USB Ethernet Adapter for Macbook Air

Welcome to Apple Discussions, lucyzy!

How are you running windows? Boot Camp? Parallels?

Unfortunately as far as I know the USB to ethernet adaptor isn't supported in Windows at the moment. There are several posts about this on this forum and as far as I can see nobody has gotten it working yet.

I love it.
It's the first time that I work with a APPLE.

I had the same problem. Apple Support said to install the Ethernet adapter while Windows was running and then run the install disk and it will find the driver. (Running in BootCamp - all updates included for XP)

That doesn't work. It didn't for me our our IT person. Their solution was install a USNB ethernet adapter for Windows. When they installed that software on the Windows it shut down my blut tooth mouse and the track pad. I don't know what they did but they got the mouse and track pad working again but not the adapter.

There is a fix you can Google but I am reluctant to buy it - I think a fix will show up soon - best get a wireless modem for now and if you are worried about security just unplug it when you are not using it.

I recommend you buy the Belkin Gigabit USB 2.0 Network Adapter Part # F5D5055 that sells retail at $44.99. The adapter that Apple sells is only 10/100 and doesn't support Gigabit.

This adapter:
* Provides networking speeds of up to 1000Mbps*
* Offers easy integration into existing 10/100 Ethernet networks;
* Features extensive driver support, and works with Macintosh® computers

This is odd. I installed the drivers from the Macbook Air install DVD.

After that I plugged in the Apple USB ethernet adapter, and it configured without trouble.

I wonder, whether there are different versions of the driver floating around. You definitely do not want to use the regular Leopard DVD for this.

Not to be a downer, but USB 2.0 has a max speed of 420mbps, so a gigabit usb ethernet card isn't exactly accurate. Yea you might be able to get more than 100mbps, but usb 2.0 effective rate is somewhere around 320mbps, on a sunny 75 degree day. So even with the gigabit card, you're not going to see 1000mbps speeds, and even a real gigabit card never sees the peak theoretical throughput of 1000mbps

I wouldn't worry too much about gigabit on a usb 2.0 ethernet card, just my opinion.

There's a driver for it on the internet, and I downloaded it and it works fine with Windows XP PRO, using Boot Camp. I did a Google search and found it. I'll try to find the info and pass it along.

Here's a link for the working driver:
http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/02/10/windows-drivers-for-apple-usb-ethernet-ad apter/

I haven't tried it, but reports say that it works for 32-bit XP.

I've got an even better one: I recommend the Apple Airport Express. Once you have it set up, just plug it in and go, wi-fi for OS X and Windows. You can leave the dongle at home.