Alfa AWUS036ACH Wi-Fi Adapter

🌐 Resources 🔗

• morrownr/USB-WiFi: USB WiFi Adapter Information for Linux

  • USB WiFi chipset information for Linux · morrownr/USB-WiFi

• Configuring the Alpha AWUS036ACH Wi-Fi Adapter on Kali Linux | HackerNoon

• lwfinger/rtw88: A backport of the Realtek Wifi 5 drivers from the wireless-next repo.

• WiFi adapter (driver) tests · ZerBea/hcxdumptool · Discussion #361

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🔬 Hardware

• Alfa AWUS036ACH v.2 Wi-Fi USB C Adapter

  • Alfa AWUS036ACH v.2 - USB-C 802.11ac AC1200 Dual Band WiFi USB Adapter

  • AWUS036ACH Drivers

Manufacturer	Alfa Network
SKU	AWUS036ACH-C
EAN	4718050307302
Chipset	RTL8812AU
Wi-Fi Standards	802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11a, 802.11ac
Wi-Fi Frequency	2.4 Ghz, 5 Ghz
2.4GHz Radio Rate	300Mbps
5Ghz Radio Rate	867Mbps
Wireless Security	WEP, WPA, WPA2
Antenna Type	Omni-Directional
Antenna Connector	RP-SMA Female
Antenna Gain	5dbi x 2
USB Ports	USB C 3.0

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Install procedure

Connect the adapter to a USB port with the included cable.

If running Windows, download the driver at this link, unzip it and install it via the Setup.exe

• https://files.alfa.com.tw/?dir=%5B1%5D%20WiFi%20USB%20adapter/AWUS036ACH/Windows/Windows%2010%20WPA3%20driver

Open Kali Linux (virtual-machine) and check if it recognizes the plugged in device.

• In case of VirtualBox or VMWare Workstation, the USB needs to be connected via the Removable Devices menu

lsusb

Bus 003 Device 005: ID 0bda:8812 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8812AU 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2T2R DB WLAN Adapter

iwconfig
# no wireless extensions

Kali Linux needs the drivers to see the device as an available network device.

• Dynamic Kernel Module Support (DKMS) automatically rebuilds and re-signs kernel modules like rtw88 after kernel updates

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install -y linux-headers-generic build-essential git

sudo apt install -y dkms
cd $HOME/tools
git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw88
cd rtw88
sudo dkms install $PWD
sudo make install_fw

reboot

After the reboot, check again the installed drivers

iwconfig

wlan0     IEEE 802.11  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:on

Test Monitor mode

sudo airmon-ng check kill
sudo airmon-ng start wlan0
iwconfig

# Output
PHY	Interface	Driver		Chipset

phy1	wlan0		rtw_8812au	Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8812AU 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2T2R DB WLAN Adapter
		(mac80211 monitor mode vif enabled for [phy1]wlan0 on [phy1]wlan0mon)
		(mac80211 station mode vif disabled for [phy1]wlan0)

# Output iwconfig
wlan0mon  IEEE 802.11  Mode:Monitor  Frequency:2.457 GHz  Tx-Power=20 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Power Management:on

# Search and discover SSIDs
sudo airodump-ng wlan0mon

# Stop Monitor mode
sudo airmon-ng stop wlan0mon

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