Asus USB-AC56 Won't go into monitor mode?

[unclespam]

3219

Hello,

According to a few different sites the USB-AC56 should be able do go into monitor mode.


this site explicitly says so https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/USBAC56/
this guys reported success with the same card https://forums.kali.org/showthread.php?22578-Going-to-buy-a-802-11ac-wireless-adaptor
this site also explicitly says so https://www.acrylicwifi.com/en/support-webinars-wifi-wireless-network-software-tools/compatible-hardware/


I have Kali installed directly on this laptop (just to make it as easy as possible. I'm just learning).

I buy the card. First I try the drivers from Asus' site https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/USBAC56/HelpDesk_Download/. ./install.sh fails:


: error: ?_timer {aka struct timer_list}? has no member named ?data? ptimer->data = (unsigned long)cntx;




Which led me to an askubuntu (https://askubuntu.com/questions/1042399/make-modules-error-2) about a similar error. From the errors in the console I was able to determine that I needed drivers for the rtl8812AU chipset and that, finally, led me to a working driver (https://github.com/diederikdehaas/rtl8812AU/)

Now I can see and use the USB-AC56! But it won't get into monitor mode :mad:. I figure out which one it is by running
iwconfig, unplugging it, and running
iwconfig again. First I run
iw list to see if monitor mode is supported and if I am reading this right, yes it is supported:


Supported interface modes: * IBSS
* managed
* AP
* monitor
* mesh point
* P2P-client
* P2P-GO
* P2P-device




Then I do:


ifconfig wlan1 down
iwconfig wlan1 mode monitor
fconfig wlan1 up
iw list


and that gives:


wlan1 unassociated Nickname:"<WIFI@REALTEK>" Mode:Managed Frequency=2.412 GHz Access Point: Not-Associated
Sensitivity:0/0
Retry:off RTS thr:off Fragment thr:off
Encryption key:off
Power Management:off
Link Quality=0/100 Signal level=0 dBm Noise level=0 dBm
Rx invalid nwid:0 Rx invalid crypt:0 Rx invalid frag:0
Tx excessive retries:0 Invalid misc:0 Missed beacon:0




so it's not in monitor mode. Similiarly, if I select that NIC in Wireshark, then Stop, then Capture Options, then click the monitor mode checkbox it immediately unchecks itself. Can you help a brotha-er out?

[bigbiz]

Try these commands one after the other
airmon-ng

airmon-ng check kill

airmon-ng start wlanx ( x being adapter from airmon-ng call)

If not
rfkill list all

[unclespam]

Hi bigbiz, Thank for replying.

After creating this post I went back at it for a little while. I think I saw some success with
airodump-ng wlan0

because it said it switched the device to monitor mode and started showing results. Plus wireshark started seeing all wifi traffic so I think it worked. One thing I don't understand is
iwconfig shows it as being in Auto mode. I guess Auto mode lets it work in Managed mode (?).


airmon-ng check kill shows wpa_supplicant which I killed. I continue following your steps (which at this point may not even be necessary but I'm just following through) and that gives:


root@kali:~# airmon-ng start wlan0



PHY Interface Driver Chipset


phy1 wlan0 8812au ASUSTek Computer, Inc.


Error setting channel: command failed: Operation not supported (-95)


(mac80211 monitor mode already enabled for [phy1]wlan0 on [phy1]10)

[unclespam]

Sorry, I need to add some clarity to my previous post but I can't edit it until it's approved. When I "went back at it" I had ran:
sudo pkill wpa_supplicantsudo systemctl stop NetworkManager.service

which I think was the key (same as you were saying. kill the process that was taking it out of monitor mode).

[unclespam]

I was wrong. It's still not going in monitor mode even after
airmon-ng check kill. It just goes into Auto mode. Any idea about what to try next? I'll keep trying. If I haven't posted an answer that means I still haven't got it in monitor mode. By that I mean iwconfig reports Mode: Monitor.

[unclespam]

Okay finally I got into monitor mode.

Step1: return the Asus USB-AC56 to the store! it won't go into monitor mode!
Step2: order an alfa https://www.amazon.com/AWUS036NEH-Range-WIRELESS-802-11b-USBAdapter/dp/B0035OCVO6

I didn't even have to install any drivers. The alpha went straight into monitor mode plus it was half the cost.