What is the best Alfa series wifi adapter for pen testing?

[eddiek85]

There are numerous threads dating back from '05ish up to several months ago on this. There is still no definitive post about which one is the 'best'. AWUS036H is the one that has made a name for itself, but I'm pretty sure that over a 10 year span something better would have come out.

Some threads say the AWUS051NH is the best, people start conversing, and then the conversation just fizzles out. This seems to be the trend for most of these threads. So, I was wondering if anyone with experience with the Alfa line of adapters could recommend one to me. Which one is the all around best to get?

[Guest spazi]

You're right, this topic has been discussed a hundred times. I don't think there is a card that is "the best"
I own and use AWUS036H and AWUS036NHA.
The AWUS036H has better range but doesn't support 802.11n.

The AWUS036NHA has slighty lower range but is has faster speed since it support 802.11n

So I use the AWUS036H when I need range and the AWUS036NHA if range isn't a problem.

I haven't tried the AWUS051NH, but a lot of hackers are using it and I've heard great things about it :)

[Computer_Security]

I agree 100% with Spazi that the AWUS036H has more range then the AWUS036NHA.

But I personally prefer the AWUS036NHA because it does support the N routers and even though the range is not as good you can always buy an antenna for it to dramatically increase the range. A few that I have seen are the Yagi antenna which you can buy from the hak shop for about 100$ i think

Then you could go for the big boy and buy this very directional antenna for about 50 bucks but it could go for about a mile without any trees or buildings in the way

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K2I70E/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1QMYGGY8AGFAK&coliid=I3V16V2LQR7IBV

My point is that when you are looking for the best antenna you shouldn't look at the range because that's an easy fix

But more at if it performs the way you want and for me i like the way that the AWUS036NHA performs because of how I can connect to N routers and does everything that I want! So I guess there is no definite BEST because everyone has a different opinion.

Working Backtrack Wireless Cards

1. AWUS036H (rtl8187, r8187)
2. AWUS036NH (Ralink RT2870/3070)
3. BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY (rev 01)
4. Rockland N3 - (Ralink RT2870/3070)
5. Edimax EW-7318USG USB - (Ralink RT2501/RT2573)
6. ASUSTek Computer, Inc. RT2573
7. Linksys WUSB54GC ver 3
8. Ubiquiti SRC
9. Internal Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
10. Dlink WNA-2330 PCMCIA
11. Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
12. Netgear wg111v2
13. ZyXEL AG-225H v2
14. Intel 4956/5xxx

Not Working Backtrack Wireless Cards

1. D-Link DWL-122
2. Linksys WUSB600N v2
3. AWUS051NH

Edited July 5, 2014 by I_NEED_HELP