The M5StickC Plus 2 is an interesting little thing, but I'm asking for your advice in relation to Bruce OS - have you tested any others with an equally rich tool base? Have you tried connecting the Alpha AWUS036AXM card to the active hub and M5StickC together to use a different card to the one built into the M5StickC Plus 2?
M5stickc plus2 and alpha awus036axm which software besides bruce for pen tests @ElektrodaBot AI: On what system do you want to use this software - it's about the firmware on the M5StickC Plus2, the tools...
Short and to the point: there is no firmware for the M5StickC Plus2 that will sensibly support the Alpha AWUS036AXM over USB and give functionality "like Bruce" . The problem is not Bruce itself, but the hardware architecture of the M5StickC Plus2 .
Direct response
In your configuration:
- M5StickC Plus2 = ESP32-PICO-V3-02 - AWUS036AXM = external USB Wi-Fi adapter - connection via active USB-C hub
then the limitation is not so much the 'lack of a suitable system', but the fact that M5StickC Plus2 is not a platform to support such USB Wi-Fi cards . Firmware type:
- Bruce - Marauder - Nemo - CatHack - various Bruce forks
work mainly on the embedded ESP32 radio and not as a host for advanced USB Wi-Fi adapters.
So the practical answer is:
- besides Bruce, there is no viable firmware on the M5StickC Plus2 that will support the AWUS036AXM and be "just as good" - if you want to use AWUS036AXM , then you need to switch to Linux/ARM/x86 , for example: - Raspberry Pi + Kali/Parrot - small mini PC - phone with NetHunter if the hardware and kernel support the adapter
What was wrong in one of the example answers
One online response suggests that you need to look for firmware for RTL8832AU . This is highly suspect and most likely incorrect for the AWUS036AXM. This adapter is associated with MediaTek MT7921AU/MT7921AUN , not Realtek. This discrepancy alone undermines the credibility of that suggestion.
Second important mistake: the list of projects like "HackStarterPack" or "toolkit" are usually sets of instructions, builds or link compilations , not evidence of real support for AWUS036AXM by M5StickC Plus2.
Why it doesn't work from a technical perspective
1. The M5StickC Plus2 is not a full-fledged USB host for such devices
This is not a Raspberry Pi or a laptop. The M5StickC Plus2 is a small module based on ESP32 , with very limited resources:
- little RAM - little computing power - no Linux-class environment - no complete driver stack for USB Wi-Fi cards
The active hub only helps with power , but does not solve the driver and bus support problem .
2. AWUS036AXM card needs normal system driver
Such USB Wi-Fi adapters require:
- uSB host support - driver for a specific chipset - loading firmware into the chip - full 802.11 network stack
On Linux, the kernel and drivers do this. On ESP32, there is no meaningful backend to get this to work in a plug and play style.
3. Bruce/Marauder type firmware is not designed for external USB Wi-Fi
These projects are based on the capabilities of the ESP32 itself:
- scanning - BLE - IR - basic Wi-Fi functionality in the 2.4 GHz band - eSP32-specific functions
They are not equivalent to a Linux system with
mac80211
,
cfg80211
, Mediatek drivers etc.
What instead
If you care specifically about AWUS036AXM , the sensible options are:
Option 1: Raspberry Pi as the right platform Most practical solution.
Good options: Option 2 - Raspberry Pi 4 - Raspberry Pi 5 - possibly Zero 2 W , but may be too weak and more problematic for more complex tasks
System: - Kali Linux - Parrot OS - regular Debian/Ubuntu + tools needed
Tools: -
aircrack-ng
-
airodump-ng
-
bettercap
- kismet - hcxdumptool - wifite
This is a solution several classes more useful than combining with ESP32.
Option 2: M5StickC Plus2 as remote control/interface This is the only sensible way to keep the M5StickC Plus2 in the project .
Diagram:
- M5StickC Plus2 = screen, buttons, simple control interface - Raspberry Pi / mini PC / phone = actual operation of AWUS036AXM - communication between them: - Wi-Fi - BLE - UART
The M5Stick then acts as a 'pocket terminal', with Linux doing the real work.
Option 3: ditch the AWUS036AXM at the M5Stick and stay with native ESP32 If you want a device that is small, fast and pocket-sized, it is better to accept the limitations:
- Bruce - Marauder - Nemo - possibly Bruce forks
but use only what is provided by the embedded ESP32 radio .
Is there any "system" on the M5StickC Plus2 that will do this?
In practice: no .
Theoretically someone could try to make an experimental firmware with:
- USB host stack - driver for a specific chipset - blob firmware support - integration with a pentester application
but this would be a very niche project and from an engineering point of view unprofitable and unrealistic on this platform.
Honest recommendation
If you would like:
- a better adapter than the built-in Wi-Fi of the ESP32 - real support for an external adapter - more capabilities than Bruce
is change the main platform , not the firmware.
best practical layout: - M5StickC Plus2 - as an auxiliary interface / gadget / simple controller - Raspberry Pi 4/5 + AWUS036AXM - as a proper working platform
Final conclusion
You won't find a reasonable Bruce equivalent for the M5StickC Plus2 that will support the Alpha AWUS036AXM over USB. It's not a single firmware problem, it's a ESP32 hardware-system limitation .
If you want, I can elaborate for you specifically in the next post:
1. the least sensible kit with Raspberry Pi under AWUS036AXM , either 2. how to make the M5StickC Plus2 a remote control for Raspberry Pi/Kali .
You can call me in any topic by writing @ElektrodaBot. Disclaimer: Some answers provided by the ElektrodaBot may be inaccurate. Elektroda not responsible for accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information presented. All ElektrodaBot responses should be verified by the user. OpenAI can monitor and save information entered after calling ElektrodaBot.
NetHunter will be on a Mi M2101K6G smartphone and it under the hub, and an Alpha card and powerbank to the hub. I'll fit the M5StickC Plus2 into this set up, just not sure if it's over USB-C to the hub or otherwise for example? @ElektrodaBot
Nethunter will be on the smartphone mi m2101k6g and it under the hub, and to the hub the alpha card and powerbank. In this set up I will fit the m5stickc plus2 only I don't know if after usb-c to the hub or for example differently? @ElectrodBot
Short answer: yes, M5StickC Plus2 you can physically plug into the same hub via USB-C , but I wouldn't do it as a "master" connection</> . In your setup it makes more sense to use the M5Stick wireless to the phone - via Wi-Fi or BLE - and connect it to the hub only optionally for charging or its own serial communication . M5StickC Plus2 has USB-C, chip CH9102 as USB-UART , own Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz , BLE , battery 200 mAh and connector HY2.0-4P (I/O + UART) , so it is inherently better suited for a pilot / status panel / auxiliary ESP32 module than for another "heavy" USB device sharing a track with Alpha. ( docs.m5stack.com )
How I would pin this down practically
Recommended variant:
Code: text
Log in, to see the code
This is the cleanest architecture because the phone as a USB host focuses on one thing, namely Alpha support, and the M5Stick works alongside as a user interface. This split is also due to the fact that NetHunter requires OTG , while the Kali documentation explicitly notes that on Android the power available from USB is sometimes limited . ( kali.org )
However, it is worth plugging the M5Stick into a hub over USB-C
Only in two cases:
1. you want to charge it constantly because the 200 mAh battery is small, 2. you want your own serial channel between the phone and the M5, e.g. for logs, commands or a simple control panel.
The reason is simple: from the M5 documentation it appears that after USB you have CH9102 USB-UART , so engineer this primarily as a serial port / programming rather than as an 'additional network function' for NetHunter. This is therefore useful as a serial , but not as an extension of Alpha. This conclusion follows from the hardware architecture of the M5StickC Plus2. ( docs.m5stack.com )
What I wouldn't do
I would not go into Grove/UART for the phone as the main method of integration. The M5StickC Plus2 actually has a HY2.0-4P port with lines UART/I/O , but the smartphone doesn't have a native UART, so you'll still end up with extra USB-UART adapters and make yourself an unnecessary "Christmas tree". In practice, it's worse than just BLE/Wi-Fi or even just USB for charging. ( docs.m5stack.com )
Most important: it's not the hub that will be the main problem, it's the kernel support for AXM
Here is the key point: AWUS036AXM according to ALFA uses MediaTek MT7921AUN , works as adapter Wi-Fi 6/6E tri-band + BT 5.2 , and the manufacturer provides a Linux package for it described as MT7921AU (Linux) . At the same time, the official NetHunter documentation lists as "supported by default in most kernels" other chipset families, including. ATH9K_HTC , RT2800/3070 , several Realteks and from MediaTek mainly MT7601U / MT7610U / MT7612U - MT7921AU/MT7921AUN are not on this list . This means that for your phone, you must not assume blindly that AXM will run just because it runs regular Linux . ( alpha.com.tw )
In addition, Kali distinguishes between NetHunter editions: Wi-Fi injection is only provided for full NetHunter with the corresponding custom kernel , not for Rootless/Lite alone. Moreover, in the current official NetHunter listings I found no entry for Mi 11 Lite / M2101K6G neither in prebuilt images, nor in device kernels, so for this model I would assume community port or custom kernel rather than ready-made official support. ( kali.org )
Power: active hub is a good idea
This is exactly what you are doing sensibly. ALFA states for the AWUS036AXM 2.7 W of maximum power consumption , which is about 0.54 A at 5 V . NetHunter's documentation also warns at the same time that some phones after OTG can give 450 mA or less , so with this card an active hub with separate power supply is an engineering correct solution. ( alfa.com.tw )
My recommendation for your kit
Best option - telephone + NetHunter + active hub + Alpha = main platform, - M5StickC Plus2 = separate remote control/panel after BLE or Wi-Fi , - you only plug the M5 into the hub when you want to recharge it. ( docs.m5stack.com )
Variant allowed - M5StickC Plus2 you plug USB-C into the hub , - but you treat it as power and possibly serial , not as part of the Wi-Fi path. ( docs.m5stack.com )
A minor practical note
If you will be connecting the M5StickC Plus2 with a cable USB-C ↔ USB-C , the M5Stack notes that sometimes the port may not be recognised straight away and you need to perform their re-enable/re-enable procedure. It's not a critical flaw, but it's worth knowing about with USB-C hubs. ( docs.m5stack.com )
Final conclusion
Yes - you can connect it to a hub over USB-C, but that's not what I'd recommend as a final solution. In your setup most sensibly the M5StickC Plus2 comes off as a separate auxiliary module after Wi-Fi/BLE , a hub I would leave for the phone and Alpha . The biggest risk isn't the M5Stick anyway, it's that, whether your particular NetHunter kernel on the M2101K6G will actually support MT7921AUN with AWUS036AXM. ( kali.org )
If you want, I can write you up in the next post detailed cable and power connection diagram for: 1. variant with M5 after BLE/Wi-Fi , or 2. variant from M5 over USB-serial to hub .
And of course only for authorised testing in your own or entrusted environment.
You can call me in any topic by writing @ElektrodaBot. Disclaimer: Some answers provided by the ElektrodaBot may be inaccurate. Elektroda not responsible for accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information presented. All ElektrodaBot responses should be verified by the user. OpenAI can monitor and save information entered after calling ElektrodaBot.
