2011 MacBook Pros can support Handoff/Continuity

[matthewadams]

Airdrop and Handoff are being handled by different settings and Airdrop uses a different pair of encryption keys than Handoff.
I never had any problem with Airdrop from the start (apart from some sort of slowness when using "Contacts Only", it seems to appear way faster when using "Everyone").

I recommend opening up Console and filtering for "sharingd" whilst opening up the Share-Menu (e.g. for a photo).
You should see something like this:

19.09.2014 00:22:31.720 sharingd[282]: 00:22:31.719 : BTLE discovered device with hash <xxxxx>
19.09.2014 00:22:31.720 sharingd[282]: 00:22:31.720 : BTLE scanning stopped
19.09.2014 00:22:32.096 sharingd[282]: 00:22:32.095 : AirDrop server enabled on port 8770
19.09.2014 00:22:32.097 sharingd[282]: 00:22:32.097 : Bonjour advertise 2d35b5df83a7
19.09.2014 00:22:33.465 sharingd[282]: 00:22:33.465 : Bonjour advertise 2d35b5df83a7 started
19.09.2014 00:22:46.725 sharingd[282]: 00:22:46.724 : BTLE scanning started
19.09.2014 00:22:46.725 sharingd[282]: 00:22:46.724 : Scanning mode Everyone
19.09.2014 00:22:46.727 sharingd[282]: 00:22:46.726 : BTLE scanner Powered On
19.09.2014 00:22:47.331 sharingd[282]: 00:22:47.331 : BTLE discovered device with hash < xxxxx >
19.09.2014 00:22:47.331 sharingd[282]: 00:22:47.331 : BTLE scanning stopped
19.09.2014 00:22:51.853 sharingd[282]: 00:22:51.852 : New AirDrop connection
19.09.2014 00:22:55.545 sharingd[282]: 00:22:55.544 : AirDrop request received
19.09.2014 00:22:55.546 sharingd[282]: 00:22:55.545 : AirDrop received discovery request

 

[hattonna928]

Airdrop and Handoff are being handled by different settings and Airdrop uses a different pair of encryption keys than Handoff.
I never had any problem with Airdrop from the start (apart from some sort of slowness when using "Contacts Only", it seems to appear way faster when using "Everyone").

I recommend opening up Console and filtering for "sharingd" whilst opening up the Share-Menu (e.g. for a photo).
You should see something like this:

Yeah I tried to look at that Im just not sure how to fix the handoff stuff like you did. I looked for those files that you mentioned but they didn't exist on my computer. I tried logging in and out of iCloud on both devices, resetting my keychain, and resetting all settings on my phone. But handoff still wouldn't work. I got a safari handoff to show up on my phone one time, but it didn't work with anything else and nothing from my phone would show up on my mac.

 

[matthewadams]

Did you look in "~/Library/Preferences/" ? (Just to make sure, open up Finder, go CMD+SHIFT+G and copy+paste the stuff in quotes in there).

It'd be a bit weird if they weren't there..
(If you wanna rule some stuff out, create a new user and connect it with your Apple ID / iCloud credentials and try Handoff from there - thats what I did before going for the files)

 

[hattonna928]

Did you look in "~/Library/Preferences/" ? (Just to make sure, open up Finder, go CMD+SHIFT+G and copy+paste the stuff in quotes in there).

It'd be a bit weird if they weren't there..
(If you wanna rule some stuff out, create a new user and connect it with your Apple ID / iCloud credentials and try Handoff from there - thats what I did before going for the files)

Ok so I created a new user account and connected it and now everything handoff related works! I also found those files, not sure why they wouldn't show up by just going through the folders normally. Should creating a new user account fix them for the other one? Or do I need to delete them or something?

UPDATE: So I logged back into the original user account that I had on Yosemite and it still didn't work. The new one stopped working too. No handoff, airdrop only worked mac to iphone again not the other way. I checked the files and the sharingd file had the encryption key in the new user but not the original. Both of the device properties files had the correct device Id, but the original had an older id that was no longer correct and when I logged back into the new user, it added a new one that also wasn't correct. Weird...

 

[matthewadams]

Glad to see it worked w/ a new user.
I wish I could provide more detailed instructions but it just happened some time along the way.
I recommend:
1) Signing out of iCloud
2) Deleting the Apple ID from the User (SysPrefs -> Users & Groups -> right click on username for "Advanced" -> Apple ID)
3) Deleting the com.apple.ids and sharingd.plist files
4) Clearing the keychain (login items)
5) reboot, sign back into iCloud

You can watch Keychain as it repopulates with certificates from Apple. The Handoff encryption key was one of the last things getting its way back to the Keychain, so you might need to wait a little.
The whole process seems a bit wonky..

 

[hattonna928]

Glad to see it worked w/ a new user.
I wish I could provide more detailed instructions but it just happened some time along the way.
I recommend:
1) Signing out of iCloud
2) Deleting the Apple ID from the User (SysPrefs -> Users & Groups -> right click on username for "Advanced" -> Apple ID)
3) Deleting the com.apple.ids and sharingd.plist files
4) Clearing the keychain (login items)
5) reboot, sign back into iCloud

You can watch Keychain as it repopulates with certificates from Apple. The Handoff encryption key was one of the last things getting its way back to the Keychain, so you might need to wait a little.
The whole process seems a bit wonky..

Awesome that should be plenty good. I'll try it in a little while. Did you delete all of the com.apple.ids files, or just the one with "device properties" on it?

UPDATE: So I did finally get it to work. I deleted all of the ids files. It won't request the handoff key right away. You have to actually open a handoff-compatible app on your iOS device to get the your mac to even request the key. But it did work.

There is one bug with handoff right now though: when it transfers to the new device, it is supposed to transfer everything over with it, such as a text or email. It should transfer what you have already typed. But right now it only opens a new message or a new email to that person. Hopefully this is just happening because I'm going between the public release of iOS 8 and a beta of yosemite.

 

[matthewadams]

There is one bug with handoff right now though: when it transfers to the new device, it is supposed to transfer everything over with it, such as a text or email. It should transfer what you have already typed. But right now it only opens a new message or a new email to that person. Hopefully this is just happening because I'm going between the public release of iOS 8 and a beta of yosemite.

Yeah, I guess that will be fixed. I had a decent success rate though, but occasionally stumbled across this too.
(Also if you use more than two iDevices, Yosemite shows the Icon and description of the first one advertised, but actually loads the data from the second.. I don't understand why they dont allow multiple Handoff-icons in the dock anyway)

 

[hattonna928]

Yeah, I guess that will be fixed. I had a decent success rate though, but occasionally stumbled across this too.
(Also if you use more than two iDevices, Yosemite shows the Icon and description of the first one advertised, but actually loads the data from the second.. I don't understand why they dont allow multiple Handoff-icons in the dock anyway)

Yeah. Well mines getting glitchy again. Works going from Mac to iPhone, but iPhone to Mac won't show up again. I'll keep experimenting and see what I can find.

 

[hyperskier96]

It worked! Yay I can edit my own kexts now.

----------



Phone relay and sms relay have both been delayed until october as far as I know. They know those features work, and removed them from the GM of iOS 8 as well as the most recent betas of OS X. It will be activated via an iOS 8 update alongside the release of Yosemite. If you remember to last year, they did a similar thing with iCloud Keychain where it disappeared in the iOS 7 GM and then was re-enabled when Mavericks was released.

If you have the pb3 kext, can you post it?

 

[hattonna928]

If you have the pb3 kext, can you post it?

Yeah I can do that. I will when I get back to my Mac.

Let me know if this link works.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6hpbepo779xnxz1/IO80211Family.kext.zip?dl=0

 

[Bigpearl]

Ok so I have the working CAX chip in my early 2011 MBP. I've been trying this with public beta 2. I can't get the enable handoff option to come up in system preferences. Can anyone give me some tips?? I tried using the terminal commands as well as the kextdrop app, and I had no luck. I appreciate any help you can give!

If it helps, my wifi never stopped working like the instructions said it should. Not sure what I can do to make that happen. Thanks

UPDATE: I got the wifi to stop one time (said no wifi hardware detected, is that right?) but i'm not really sure how I did it and then when I tried to install the new kext it said it wasn't supported and couldn't be installed. Still don't know what to do haha. Also when i did the kexstat | grep AirPort command, it shows the Brcm 4360 thing like it's supposed to after you replace the kext.

UPDATE 2: GOT IT!!

what did you do i can't get handoff to show either ,wifi works,bluetooth works ,and kext shows what it suppose to

 

[Bigpearl]

fixed it

 

[hyperskier96]

fixed it

how?

 

[hattonna928]

how?

Use the attached instructions.

 

[hyperskier96]

Use the attached instructions.

the link for the dropbox file is dead, do you have anything else?

 

[Bigpearl]

how?

i just redropped the already modified kext using kext drop ,restarted and it worked

 

[hattonna928]

the link for the dropbox file is dead, do you have anything else?

Darn.. I couldn't think of another way to do it. The previously posted kext should work. Or you can look back like a page or 2 and learn how to do it yourself. It's extremely easy.

 

[bigdog5142]

Well...I installed the new card in my late 2011 15 MBP and the wifi and bluetooth are both working. I can make and receive calls. Don't know about texts. The computer will see my iPhone/iPad, but it won't stay connected. I had to confirm the connection codes as well. I have not changed any kext files. However, I'm on the public beta release 3. I've heard that Continuity/Handoff were disabled for this version...I'm also not sure if I need to hack any kext files. Been reading a lot, but it's a bit heady. Any suggestions as to what kext file I should use to modify my Mac? I currently downloaded Wireless Diagnostics 11.17.52 from Aug 23. Not quite sure how to apply that...

 

[smartalic34]

Well...I installed the new card in my late 2011 15 MBP and the wifi and bluetooth are both working. I can make and receive calls. Don't know about texts. The computer will see my iPhone/iPad, but it won't stay connected. I had to confirm the connection codes as well. I have not changed any kext files. However, I'm on the public beta release 3. I've heard that Continuity/Handoff were disabled for this version...I'm also not sure if I need to hack any kext files. Been reading a lot, but it's a bit heady. Any suggestions as to what kext file I should use to modify my Mac? I currently downloaded Wireless Diagnostics 11.17.52 from Aug 23. Not quite sure how to apply that...

SMS continuity was disabled on Public Beta 3 but phone call continuity is active (and also works with older versions of Bluetooth - no LE Bluetooth needed, as it's actually going through Wi-Fi)

 

[dokterdok]

Macbook Air Mid-2011

I've got a MacBook Air Mid 2011 and Continuity is only partially working (calls only). The handoff tickbox was never displayed in the System prefs throughout the Yosemite DP's.

Does anyone know if it could work with App continuity and iOS Airdrop without replacing the hardware?

Some more info on the Macbook Air 2011 connectivity specs:

Hardware:
Broadcom BCM4322 Intensi-fi® Single-Chip 802.11n Wi-Fi Transceiver
Broadcom BCM20702 Single-Chip Bluetooth 4.0 Processor
Bluetooth Low Energy Supported: Yes

"kextstat | grep AirPort" shows:
48 0 0xffffff7f81dab000 0x1f3000 0x1f3000 com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 (800.20.24) <46 44 12 7 5 4 3 1>

"system_profiler SPBluetoothDataType | grep LMP" shows:
LMP Version: 0x6
LMP Subversion: 0x2292

Any info is welcome, thanks in advance!

edit:typo

 

[hattonna928]

I've got a MacBook Air Mid 2011 and Continuity is only partially working (calls only). The handoff tickbox was never displayed in the System prefs throughout the Yosemite DP's.

Does anyone know if it could work with App continuity and iOS Airdrop without replacing the hardware?

Some more info on the Macbook Air 2011 connectivity specs:

Hardware:
Broadcom BCM4322 Intensi-fi® Single-Chip 802.11n Wi-Fi Transceiver
Broadcom BCM20702 Single-Chip Bluetooth 4.0 Processor
Bluetooth Low Energy Supported: Yes

"kextstat | grep AirPort" shows:
48 0 0xffffff7f81dab000 0x1f3000 0x1f3000 com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 (800.20.24) <46 44 12 7 5 4 3 1>

"system_profiler SPBluetoothDataType | grep LMP" shows:
LMP Version: 0x6
LMP Subversion: 0x2292

Any info is welcome, thanks in advance!

edit:typo

Your's should have it. The 2011 Air's were the first mac's with BT 4.0 + LE. Weird.

 

[Lem3ssie]

Look carefully at my tut, you missed something for sure.

 

[tgd85]

Bad experience with OS-STORE

I ordered the newer Broadcom CAX chip for my early 2011 MBP 15" from OS-STORE several weeks ago, and was sent the same model card that originally shipped with my computer. OS-STORE said they would accept the return and refund the cost of the card because they do not currently have any CAX cards in stock. Of course, shipping the order back to Hong Kong costs more than what I paid for the card, so it looks like I will have to eat the cost. I will keep my eye out for a seller with the newer CAX chips available.

For me, while the Handoff feature is cool, it's not my primary reason for wanting to replace the card. The BT 2.1 connectivity on the early 2011 MBPs has been absolutely horrendous, and always has been. My magic mouse and wireless keyboard CHEW through batteries, and both have been plagued by constant dropouts interference with 2.4ghz wireless N networks. I'm hoping that swapping out the older chip will finally put an end to these two issues.

With the final Yosemite release expected out in a few weeks, it seems like no better time to see whether the newer chip will give me some additional benefits beyond Handoff and Continuity.

 

[luigi75]

I ordered the newer Broadcom CAX chip for my early 2011 MBP 15" from OS-STORE several weeks ago, and was sent the same model card that originally shipped with my computer. OS-STORE said they would accept the return and refund the cost of the card because they do not currently have any CAX cards in stock. Of course, shipping the order back to Hong Kong costs more than what I paid for the card, so it looks like I will have to eat the cost. I will keep my eye out for a seller with the newer CAX chips available.

For me, while the Handoff feature is cool, it's not my primary reason for wanting to replace the card. The BT 2.1 connectivity on the early 2011 MBPs has been absolutely horrendous, and always has been. My magic mouse and wireless keyboard CHEW through batteries, and both have been plagued by constant dropouts interference with 2.4ghz wireless N networks. I'm hoping that swapping out the older chip will finally put an end to these two issues.

With the final Yosemite release expected out in a few weeks, it seems like no better time to see whether the newer chip will give me some additional benefits beyond Handoff and Continuity.

I ordered it from OS-store too, three weeks ago and I paid 38$ for it instead of 15$ (that was for a 4AX). It is not arrived yet.
However, here your are a link from os-store:
http://www.os-store.com/broadcom-bc...a1278-a1286-a1297-661-5867-607-7291-2011.html

they have still 9 in stock.

 

[hyperskier96]

I got mine here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/271373774549?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

it arrived in 4 days, and shipping was free