the US 


Example of an UN-Authorized dealer. I do not know if they sell counterfeit Products, but if you read the fine print..... I have highlighted that for you ; -)

...undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is applicable). Packaging should be the same as what is found in a retail store, unless the item is handmade or was packaged by the manufacturer in non-retail packaging, such as an unprinted box or plastic bag

and get a "big picture"

Copy of the comments left on the eBay page of an un-authorized reseller.  

















The Alfa AWUS036H  IS  Working with 10.6.8 and 10.7.1  ( Snow Leopard and Lion )
Realtek drivers and utility app working under 10.6.6, 10.6.7, 10.6.8 and 10.7.1 Lion  
In order to make it work, you need the Kali App

Do NOT install the drivers provided with the CD unless you have the Kali App

Few screen copy as proof ...


Alfa AWUS036H working on both Lion and KisMAC.



For Curt, 
Alfa AWUS036NHR  
The NHR does NOT work with KisMAC, but can be used as second wlan. 
The sensitivity and transmit power outperform Airport by a large margin.   



192 comments:

  1. Dude,
    THANK YOU!
    Thank you so much!
    I first thought that your comment seemed a bit exaggerated but for less than $30 I thought I would give it a try.
    I have a D-Link, and I was able to get 9 networks, The Alfa is receiving about 30 with no fuss.
    I am off campus and I can get the Uni. Wifi now, no need to pay for internet now:-))))
    M.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous #1
    Thanks
    No, not exaggerated, as you can see.
    Glad that you are happy ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. i thank u very much my friend!!
    u helped me allot!

    ReplyDelete
  4. When trying tu Reinject Packets using this device, I get 0 Responses. I have it set as my primary device, and channels are configured according to the network I'm trying to crack. I have let it doing this all night long, still no responses, so IV's collecting is really very slow. Any ideas?

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1) Is it WEP or WPA?
    2) Channels should be 1 Channel only, not channelS
    3) What is the number of data packets compared to beacons (management packets)
    4) test re-injection with Command+T
    5) read the troubleshooting in this blog, you have an explanation of possible causes.

    Re-Injection should take you between 20 to 60 minutes max.

    let me know,

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think the problem was the network not being active (number 3). Listening and Injecting to the network while downloading a large file, IV's gather rather quickly. Thanks so much.

    1) WEP
    2) Yes, I meant channel not S

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glad that it's working now.
    The non active network is #1 cause for not being able to re-inject.
    The Alfa is a really great card: I have reached a 3,000 feet WIFI connection, GPS & wigle confirmed, with the 5dBi antenna provided. and that was not in direct line of sight.
    I'll post the KML files later on.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Does KisMac works with EDUP 11N 150M? Actually is a Realtek 8188S WLAN Adapter. Thanks in advance. Fernando

    ReplyDelete
  9. I received this email, so I'll post it "as is"

    From: Angelo

    Hello

    I would like to buy on eBay an Alfa Network AWUS036H but I saw that it is shipped with a RTL8187L chipset whereas the KisMac has got the RTL8187 driver on the list.
    Do you think it is going to work anyway?

    Many thanks for your help.

    Regards,
    Angelo

    Angelo, As explained in this post, many of the Alfa sold on ebay are Knock Off.
    Some vendors are honest, some others, not so much.

    If you wish to save $3 and end up with a non working card, feel free: You'll end up with a piece of junk.
    I only recommend this vendor (LINK IS PROVIDED ABOVE) for the reason being that the other one is known to have a very poor track of customer support and does not always honor the warranty.

    The warning is spelled in clear on the official KisMAC website. Consider yourself as warned.

    Use the link provided and you'll be safe.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Alfa AWUS036H V5 1000mW, can it be used with a directional antenna? I would like to use for land (home) and water (sail boat) communication

    something like this?

    http://www.radiolabs.com/products/antennas/2.4gig/backfire.php

    ReplyDelete
  11. yes, but few things:

    it mention "N female" as connector, Alfa has a RP SMA

    I do not recommend a too long Coax Cable, as you will lose some of the gain. You better use a USB extension: no loss.

    On sail boat? the sail boat will move and a directional antenna is highly directional.. ~30 deg

    Nevertheless, the Alfa itself will work, I can get signals about a mile away.

    finally, your link mention a 50 Watt max output? it's 50 times more than the Max allowed.
    A small USB WLAN is @ 50mW

    contact me via email and I'll forward you a paper on antennas

    ReplyDelete
  12. I Feel stupid, but do these products support injection? like hacking? I did not notice if you said it, but i do know kismac is a hack program.

    does the alpha support injection?

    also, what do you mean that the alpha is a directional antenna?

    lastly, as it has been some time since you wrote this, are there any better models than the alpha that i should purchase?

    thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The Alpha supports RE-injection and Injection , i.e Deauth and flood

    The Alpha is the card. The antenna is the antenna. The Alpha comes with an omnidirectional by default, but you can put any antenna you want.

    "are there any better models than the alpha that i should purchase?"
    An hawking has a power of 50mW, the Alpha has 1000mW. I have yet to find something better that works with KisMAC, hence the GPS verified one-mile contact.
    If you wish, you can purchase a second Arecibo ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi!

    I have only one question:
    Does the 'Edimax EW-7318USg' support injection and re-injection?
    So, i can crack "my own" WEP-secured network? :D

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  15. RT73 Chipset. yes it does, don't expect miracles from it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I tryed, but it doesn't support injecting. When i'm trying to reinject packets, i see only "Waiting for interesting packets". Is there a solution for this problem?

    ReplyDelete
  17. Chipset RT73: positively support injection
    Solution #1: Read the blog, already explained in details.
    Solution #2: have a personal 45 min one to one session , see support/donate

    Hawking, quote again: "RT73 Chipset. yes it does, don't expect miracles from it."

    ReplyDelete
  18. Indeed, the Alpha rocks! Thanks for the info!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dude,
    They don't ship to Canada

    ReplyDelete
  20. FreeQC:

    Sorry, I'll try to find a seller that ships int'l
    Thanks for the heads up

    ReplyDelete
  21. Could I upgrade my antenna to this?

    http://tinyurl.com/67ngj5l

    Would the connectors be the same?
    Will I still be able to do the same things? ie injection?
    I thought the chip set is the only thing that matters, am I mistaken?

    Sorry for asking a lot of questions, but you have been a great help in the past. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Grant
    If your card is an Alfa, the connector is a RP-SMA
    this antenna should work.
    Re-injection: yes
    Chipset : yes

    ReplyDelete
  23. does the AWUS036H support Lion, or at least OSX 10.6.7? The driver page on alfa.com says "*AWUS036H does not support Mac OS 10.6.7 and later version."

    ReplyDelete
  24. a) 10.6.x
    To work with KisMAC, You MUST NOT install the drivers. just plug it.

    b) if you install the drivers and the Realtek utility app, you must follow the procedure as explained in troubleshooting here:
    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2009/07/kismac-ultimate-stumbler-ressources.html

    c) I have 10.6.8 and Lion, both work for me.

    d)For Lion, Follow the procedure as explained here:
    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/07/kismac-and-os-x-lion-107-solution.html

    ReplyDelete
  25. sorry, but I don't understand.
    If i want to use the AWUS036H with kissmac i just plug it. GREAT!
    If i want to use also like a wireless card for connecting to a network what should i have to do??
    Thanks!
    PS i'm running osX 10.6.8

    ReplyDelete
  26. I just bought on Amazon the Alfa AWUS036H network card from the link provided, I'm using the latest version of Kismac 3.3.1, I got a Mac Book Pro Snow Leopard 10.6.8, I did not installed the drivers, I already set as primary device, I removed the other drivers, Only use the chanells available in europe, I did everything in the FAQ and troubleshooting... reinstalled 3 or 4 times, with drivers, without the drivers, other versions... works one time (drivers from the usb installed) but it didn´t work again... and yes, it works with the airport card in pasive mode, but it's really slow.. should I sell this card and get a new or there is any way to fix it? thanks

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lustus

    The last version of KisMAC is 0.3.3 :-)
    Use channels 1-11. avoid 12-14
    What is slow??

    "reinstalled 3 or 4 times, with drivers, without the drivers, other versions... works one time (drivers from the usb installed) but it didn´t work again... "

    Now, that's confusing...

    What did you install, and what did you re-install? use numbered bullet point if necessary

    "should I sell this card and get a new or there is any way to fix it? thanks "

    try the following:
    Un-install KisMAC 0.3.1 with a proper uninstaller such as App Cleaner. Remove the Plists too.
    un-install the realtek utily app if installed.
    Check that the realtek driver is not dormant
    install KisMAC 0.3.3
    set KisMAC 0.3.3 in 32 bit
    retry.

    that card is still the best on the market for KisMAC.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I am just about to order Alfa AWUS036H 1000mW 1W from Amazon UK

    Is it compatible with OS X 10.7.1 and Kismac 0.3.3 ?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  29. Rod

    Yes/No/Yes
    Alfa AWUS036H is compatible with KisMAC, BUT you need to tweak Lion to work with kisMac
    Once tweaked, it works like a charm. guaranteed.

    Go to http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/05/kali-app.html

    Read, send us the report, and don't forget to mention that you are "Rod", otherwise you'll be rejected.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Guys.. I have read tones of reviews..Can anyone confirm that the AUWS036H antenna will work with Macbook Pro Processor 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 (The 13 inch job ) running Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1 (11B26) ?

    All i want is to be able to connect to a 200 meter wifi hotspot my town provides..

    Regards

    ReplyDelete
  31. - Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1

    Yes with the Kali App.

    -connect to a 200 meter wifi hotspot my town provides

    How many walls in between? otherwise, Alfa 036H will connect up to 3,546 feet GPS measured.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi, I followed the link you provided for the european seller. Sadly it sells only the basic version (i.e. not the bundle). Can you say if this one is a good offer too: http://www.amazon.de/Alfa-Schraub-Stabantenne-Drehgelenk-Fensterhalterung-StƤrkster/dp/B002BFMZR8/ref=pd_cp_computers_4 ?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  33. it's ok, you have 2 antennas and the mount. I don't think you'll find much better in Europe.
    If you do, let us know, we'll put the link.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Uff... they don't ship to switzerland... :(

    ReplyDelete
  35. Are you below the Rƶstis line?

    http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000QYGNKQ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=kismaxx0b-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1638&creative=6742&creativeASIN=B000QYGNKQ

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hey,

    First off thanks for this blog. without it, I would be lost.

    Anyhow, I just wanted to confirm my setup.

    1. Macbook Pro 2,2
    2. Upgrading to Snow Leopard
    3. Followed your link for the "AWUS036H 1000mW 1W 802.11b/g" bundle.
    4. Will be downloading the last version of KisMac 0.3.3

    -recap install process-

    I just plug in the device and do not install any drivers that came with the device correct? It will just be a plug and play type of setup?

    I run KisMac for the first time, choose the driver in the list (RTL8187L) and follow the video tutorial, and VOOLA it should work? Or is there supplemental drivers I need to download?

    thanks again for your contribution!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Big Sam,

    Correct. Do not install the Realtek App for the Alfa unless you have Kali App. If you have Kali App, you can play with both.

    If you play with WPA, set KisMAC on "Open on 32-bit mode" (Application >> KisMAC.app >> Command i >> 32-bit mode)

    Voila! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hello,

    It would be great to have some help please, as i'm a complete noobie except for a couple hrs researching this stuff.

    I have an oldish mac mac mini, think intel duocore processor and snow leopard OS and live in the UK.

    Is the european USB dongle the best one for me do you think?

    My friend told me that i would need to have a specific chipset to enter monitor mode... and i wasn't sure if the USB dongle would be right for that...

    (Alfa AWUS036H 1000mW 1W 802.11b/g USB Wireless WiFi network Adapter with 5dBi Antenna and Suction cup Window Mount dock - for Wardriving & Range Extension)

    As far as i know if Kismac works without any problems then this one will be fine, without me needing to go down more confusing complex routes - monitor mode or rebooting with linux. But do you know if it will have the right chipsets if I needed to.

    Sorry if any of the above doesn't make proper sense - as i say, trying to learn the ropes.

    Would be very grateful for any advice.

    Thanks!!!!

    Ben

    ReplyDelete
  39. Ben,
    Go to http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/05/kali-app.html

    Run the REPORT GENERATOR, send, and I'll post a response.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Ah,

    Thanks for such a speedy response. Never seen posts be replied to in less than a day. Cheers

    I'll take the report generator on disk and post back the report to you. I don't have internet at my place, which hopefully it doesn't need.

    Thanks a lot.

    XXX

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hey,
    i ve been trying to use kismac for a while now but unfortunately unsuccessfully.

    I use a macbook pro running macosx 10.6.7 and kismac 0.3.3

    I bought a while ago the 'Wifisky' usb adapter with a realtek 8187L chip; but i didnt find any drivers supported for my os. So no luck.

    I bought yesterday an 'airport express' wifi but again i didnt manage to make kismac work.

    I would appreciate some help!!!!!!!

    Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Nick
    you are posting in the right section the wrong question.
    Rigth: 'Wifisky' is a piece of junk. As described above.
    Please don't take it personally, but you saved $5, for a sub-sub-part knock off. Now, you may pay for it.

    Wrong: try to take a look at http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2009/07/kismac-ultimate-stumbler-ressources.html

    Or try the Realtek WLAN USB client Utility. and that's a very long shot ....

    good luck

    ReplyDelete
  43. can't seem to buy one from a place that ships to asia... pretty ironic since I'm sure thats where they're manufactured... =P

    ReplyDelete
  44. well... Malaysia is far away from Taiwan...
    sorry

    ReplyDelete
  45. Neither AWUS036H nor AWUS036NH work under OSX LION.
    Alfa has posted a comment on ther driver site:
    AWUS036H does not support Mac OS 10.6.7 and later version

    Kismac also does not work with OSX Lion yet.

    My suggestion: Downgrade to Snow Leopard or use Linux till Apple and Alfa catch up to reality.

    Really sad story...

    ReplyDelete
  46. oh voi...
    another one ...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTrQFoc5exM&feature=feedu

    ReplyDelete
  47. Hey there,

    I just got (10 min ago) my Wireless Network USB Adapter (Alfa AWUS036H).
    I ordered from the German link posted here. Thanks for that!
    But what I just recognized that the German link says, it's the 8187L chipset!!

    1. So as I understand it will only work with 8187 chip right?
    You should have mention that before, next to the vendor links, as you warned for the AWUS036NH.

    2. How can I find out witch chip is inside? (not on the box, not at the backside of the Adapter, not in the manual)

    3. At the back of the box is written: Does Not Support MAC OS X 10.6.7 or later versions. Could have mentioned close to the links too.

    4. I downloaded the driver file, your upper link, but there is only a Mac 10.4 and 10.5 driver available. On the CD that comes with the Alfa Adapter is a Video that tells you how to install Alfa for 10.6 but using the 10.5 driver. The manufacturer website provides a 10.6 driver for Mac, so why don't use that one?
    ... I guess it's the same driver as 10.5?!

    5. The manual on the CD advise you to get the 8187L driver and not the 8187B driver if downloading from a different website as Alfa's. Now I am totally confused, there is a B-Version too?
    Its really strange to me cause at the manufacturer page I can only select by USB Adapter (AWUS036H) and Computersystem (OS X 10.6) but not by chipset (8187/L/B).
    So it seems to me that Alfa offers just a 8187L chipset driver for the AWUS036H Adapter.

    6. I have OS X 10.6.8 so I lost the game unless I install Kali App, right?
    What's that Kali App exactly?


    Thanks in advance

    Ludwig

    ReplyDelete
  48. Ludwig,
    Some days, I -really- want to go and spank Alfa. They have great products but the wording is Uber confusing and is written in mean Engrish.

    1) The most effective way to determine what is the chipSET is the FCC id number.

    "So as I understand it will only work with 8187 chip right?"

    - IT IS A 8187l chipset. it should work with "himself" ;-)
    - "L" because there is a "B"

    "2. How can I find out witch chip is inside?"
    - above mentioned

    "3. At the back of the box is written: Does Not Support MAC OS X 10.6.7 or later versions. Could have mentioned close to the links too"

    - (My ass!) With all due respects, If it does not work, I'll buy you a beer.

    "The manufacturer website provides a 10.6 driver for Mac"
    - Where? link pls? (is seems to be a 10.5 :-)

    "On the CD that comes with the Alfa Adapter is a Video that tells you how to install Alfa for 10.6 but using the 10.5 driver."

    - We complained a lot about the mini CD, do you have a regular size CD?
    -Video , I would like to see it as I have the old version.

    "I have OS X 10.6.8 so I lost the game unless I install Kali App, right"

    -No. Kali app allows you to use the Alfa as WLAN AND KisMAC together, either on 10.6.8 or Lion.
    As demonstrated here: http://tinyurl.com/d8uld8j

    ReplyDelete
  49. Admin ;),

    thank you for the fast respond!

    Ok you say my Alfa AWUS036H with the chipset 8187L will work fine on KisMac and on OS X 10.6 as well.
    I'll try it and will be sad for the beer when it works ;).

    What driver you recommend? CD, Alfa Hompage or the link above?

    "The most effective way to determine what is the chipSET is the FCC id number"
    - Nice, but how to read out or where to use? On the Alfa homepage?

    "The manufacturer website provides a 10.6 driver for Mac
    Where? link pls? (is seems to be a 10.5 :-)"
    - Yup, it's the same as the 10.5 driver :(

    "We complained a lot about the mini CD, do you have a regular size CD?"
    - No, got the midi CD

    "Video , I would like to see it as I have the old version."
    As I understand this sentence, you want me to upload the Video, right?
    ("cause" instead of "as" and it would be clear to me ;)
    The Video quality is quite bad, you only can guess the command words.

    I think about the Lion upgrade and I have some questions:
    1. Does KicMac and Alfa work on Lion too?
    2. Does the Lion Upgrade keep all drivers and settings


    Danke aus Bayern

    Ludwig II

    ReplyDelete
  50. Ludwig aus Bayern:

    Beer: Anything but Berliner Kindle.

    ACHTUNG!

    Take a deep breath and read [carefully] all the lines: You will save time and efforts.
    We've made the mistakes, so learn from us.
    If you want to repeat our mistakes, don't read.

    >>> No mini CD in your Mac!

    All your questions are already here, or there.
    possibly not sorted in the right order ...

    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2009/07/kismac-ultimate-stumbler-ressources.html

    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2009/09/kismac-q.html

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thanks for this !
    I have a question about the compatibility of Alfa AWUS036H
    with osx 10.6.7,
    is it compatible ?
    it's not according to the manufacturer
    http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=AWUS036H&Category=0

    AWUS036H is not compatible to Mac OS 10.6.7 and later version, due to the chipset manufacture has stopped its driver update for this particular model. In countermeasure, we have verified that our AWUS036NH, AWUS036NEH, AWUS051NH, and AWUS036NHR are compatible to Mac OS 10.6.8.

    and many results for a google search for
    AWUS036H is not compatible with Mac OS 10.6.7 or above

    Thanks for any advice :),
    I am looking for a kismac compatible alfa :)

    ReplyDelete
  52. it's compatible, follow that link:
    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/05/kali-app.html

    ReplyDelete
  53. I am a little new to this, I was wondering if I can improve the range of my Alfa AWUS036H with an outdoor antenna like this one

    http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptdetail.phtml?Part=AOA-2415&Category=106143

    I am not sure if maybe someone has any experience hooking this kind of antenna to small card, or even if its possible (how would I do that) and what kind of gain should i see over the indoor 9db antenna.

    Thanks for the help.

    ReplyDelete
  54. This antenna has a "N" connector, your Alfa has a RP/SMA. you will need an adapter and a coax cable.
    IF it works, the gain will be +6dBi compared to the 9dBi (15-9=6)
    Before trying a bigger antenna, try a better "location" for your 9dBi

    The factors that may increase/decrease your range are multiple, including but not limited to: height, terrain, buildings, obstruction(trees, etc) rain, fog...yada yada

    ReplyDelete
  55. Hi Admin,
    I'm interested with the Alfa AWSU036NHR.
    But I have some questions and hope that u could help me answer them :)
    1) Not to beat around the bush, I’m using it to hack wifi passwords (educational purpose). So, could you give me a firm guarantees that it runs on BackTrack5 R2 perfectly? As I read in the forum that it is still not compatible YET n is having lots of problems. Have u tested it out before to hack wifi password (eg, WPA2) and prove that it works?
    2) My requirements (ultra long range, powerful, fast speed, super sensitive, super effective in hacking & speed, b, g, n). What is the comparison with 036H, 036NH, 051NH, SignalKing, others? Which is more suitable for me?
    3) What is your latest and most powerful model? Any other model to introduce?
    4) As it is working under such high power, can I operate it for days NONSTOP? How durable is it?
    5) What to do if my usb doesn’t have that much Volt? Will I have the power?
    6) How long is the warranty?
    10) How far is the range in meters? If in condo, how many storeys can it reach with power?
    11) Any available upgrades? (eg, antenna)
    13) How to be sure that the parts are FULLY genuine? (including cable)
    14) What is Hot Swap?
    15) SignalKing VS Alfa? It seems that SK has longer range n power? Which is better?

    ReplyDelete
  56. Laurence
    1) - NHR >> nope
    5) mAh, not Volts. 500mAh


    As for all the other questions, you need to understand that there are variables.
    2) sensitivity decrease with speed and transmit power ( Rx & Tx )
    3) power is limited by regulations, and antenna gain.
    4) Power i.e 2000mW is NOT the power consumption but the marketing translation of the dBm (2000mW = 40dBm)
    10) see antenna, i.e Arecibo has a range of 13.75 billion years.
    10.1 Omnidirectional? directional? Parabolic?
    10.2 Wifi Radio Waves are micro waves. Rain will affect distance. How humid is the atmosphere where you are? clouds?
    13) buy from an AUTHORIZED reseller.

    Things to Google:
    EIRP
    dBm
    radio waves propagation
    Hot Swap

    ReplyDelete
  57. Does the AWUS036H support 802.1X authentication? I am trying to connect to a university network setup with WPA2-Enterprise security. The Realtek USB WLAN Client Utility doesn't give me the option to enter a User ID and Password. I am running OS X 10.6.8. Help would be appreciated. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  58. The Realtek USB WLAN Client Utility (v 1.5.7) does not have WPA2 802.1x in the Network Authentication drop down list, it just has WPA2-PSK. In XP, the ALFA Wireless LAN Utility does have WPA2 802.1x for the AWUS036H. So there doesn't seem to be away to connect to networks requiring 802.1x authentication (user id and password) in Mac OS X 10.6.8 using the AWUS036H.

    ReplyDelete
  59. my mountain lion and kismac crashes, when i use airport card, any suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  60. The sole "way" to bypass the issue is explained here:
    http://tinyurl.com/Lion-USB-Boot

    ReplyDelete
  61. Any idea on how to get this Alfa one in Brazi?

    Could only find this fake one, the guy says it's a replica:
    http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-242433797-adaptador-wireless-1000-mw-alta-potencia-wifi-redes-alfa-_JM#questionText


    Also this one, wich says it's got the same chipset
    http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-433734459-adaptador-usb-edup-mesmo-chipset-alfa-500mw-realtek-rl8187-_JM


    Being the same chipset, will it work?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry for the very late reply.
      I cannot (NOT) vouch for anything: The Alfa is one of the most copied card, and you'll find knock-off everywhere.
      The issue is that, often, the knock-off have a completely different chipset. The catch is that the vendor will ask for you to return the card, and as the re-shipping cost are quite high, you'll drop the ball.

      You can find knock-off as low as $9.99. Good luck re-shipping to China. :)

      Delete
    2. http://produto.mercadolivre.com.br/MLB-433734459-adaptador-usb-edup-mesmo-chipset-alfa-500mw-realtek-rl8187-_JM

      This one is a No-Name knock off. Buy at your own risk.

      Delete
  62. Does this work on Mountain Lion?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it does with KisMAC R407
      But, the Realtek Wireless Utility does not.
      In short, you can use this card with 10.8 and KisMAC, but under Lion you'll will not be able to use it as WLAN alone.

      Delete
  63. I already use Mountain Lion. Could you tell me an alternative "excellent" card that works with Mountain Lion? Every thing sounded great about ALFA AWUS036H until the "under Lion you'll will not be able to use it as WLAN alone." Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  64. Does the Alfa 036NHR works with kissmac? I don't see any networks on the network window of kissmac. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Hello!
    Does the Alfa AWUS036H works with kismac?
    I am thinking of buying it!

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, i got lost on the post lol
      I assume it is

      Delete
    2. Seriously?
      The title of the post is: Best WiFi Card compatible with KisMAC.

      Delete
  66. I want to use something like this to access Wifi networks when I am in hospital for days. However, I am of course worried about the safety of using such a high gain antenna in this environment. I thought that maybe if I get an antenna that is not omnidirectional like this one http://www.amazon.ca/Alfa-AWUS036H-Wireless-Long-Rang-Panel/dp/B003YI2X5A/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ce_10 it would avoid zapping the medical equipment around me.

    Is that right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Is that right?"
      Sorry to hear that you have to stay in hospital for days ...

      Well, your question is very simplicated...

      First, a flat panel is a directional antenna, hence need to be aimed to the source. at all time.

      Second, Even if your antenna is directional, the AP (source) may not be.

      Third, The signal from the client (you) will not be "absorbed" by the AP and disappear, It will bounce back everywhere.

      Do you intent to get a signal outside the hospital, or get a signal within? either within or outside, you have to be very careful not to interfere with any medical equipment. I don't think you'll fry anything, I am more concerned with interferences.

      You'll often find WIFI in specific area, but not all.
      If WIFI is allowed, an omnidirectional will be fine.
      Otherwise, it's cable.
      Just to be sure, I would call the hospital and inquire before.

      Good luck




      Delete
    2. I intend to get a signal outside the hospital. So what I expected to achieve with a unidirectional antenna was to reduce the amount of signal directed inside the hospital.

      Delete
    3. This is a flat panel, Not a dish or "narrow beam" type. The Signal, even if "Directional" is not a "laser beam". consider a 140 deg beam.
      Furthermore, this type also get a signal from the back, it's not 100% unidirectional.
      You will also have a part of the signal reflected. (walls, windows, metal, etc.)
      RF propagation is very tricky, and in your case (Hospital) I would highly suggest you to call in advance and ask.
      I have no knowledge on how specific medical material is insulated against WIFI RF & interferences.

      I am sorry for the evasive answer, but I am not willing to put your life, or the life of others at risk with a guesstimate.

      Delete
  67. Hi! Which is the best and strongest for KisMac under Mountain Lion on 10.8.2 ?

    Thanks a lot !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,
      good news and bad news:
      You are stuck in the middle:
      The 036H will work with KisMAC, but will not work "alone" as WLAN on 10.8
      The 036NHR will work as WLAN, but will not work om KisMAC

      Delete
    2. Hello,

      Maybe the 036H can work with KisMAC and "alone" as WLAN on 10.8, please check this https://discussions.apple.com/message/21564787#21564787.

      Thanks for this great post!
      John

      Delete
    3. John,
      Some of the guys on this post are a bit confused, as mentioned by hc19 the AWUS036H has a REALTEK RTL8187L chipset and not a RALINK RT3070.
      I am not aware of *any* ways to make the Realtek Driver Utility work on 10.8. If you know one, I'll buy a beer.

      Delete
  68. i have a question about the alpha AWUS036H i have windows 7 it says it supports windows 7 my question is will backtrack work in virtual box with the alpha AWUS036H

    ReplyDelete
  69. very simple: I don't know. VBox is tricky

    ReplyDelete
  70. Hi, I bought, received, and tested this bundle. It's the same as the US bundle that you linked, with the 9dBi antenna, window mount, suction cup.

    http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002BFMZR8

    Injection works A1, range too. I can reach networks from the next town over! It was tested on Mac OS X.7.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you Google Earth the distance and let us know?
      Thanks

      Delete
  71. hello guys tell me who is device alfa which break the wifi password.plz tell me alfa wifi modle.my name is hamza.my email address munni.badnam.hoi@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  72. Hamza,
    1) I am not sure what's not clear here. Do you REALLY need a more precise hint?
    2) leaving your email address in clear is not a really good idea. The amount of spam you are going to receive should prove that you.

    ReplyDelete
  73. iMac i7 and 10.8.2....am trying to fix disconnectivity issues with my clearwire hotspot , and need to find another way to detect signal noise ratios with the 2.5 ghz frequency coming from other devices and other routers in the vicinity. was trying to launch kismac since istumbler doesnt work anymore. cant load the passive mode to even get kismac going. would i need to buy a MA111b v1 netgear to get this going or would your Alfa AWUS036H also work with my hardware?or which would you recommend? how come you dont commercialize kismac to be able to use 2 or more wifi signals to do something called load balancing (software load balancing)? to stay connected to 3 wifi signals at the same time, even if one dropps from time to time?... its the newest thing out there , and more and more people need reliability in connections, which is getting more and more instable with so many people having routers and mcrowave ovens etc etc , using close frequencies?...food for thought...anyway...for my situation: do youthink there is a solution for kismac to run on an iMac i7, 10.8.2???...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "do youthink there is a solution for kismac to run on an iMac i7, 10.8.2???..."

      S #1 = KisMac Trunk R407 + Alfa 036h
      S #2 = MultiBoot, i.e with 10.6.8

      "...need to find another way to detect signal noise ratios"
      - Airport icon on the menubar + Option Click.

      "...use 2 or more wifi signals to do something called load balancing (software load balancing)? to stay connected to 3 wifi signals at the same time..."

      - Load balancing has nothing to do with the ability to connect to multiple AP. It's hardware, not software. WI-FI is basically a good 'ol 2 way radio: Try to listen to multiple FM stations at the same time with your car radio and let me know how it works...
      To access multiple AP, you need multiple WLAN, as shown above where I use 5 cards to access 5 APs simultaneously.
      Your Mac comes with a single WLAN (Broadcom), if you want more, you need more.

      "its the newest thing out there"
      Do you mean "Dual Band / MIMO"
      - Again, 5ghz is faster but does not carry as far and is more sensitive to physical obstruction than 2.4

      Furthermore, Read a bit the "better wifi signal" posts and you'll start to realize that radio waves propagation is somehow quite complex.
      Me, myself and I, was able to pull a 15km range with an Alfa. Not bad ...
      http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/11/long-range-wifi.html

      - Commercialize a free software? Well, you'll have to ask Geoffrey Kruze. :)


      Delete
    2. S #3 = http://communities.vmware.com/thread/120047?start=0&tstart=0 (I'm rolling with this right now)
      S #4 = http://atastypixel.com/blog/using-a-virtualbox-vm-to-operate-a-network-device-for-your-mac/comment-page-1/

      Admin, I think you should make a post dedicated to this subject. I see several people asking about this at many different places.

      Delete
  74. since i am a complete novice may i ask you about the many infos here about the drivers which confuse me ? if i get this alpha 036h thing, will i need to do something with drivers that will need terminal knowledge? i dont know terminal... and i would screw it up i think... LOL
    i did indeed find load balance routers that work on wifi signals though..out of shengzen , where even apple computers are made
    i guess it wouldnt bee a question of trying 2 different frequencies based radio stations to listen to , but to have 2 hardware pieces lsitening to the very same radio station with a weak siganle and now getting double the signal strength and combining them, which is a software challenge more than a hardware challenge.
    but then what do i know..LOL

    who is geoffrey ? i guess i need to do some more homework...LOL...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Curt,
      you appear very confused about what does what ..

      "...and now getting double the signal strength and combining them...."

      -- Why keep things simple when you can make them really complicated, huh?

      Fact #1
      If you have 2 glasses of water at 50 degrees, mixing the water together does not bring the temperature to 100 degrees.

      Fact #2
      Being able to scream very loud doesn't mean that you can speak very fast. (dBm Vs. Mbps)

      Fact #3
      Being able to scream very loud does not mean that you can hear very well either. (Output Vs. sensitivity)

      Load balance routers: Do you own a large business or have more than 200 laptops?

      My Out-Of-The-Shelf Time Capsule is able to manage 50 simultaneous connection. Do you need more?

      What you are looking for is a "Multiple WAN Router" and that will be the best way for you to throw money out the window and buy something that you really don't need.
      You'll then need a Multiple WLAN/NIC computer. Your iMac has presently ONE wlan. AKA "Airport"

      What you appear to try to do, is simply to get a better connection
      Here is 2 simple solutions:
      Forget about KisMAC, it's not for you, and get NetSpot.app (http://www.netspotapp.com/)
      1- check where your weak spots are.
      2- get an ALFA 036NHR, not the H, or NH, but the NHR

      OR

      Use an Apple Airport Express as a Repeater.
      This solution is preferred as you have a desktop computer.

      Delete
  75. Yes sorry, am a bit confused here...my apologies...

    i guess load balance routers can do these failover switches when one signal is lost or disconnected.thats why i am focusing on them. i am the only person that needs a stable connection, but have access to several isp's, through 3 wifi signals , and 2 mobile hotspots. none of these signals are stable, apparently because of the signal noise ratios. hence me trying to figure out how to see signal noise ratios and hence the second solution to screw the siganl noise ratio science and try to connect to all of them simulatenoulsy (mushroom networks.com) (peplink.com) and get a load balancer that is able to keep me online without getting disconnected .

    i have a time capsule and 2 airport express, but as you said, can only be connected to one isp at a time, and when i disconnect i have to manually do the switch , that takes time, and the uploads or downloads are interrupted way too long and are stopped , and i have t re-upload my files for my clients over and over again , a never ending nightmare.

    istumbler didnt show me enough and crashed all the time...and didnt show me enough i could give my isp support guys and i was hoping kismac can show more tech info.

    anyways, i know this is not the place for all of this, but i thought if there is someone that can find a cool way to create a stable connectivity it might be you here.

    ReplyDelete
  76. one more thing its not the noise from my imac to my wifi signal that has noise and disconnects, its the router(a mobile hotspot) that disconnects from its 4G signal coming from the tower. reason is noise signal ratio and the fact that there are 2 towers now competing and the mobile hotspot switches between them every 10 minutes, this is a 2-5 minute downtime.... they wont fix this they said... Clearwire new york... the other wifi signals also disconnect because the router disconnects from time warner headquarter,.... they cant fix it... neither ...LOL... so its not even my environment , its out of my hands....hence the idea to be connected to all ..... and if one fails it switches with a failover switch inside such load balancers ,that is hopefully very short , like in milli seconds,....so that my up-and downloads dont interrupt anymore...

    ReplyDelete
  77. "...but have access to several isp's, through 3 wifi signals...apparently because of the signal noise ratios. hence me trying to figure out how to see signal noise ratios ......without getting disconnected"

    Curt,
    several ISP's / 3 wifi signal?
    - Are you piggybacking or do you have -legally- 3 different ISPs?

    "i have a time capsule and 2 airport express"
    How big is your house/dwelling/shack ? 50,000sqf ?
    Walls >> cement? brick? wood?

    Are you on 2.4 or 5 GHz?

    - As explained in the post linked, channels overlap. The only channels that do not overlap are 1,6,11 (2.4GHz) Then, automatically, everybody uses them.
    Because everybody uses them, they are the most congested. If you are in a very dense WIFI area, then noise will always be an issue. On the top of that, the further away from the source, the lower the signal and the higher the noise.

    You do as you want, but apparently, your issue seems to be a low signal. If you have 3 low signals + lots of noise, it will not help a lot.
    When you do a option-click on the Airport icon on the menu bar, what's the RSSI, Transmit Rate, and MCS ?

    Try the following, get an Alfa NHR, and give it a try. If not working for you, you can always return it (amazon)
    I have placed the link on the last line of the post.


    ReplyDelete
  78. its the 4G cellular signal that has most of those problems, the mobile hotspot changes every 10 minutes the tower it connects to, and for some unexplained reasons has then a downtime of 2-5 minutes. apparently something clearwire in new york can not fix. my signal strength is actually 5 bars at maximum with the microwave towers. but the mobile hotspot does not know what to do so it switches and hands over in a pattern. i got myself a directional antenna a VA-16-25NF, to force the mobile hotspots to connect with just one tower, but we dont know yet if it will work. in the meantime i have started giving up fixing the disconnectivity , and was looking into failover switches only available inside load balance routers it seems. yes i have 3 wifi signals of my own , 2 from clearwire and one from time warner. i own all three accounts . but manually switching over is interrupting to long. and i can not babysit this function, naturally...and yes inside my loft , yes 3000 sqf, but very long, i am trying to detect signal nose ratio of my wifi signals as well to optimize it , hence kissmac or similar for the tech guys at clearwire, since they think its also an additional issue i have inside my loft.

    ReplyDelete

  79. #1
    When you do a option-click on the Airport icon on the menu bar, what's the RSSI, Transmit Rate, and MCS ?

    #2
    NetSpot.app (http://www.netspotapp.com/)

    Then, once we have a better idea, we can start considering other options. i.e metal walls or neighbors playing with de-authentication.


    ReplyDelete
  80. actually my imac is connected with an ethernet cable to my time capsule, and that is connected to my airport express with an ethernet cable via bridge mode, so i dont use my internal iMac airport device but the airport express to receive wifi signal.... would that info be still important that iMac internal airport Rssi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. " actually my imac is connected with an ethernet cable to my time capsule, and that is connected to my airport express with an ethernet cable via bridge mode.."

      - So, you need KisMAC to check the SNR over an ethernet cable?

      Did you mention that to the poor soul @ time warner?
      Next time, please also mention that you bridge a base station via an express, all of that, mind you, via Ethernet.

      "so i dont use my internal iMac airport device but the airport"

      - Right now, I don't know if you are fucking with me, or if you need serious assistance.
      Next question(s) will be answered on a fee based service, you'll then have the privilege to use it wisely or not.

      http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2009/11/kismac-school.html







      Delete
  81. i need serious assistant,i didnt plan to go further than asking about kissmac working on my imaci7 on lion ....
    but you wer nice enough to answer some questions....its ok if we stop here, please...i am very appreciative for your help !!..

    on my side ,... i am at the brink of a nervous breakdown, its so much info from everywhere, and i am mixing up new learned wordsa nd terminology left and right. sorry dont want you to think i am screwing with you, why would you say this???

    i though i need kissmac to see much more info on all wifi signals around me ,... and give me info i just cant get from other software.
    i actually do not know which point s of which antennas need to be looked at ,... so i am trying to look at all antennas .
    when i get disconnected from my mobile hotspot's wifi signal, which is sending its own wifi signal to my airport express , which is bridged over to my time capsule to re-distribute IP's with a stronger signal , sorry its get tricky complicated now....so when i get disconnected from this , then i try to use a wifi signal from my airport from within my iMac.
    that time capsule and express unit is only there to increase the wifi range of that mobile hotspot.
    so naturally i build most likely my own noise... whatever software i use inhouse to decrease noise, i dont know if i should use my iMac airport or if any of these software's can also radar noise form the airport express or from the mobile hotspots.
    i can access the hotspots interface and see this Rssi...number.. ..but having now a few more sending and receiving wifi locations, i dont know what to do next.
    so far Clearwire has admitted a problem of towers choices for a mobile hotspot....hence me trying to think out of the box, and after researching finding failover switch options inside load balance routers... today i found this peplink20 one...which can do this ultra fast

    anyway,...its ok...listen..Thanks so Much so far!... we should cary this over to another place anyway... or just accept my appreciation at this point ;)

    ReplyDelete
  82. I would like to purchase an Alpha card both compatible with OSX 10.8 and KisMac 3.3

    The 036H works with KisMAC, but not as WLAN on 10.8
    The 036NHR work as WLAN, but will not work with KisMAC

    Anybody knows about the AWUS036NH, AWUS036NEH, AWUS051NH in terms of compatibility with KisMAC & 10.8, and also knows how efficient they are compared to the 036H or the 036NHR?

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Thanks!

    I read the benchmark, that's an impressive test. I am not sure if you did them. There's a photo where the 36H, 36NH, 36NHR & 36NEH are shown, but the test benchmarks refer to the 36H only. My first target is to purchase a card to extend the WLAN capabilities of my MacBook Pro, so I'd go for portability (NEH), however most of the talk is about the 36H vs. the 36NHR, so any more data would be appreciated.

    Also, the chipset listed for the AWUS051NH is Ralink RT2770 RT2750, and RT2750 is present in the list of drivers of KisMAC. I don't doubt your expertise, but I was wondering if this wouldn't make the AWUS051NH compatible with KisMAC.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I would like to purchase an Alpha card both compatible with OSX 10.8 and KisMac 3.3"

      As of today, you just can't:
      There are no drivers for the NHR on KisMAC
      The drivers for the H won't work on 10.8
      If you ABSOLUTELY need to work on 10.8, you'll have to get both.

      AWUS036NH, AWUS036NEH, (Ralink 3070 chipset) are NOT KisMAC compatible. period.

      AWUS051NH -> Never tested, but accordingly to Alfa, it won't work on your 10.8.


      efficiency:
      That's going to be a long response, with multiple parameters.
      the benchmark is here:
      http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/11/long-range-wifi.html

      Delete
  84. AWUS051NH : Sorry, I read too fast and only saw the "NH", I'll correct that.
    I have never tried the 051NH, hence I don't know.
    The 051NH is been phased out and a 052NH should be arriving in 2013.

    "I am not sure if you did them"
    Yes I did.

    "There's a photo where the 36H, 36NH, 36NHR & 36NEH are shown"
    No pictures with a 036NEH, the pics are showing a 036H, 036NH, 036NHR and a tube-u g, which is basically a waterproof 036H



    ReplyDelete
  85. Thanks for the additional info, and for your tests. Interesting and fun!

    I think I'll go for the 36NHR + BackTrack on VMWare Linux. My last concert is the quality of the 36NHR compared to the 036H. I read on Amazon's 36NHR page very good and very bad reviews. Some say that the 36NHR is worse than the 036H, others say it's as good if not better. Do you have experience on this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I find the 036NHR not as sensitive as the 036H, but accordingly to the spec, it's the reverse.
      As for the Amazon reviews, or others, I always take them with a grain of salt: You have the "enlightened" and the "not so much": Multiple parameters will influence the quality, and often, the general population does not know about them.
      Rare are the the reviews or benchmark that are giving numbers besides the 2bar or 4bar signal. i.e, When playing @ 1000 yard, humidity counts (yes, it's a mini "microwave" ...)

      With my NHR, I can get a working signal from house to house, trough multiple walls, fairly close to the ground, and I can't complain about it.
      Let me know how it works for you.

      Delete
  86. Hi

    I'm using Mac OSX 10.8.3 on a 2013 MBP Retina.

    I'm using KisMAC Version 0.3.4 (Alpha 1) which works well in passive mode, however, it is not possible to inject packets using the airport extreme. (Boo for Broadcom)

    From what I have read (and I've been Googling for days) I can use the awesome AWUS036H for scanning and packet injection but not for wifi connection. (pls correct me if I'm wrong).

    Apparently the AWUS051NH is OSX 10.8 compatible (AWUS052NH due for release sept 2013), however I can find no reference to its use with KisMAC despite having a possibly supported chipset (Ralink RT2770 RT2750). Has anyone had any luck testing this with KisMAC for passive scanning and packet injection?

    Thanks for the info here, it's saved me several wrong purchases.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the same question(s), essentially:

      Although the AWUS036H will not work with 10.8 as a wireless card for connecting to networks, can it still be used with Kismac 0.3.4 to inject packets?

      And has anyone tested the AWUS051NH with Kismac and packet injection?

      Delete
    2. "can it still be used with Kismac 0.3.4 to inject packets"
      -- Yes.

      "anyone tested the AWUS051NH with Kismac?"
      -- The 051NH is NOT KisMAC compatible. The above post mention the (in dev, not on the market yet) 052NH, which has a double chipset, and that has not been tested yet...

      Delete
  87. Hi

    I'm using Mac OS 10.6.8 and just bought an ASUS USB N-13 wireless adapter for the mean time until I order the Alpha.

    will the adapter work with Kismac

    regards

    Jay

    ReplyDelete
  88. No. The chipset is incompatible

    ReplyDelete
  89. Hi, I have been trying to trouble-shoot for 2 weeks unsuccessfully. I hope you can clear up my confusion.

    I am using a 2012 Macbook Pro with OSX 10.8.4
    Trying to use Alfa AWUS036H with Kismac R407

    --

    Originally bought 036NHR, but discovered it is incompatible with Kismac, so I ordered the 036H model.

    I have un-installed the Realtek drivers and installed Kismac 0.3.3 + the R407 trunk.

    The device does not seem to be working:
    -When I open Kismac and plug in my 036H, I scan for networks and nothing appears.
    -The light on the Alfa device has also not lit up.
    -Also, in System Preferences > Network the device does not appear.

    OSX 10.8.4 cannot start in 32 bit mode, however, I can Kismac to open in 32 bit mode by right clicking the Application > Get Info > Enable "Open In 32-Bit Mode". This does not solve the problem.

    What do I need to do to use the 036H in OSX 10.8.4?

    Thank you for any help you can offer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Matt,
      Let's go with the easy first ...

      "-The light on the Alfa device has also not lit up."
      It's normal.
      "-Also, in System Preferences > Network the device does not appear."
      It's also normal, as you have no drivers installed for Realtek,

      2 out of 3 problem fixed...
      As I said, that was the easy part, here comes the real troubleshooting ....

      "-When I open Kismac and plug in my 036H, I scan for networks and nothing appears."
      - Is the correct driver selected on KisMAC?
      - Is there a compatible network to scan? (no /n network, only /g)
      - Is the card working?
      - Is the USB cable working?
      - Is the Alfa genuine or is it a fake?
      - Is the Realtek driver really uninstalled properly?

      etc ...

      Delete
    2. Hah! You are a genius. It was the driver selection in Kismac Preferences that was the problem. I did not know to go in there and change those settings.

      Now, I am new to all this so please excuse my ignorance. My next problem seems like it should be the simplest thing in the world, however I am finding myself not able to actually connect to a network. I have selected my home wifi signal for which I have the password and I cannot see any button or option to actually connect to the internet via this network.

      Am I misunderstanding something? Is Kismac used just for cracking passwords and then I need to connect to that connection afterwards through Airport? Or is there just something I've missed?

      PS
      I have read the Kismac FAQ, Newbie Guide & the glossary (http://trac.kismac-ng.org/wiki/tutorials).

      Delete
  90. Matt,
    It appears that you've skipped KisMAC 101, 102, 103 and went directly to 999

    I would highly suggest you to take the time to read/watch the following:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBGN5OGCPgI

    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2009/03/kismac-ultimate-wifi-stumbler.html

    ReplyDelete
  91. Thanks, I have done as you said.

    I have read/watched:

    - How to crack WEP & WPA with Kismac (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBGN5OGCPgI)
    - Kismac: The Ultimate WiFi Stumbler (http://easymactips.blogspot.ca/2009/03/kismac-ultimate-wifi-stumbler.html)
    - KisMAC Troubleshooting (http://easymactips.blogspot.ca/2009/07/kismac-ultimate-stumbler-ressources.html)
    - Kismac Q&A (http://easymactips.blogspot.ca/2009/09/kismac-q.html)
    - Kismac FAQ (http://trac.kismac-ng.org/wiki/FAQ)
    - Kismac Newbie Guide (http://trac.kismac-ng.org/wiki/NewbieGuide)
    - Kismac Glossary (http://trac.kismac-ng.org/wiki/AdditionalInformation)

    In all of these resources, I have not found the answer to my question:

    Once my password is cracked, can I connect to the internet via kismac?

    If not, how do I connect to the internet with my Alfa device? Do I need KaliApp so I can connect with the Realtek Driver?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You wouldn't connect to the internet via kisamc, you would connect to the internet the same way you normally would. Though depending on your OS version you might not find compatible drivers and will need to use a virtual machine to connect then either browse from there or share the VM's internet connection. A little backwards but it works.

      Delete
    2. Ah hah, I see. Well that makes a lot of sense.

      Is there any other way to go about connecting to the internet besides running Windows or Linux through a virtual machine? I'd really prefer not to do that every time I need to use the internet, which is basically any time i'm on the computer.

      Kali App is not compatible with OSX 10.8 which is too bad because that would have been a quick fix.


      -Is there some other work-around to use an Alfa AWUS036H with OSX 10.8?

      -Is there a comparable program to KisMac that is recommendable?

      -If not, what alternate wifi card should I buy that will be compatible with OSX 10.8?

      Delete
    3. "Kali App is not compatible with OSX 10.8"
      - Kali is, Realtek is Not.

      "-Is there some other work-around to use an Alfa AWUS036H with OSX 10.8?"
      - as Wlan, No. Realtek is NOT comaptible with 10.8
      - As injecting device, yes.

      "Is there a comparable program to KisMac that is recommendable?"
      - Not to my knowledge.

      "-If not, what alternate wifi card should I buy that will be compatible with OSX 10.8?"
      See link in post for an Alfa NHR. 036NHR is NOT KisMAC compatible, but is 10.8 compatible.

      An alternate solution is to use, besides the VM clusterf**** is a bootable USB drive with either 10.6 or 10.7


      Delete
  92. Here is a fix for the Realtek/10.8 issue: http://www.jamesattard.com/2012/05/install-alfa-wifi-awus036h-on-osx.html

    Kali App is unfortunately not 10.8 compatible though (stated on their website).

    I do actually have an AWUS036NHR as well as my AWUS036H. If only Kali would work, I could use the H for cracking and the NHR for connecting to networks.

    Looks like I'll have to go the Virtual Machine route, because an additional usb drive is not practical for my use. I appreciate the tip though.

    - I have never used a VM before. Is it possible to run a previous osx through the VM, or is a VM just used to run Windows/Linux from a Mac? (I did some searching for this answer but was unsuccessful)

    Can you recommend a VM tutorial that will teach me how to do this?

    ReplyDelete
  93. "Here is a fix for the Realtek/10.8 issue: http://www.jamesattard.com/2012/05/install-alfa-wifi-awus036h-on-osx.html"

    -- Try it and let me know how it works for you....

    "Kali App is unfortunately not 10.8 compatible though (stated on their website)."
    Kali App is 10.8 compatible, Realtek is Not, hence it will not work.

    "I do actually have an AWUS036NHR as well as my AWUS036H. If only Kali would work, I could use the H for cracking and the NHR for connecting to networks."

    -- And the NHR is not working on 10.8? huh? What prevents you from doing so?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NHR will not work with Kismac

      Delete
    2. Matt,
      Seriously... how do you want me to spell it out for you?

      1) Crack with KisMAC trunk r407 and the Alfa036H
      2) Connect with the Alfa 036NHR

      Delete
  94. Admin, I cannot connect the NHR & H because Kali App is not compatible with 10.8, as stated on the download page here: http://easymactips.blogspot.ca/2011/05/kali-app.html

    There is an update further down the page that reads:

    "Update August 2012
    KisMAC Trunk r407 has been released
    This trunk fixes some of the issues with Lion 10.7+ and 10.8"

    This fix is for Kismac, not for Kali App. If you read the comments on that page, months later someone asks "are you planning to support it (10.8) soon?", to which the admin responds: "Nope. No 10.8 support."

    Unless you have some information about this issue that has remained hidden to me through my extensive research, the situation remains... Kali App is not 10.8 compatible, so I will not be able to run Kismac w/ H & Realtek w/ NHR on the same machine.

    If you have any further advice, I'd be happy to hear it.

    If not, you have answered a lot of my questions on this and been extremely helpful. I appreciate your time and thank you very much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Admin, I cannot connect the NHR & H because Kali App is not compatible with 10.8"

      1) Kali has NOTHING to do with the 036NHR
      2) Yes you can connect to the internet with the 036NHR on 10.8 (WLAN)
      3) Yes you can use the 036H on KisMAC R407 on OSX 10.8
      4) NO, you cannot use Kali for the 036NHR
      5) NO, you cannot use Kali on 10.8 for the reason that Realtek is broken, hence it would do nothing to help, and that's why Kali will NOT be updated to 10.8. Unless Realtek Semiconductor Corp decide to re-write their drivers entirely.
      6) Yes you CAN use both card at the same time, 036H on KisMAC, and/or 036NHR on 10.8
      7) No you CANNOT use the 036NHR on KisMAC, there is no drivers available for the 036NHR on KisMAC. See Chipset.

      Lastly,
      "so I will not be able to run Kismac w/ H & Realtek w/ NHR on the same machine."

      - I bet you $500 that I can run both cards on the same machine. In less than 10 min, while drinking a coffee. and picking my nose. reboot included.

      What I CANNOT do is to attempt to run the 036NHR with Realtek, because IT IS THE WRONG EFFIN'DRIVER!

      Delete
    2. Hey admin,
      I see that the post is from 2010.
      I'd like to know if there is any upgrade of this product that supports 802.11 a/c or at least n?

      Thank you.

      Delete
    3. KisMAC is not /n compatible, so as of today, no.

      Delete
  95. Have you tested the EUB9603H Engenius 2 watt wifi card? I can't seem to find a non-biased comparison between it and the AWUS036NHR.

    THey are claming better reception but it may just be a marketing ploy. But they are very vocal about it. I've seen a comparison with the AWUS036H but that's not really a fair comparison because the AWUS036H is just a 1 watt card and the Engenius has the newer RTL8188 chipset (so it won't work with Kissmac.

    But it does has the ability to act as an access point and has an external antenna.

    Looking for definitive answer if possible.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  96. Icecruncher
    No, I have not tested the engenius, but the Alfa 036NHR has the same chipset family 036NHR = rtl8188 RU , Engenius = rtl8188 SU

    For what I can see, Engenius does not support 10.8, unless the drivers are on Realtek.com, 036NHR does work on 10.6 to 10.8

    Nevertheless: Few VERY important points:
    -- It's not because you can scream very lound that you can hear very well

    -- Quoted: ( the eub9603h is ) "Fine-tuned RF design capable of delivering up to 33 dBm (2000mW)"

    Great! just one little thing worth being mentioned:

    -- Quoted again:
    Receive Sensitivity (Typical):
    IEEE 802.11g (1Rx)
    -94dBm @ 6Mbps

    Available Transmit Power:
    IEEE 802.11g
    21dBm @ 36-48Mbps

    IEEE 802.11n
    19dBm @ MCS7

    -- So, a little check:
    21 dBm = 125.9 mW
    19 dBm = 79.5 mW

    -- Where is the theritical 2000 mW (33dBm) power output? it's been lost in the "UP TO"
    -- Sensitivity: yup, -94 dBm, but only at 6Mbps …
    It's normal:
    The higher the speed (Tx) the lower the sensitivity …
    The higher the frequency, the lower the range (/b Vs /g Vs /n)

    So, what do you want? Speed or Range? because you can't have both.

    I have not tested the engenius, but, I find the use of gimmicks a bit troubling.
    As any card or chipset manufacturer, they just can't break the very laws of physics, but they are allowed to butter your ass "UP TO" your head.

    Lastly, take a 036H, add a good 12dBi, and you'll have a final EIRP output of … 15,849 mW
    huh? how much ?
    yup, sixteen thousands mW: Enough to have the Feds knocking at your door. That's 4 times over the max.
    (the FCC allows operation up to 4 watts EIRP. 4,000mW)
    Use a good Parabolic, a Cisco 30dBi, and you'll reach 100,000 mW. 100,000 mW = Hello Jupiter …

    As for the sensitivity, I have tested the RTL8187L and the RTL8188RU, respectively 036H and 036NHR
    On lab test, the NHR is supposed to be more sensitive, in real life, the 036H is BY FAR more sensitive.

    All of that to say: think twice, know what you want to do with it, where, on what, and read the fine prints.
    Also, read that:
    http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2011/11/long-range-wifi.html

    ReplyDelete
  97. I see that you have recommended this card 5 and ½ years ago. So I was wondering if their are any newer models that could be better then this card that still work with kisMac and Aircrack? I was looking on the actual site for this card and found a number of other cards that seem similar, so I was wondering if they would work? I want a card that not only allows me to use KISmac and Aircrack, but also gives me better wifi range?

    Here are the similar models I was looking at:
    http://www.alfa.com.tw/products_show.php?pc=67&ps=23
    http://www.alfa.com.tw/products_show.php?pc=34&ps=8

    Also, I wanted to get this card (BearExtender 1200 for mac) before I read your post on this, as it had amazing range, but I don't know if it will work with aircrack. Any advice will be appreciated. Here's the card:
    http://store.bearextender.com/products/bearextender-1200-for-mac

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. bear extender appears to have a RT3070 chipset, it won't work with Kismac.
      The claim of Bear Extender of "More Power More Range" is dubious. Rx and Tx are different things.

      The 2 other alfa will not work with Kismac either, please see Chipset.

      Delete
  98. Ciao congratulations for you fab website I am writing to you because I read an article to extend the wifi on the mac .. I am planing to travel with very low budget and I wondering if you could help! I have an MacPro late 2011 osx 10.7.5 I will probably upgrade but not now. Reading around the net I found that the best is to help me on having KISmac. I am wondering if the antenna that you posted long time ago, we do have a better option model then this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QYGNKQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=djad-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000QYGNKQ

    I found the same model but with different antenna:

    http://www.amazon.com/Alfa-AWUS036H-Wireless-Long-Rang-Panel/dp/B003YI4HRM/ref=pd_cp_pc_0

    Any suggestion is more then welcome and sorry or the long mail

    Thank you in advance

    Pat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. basically the same, the bigger the dbi, the more gain, the greater the distance.

      Delete
  99. Hello
    i have some questions
    I'm using snow leopard 10.6.8, so have i to use Kismac 0.3.3 or Kismac trunk 407?
    Another question
    If i will buy "Alfa AWUS036H V5 1000mW + 5 dBi + 9 dBi + Suction Cup Mount + USB + CD"
    will it work with my macbook aluminun and kismac 0.3.3 or trunk 407?
    I read in a blog that the 1000mw burn your usb port, that you should use the 500mw, is this true?

    ReplyDelete
  100. 0.3.3 or R407:
    - You can use both, R407 is for 64-bit system

    I read in a blog that the 1000mw burn your usb port, that you should use the 500mw, is this true?
    - Muahahahahahah!
    Which blog? please let me know ....

    Ok, the 1000mW is the MAX Tx output power, not the power used by the card. Normally Tx are indicated in Decibel, but as DbM are logarithmic, telling someone that the card is 30dBm does not do any marketing good. (Yeah, because going from 500mW, to 1000mW, then to 2000mW looks like, respectively, 27, 30, 33dBm) Saying that you went from 500 to 2000 looks better than saying 27 to 33. Got it?
    Furthermore, IF it was the case, and as you are going to add a 9 dBi, your Tx is going to increase with the gain. Let's again pretend that you'll have maximum theoretical Power: 30+9 = 39 dBm EIRP = or about 7900 mW

    And as a last proof, your mac can only deliver 500mW of ELECTRICAL power via the USB.
    Please let me know where you read that ..
    Also, read this :

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really Thank you very much.
      If i understand you well, i can use the 1000mw with the 9bi ¿no?
      I'm spanish so i read it in a spanish blog, i leave you link: " http://appleweblog.com/2012/07/kismac-osx-tutorial "

      Delete
    2. Yes, you can. No issues. I have cards that are 2000mW and never even heard of an issue.

      Delete
    3. But in the website of Kismac say that the chip RT8187L (such us Alfa AWUS036H) don't work with 10.6.7 and 10.6.8.. is right? or can i use Kismac 0.3.3 or trunk 407 with Alfa AWUS036H without problems?

      Delete
    4. Again, what website? Do you have a link?

      Take a look at the picture on the LEFT : http://bit.ly/1a9feWA
      You can see 3 Alpha plugged: 036H, 036NH, and 036NHR on 10.6.8
      1) yes it works, RTL8187L does work with KisMAC
      2) it also answer your previous question about the power

      Delete
  101. Hello Admin, can you recommend me a wifi card compatible with OS X10.8.5 mountain lion and kissmac? is just that i am aware that the new OSX mavericks is coming, so i want a good
    committed company that would release the drivers updated for the mavericks OSX. cause i dont want another wifi card useless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Short Answer: I don't know yet
      Long Answer: KisMAC has not been updated in a while, and I do not know when it will be. As of now, it works like a charm with the Alfa 036H and the KisMAC version trunk R407.
      The manufacturer of the card is not responsible for the drivers updates made by the chipset manufacturer.

      Delete
  102. Hello Admin,

    First of all thank you very much for the tutorials, Do you know something about 10.9?
    Sorry if I shouldn't ask here about it and thanks .

    ReplyDelete
  103. Very good assessment.. it looks like you are in an open field and in line of sight of most of the access points in open air. with little or no interference...I used this adapter indoor in a three storey building for over a year to try connect to a hotspot which was about a 100 ft from me. most of the time i hope and pray i recieve signal from this hotspot.. i realise that it all boils down to signal strength and interference (buildings and blocks). what i did was erect a 50 feet wifi antenna and use the awus036nha instead... the awus036nha works excellently in open air depsite many tall building blocking signal. I will be grateful if you can test the awus036h in a congested city with many buildings and share your results!

    ReplyDelete
  104. hey admin any tips for getting a alfa 036h to work,
    using SL 10.6.8 and using 0.3.3 kismac but no tabs are available i can't install driver..the usb port works and i have tested the 036h on windows 7 and it works.

    ReplyDelete
  105. ok i figured the basic's with preferences/driver and add RTL8187 device i run a scan but finds nothing, also the green light on the adapter does not flash with SL when connected or scanning....it only does with windows 7.

    ReplyDelete
  106. hi admin, after testing kisMAC 0.3.3 it does not work with AWUS036H adapter with SL 10.6.3 or 10.6.8.

    ReplyDelete
  107. ok i withdraw my statement i got it to work.

    ReplyDelete
  108. Hello, I'm quite new at this stuff but by chance do you know a good adapter which work with IOS 10.9 and KisMac?? I used to have an Alfa AWUS036H but now it doesn't work with IOS 10.9

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lic. Alejandro:
      You are quite lucky to have access to IOS 10.9, Here where I am, we only have IOS 7
      Do you mean OS X 10.9? That stuff called Mavericks?

      If you have Mavericks, The Alfa AWUS036H works with KisMAC but will not work alone as a WLAN. Meaning that the Realtek drivers will not work alone. Nevertheless, you can still use the 036H to capture packets and recover a password.

      Delete
  109. What is the benefit of the machine and did not issue a definition drive os 10.9.2 !!!

    ReplyDelete
  110. Cannot understand your question or statement. Syntax Error

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I Need Drivers RTL8187 Wireless for mac os 10.9.x

      Delete
    2. In any language, it's always a good idea to use the minimal forms. i.e. hello, please, thank you. Otherwise it's RTFM & STFW.

      Delete
  111. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Follow the links provided in the article

      Delete
  112. Do i need kismac to get long range wifi with Alfa AWUS036H V5 1000mW + 5 dBi + 9 dBi + Suction Cup Mount + USB + CD?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What is your OS version?

      Delete
    2. I have a Mid 2009 MacBook Pro OS X Lion 10.7 with a processor of 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

      Delete
    3. I am not sure what you mean by "???"
      can you elaborate?

      Delete
  113. Do i need kismac to get long range wifi with Alfa AWUS036H V5 1000mW + 5 dBi + 9 dBi + Suction Cup Mount + USB + CD?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    AdminJune 11, 2014 at 7:26 AM
    What is your OS version?


    Kristian MotaJune 12, 2014 at 3:45 AM
    I have a Mid 2009 MacBook Pro OS X Lion 10.7 with a processor of 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

    Delete

    Kristian MotaJune 13, 2014 at 8:55 PM
    ???

    Delete

    AdminJune 14, 2014 at 10:40 AM
    I am not sure what you mean by "???"
    can you elaborate?

    ReplyDelete
  114. I am no asking you to repeat, I am asking you to elaborate / explains what you meant by "???"
    Was the answer not fast enough?

    ReplyDelete
  115. Admin,
    thank you for all the great information and answering all the questions that repeat over and over again…

    After reading every comment I pretty much figured out most stuff on my own.

    I know that the 036H DOES work out of the box with KisMAC on Mavericks but NOT to connect to a network. (Because Realtek did not update their chipset-drivers to 64bit/OSX10.9)

    1.) When talking about 10.8 compatibility does that include 10.9 compatibility as well?
    2.) How are the chances that devices that support WiFi connection (not just KisMAC) will also run on the recently announced OSX Yosemite (10.10)?
    3.) As the 036H DOES work out of the box with KisMAC but NOT to connect to the internet using OSX 10.8 or newer:
    Could I still use it on the same machine (Macbook Air 2013 running 10.8.3) in a VM with either Windows or Backtrack to both crack AND connect to a network?
    4.) Kind of belongs to #3: What about I use the 036H on KisMAC to recover the password and then surf in a Windows VM to take advantage of the great distance. Would that work?
    5.) What windows would the VM have to be? (32bit? XP? Windows 8?
    6.) Can I use the 036H to create a Wifi-Hotspot with my Mac? (Using Internet sharing)
    7.) Can I use the 036NH to create a Wifi-Hotspot with my Mac? (Using Internet sharing)
    8.) If not: Do you know a cheap Wifi-USB-Card that allows bridging wifi to wifi on OSX 10.9.3?

    Thanks in advance for your help!

    ReplyDelete
  116. Hey there,
    is there ANY tool for OSx 10.9.x which can show me the signal strengh of the 036NHR v2 ?
    I already bought that card... just wanna know how to arrange the antenna to get the best signal.
    Thx!
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  117. Double check the Chipset before downloading.

    http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=48&PFid=48&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false&Downloads=true#RTL8188RU

    This driver *should* work ( no warranty whatsoever )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jepp, thats the Chip of that model and I already got the card running on OSx with the original Driver/Tool from Alpha.
      But what I'm searching for: A tool on OSx which is able to show me the signal strength! All tools I found only working with the build in AirPort Adapter... :-/

      Delete
    2. Thx. The card works fine with wireless network utility provided by ALFA. Does it mean I should be able to use the NHRv2 also with KisMAC? (How do I get the driver visible in KisMAC settings)

      Delete
    3. The NHR is not KisMAC compatible

      Delete
  118. Another question: Because I already bought the NHRv2 (by stupidness) I bought right now the "right" card the 036H. I also have the TP 2114B antenna.
    So does it make sense to use the 036H to arrange the antenna with KisMAC and after that using the NHRv2 for "addition" signal strenght?

    ReplyDelete
  119. - The antenna is the black rod that sticks out of the card/Wlan
    - You can use both cards at the same time. No, it will not add signal strength. Just like 2 cars driving on the same road do not add their speed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thats exactly NOT what I was asking... :-/

      Delete
    2. Next time, try NOT to use one word for another: "use the 036H to arrange the antenna with KisMAC"

      RTFM & STFW

      Delete
  120. I really need one of these, just don't know how to get it shipped to Australia mate.

    ReplyDelete
  121. Admin is it true that the 036H will not work in the normal 64bit OS anymore?

    Some sites claim the card will not work in mac in the normal 64bit mode. Any comments would be much appreciated!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not a straightforward answer:
      The hardware will work, the software may not.
      It also depends if you only want to use the 036H as an injection card, or also use it as a WLAN, or both.
      Now, what is " normal 64bit " is the question.
      The Realtek WLAN App will not work under any 64bit OSX, but the card will work with the KisMAC drivers for capture and injection.
      Some late 10.6.8 OSX were shipped in 64bit
      Then, KisMAC has some issues on 10.10 Yosemite
      So, as short answer:
      10.6 to 10.6.8 : Yes
      10.7 Yes with Kali App (both Realtek/WLAN and 036H)
      10.8 Yes with Kali App (both Realtek/WLAN and 036H)
      10.9 KisMAC 2 only (No WLAN)
      10.10 KisMAC 2 only *under certain conditions*, with a grain of salt. NO WLAN!

      Many tools were developed for 10.6.8 + 10.7: I still use a boot of 10.6.8 to play with KisMAC and Pyrit. Up to this day, I have not found anything faster than Pyrit CUDA on precomputed DB ( besides dedicated GPU's and $$$$ machines )
      JTR is very good, but there is a long learning curve.

      Delete
    2. Admin -
      I have an iMac running Yosemite. What are my options for injection, capture, & pwd recovery? 036H & KisMAC 2? But, u say *only under certain conditions*? Can you elaborate? Are there any cost effective alternatives?

      Delete
    3. Paul,
      The easiest, most effective way is to boot with an USB or external Hard drive on 10.6.8 or 10.7
      http://easymactips.blogspot.com/2001/06/how-to-create-usb-bootable-osx-leopard.html
      Or use an app called DiskMaker X

      Delete
  122. Admin is it rue that the 036H will not work with mac OS X 64bit?
    Some sites say that the card will only work during a 32bit boot. Is this true?

    If yes, are there any workarounds OR any cards that are as good as the 036H but with mac support?

    ReplyDelete
  123. Trying a wep crack now with a mbp 17 intel core duo w Awus036h seems to be working. ... still waiting on more iv routes! Couldn't get aircrack to work with me :(

    ReplyDelete
  124. Nice post for best compatible wifi card. This really very useful to me

    ReplyDelete
  125. Quite a nooby I am. Please advice which Antenna should I get?
    My mac: Processor
    2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
    OS X 10.8.5 (12F2542)

    I was thinking Alfa AWUS036H V5 1000mW.
    Thank you!
    John.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes.
      fyi, the "antenna" is the black rod that stick out of the card.
      the "card" is called a WLAN
      Don't confuse the two.

      Delete
    2. Forever live, forever learn.
      Thank you so much, mate.

      Delete
  126. Thats very informative dude. Thanks for the kind information

    TranceBlogger.

    ReplyDelete
  127. could this one work with Kismac? thx

    USB Rt3070 Chipset 802.11n 150m Wifi Wireless-n Card Dongle Adapter
    http://ebay.to/2jGfQDp

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope, as explained in the blog above.
      RTL8187 only
      Lastly, buying on Ebay is at your own risk, lot of counterfeited crap.
      As [also] mentioned in the blog, get it on Amazon.

      Delete