USB WiFi adapter that works with M1 Mac

Apple no longer allows the operating system drivers for USB wifi adapters.

What's guaranteed to work is the following combination:

1. A Wifi range extender or travel router or pocket router that has an Ethernet port.
2. A USB-C Ethernet adapter or USB-C hub with Ethernet port and USB-C power provider.
3. An Ethernet cable to connect the two.

You put the range extender or travel router in AP mode (sometimes called bridging mode or client mode). Thus, the Ethernet port is now a wired connection to your wifi network.

An example of #1 is the TP-Link WR802N Nano Travel Router.

An example of #2 is the Anker PowerExpand 6-in-1 USB-C hub.

Combining those two with a short flat Ethernet cable will put everything right next to your Mac.

Total cost is a little more than a USB wifi dongle, but it's less than $80 and guaranteed to work on all Macs in the foreseeable future.

As a network security professional, this simply isn't true.

Not all networks are interconnected. And not all networks need or should have, an Internet connection.

There are often good reasons for this, and there are good reasons to have a "multi-homed" network endpoint.

You are so-o-o wrong about this post.

The original poster wants to connect to two DIFFERENT wifi routers, with two different IP nets.

Thus, the two different wifis will NOT be one single network.

I personally have a network with two wifi routers connected to two different ISPs for redundancy.

You did not answer the original post about a wifi adapter that works with an M1 mac.

Did you find a solution that works?

I've had good luck (minus the ongoing problems that today's Apple Mx devices and/or macOS versions have/use the external usb-c/thunderbolt ports in general) and with both an Asus USB-C2500 2.5G Ethernet Adaptor (despite the model name, it has a USB A connector @ 5000mbps, not C, so you'll need an adapter to use it on the M1 MBPs), and OWC's Thunderbolt Pro Dock, which has a 10GbE connection on it, as well as 2 card readers (CFExpress and SD 4.0), 2 thunderbolt 3 ports with charging capabilities (10w and 84w), 4 USB A ports (usb 3.2, 10Gbps) and a DisplayPort.

The dock is pricier at $379, but you can get the 2.5gbps ethernet dongles for about $50 or less, many different brands will work, I just happened to get the ASUS one. I'd avoid the current 5Gbps ethernet adapters that are around, they usually USB A 3.0@5000mbps, and will never surpass much above 3gbps on the ethernet connection. Hope that helps.

Since every Apple-silicon MacBook Pro comes with built-in Wi-Fi, the market for an add-on device that does the job you are requesting is VERY small, and there may simply be no such devices.

in addition, I help users with real problems just getting ONE Wi-Fi network going in their home or office, and many are really struggling to make this work because the airwaves can be crowded.

If you want another network, I use and recommend the Belkin USB-C Ethernet adapter for sale in the Apple Online Store. You can connect it directly to one router with an Ethernet cable, and there is your alternate network. Be sure your cable has all eight conductors present, or it will be limited to 100 M bits/sec speeds.

baws.dawg Said:

"USB WiFi adapter that works with M1 Macs Does anyone know of a USB Wi-Fi adapter that works with M1 Macs and/or MacOS Big Sur or later?"

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Connecting a USB Wi-Fi Adapter:

I question whether or not if you'd find a USB Wi-Fi adapter that is of USB-C in a retail store. So, for note, you may need this adapter for a successful connection: USB-C to USB Adapter - Apple

Everything you connect together with Wi-Fi or Ethernet is one single Network. Think of it as a Highway. There is no inherent Internet connection, unless you choose to add an internet connection.

There is no conflict.

I have five routers, one 10G Ethernet switch, two Gigabit Ethernet switches. Every device has a unique IP address, and every device sees only packets addressed to its IP address.

Packets going to the Internet are sent to the TopMost, working interface in system preferences > networks.

Packets going to the Server go to the server directly, not via the internet.

Packets going to the network printers go directly to the printers, not through the Internet.

If you have a functioning Wi-Fi network, that is all you need. Every device in your house can use the same Wi-Fi Highway, and just get on and off at the proper exit for its data.

Forget the reference to AP mode. Nowadays that's for accessing a wired network via Wifi. You want the opposite, accessing a Wifi network via wired.

Range extenders often default to having the Ethernet port access the Wifi network.

For the TP-Link Nano Router, put it in Client mode.