MacOS is an operating system that is always preferred over Windows when it comes to stability and performance. It requires an Apple computer to run but Hackintosh is a way by which you can enjoy the macOS on a PC.
Jan 19, 2016 Anyone know a USB Wireless Adapter that will work with El Capitan? I'm running a Macbook Pro built in late 2011. So it doesn't have a USB 3.0 port, only USB 2.0. Also, the built in wireless isn't working, hence my desire to try an external adapter. Aug 01, 2013 Most chipsets inside USB WiFi Adapters are manufactured by either Realtek or Ralink. To this day, Realtek still hasn't officially released drivers for OS X Mavericks (10.9) or Yosemite (10.10), the two newest versions of Mac OS X- however, Realtek's drivers for Lion (10.7) and Mountain Lion (10.8) sometimes work on newer versions of OS X anyways. Aug 28, 2016 El Capitan 10.11.6 Best USB Wi-Fi adapters Thread starter lisemi; Start date Aug 28, 2016; lisemi. Joined Aug 25, 2016 Messages 16. Aug 28, 2016 #1 Hi! The EDUP Wi-Fi Adapter is the best cheap USB Wi-Fi adapter we could find. While it may not support USB 3.0, it’s about as cheap as Wi-Fi adapters get and it has the added boon of a discrete antenna.
Hackintosh has its difficulties. For me, the biggest hurdle is the Wi-Fi adapter. Mostly PCs (especially laptops), are equipped with built-in Wi-Fi adapters. Many of them do not support MAC OS.
You will likely need to buy a Wi-Fi adapter for your Hackintosh build. There are many options but the biggest question is which adapter will work on the macOS.
I have done the research and consulted some friends who have successfully built a Hackintosh build. I have come to a list of adapters, which supports macOS. From that list, I have chosen some of the best performing Wi-Fi adapters.
All the devices support below mentioned macOS versions:
- macOS Mavericks 10.9
- macOS Yosemite 10.10
- macOS El Capitan 10.11
- macOS Sierra 10.12,
- macOS High Sierra 10.13
- macOS Mojave 10.14
- macOS Catalina 10.15
The best overall pick for a Hackintosh build!
TP-Link Archer T3U
Best Usb Wifi Adapter For El Capitan Drive
It is AC1300 Rated and it supports latest Wi-Fi technologies. The best this is that it is cheap and works perfectly.
Below is the list of the adapters that I chose. Read the detailed reviews below to know what is best for your needs.
Netgear A7000
Key Features:
- Magnetic Desktop Cradle
- AC1900 rated
- 600 + 1300 Mbps
- Supports 3×4 MIMO
- Explicit Beamforming
- Excellent Build Quality
- Dedicated WPS Button
This is the best for me. It has the maximum throughput I have ever seen in any Wi-Fi adapter. The build quality is excellent and long-lasting.
It has a deployable antenna. The best is the magnetic cradle with a wire. There is a WPS button too.
It is dual-band supported. On both bands, this adapter is amazingly fast. You can get a maximum of 1300 Mbps of speed on 5 GHz.
There are 4x internal antennas. These antennas support beamforming technology for directed and powerful signals.
It also supports 3×4 MIMO. I never found this adapter slow or lagging.
It is great for 4k video streaming, downloading, and file sharing. The latency is very low and stable.
The range is enough for a large home. Even if the router is not on the same floor, it works perfectly.
I have written a detailed review on this adapter in my other post, give it a read too; Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Gaming
TP-Link Archer T9UH v2
Key Features:
- Cradle for Deployment
- AC1900 Rated
- Supports Beamforming
- Supports MU-MIMO
- Dedicated WPS Button
- Supports Win + macOS + Linux
This is my best overall pick. It comes with a cradle and packs the latest features with ultra-fast data speeds. The best thing is that it works on multiple platforms.
There is one external antenna, which is deployable, and it contains four internal antennas. The range is quite impressive. If you have a good router, you can enjoy 5 GHz connectivity all over a large house.
It is AC1900 rated and it supports dual-band connectivity. On 2.4 GHz, it gives 600 Mbps. And on 5 GHz, it gives 1300 Mbps maximum data speed. It is perfect for 4k video streaming, file transfer, or downloading.
It has beamforming and MU-MIMO technology. So, you get targeted and stable signals. Also, if there are multiple users on the networks, your speed will not be affected.
It performs excellently. The latency is low and the speed is consistent with stable signals, what else do I need?
It is one of the best out there in the market. I have done a detailed review of this adapter in my other article; Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Gaming
TP-Link Archer T3U
Key Features:
- AC 1300 Rated
- 867 + 400 Mbps
- Supports Beamforming
- Supports MU-MIMO
- Compact and Portable
It is the best budget option. It supports the latest Wi-Fi technologies and stays within the budget. It also supports dual-band connectivity.
It is just the size of a thumb. It is a small black USB adapter. It has a small green LED, which blinks when connected and operational.
There is a CD in the box that contains necessary drivers and utility software.
It has a USB 3.0 interface, which is also backward compatible with USB 2.0.
On 5 GHz, you can get a maximum of 867 Mbps speed and on 2.4 GHz, you can get a maximum of 400 Mbps speed. Use the USB 3.0 port to get the maximum performance.
It supports Beamforming technology. The signals are strong and reliable.
In my tests, the signals of the 2.4 GHz band are more stable. Maybe that is because of my router.
In my tests, the signals of the 2.4 GHz band are more stable. Maybe that is because of my router.
There is an internal Omni-directional antenna.
It also supports MU-MIMO technology. If your router supports MU-MIMO then you can enjoy efficient and fast Wi-Fi speed even when multiple users are on the network.
This Wi-Fi adapter is a great option. It stays in the budget and gives you a lot. You can also go for a cheaper version of it, TP-Link Archer T2U, but I will not recommend that because of slow performance and connection issues.
Linksys WUSB6300
Key features:
- Compact and Portable
- AC1200 Rated
- 300 + 867 Mbps
- Supports Beamforming
- Supports MU-MIMO
This adapter has one of the highest throughputs I have seen. I bought the renewed version of it, which costs half the price of the new one.
It is a simple-looking device. It has two LEDs on top of it for indication. All the antennas are internal.
It is an AC1200 rated device. It gives a maximum of 867 Mbps of connection on 5 GHz. Both bands work great.
It supports beamforming and MIMO technologies. It has 2×2 internal antennas. It is not good for large homes. I recommend this for small homes, or where the distance between the router and the PC is less.
It is good for 4k video streaming and downloading. The file-sharing is not so much good as others do.
For a detailed review of this adapter go to my other article; Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Gaming
Linksys WUSB6400M
Key features:
- AC1200 Rated
- 866 + 300 Mbps
- High Gain External Antenna
- Supports Beamforming
- Supports MU-MIMO
It an upgraded version of Linksys WUSB6300. It looks identical to its predecessor but it is thick because of the fold able antenna. It is also expensive. If you go for this one, it will not disappoint you.
It has a great build quality. The antenna is firm and does not moves. It helps to deploy the adapter.
It is AC1200 rated and supports dual-band connectivity. You can get a maximum of 866 Mbps of speed. It is good for downloading and 4k video streaming.
The external antenna works excellent. Even if the router is, one floor down or one floor up, you can easily connect to the network.
It supports beamforming technology with targeted signals. It gives a stable connection.
It also supports MU-MIMO technology. It gives improved throughput when multiple users are on the network.
For both MIMO and beamforming to work, the router must support these technologies.
It is also portable and easy to carry with laptops. Linksys always make reliable and long-lasting products.
ASUS USB-N13
Key Features:
- Easy to Use
- 300 Mbps Connection
- Software AP
- Multiple OS Support
- Supports 2×2 MIMO
It is expensive. Like you can get much more in half the price of it. Then why I chose it?
It supports multiple OS, including Windows, MAC, and Linux. You can also use it on XBOX.
It supports multiple OS, including Windows, MAC, and Linux. You can also use it on XBOX.
It looks like a simple flash drive. It has a LED light and a WPS connect button.
There is also a CD and the warranty card in the box. The CD contains necessary drivers and software.
It gives 300 Mbps of maximum speed on 2.4 GHz. It is good for HD video streaming and downloading. I do not recommend this for file sharing. Only because it has a USB 2.0 interface. That is what I do not like.
It has 2x internal antennas. Both are very strong and reliable. The range is amazingly good with stable signals.
It supports 2×2 MIMO technology. It is very helpful if your router supports MIMO. But, sadly there is no beamforming.
The antennas work so well, at first I was doubtful that it has beamforming, but when I checked, I come to know that I was wrong.
There is a utility software on the CD. You can create a soft AP using that software. This way you can share your internet with others.
Best Usb Wifi Adapter For El Capitan Download
It is a good option if you need a good range device and you have an internet connection below 100 Mbps.
Best Usb Wifi Adapter For El Capitan 10
If you can spend around $110 on your Hackintosh build, then I recommend ASUS USB-AC68. You can read the detailed review in my other article; Best USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Gaming
TP-Link WN722Nv3
Key Features:
- 150 Mbps Connection
- High-Gain Antennas
- Detachable Antenna
- Dedicated WPS Button
- Supports Multiple OS
It has a high gain detachable antenna. The range is impressive. This is the only reason I chose it.
Two years back, when I had a 10 Mbps connection, this was enough for me. It is not good for file-sharing or high speed downloading. But for internet browsing and video calling, it is good.
There is a WPS button on aside. The antenna is detachable. You can also connect any after-market antenna with it.
Best Usb Wifi Adapter Windows 10
The signals are stable and reliable. Once deployed, it becomes tension free. The strong antenna gives consistent low latency. I used it for gaming (on Windows). It was excellent.
It is good for MAC OSX and it supports Linux.
This is all that I can say about this adapter. It is good and not too expensive. On the other hand, if you already have it then it will work with your Hackintosh build.
EDIMAX EW-7822ULC
Key Features:
- AC1200 Rated
- Very Small
- Dual-Band Connectivity
- Supports MU-MIMO
- Supports Beamforming
- Cheap
This is the smallest AC rated Wi-Fi adapter I have found. It is just the size of a thumbnail. It has the latest technologies packed in. The best thing is that is very cheap.
It is AC1200 rated. It offers a maximum of 866 Mbps connection on 5 GHz. On 2.4 GHz, it gives 300 Mbps. This is what the company claims. But, in reality, it only gives 520-588 Mbps connection on 5 GHz.
The bad thing is that it has a USB 2.0 interface. I think this is the reason for the slow connection speed on 5 GHz.
It supports MU-MIMO and beamforming technologies. I never expected to get these two at $20.
The range is good. Not too much good but ok.
It is very small. I would say it is the ideal size for laptops, as you do not need to unplug it when you carry your laptop.
If you are not far from your router then this is a cheap solution.
EDIMAX EW-7722UTn V2
Key Features:
- 300 Mbps Connection
- Compact and Portable
- Dedicated WPS Button
- Small USB Extension Cable
- Cheapest
It is very small, only the size of a thumb. The best thing is it is the cheapest I have found that works well.
It works on a 2.4 GHz band and offers a maximum of 300 Mbps connection. It is good for HD video streaming, video calls, and internet usage.
There is a small USB extension cable. It is good but I do not know how to use it for deployment. A cradle could is better but I did not understand an extension cable of 4-5 inches.
It supports Wi-Fi multimedia so that you can prioritize the type of data. For example, you can select video calling and video streaming at top priority.
Then even if there is a downloading going on, your video call or video streaming will not be affected.
This is a simple device. It is the cheapest option. I recommend this one if you are going to try Hackintosh for the first time.
Buying Guide
Here are some factors that you must keep in mind before buying a USB adapter for your Hackintosh.
- Compatibility
The Wi-Fi adapter that you have or the one you are going to buy must be compatible with the macOS. If you have one, then you have to check if it is listed in the list above. If not, then you have to check the chipset.
If you are going to buy, then go for any of the above-mentioned products, all are supported on macOS.
- Budget
Of course, budget matters. Especially for those who are going to try the Hackintosh for the first time.
You must know your need. Only go for your requirement. Never overbuy. If you are just one room away from the router or there are few users on the router only, then you do not need high-end expensive Wi-Fi adapters.
If you spend for them, then you will have those features and fast data speeds.
- Range
The distance between your PC and the router is the biggest problem. Measure the exact distance and go for the most suitable option. If you are not on the same floor then you must go for an adapter with an external antenna.
- Beamforming
If there are some hurdles between your PC and the router, then you should select an adapter with beamforming technology. It helps to connect you with the router with targeted signals.
It directs signals towards your adapter, so you can have stable signals. Otherwise, you will face connection loss or signal drop on excessive usage.
- MU-MIMO
If there are multiple users in your house, then this will help you. It gives efficient data transmission without having any bottlenecks in the networks. Each device is separately connected.
The router delivers data simultaneously to each device. Your router must have the MIMO technology. Otherwise, it is useless.
Conclusion
All the products mentioned in the article are supported on macOS. The supported versions are mentioned above. I hope you find the best Wi-Fi adapter for you. If you are facing any difficulty then read the buying guide above or ask in the comments.
I have reviewed and tested the devices and I have tried to give you the best options. If there is anything that I have missed or did not mention then please let me know.
Sources:
Wireless USB Adapter
Wireless USB Adapter
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Hi,
I just made my Hackintosh running on El Capitan. My motherboard is the Gigabyte Z97N-Gaming-5 and because this motherboard's WiFi card is not compatible with Mac OS X, I am looking for the best USB WiFi adapter that I can use to connect to WiFi on my Hackintosh.
Thanks and any expertise is appreciate along with a suggestion for the best USB WiFi adapter. Also my criteria for 'best' is loose, I just want something that works well, price is not a huge factor.
Thanks!
I just made my Hackintosh running on El Capitan. My motherboard is the Gigabyte Z97N-Gaming-5 and because this motherboard's WiFi card is not compatible with Mac OS X, I am looking for the best USB WiFi adapter that I can use to connect to WiFi on my Hackintosh.
Thanks and any expertise is appreciate along with a suggestion for the best USB WiFi adapter. Also my criteria for 'best' is loose, I just want something that works well, price is not a huge factor.
Thanks!