Having trouble getting your ALFA AWUS036ACH Wi-Fi adapter working on Linux?

The AWUS036ACH uses the Realtek RTL8812AU chipset, and some Linux distributions may require an additional driver before the adapter works properly.

This guide shows a simple way to install the driver.

Step 1: Update Linux

Open Terminal and run:

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install the required tools

Run:

sudo apt install -y dkms git build-essential

These tools are needed to download and install the Wi-Fi driver.

Step 3: Download the driver

Run:

git clone https://github.com/morrownr/8812au.git

Then enter the driver folder:

cd 8812au

Step 4: Install the driver

Run:

sudo ./install-driver.sh

Wait for the installation to finish.

Step 5: Restart Linux

Once the installation is complete:

sudo reboot

After the computer restarts, plug in the AWUS036ACH.

Step 6: Check if the adapter is detected

Run:

iw dev or iwconfig

You should see a wireless interface.

You can also check the USB device:

lsusb

The AWUS036ACH normally appears as a Realtek RTL8812AU device. ALFA identifies the adapter with USB ID 0bda:8812.

If You Want Monitor Mode

The RTL8812AU driver supports monitor mode, which is useful for authorized wireless security testing and your own lab environment.

First find the interface name:

iw dev or iwconfig

For example, if your adapter is wlan0:

sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo iw wlan0 set monitor control
sudo ip link set wlan0 up

Check the result:

iw dev

You should see:

type monitor

To return to normal Wi-Fi mode

sudo ip link set wlan0 down
sudo iw wlan0 set type managed
sudo ip link set wlan0 up

Replace wlan0 with the actual interface name shown on your system.

Quick Summary

For most Ubuntu/Debian-based systems, the basic process is:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y dkms git build-essential

git clone https://github.com/morrownr/8812au.git
cd 8812au
sudo ./install-driver.sh

sudo reboot

After reboot:

iw dev or iwconfig

If the wireless interface appears, your ALFA AWUS036ACH is ready to use.

Important

The exact installation method can depend on your Linux distribution and kernel version. If the commands above don’t work, check your Linux version with:

uname -r

and check whether the adapter is detected with:

lsusb

The AWUS036ACH is officially documented by ALFA as an RTL8812AU-based adapter, and Linux driver projects specifically list the AWUS036ACH as supported hardware.

Note: Use monitor mode and wireless testing only on networks you own or have explicit permission to test.