Windows Atheros AR9271

Discussion in 'Wireless Drivers & Utilities' started by kevsamiga, 16 Jan 2014.

  1. Jammie

    Jammie Active Member

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    thanks for the suggestion to use the windows xp driver instead of windows 7 they really do work much better
     
  2. DaiRx

    DaiRx New Member

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    Thanks for Windows 8.1 Drivers atleast now my WN722N don't drop the connection without reason like it seamed to do with the TP-Link Officials.
     
  3. kevsamiga

    kevsamiga Well-Known Member
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    If I find any more updates to any of the drivers out there, you will all be the first to know in this thread...

    But remember I have several ALFA cards I need to keep well fed with driver updates, not only 036NHA.

    But for now, everything I already linked is the absolute latest I have for AR9271 based adapters as of 17/09/2014.
     
  4. gordon freeman

    gordon freeman Active Member

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    Hi all,

    Gave up on my son's tp-link wn722n with W8.1 at 2am. We built a gaming (and homework) desktop PC (just under 1 yr old) with a nice, fast SSD and MSI mobo (I think). It used to be connected directly to a router but then we moved to a different house and he went back to the wifi adapter AFTER he updated to W8.1. It used to work fine with W8. I've tried every driver I cld find... QC/atheros ver 25, 28, netgear, tp-link, AWUS036NHA, etc... Tried drivers form these sites too:
    http://tinyurl.com/kmoncnu
    http://www.rokland.com/mask/drivers/alfa/

    No dice. W8.1 just doesn't like the ar9271 chipset. This adapter used to work great! Even tried a netgear wna1100 which didn't work either bec it has the same chipset (9271)! Argh! Seems like this adapter is done at W8 since 8.1 came out a year ago. I have no hope for new drivers but if you find more, that wld be great! I'm watching the thread in case you do. And with W10 just unveiled, it pretty much makes the hardware another OS older... Typical middle-aged hardware/new OS crap. It always happens...

    Thanks in advance kev...

    Cheers,
    jim
     
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  5. night_owl

    night_owl Member

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    So , what about ubiquiti wifi station ext and windows 8.1 ?
     
  6. AlleyViper

    AlleyViper Active Member

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    Hi, thanks for this thread, as it permitted me to use my adapter with so many driver suggestions.

    I'll share my experience with a NHA and a few drivers under a problematic setup, as probably most of you use better Intel USB ports. This is under w8.1 x64 and running USB either from the MB's AMD SB750 ports (these are very flacky) or a NEC/Renesas D720200F1 USB3.0 add on card. My testing is under a home network, trying to get achieve the best sustained download speeds.

    8.0.0.80 - These drivers were included on the NHA's Alfa branded CD, and are currently the only ones available on their site:
    NEC USB3.0 - With these drivers the NEC controller would crash when installing the card, or plugging to it after successfully installing on a MB port. Symptoms would be system hang, or total loss of USB ports (on MB too) unless unplugged even after restart, sometimes a BSOD without any description.
    SB750 - Would install fine, but after taxing the card at constant 30-40Mbps downstream, a DPC Watchdog Violation BSOD would happen most times after 2-5 minutes. So, these proved impossible to use.

    2.0.0.32 - These are the drivers suggested by Windows Update if the NHA is plugged with another adapter connected to the internet:
    NEC USB3.0 - No go, same problem as above.
    SB750 - Would install fine, but while taxing the card (the same way) it would cause an ugly USB disconnect after some minutes. When it happens, every USB device is restarted (network connection is automatically resumed after, no need to replug).

    10.0.0.28 - I've unpacked these drivers from a Netgear WNA1100 installer, their folder is labeled as a proper W8.1 driver, as already stated in this thread.
    NEC USB3.0 - Would install fine (!). I'm yet to see any USB disconnection after >15h of testing under max downstream stress. I'm getting some traffic interruptions for a couple of seconds from time to time (but no connection drop to the router), but the frequency of these seem to be influenced by the router channel, and would happen also under the SB750 with any combination of drivers.
    SB750 - Exact same USB resets as above.

    Note: On every test, I've also tried plugging the NHA to my monitors powered USB hub (I assume so, as turning off the monitor also disconnects any device plugged, so they don't seem to be fed from the MB), and only then to the MB. This was to check for a power related problem on the MB ports, but the same USB resets persisted.

    So, in my W8.1 setup, the only combo that seem to work (until now), is running the NHA with the 10.0.0.28 under the NEC USB3.0 controller.
     
    #86 AlleyViper, 24 Oct 2014
    Last edited: 24 Oct 2014
  7. gordon freeman

    gordon freeman Active Member

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    At least that worked for you... We just got fed up and after running off a 50 ft cat5 on the floor for a week, we returned it and got a netgear WN2000RPT extender for $45...
    Problem solved... (y)
     
  8. hardox

    hardox Active Member

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    Hi,I recently bought alfaNHA(AR9271).It works well with the XP64 driver on win7.I tought it should work with 5 m USB cable,but more than 3m with common USB doesn't work.No problems whith 10m utp5e cable(using two small usb to RJ45 conectors),but you know there is a speed limit and can't reach more than 1000kbs download or upload!
    Now i'm planning to buy an outside panel directional antenna(around 20dbi)and a signal amplifier.
    Can you advise me what amplifier will be best for 20 dbi panel antenna,1000mw or 4000mw.Is it dangerous to stay near the antenna and what is the safe distence if I use 4000mw amplifier?

    P.S. in second toughts I don't know how much is the internal alfa amplifier and what distance will cover with 20dbi antenna without using additional amlifier?
     
    #88 hardox, 2 Nov 2014
    Last edited: 2 Nov 2014
  9. AlleyViper

    AlleyViper Active Member

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    I've found that the AWUS036NHA is very picky about USB cables, probably more about voltage than current.
    On my laptop's USB ports (Haswell-H based, 10.0.28 under w8.1x64) I've had random disconnects under stress on USB charger, regular and 3.0 ports, and could cause it even by wiggling the USB cable or moving the adapter around. At first I thought there wasn't enough current, so I've tried a female A to male Y power USB cable at the end of the original 28AWG 5ft Alfa cable for an extra 100mhA. There was no improvement.
    Then I've tried a short 1.5ft external hd cable, also with a less resistant 26AWG power wiring (being a 28/26AWG WD cable), and the NHA behaved OK.

    Fortunately, I've found a very cheap 6ft 28/24AWG cable that is now behaving fine (CCF-USB2-AM5P-6).
    So, if you're using a NHA on a laptop and facing random disconnections, even by running it under a powered hub, the unsuspecting original cable could be causing it.
     
  10. hardox

    hardox Active Member

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    I was thinking about 5 m. usb 3.0 cable.
     
  11. baxter89gsp

    baxter89gsp Active Member

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    Works perfect with w8.1,no shutdown :)
     
  12. Axis0fEvil

    Axis0fEvil Active Member

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    @kevsamiga
    are you planning home-brew drivers for the AWUS036NHA ar9271 ?!
    Thanks
     
  13. Axis0fEvil

    Axis0fEvil Active Member

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    sorry my bad, I found them but noticed that when installing the modded driver for AWUS036NHA, that the network connection is stable but the internet traffic always drop, you have to disconnect from the access point then connect again to continue browsing the internet.

    is there anyway to fix that, I am using the XP modded drivers on windows 7 and noticed more networks and better connection to AP however, as I stated above the internet traffic drops
     
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  14. kevsamiga

    kevsamiga Well-Known Member
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    They are still flaky/untested. It was a 5 min job to add Wireless mode selection.

    Do using the Vista drivers drop too ?

    I don't understand why Qualcomm updated them for Win 8.1 and nothing else, because the others are clearly not stable/lag.
     
    #94 kevsamiga, 2 Feb 2015
    Last edited: 2 Feb 2015
  15. kevsamiga

    kevsamiga Well-Known Member
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    It doesn't have to be a bad cable disconnecting when wiggled around, it could be a bad port that's not holding the connector tight enough.

    And well....It could be a bad cable responsible (ALFA's quality isn't what it used to be), but the TP-Link WN722N also does the same merry shutdown dance with the dongle plugged directly into the USB port and no cable, so I ruled that one out by trial and error years ago.

    So the common denominator is still AR9271 and shitty unfinished drivers on Win7 in my book.
     
  16. AlleyViper

    AlleyViper Active Member

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    It could be a combination of both, because I have no trouble with the original cable in a dedicated USB3.0 card. But what's certain, is that wiggling causes a small voltage drop on my laptops ports, and using any of the other two cables that have less resistance due to length or wire gauge (wich turns in less voltage drop under normal use) make my card way less prone to those drops (I hadn't any). The AR9271 might just be very sensitive to the 5V line fluctuations.
     
  17. kevsamiga

    kevsamiga Well-Known Member
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    The way to confirm that is to use an active extension where there is a voltage dropoff
    due to the length of the cable.

    Some ALFA's don't like being on lengthy cables without shutting down unless a powered usb hub is connected
    inline, and even then they just don't like being on long cables.

    The 036H is prone to this as is the 036NHV. I believe the NHA is to some extent. The 051NH/036NH less so.

    But as I said my TP-Link WN722N dongle does it whatver USB port it sits in minus the cable or nevertheless
    inserted into a powered 2A usb hub all by itself.

    I have a feeling the Windows 7 drivers were never finished (some versions are worse than others for shutting down, but all the Win7 drivers do it), and your much better in reliability of consistent connection if you take 8.0.0.60 for Vista or 7.7.0.98/102 from XP forced onto Windows 7.
     
  18. MrZyzz

    MrZyzz Member

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    hi guys :) i have alfa awus036nha. nha chipset atheros 9271. version 2.0.0.57 :) can you help me about update version ? and my atheros 9271 settings :

    802.11b Preamble : Long Only

    Network Adress : no

    Receive Buffers : 256

    Scan Valid İnterval : 60

    Transmit Buffers : 256

    i want best performance so this settings okey ?

    thank you :) by the way sorry for my english :)
     
  19. mat84

    mat84 Active Member

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    how to detect my awus036nha alfa wireless usb adapter on xiaopan 0.4.7.2 im using flash drive to boot the xiaopan
     
  20. MrZyzz

    MrZyzz Member

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    hi again :) i update my nha. but now why my nha 100 mw ? how i can change to 630mw ?. and avaible power levels b/g. this device has n mode i know.how can i change to n mode. and when i update my device sometimes i get no internet access. i restart my connection and 10 or 20 minutes late again no internet access :/ thank you for this topic

    [​IMG]
     
    #100 MrZyzz, 4 Mar 2015
    Last edited: 4 Mar 2015

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