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2011 MacBook Pros can support Handoff/Continuity

abcdefg12345

abcdefg12345

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 10, 2013
281
86
After doing some research for the past few hours there might still be chance for the 2011 macbook pros to get the features that require bluetooth 4.0 / LE

As it turns out the 2011 MacBook Pro can use the same Airport/Bluetooth card as the mid 2012 Macbook pro and its user replaceable so by replacing the 2011 macbook pro Airport/Bluetooth card you should have the ability to use Handoff/continuity

MacBook Pro.png

after replacing your bluetooth card with a bluetooth LE/4 card

make sure the bluetooth card is BCM94331PCIEBT4CAX

if it docent have the C then its a bluetooth 2 card which wouldn't work

do the following
1. on your desktop press command+shift+g
2. type: /system/library/extensions/
3. find: IO80211Family.kext in the extensions folder and copy it to your desktop
4. on the new copy show package contents > Contents > PlugIns > AirPortBrcm4360.kext > show package contents > Contents > MacOS > open AirPortBrcm4360 with 0xED
5. Text search Mac- it should be followed by a number
6. type the below code in terminal this will show your board id example early 2011 macbook pro is Mac-94245B3640C91C81
Code: 
ioreg -l | grep "board-id" | awk -F\" '{print $4}'
7. replace the first number in your kext with the number u get in terminal
8. save it
9. go to terminal and paste:
Code: 
sudo nvram boot-args="kext-dev-mode=1"
10. delete the original IO80211Family.kext in system>library>extensions
11. restart
12. your wifi will not be working after restart
13. use kextdrop to install the modified kext
14. restart
15. your wifi should start working again after installing the kext and restarting
16. go to system preferences > general and there should be an option to enable handoff

these are the exact steps i did with OS X Yosemite gold master candidate on a 13 inch early 2011 macbook pro and got handoff working with my iPhone 5s running iOS 8.0.2

EDIT
Thanks to Dokterdok who have created an activation tool (based on instructions compiled by UncleSchnitty) which is available on Github

The tool is designed to activate Continuity by doing a compatibility check, creating backups of original System drivers, and disabling a Mac-model blacklist in the Bluetooth code that prevents Continuity from working on ineligible Macs. From there, it also whitelists Mac board-ids within the Wi-Fi code to get the feature working.

continuitytoolcompatibility-800x520.jpg

Tool Link

Article link
 
Last edited:
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duffman9000

duffman9000

macrumors 68020
Sep 7, 2003
2,331
8,089
Deep in the Depths of CA
abcdefg12345 said:
After doing some research for the past few hours there might still be chance for the 2011 macbook pros to get the features that require bluetooth 4.0 / LE

As it turns out the 2011 MacBook Pro can use the same Airport/Bluetooth card as the mid 2012 Macbook pro and its user replaceable so by replacing the 2011 macbook pro Airport/Bluetooth card you should have the ability to use Handoff/continuity

View attachment 477577
Click to expand...

I have continuity working on my early 2011 MBP to SMS. I finally got this working today.
 
A

amareto

macrumors newbie
Jun 26, 2014
8
0
Nice, thank you,

Do you know where can I find the Airport/Bluetooth card with BT 4.0?

regards
 
eiprol

eiprol

macrumors 6502
Jan 20, 2009
266
151
Spain
Last edited:
ACDIT

ACDIT

macrumors member
Jun 16, 2014
84
0
eiprol said:
Hi guys, I did some research a couple of weeks ago, and I'm glad to tell you that you are right, it's possible.

Here you can read a bit more about it:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6401528?start=0&tstart=0


And here you have a direct link to a shop with the exact chip you have to buy:
http://www.os-store.com/broadcom-ap...8-a1286-a1297-661-5867-607-7291-607-8792.html


I ordered that part days ago, and I will arrive soon; but as you can read in the first link, it seems to work
Click to expand...

Do share if it works for you ;)
 
128keaton

128keaton

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2013
2,029
419
Ordered a different one off of Ebay, should be here saturday. Its the one in the 2012, I checked, the chipset it much newer.
 
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mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
1,193
496
eiprol said:
Hi guys, I did some research a couple of weeks ago, and I'm glad to tell you that you are right, it's possible.

Here you can read a bit more about it:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6401528?start=0&tstart=0


And here you have a direct link to a shop with the exact chip you have to buy:
http://www.os-store.com/broadcom-ap...8-a1286-a1297-661-5867-607-7291-607-8792.html


I ordered that part days ago, and it will arrive soon; but as you can read in the first link, it seems to work
Click to expand...

NO, do NOT order that chip. That is the same exact chip that was in my Macbook Pro 2011 Early.

The chip is exactly the same chip, and was a waste of money. It still shows a big NO - NO - NO in the place you will be checking....
 
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T

TealShark

macrumors member
Apr 16, 2006
61
15
New Brunswick, Canada
mikecwest said:
NO, do NOT order that chip. That is the same exact chip that was in my Macbook Pro 2011 Early.

The chip is exactly the same chip, and was a waste of money. It still shows a big NO - NO - NO in the place you will be checking....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I made the mistake of buying it from their eBay listing because it mentions BCM20702 in the title, however googling the parts numbers from the listing turns up that it's the same one I already have. I haven't received it yet, but I suspect it'll be the 2011 instead of the 2012.

Apparently I need to be looking for part number 661-6510, which is the card from the mid-2012 MacBook Pro 15".
 
smartalic34

smartalic34

macrumors 6502a
May 16, 2006
977
61
USA
mikecwest said:
NO, do NOT order that chip. That is the same exact chip that was in my Macbook Pro 2011 Early.

The chip is exactly the same chip, and was a waste of money. It still shows a big NO - NO - NO in the place you will be checking....
Click to expand...

The chip that is being linked to supposedly contains the BCM20702 bluetooth module, which per Broadcom's website, is a Bluetooth 4.0 chip. The WiFi chip contained within it is identical to the eary 2011 MBP WiFi chip, however. Seems like it has worked for other people. From where did you order yours?
 
mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
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496
smartalic34 said:
The chip that is being linked to supposedly contains the BCM20702 bluetooth module, which per Broadcom's website, is a Bluetooth 4.0 chip. The WiFi chip contained within it is identical to the eary 2011 MBP WiFi chip, however. Seems like it has worked for other people. From where did you order yours?
Click to expand...

I ordered from a link to an ebay page in another discussion thread that I can no longer find.....
 
mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
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496
TealShark said:
Was it this one?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/BroadCom-App...rnal_Network_Cards&hash=item20c990779e&_uhb=1

(This is the re-listed item, the previous listing sold out).

This is the one I bought, but I'm pretty sure I just re-bought the 2011 version.
Click to expand...

Nope... It was this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251397521385?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

That one says its a 607-7292, my original is a 607-7291 and the one in the link i posted is a 607-7291. DO NOT buy the one in my link...its not the right one.
 
128keaton

128keaton

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2013
2,029
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M

Manic Harmonic

macrumors 6502
Dec 4, 2011
299
1
Anyone know if its possible to use these in a Mac pro or hackintosh? I remember a while back reading about making a diy pcie airport card, but I don't think it was an actual macbook pro card. These are a different size from a standard pc laptop wireless card right?
 
mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
1,193
496
128keaton said:
This one is for the new 2012 MacBook pro, despite the model number on the listing. Look at the chipset, bcm94331pciebt4. Thats gotta be it.
Click to expand...

That is the same thing that the one from my early macbook pro 2011 said, and the identical one that I purchased. It seems to me that the 606-7192 is the one from the 13" instead of the 15"?
 
128keaton

128keaton

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2013
2,029
419
mikecwest said:
That is the same thing that the one from my early macbook pro 2011 said, and the identical one that I purchased. It seems to me that the 606-7192 is the one from the 13" instead of the 15"?
Click to expand...

Odd, maybe my seller is confused. Those are his pictures. I asked another respected forum member and he said it should work, since it has a newer chipset.

EDIT: If it turns out to be the same chip (wrong photos and model number) I can contact eBay and get my money back (or exchange), because the photos/model number on the product page match a BT4.0 chip, so it would be false advertising.
 
mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
1,193
496
128keaton said:
Odd, maybe my seller is confused. Those are his pictures. I asked another respected forum member and he said it should work, since it has a newer chipset.

EDIT: If it turns out to be the same chip (wrong photos and model number) I can contact eBay and get my money back (or exchange), because the photos/model number on the product page match a BT4.0 chip, so it would be false advertising.
Click to expand...

I would think the BT4 part of the model number would mean BT4.0, which is why I chose that one, but it certainly did not work for me, I don't think of myself as a "respected forum member". ... yet.
 
eiprol

eiprol

macrumors 6502
Jan 20, 2009
266
151
Spain
mikecwest said:
NO, do NOT order that chip. That is the same exact chip that was in my Macbook Pro 2011 Early.

The chip is exactly the same chip, and was a waste of money. It still shows a big NO - NO - NO in the place you will be checking....
Click to expand...

TealShark said:
Yeah, I made the mistake of buying it from their eBay listing because it mentions BCM20702 in the title, however googling the parts numbers from the listing turns up that it's the same one I already have. I haven't received it yet, but I suspect it'll be the 2011 instead of the 2012.

Apparently I need to be looking for part number 661-6510, which is the card from the mid-2012 MacBook Pro 15".
Click to expand...


according to the post of "sandervkn" in the 2nd page of https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6401528?start=15&tstart=0 , it's the correct part.. or at least, it worked as expected (the buy link I provided)!

I hope I'm right when it arrives...
 
mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
1,193
496
TealShark said:
I hadn't seen that post, thank you. It gives me a little renewed hope while I play the waiting game for its arrival.
Click to expand...

The guy is that post, was I believe unintentionally misleading....the photo of the card he shows in the picture is the OLD card.

The new card says "BCM94331PCIEBT4CAX" on the back.

The old card says "BCM94331PCIEBT4AX"

It appears that the missing "C" is going to be important. That was the post I read and found the link to the one I purchased using what the old card said..(not knowing what my original said, because I did not want to open it to find out...my mistake.)

Here is an ebay link to what appears to be the correct part for $15.88 with free shipping....maybe, now, I can be a respected member? I just ordered this one. (you can see the BCM94331PCIEBT4CAX) in the photo.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/13-MacBook-...US_Internal_Network_Cards&hash=item2ec72ba156

Please trust me, if your card is the one with the 607-7291 on the front or "BCM94331PCIEBT4AX" on the back, it will not work.... using the " system_profiler -detailLevel full SPBluetoothDataType | grep "LMP Version" " command will return "0x4", but "0x6" is needed.
 
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Stynger

Stynger

macrumors newbie
Jul 5, 2014
14
0
abcdefg12345 said:
I bought that one last week http://www.os-store.com/broadcom-apple-bcm4331-bcm20702-bt-wlan-card-module-a1278-a1286-a1297-661-5867-607-7291-607-8792.html

still haven't arrived yet does anyone know if its the part
Click to expand...

I had purchased the same one a few weeks back. It does support BT LE and under System Information all checks out. But after a clean install on the 2011 MacBook Pro and iPhone 5s still no luck with it actually working. Hoping this changes with future releases.
 
mikecwest

mikecwest

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2013
1,193
496
Stynger said:
I had purchased the same one a few weeks back. It does support BT LE and under System Information all checks out. But after a clean install on the 2011 MacBook Pro and iPhone 5s still no luck with it actually working. Hoping this changes with future releases.
Click to expand...

Does System Profiler show a YES YES YES or a YES NO NO?
 
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