USB Wireless Adapter Support for Windows 11 ARM on M3 MacBook Pro

The M1 MacBook Pro, released in late 2020, brought Apple's silicon to the professional laptop line. With its powerful performance and energy efficiency, many users have been interested in running Windows 11 ARM (Windows on Arm) on this device. Microsoft's Project Catalyst aims to bring native Windows apps to ARM-based processors, making it an attractive option for those who need to use Windows software alongside their Mac applications. However, when it comes to connecting to Wi-Fi networks using a USB wireless adapter, some users may encounter issues. In this article, we will discuss the steps to get a USB wireless adapter working with a Windows 11 ARM virtual machine on an M1 MacBook Pro.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

• An M1 MacBook Pro
• Parallels Desktop 16 for Mac (PD16)
• A USB wireless adapter
• A Windows 11 ARM ISO file

Creating a Windows 11 ARM Virtual Machine

If you haven't already, install Parallels Desktop 16 on your MacBook Pro. Once installed, create a new Windows 11 ARM virtual machine by following these steps:

1. Open Parallels Desktop and click on "File" > "New" > "Install Windows from ISO file."
2. Browse to the location of your Windows 11 ARM ISO file and select it.
3. Choose the "Customize settings" option and configure your virtual machine settings, such as the amount of memory and storage.
4. Click "Done" to start the installation process.

Connecting a USB Wireless Adapter

Once your Windows 11 ARM virtual machine is installed and running, you can connect your USB wireless adapter. Follow these steps:

1. Make sure your USB wireless adapter is connected to your MacBook Pro.
2. In the Windows 11 ARM virtual machine, go to the "Device Manager."
3. Expand the "Network adapters" category.
4. Your USB wireless adapter should appear as an "Unknown device." Right-click on it and choose "Update driver."
5. Select "Browse my computer for driver software."
6. Click on "Browse," navigate to the "Windows/inf" folder in the Parallels Tools installation directory, and select the "inf" file corresponding to your wireless adapter.
7. Click "Next" to install the driver.

Configuring the Wireless Adapter

After installing the driver, your wireless adapter should be recognized and configured automatically. However, if you encounter issues, you can manually configure the adapter by following these steps:

1. Go to the "Network and Sharing Center" and click on "Change adapter settings."
2. Right-click on your wireless adapter and choose "Properties."
3. Go to the "Power Management" tab and make sure "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" is unchecked.
4. Go to the "Security" tab and make sure "Unsecured" is selected under "Network access control."
5. Click "OK" to save your changes.

Your USB wireless adapter should now be working with your Windows 11 ARM virtual machine on your M1 MacBook Pro.