The Alfa AWUS050NH version 2 is here...

The Alfa AWUS050NH version 2 is here...and it works better than the version 1, but in terms of 802.11g performance it is still not as good as the AWUS036H 802.11g 500mW adapter from Alfa.

We did multiple tests in Windows and Linux with multiple units to be sure. We will have a video test up on our blog shortly which compares the AWUS050NH to both the AWUS036H and the n3 USB adapter.

The AWUS050NH picked up a similar number of APs vs. the AWUS036H, but the signal strengths were quite a bit weaker. In Windows they had fewer bars, whereas in Linux the percentage numbers were lower.

The bottom line is while the AWUS050NH version 2 seems to work a little better than the version 1, if you are primarily trying to pick up and connect to 802.11g standard wireless networks, the AWUS036H from Alfa and the n3 both did a better job.

We are going to carry the Alfa AWUS050NH due to high demand and relatively good reviews from places like Lifehacker. It works fine and when used with an 802.11n router, you will get good range and speed. But for those of you hoping the AWUS050NH version 2 was going to work as good as the AWUS036H but with added N capabilities, at least where we are located that does not seem to be the case.

The n3 from Rokland and Windows 7

A quick post to say the n3 works great in Windows 7 release candidate.

Windows 7 drivers are now available for the n3 from Rokland http://bit.ly/A8t82

The RAID WiFi adapter and BackTrack 4

We've got a brand new product called the RAID, which stands for Rokland Auditing/Injecting Device.

The RAID is designed for use in BackTrack 3 and BackTrack 4 Linux and takes its shape and chipset from the popular (but discontinued) Alfa AWUS036S wireless USB adapter. The AWUS036S was highly recommended for use in BackTrack 3 Linux, primarily because it was a low-cost, good-range adapter with an RP-SMA port, and was compatible with programs like Aircrack. The AWUS036S is no longer being made, but the RAID was designed with the same chipset in order to offer the same functionality.

We have done some testing of Rokland RAID in the Backtrack 4 pre-release final edition. Here are some notes:

1. BT4 has been designed so that by default the networking services do not load at startup. If you have BT4 installed to a disk drive, you can make some changes to that they will load at startup. If you are using a bootable CD version of BT4 and running the OS entirely from CD, you will need to set aside some disk space on your hard drive so that any settings changes you make will be saved. Otherwise remember that any settings changes or package installs you do will be gone the next time you boot. This blog post is not a tutorial on how to do this, but you can find this info easily by searching the remote-exploit.org forums.

2. If you are planning to use BackTrack 4 for injection/cracking, you probably do not need to enable networking services. For the most part you will only need to enable networking services when you want to connect to an AP.

3. The RAID will automatically be recognized in BackTrack 4 pre-release final, but because the networking services are not loaded, the adapter is not plug and play in the sense that you will not be able to open a web browser right away and go online.

4. To use the device to scan for networks, you will need to start networking services.

• /etc/init.d/networking start
• /etc/init.d/networkmanager start

On our version run from CD, we did not have networkmanager, the client utility was called Wicd Network Manager, however the program (located in the Internet folder) did not load when selected. The fix is to run this command:

• /usr/bin/start-network

Then you can go to Internet and select Wicd Network Manager and the GUI will load.

With Wicd Network Manager running, you will see available networks. Connecting is straightforward, but if you attempt to connect to an encrypted network, you may get an error that "this network requires encryption to be enabled". To enabled encryption, follow these instructions:

• click on the name of the network to which you want to connect. Then click the Advanced Settings button that appears. Make sure the 'use encryption' box is checked, then enter in the network key. Now you can go back and connect to that network.

Note that the steps above are not specific to the RAID, they are just helpful hints when using any compatible wireless adapter with BackTrack 4.

We connected to some APs and went online just to ensure the driver was working properly, then rebooted and ran some tests in Aircrack. We created several test networks for injection purposes. The tests were designed to show the vulnerabilities of WEP encryption. Each AP set up for this purpose was encrypted with WEP encryption. One model had 64-bit and the other model 128-bit. On one computer we used BackTrack3 and SPoonWep (a program that comes with BT3) and were able to recover the 64-bit and 128-bit keys relatively quickly using the RAID. On another computer we loaded BT4 pre-release final edition and hooked up the RAID. SPoonWep does not come with BT4 pre-release final edition, and as far as we could find out, will not work on BT4 if you try to install it manually. This may change on future versions of BT4 or SPoonWep, but for now if you want to do injection with BT4 you can use a program like Aircrack. We used Aircrack on BT4 with the RAID and successfully recovered the WEP keys from both test APs.

n3, RokN, and BT4 pre-release final

A quick note to let you know that we have completed more testing in the BackTrack 4 pre-release final edition and are not going to advertise the n3 and RokN as BT4 compatible at this time. The devices are recognized on BT4 pre-release final, and can even detect networks in Wicd Network Manager, but cannot connect to them. We did no further testing on any of the apps, because we figured even if they worked with programs like Aircrack, we could not really say they work in BT4 if you can't use them for basic Internet access. However for people that just want to use the n3 for Aircrack or other apps, we may do some more testing in the coming weeks. Both adapters use a pretty highly recommended chip for Linux from Ralink, so we hope that these issues which appear to be driver related might be cleared up in the final release of BT4. For now, as 802.11n devices from other Linux-friendly chipset makers like Realtek are just coming to market in early August, we would say that using 802.11n in BT4 pre-release final might be a bit of a chore.

If you are looking for a device that will work great in BT4 pre-release final, we are launching later today in fact a new 802.11g adapter with RP-SMA connector called the RAID (stands for Rokland Auditing/Injection Device) that is very similar to the Alfa AWUS036S model. We will of course have a post on it when it is online and ready for purchase.

The n3 from Rokland: "most powerful wifi adapter I've ever seen"

That's what one of our customers had to say about the n3, our 802.11n wireless USB adapter for Macs, PCs, and Netbooks.

The reason we mention this is because several people have asked us where they can find independent reviews of the n3. While you may find some forum reviews by doing an Internet search, as the product was just released in July, they might still be few and far between. We did put the product up on eBay when it launched for maximum exposure, and have had many positive comments come in.

Below we have listed some of these comments. Please note that we have removed the user ID of each commenter, however you can verify the comments are genuine by viewing our eBay feedback profile at eBay.com (our user ID is rokland). If you go to the time and date of each comment shown, you will be able to verify it is genuine.

most powerful wifi adapter I've ever seen! a+++customer service. thanks so much!
Jul-14-09 05:29

Amazing! All my friends want one!
Jul-13-09 09:15

works well, connects to networks I couldn't get before
Jul-11-09 16:48

fantastic product, thanks! A+++!!!
Jul-12-09 20:33

WORKS GREAT !!!! GOT IT FAST !!!! A # 1 DEAL !!!! :) THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jul-30-09 17:18

Great increase in range. Item as described and arrived as indicated. Top seller.
Jul-26-09 02:59

Great product and great seller!! Thanks!
Jul-25-09 12:32

shipped quickly, no hassles, item as described, what more do you want. A+
Jul-22-09 07:33

Super Fast Shipping & Great Product! A+++
Jul-16-09 22:04

These are just a few of many, and we are excited that they have found the item to be just as great as we did in our testing. If you have any questions about the n3, please contact us.

Alfa AWUS050NH version 2 delayed...

In this June blog post we discussed the forthcoming Alfa AWUS050NH version 2 500mW 802.11n adapter that was supposed to be available in July. Alfa had discontinued manufacturing version 1 in order to make a version 2 which was to have improved range and sensitivity for 802.11g connections.

We just found out from Alfa directly that version 2, which was to ship out on July 22nd, has been delayed. There is no new ETA, however we would speculate early August availability.

A prototype of version 2 we recently received had some issues, and we are glad Alfa is taking the time to make sure the final shelf version will be an excellent product.

We will have the new version 2 model as soon as it is available. In the meantime customers have asked us if we know of any other place they can get the version 2. There is no other place, because Alfa does not have the version ready yet, and as an authorized Alfa reseller and distributor we will be the first to have it when it is ready. Some other retailers have the AWUS050NH model in stock, but those are version 1 units. Those retailers may not be aware a new improved version is coming, or they may be selling off the remainder of their version 1 stock.

If you are in the market for an 802.11n adapter with good range and need to get something right now, take a look at this and this.

Price cuts: Rok500 now $29.97, Rok500 now $31.97

We've been able to negotiate new lower prices from our manufacturers, and also reduce their global freight costs, for both the popular Rok500 500mW wireless USB adapter, and the RokN 802.11n wireless USB adapter for Macs and PCs. The Rok500 is now just $29.97 and the Rok500 is just $31.97.

Rokland talks about Twitter...

We've been using Twitter (@Rokland) for a while now, and find it a great way to keep customers and potential customers posted about new product releases, product updates, sales, etc. It is also a great way for people to send us quick feedback and responses.

The other day I was listening to a radio talk show, and a caller discussed Twitter, his voice dripping with contempt. "Twitter," he said, "is very fitting of it's name, it's filled with people who have nothing better to do than twitter away their time by finding out that their friend just made a sandwich, or their other friend just got home from the gym." Now that quote is not exact since it comes from memory, but it is pretty close.

This sentiment is one I hear often from people who really have not used the service that much (or at all). While some do use the service similar to a status update on Facebook, Twitter allows you to communicate with a broad range of people easier and faster than any other medium. To those that dismiss it in the manner the fellow on the radio, it is akin to dismissing the importance of email by saying "email is just for people who want to read jokes forwarded by their grandmother."

The netbook is dead, long live laptops?

If you haven't heard of netbooks, the latest craze in portable computing, head to your local Best Buy or other electronics retailer and you'll notice that the laptop selection has been reduced in favor of shelf space for much smaller laptop-like computers. These devices, the largest of them with a 10.1 inch screen, are cheaper, smaller, and lighter than laptops. They can be a bit tougher to use of course, with common complaints being the smaller keyboards and eyestrain from focusing on the little screens. But sales have ballooned over the past year, and now with service providers like Sprint and Verizon offering even lower-cost netbooks with a 2-year data contract, retail analysts expect sales to continue to grow for years to come.

But Joe Wilcox of eWeek says the netbook will soon be a thing of the past. You can read his list of reasons here. What do you think?

A) Netbooks are awesome, I already have one
B) I plan to get one soon because they are so cheap
C) They look cool, but I probably won't ever buy one
D) Joe Wilcox is right, the netbook won't be around for long

The n3 is here!

The n3 802.11n wireless USB adapter from Rokland just launched about 1AM EST, today, July 1st, 2009. We promised a July 1st launch date, and we made sure to deliver. A lot of people have been inquiring about the n3 based on our YouTube previews of the product, so we thought it was appropriate to begin the launch with a 45 second video spot which shows some great images of the item.

The n3 is an 802.11n standard long range WiFi adapter for use with Macs (running OS 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5), as well as PCs with Windows 2000 and later. It features an RP-SMA external antenna port, and it can clip on easily to the back of your laptop LCD. The best thing about this adapter aside from its appearance (it has a nice shiny reflective surface that matches many of today's netbooks and laptops) is the range it gets. We've got some videos on our blog from this past week showing off just what the n3 can do, so be sure to check them out!

I hope you guys have as much fun using the n3 as we did putting it together and getting it launched. We will have some more details regarding use in Linux in the coming weeks, right now for support purposes we are gearing this adapter toward Mac and PC users. While we have launched a number of Rokland branded products in the past, such as the RokAir, the RokN, and most recently the Rok500, this was by far the biggest launch we have done, and we feel this is the best product we have ever offered, both in terms of design and functionality. Please be sure to let us know what you think when you receive your item if you order one, and, if you like it, be sure to let everyone know via sites like Twitter, Digg, Facebook, and StumbleUpon. Thanks!