Compatible Wireless Network Adapters for Backtrack 5

       

 Compatible Wireless Network Adapters for Backtrack 5

       Backtrack is popular open source Linux distribution used by most of the security professionals for network security. Security Professionals use it for checking the loop-holes in their network and cover those holes. Backtrack can also be used for hacking a wireless network. It has all the essential tools for hacking a WEP/WPA/WPA2 network (airodump-ng,aircrack-ng,etc). A wireless network can be hacked directly from the windows but for that you need to be willing to spend thousands of cash for an AirPcap Tx/Nx adapter. We use Backtrack instead of Windows also because Windows does not have patched drivers that support injection. So it is relatively easy and very cheap to use Backtrack by booting a live USB/DVD. The most important thing here is to make sure that your wireless network adapter supports monitor mode and packet injection.
       A wireless network adapter can be used in two modes: Normal mode and Monitor mode. Normal mode is what you normally use your network adapter for connecting to a network and surfing the internet. Monitor mode is a different mode in which the network adapter monitors all the access points (networks) in the area and intercepts its packets (i.e packet injection). So, it is a must that your network adapter should support monitor mode.

       Not all network adapters support packet injection or monitor mode. For laptops, there is an in-built wireless network adapter(mostly). You're lucky if your in-built network adapter supports packet injection. But you do not need to worry; you can still purchase a cheap external USB Wireless network adapter that is capable of packet injection. The following in-built network adapters support packet injection and are compatible with Backtrack 5:

• Broadcom Corporation BCM4321 abgn rev 03
• Broadcom Corporation BCM4322 abgn
• Atheros AR5008,AR5009,AR92xx
• Atheros AR9380,AR9382,AR9390
• Atheros AR9485
• Dell Wireless 1505,1510,1515,1520,1530
• Dell Wireless 1702
• Intel 3945ABG
• Intel 4956/5xxx
• Internal Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG

 These are the tested Wireless Network adapters that support packet injection. You may find many other network adapters online. Just Google it! Or simply test the compatibility of your in-built wireless adapter or external USB wireless adapter in Backtrack 5. For that, click on this link: http://keep-it-sim.blogspot.com/testing

     Now coming on to the USB wireless network adapters, there is a wide of variety of Wireless USB network adapters available in the market (brands like Digicom,TP-LINK,NetGear,D-Link,Alfa,etc). Out of them, some of the best Wireless USB Network adapters are listed below:

• ALFA AWUS036H 1000mW Long-Range with Realtek RTL8187L
• D-Link DWA-160 v.B2
• D-Link DWA-182
• Edimax EW-7733UnD
• Linksys WUSB600N
• NetGear WN111 v2
• NetGear WNDA 3100 v1
• NetGear WNDA 3100 v2
• TP-Link TL-WDN3200
• TP-Link TL-WN721N and TP-Link WN722N
• TP-Link TL-WN821 N v1,v2 and v3
• TP-Link TL-WN822N v1 and v2

       These are some of the adapters that will support packet injection. Out of them, ALFA AWUS036H is supposed to be the best for hacking and other purposes. But, its hardly available in markets in Nepal. The easily available adapters in market in Nepal are D-Link DWA,TP-Link TL-WDN3200, TP-Link TL-WN721N, TP-Link TL-WN722N and TP-Link TL-822. You can purchase them at Computer Bazaar in Putalisadak or shops in New Road and costs around Rs. 800 to Rs. 2000. The one I use is TP-Link WN722N 150Mbps High-Gain adapter and its pretty good adapter. And i purchased it for only Rs. 1200 at Computer Bazaar. Adapters from NetGear is also a good choice but its not easily available in Nepal. You will need to search from shop to shop and its quite tedious. So, TP-Link adapters is the easy option.

The Packet injection test can also be done on the Wireless USB Network Adapters, so if you already own a USB adapter, just give it a little test. Click on the link:

http://keep-it-sim.blogspot.com/testing 

Pictures of the Working Wireless USB Network Adapters

Edimax EW-7733UnD

D-Link DWA 160

TP-Link TL-WN 721N

TP-Link TL-WN822N

TP-Link TL-WN722N

NetGear Wn111 v2

LinkSys WUSB600N

 

   If you have problems regarding compatibility of your wireless card, comment in the comment section below. Feel free to comment :)

Testing Compatibility of Wireless Network Adapter

Testing Compatibility of Wireless Network Adapter

      If you already own a USB wireless network adapter, its wise to just give it a little test for its compatibility. It may save some of your money.

       For this, connect your USB adapter to your PC (don't need to do anything for testing the in-built adapters). Then, boot Backtrack 5. After you've booted up Backtrack 5, open a Terminal and type:                                                       
                                                                         iwconfig

      This command lets you see all the interfaces available in your PC, including your wireless network interface. As in the snapshot, the wireless network interface name is wlan0 (Mostly it is wlan0, but it is dependent of network adapter.If a different name appears for your adapter, use that name). Interface name is wlan0 and its currently working in Normal Mode. Inorder to test its capability of packet injection, we need to operate it in Monitor mode.

Type:

airmon-ng

        This command will show all of your wireless network interfaces. As in snapshot above its showing wlan0.

Type:

airmon-ng start wlan0

       This command will put your adapter in Monitor mode.(If your interface name is other than wlan0, type that name instead of wlan0 in above command) Now that your adapter is in Monitor mode, your interface name will now be changed to mon0. From here onwards, you will now use mon0 wherever you will have to put your interface name.

           Now that you have put you adapter in Monitor mode, the final command lets you see the injection capability.

Type:

aireplay-ng -9 mon0

         In the snapshot, it is clearly showing that "Injection is Working". If your adapter does not support injection, it will show some other messages saying "ARP injection not supported" or something like that.

So this is how you test the compatibility of your wireless network adapter. If you have problems regarding anything, feel free to ask in the comment section below. Thanks!