Hardware

Hardware Recommendations

hostapd-mana acts as an access point, this means it needs a wireless device that supports master mode. This is different from the monitor mode or frame injection support required for projects such as aircrack.

Table of Contents

• Checking for master mode
• Devices known to work
• Devices that partially work
• Devices known not to work

Checking for master mode

If you have iw you can check for master mode with:

iw list

In the long list of output, look for the supported interface modes. You’ll want AP to be in there, such as:

Supported interface modes:
         * IBSS
         * managed
         * AP
         * AP/VLAN
         * monitor
         * mesh point

Ubuntu has more information on this.

Devices known to work

Three cards that have been confirmed to work:

• Panda PAU08 amazon.com link

• Ubiquiti SR-71 (not made anymore, chipset AR9170, driver carl9170)

• "Old" Alfa Black AWUS036NHA (chipset Atheros AR9271, buy one). This is still my faithful fall back.

• TP-Link TL-WN722N (chipset Atheros AR9271)

Devices that partially work

• Alfa Orange AWUS052NH (chipset Ralink RT3572). This was my new favourite, but recently my mac disables the USB port regularly for attempting to use too much power, even with the dual USB cable plugged in, at random intervals, making it unreliable. I’ve tested with multiple NICs.

Devices known not to work

• Original Alfa Silver AWUS036H. While this supports monitor mode and frame injection, it does not support master mode.

• "New" Alfa Black AWUS036ACH (chipset Realtek RTL8812AU). This is particularly sneaky, as it supports master mode, and will create an AP, and attacks such as WPE/EAP interception will work as they function at a RADIUS level. However, mana changes to probe behaviour will not, as that is handled by the chip’s firmware.