News

March 14, 2014

Alfa AWUS036NHR v2 Windows 8.1 Driver/Client Utility now available

Incompatibility issues with Alfa AWUS036NHR v2 and Windows 8.1 appear to be over with the release of this updated Client UI/Driver release from Alfa Network, Inc. We have tested it to be stable. Previously Windows 8.1 use would result in a crash on plug-in of the AWUS036NHR adapter, or shortly after plug-in unless the Client Utility application was manually uninstalled via Control Panel first.

Many have asked us how they know if they have Windows 8.1. The short answer is unless you purposely upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 in the Windows app store, you have Windows 8. But to be sure, it is easy to check. On your Windows 8 home tile screen, pull up the search box and type "Control Panel". Inside Control Panel, click "System and Security" and then click "System". Look on that screen for "Windows Edition". If it says Windows 8, you have Windows 8. If it says Windows 8.1, you have Windows 8.1.

If you have problems with this driver update and need help, please click the Support menu option up top and contact our support department. Blog comments are not regularly reviewed by our staff.

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August 31, 2013

Alfa AWUS036NHR v2 (version 2) now in stock!

Alfa AWUS036NHR v2, the newest long range WiFi USB adapter from Alfa Network Inc. is now in stock.

AWUS036NHR v2 features a redesigned interior that enhances quality and functionality. Use it to get much better Wi-Fi range on your desktop or laptop PC. No built-in Wi-Fi card is required, this is a standalone Wi-Fi receiver. Featuring a high end Realtek RTL8188RU chipset, Alfa AWUS036NHR has markedly improved receive sensitivity compared to its predecessor, model AWUS036NH. If you have been holding out on upgrading your 802.11g standard Wi-Fi adapter or your store-bought basic power 802.11n adapter isn't getting it done, now is the time to end the holdout. Alfa's AWUS036NHR combines the fast speed of 802.11n with long range reception for both 802.11g and 802.11n WiFi standards.

Now includes Windows 8 install software on CD

AWUS036NHR will work with any computer that has an available USB port and Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. It ships with a Linux driver, but this driver comes with no warranty or support. Linux is a user supported operating system and at this time we do no have install guides for specific Linux installs. We recommend searching online using the chipset name RTL8188RU to find out if this is compatible with your Linux distro.

This works on Microsoft Surface Pro tablets running Windows 8 (requires driver download) but does NOT work with Windows Surface RT tablets or other tablets/laptops running Microsoft Surface RT, which looks like Windows 8 but is actually a locked down version of Windows that does not support 3rd party drivers.

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August 01, 2012

Alfa R36 for AWUS036NH and AWUS036NHR now available

We now have Alfa R36 for AWUS036NH and AWUS036NHR in stock. This is the new version that does not support AWUS036H. We also carry the AWUS036H version here.

R36 is a unique WiFi router from Alfa Network, Inc. which allows you to share a WiFi connection from your AWUS036NH or AWUS036NHR WiFi USB adapter. It is the only router on the market that allows the input to be a USB WiFi adapter (the USB WiFi adapter must be Alfa brand, and must be one of the compatible models listed). Using its repeater mode, you can receive a long range WiFi signal on the R36 and share it with other WiFi enabled devices like tablets, game consoles, and other computers.


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January 05, 2012

Top 5 Alfa Network indoor USB Wi-Fi adapters

Need help deciding which Wi-Fi adapter to get? We make it easy with our new feature that ranks indoor Alfa Network Wi-Fi USB adapters by both range and speed. When you are buying an Alfa adapter, you really can't go wrong either way as all Alfa models get good range and speed. But our new rankings show you the ones that get the best overall range and the best overall speed so you can decide which will be the best for your needs.

Our range rankings were created based on a test of which adapter could see the most networks in total. Our speed rankings were created first based on which adapter had the fastest overall connection speed to the router. For those adapters that had the same maximum connection speed, we sorted those based on which had the fastest overall throughput speed to our ISP based on a throughput test. Because this can vary based on ISP and router model, we also averaged in feedback from customers about which model had the fastest througput.

We did not include outdoor models from Alfa, these rankings are just for indoor models.

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August 25, 2011

New- an outdoor weather resistant case for Alfa AWUS036H, AWUS036NHR

If you are in need of a long range outdoor Wi-Fi solution, before you consider a pricey $100+ outdoor receiver, why not simply put your indoor long range Wi-Fi adapter outdoors? Now you can use your Alfa AWUS036H, AWUS036NHR, or Rokland n3 wireless USB outdoors with our weather resistant case mount enclosure.



It features a USB cable hole on the bottom and an antenna/antenna extension cable hole on the top. Also included are eight screws- four wood screws designed to fasten the entire encasement to a surface area, and four smaller screws designed to keep the lid onto the case. This comes with 4 pieces of 5 lb test double-sided adhesive which allows you to fasten the container to an encasement without using the wood screws. This may be ideal for use on the outside of an RV or a boat. The 5 lb capacity of the adhesive is enough to hold any Wi-Fi adapter that will fit and antennas up to 9 dBi.

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August 16, 2011

Alfa AWUS036NHR is Backtrack 5/Linux compatible

Alfa’s AWUS036NHR is Linux compatible. It also works with Backtrack 5 (BT5), but is not plug and play. Driver installation is needed (note: at this time it does not appear to be possible to get AWUS036NHR into monitor mode AND have 802.11n capabilities at the same time, see Alfa’s AWUS036NH or Rokland’s n3 for 802.11n and monitor mode capability in Backtrack 5).



The following is a quick-install guide for Linux users.
This should allow you to use your AWUS036NHR for Wi-Fi access in most recent Linux distributions running kernel 2.6.38, but as noted, monitor mode does not appear to be supported by this driver. Further down we have a link to a driver that is reported to allow you to use AWUS036NHR in monitor mode, but the corresponding web page notes the device will only have 802.11g functionality.

To install your Realtek RTL8188RU based AWUS036NHR in Linux, first download the driver here. The following steps were taken on an HP laptop running Backtrack 5, but the steps should be similar for other recent Linux distros.

*If you are not able to unzip the driver download file in Linux, you will need to download the file to a Windows computer to unzip and then copy the contents to your Linux computer via flash drive or another method.

1. When you have the files extracted on your Linux machine, open a terminal window and navigate to the location of the drivers.
2. Type ./install.sh to install the driver package
3. If installation completes successfully, then you can connect the Alfa adapter to the computer and open “Wicd Network Manager” from the Internet menu to connect to networks. Inside Wicd, click Preferences and change the network device to the AWUS036NHR adapter. If you are not sure of the device name, in a terminal window type “iwconfig” without quotes and it will list it there. Commonly the device will be called wlan0, wlan1, or wlan2 depending on whether you have other wireless cards installed on the computer.
4. If you receive a makefile error about “no rule to make target modules”, you may need to prepare kernel headers. As root, at the command line run these commands (you will need to have Internet access on the computer already):

prepare-kernel-sources

cd /usr/src/linux

cp -rf include/generated/* include/linux/

5. Upon completion, repeat step number 2 above to complete driver installation. Then connect the adapter to the computer and proceed to step 3.

URTWN Driver:

There is a driver called urtwn which specifies compatibility with RTL8188RU chipset-based devices, and allows for them to be put into monitor mode. The documentation for the driver explains that 802.11n functionality is not supported, so RTL8188RU devices will only operate in B/G mode. Rokland has not yet tried to use this driver with AWUS036NHR and is not able to offer installation assistance or support. You can visit this site for download information and more details:

http://resin.csoft.net/cgi-bin/man.cgi?section=4&topic=urtwn


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July 25, 2011

Alfa AWUS036NHR now in stock!

 If you snoozed on our pre-order deal, grab your AWUS036NHR now for just $34.97 with FREE SHIPPING within the US!



Alfa's AWUS036NHR is the long-awaited successor to their popular AWUS036NH long range 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter. What's different? Even...longer...range...to both N and G access points! Based on the sensitive Realtek RTL8188RU chipset, AWUS036NHR gives you the fast speeds of 802.11n and stronger signals than most existing 802.11n Wi-Fi products. Not convinced? Check out this range comparison test vs. Alfa's AWUS036NH model:



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July 21, 2011

Alfa Network's AWUS036NHR coming next week, pre-order now and save 10%

Alfa Network's newest 802.11n long range Wi-Fi USB adapter, model AWUS036NHR, launches next week. To see how it compares to Alfa's current long range N model, AWUS036NH,  check out this video:


 
Then you can pre-order AWUS036NHR directly from our web site and save 10% by using coupon code "AWUS036NHR" during checkout.

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