USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapter – Moschip Semiconductor Technology – Product ID: 0×7830 – MBA – Getting The Driver

It’s thesis time, which means that slow internet switches from tedious to down right infuriating. WiFi is all well and good in a coffee shop, but you want a cabled connection at home.

Having a MacBook Air (which comes without an ethernet port), I had to buy a USB 2.0 to Ethernet adapter. My choices were either to buy one from   Apple (£25+P&P!!) or one from eBay (£4.50 delivered). I chose the later, obviously! The downside? You need a driver. And the MBA doesn’t have a disc drive.

The product is a ‘USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapter’. Under (Top Left)-> About This Mac-> More Info-> System Report -> USB, look for a device labelled ‘USB-MAC controller’. My I have Product ID: 0×7830 and Vendor ID: 0×9710  (Moschip Semiconductor Technology). I got my driver from Asix.

I never particularly love installing random drivers as you never know if you can trust them. I write this post to tell anyone similarly affected that the above driver works and that Asix are a real and legit company.

Additional:

I’m running MacOSX 10.7.5 (Lion) on a Mid-2011 MBA.

Obviously, I’m writing this post to help out anyone else in my boat. I take no responsibility if you mess your system up …