Using Alfa AWUS036H on Windows 10
Note that we do not advertise or promote the use of AWUS036H on Windows 10. We have better and faster options available for purchase such as the newer AWUS036ACH.
But if you already own an AWUS036H and find yourself wanting to use it on Windows 10, here is a quick way how to do it.
The last driver made for this item was December of 2009 for Windows 7. The installer package for Windows 7 does not work on Windows 8 or 10, it just says "incompatible operating system" when you try and run it. So you need to run it in Windows 7 compatibility mode.
Step 1: Download Win7 driver (http://www.rokland.com/mask/drivers/alfa/awus036h_windows_7.zip)
Step 2: Open the downloaded zip file and extract the contents to a place on your computer you can find.
Step 3: Navigate to where you extracted the contents. Right-click the Setup.exe program and select Properties. Click the Compatibility tab and under Compatibility mode choose "Windows 7" and make sure the "Run this program in compatibility mode" is checked. Then click Apply and exit the Properties window. This should bypass the compatibility error.
Step 4: Run the Setup.exe program in full and restart the PC when done.Connect your AWUS036H to the PC and use as normal.
Comments
Chris Liedtke said:
To bad you decided to punt this adapter to obsolescence. What a dick move. You should just refund everyone the money paid for the device that now finds they need it for windows 10. I wont be purchasing any of YOUR “better options”. Hopefully the next manufacturer treats customers better, what would it take about an hour of code? Really.
ROKLAND LLC said:
Hi Chris,
The AWUS036H was released 12 years ago in 2007. The 802.11g technology is much older and slow. It is natural for tech products to be discontinued after a period of time. The AWUS036H has been supported through Windows 98SE, 2000, ME, XP, Vista, and Windows 7. The chipset maker did not release updated drivers beyond Windows 7 because they discontinued the chip some years ago to focus resources on development of newer 802.11n and 802.11ac chips. Technology companies don’t have the resources to continue updating drivers for outdated hardware for decades. Microsoft has an end of life for operating systems. You can’t get updates for Microsoft Windows XP or Vista anymore, and 7 support is about to end. Try going to Apple for an update on your 2007 iPhone, or even later models. This has nothing to do with this specific manufacturer, tech products do reach an end of life after a period of years. It takes much more than an hour of code to make a product continue to perform well with new operating systems and encryption standards year after year.
As far as refunding money, using that logic, every tech company would be out of business (I used Windows XP for 10 years but want a full refund from Microsoft because they don’t support XP anymore, a full refund from Apple on my iPhone I used for three years because it can’t be updated anymore, and a refund from my cable company because my cable modem from 2012 doesn’t support newer DOCSIS standards). Tech companies could never develop newer faster products, they would just use resources to promote and support current products indefinitely. We’d still be using CRT monitors and dialup modems, if we even got that far. Note any tech item is always advertised with specific compatibility statements, and those should be taken into consideration when buying. If a new operating system is launching soon an a product is not advertised as compatible with it, you can always reach out to ask if it will be supported an we can find out if we don’t already know.
However this very article is about workarounds to get it working on newer unsupported operating systems so those who have bought the product in years past can extend the life of it. Thank you for posting-
David Turner said:
Good answer , I also have the Alfa AWUS036H and windows 10, which is why I came to your site to try and resurrect it. It worked well on my older laptop, But like you said, all good things come to an end. So, what would be a good replacement on my HP laptop that has windows 10 ? Thanks
phil.m said:
Excellent “Quick way how to guide” installing Alpha wifi AWUS036H to Windows10.
I just followed the simple instructions and the (link) and this old dongle’s ready for
years more service. Thanks
Ron said:
Loved Rokland llc’s answer. . it showed measured restraint on their part. lol. Also, cudos to be so thorough that it left virtually no where to even wiggle. So yeah, im sold on anything you’re selling. :)
Nicolas said:
Merci beaucoup, super tutoriel.
astevens said:
I’ve got more than my moneys worth out of it, very happy with my purchase made like a decade ago. Having the driver for download is huge as Alpha has a less than adequate site with broken links.
Mike K4PI said:
Many thanks for taking the trouble to write up how to run your older device on Win 10. I do have one of your newer units also. Good luck keep up the good work.