MP 1,1-5,1 802.11ac, BT 4.0, Continuity, and Handoff Working on Mac Pro 2010

[MacForumsUser]

Is there a newer Mac Pro Bluetooth 4.0 card? Does a particular newer model of the Mac Pro have such a card in it that would fit a 4,1 or 5,1 Mac Pro?

 

[h9826790]

Is there a newer Mac Pro Bluetooth 4.0 card? Does a particular newer model of the Mac Pro have such a card in it that would fit a 4,1 or 5,1 Mac Pro?

BCM943602CS (802.11AC 1300M WIFI+BT4.1) is the newer card can be used.

Anyway, the only newer Mac Pro is the 6,1. And doesn't looks like any Wi-Fi /BT "card" in there. Apart from the SSD and RAM, I don't know if anything in the nMP can be used in the cMP.

 

[nopster]

This solution worked for me too! Here are the exact steps I followed:

1. Rebooted into recovery mode and disabled SIP
2. Rebooted into Sierra and ran Continuity Activation Tool using option 1 "Activate Continuity"
3. After CAT completed but before rebooting I logged out of iCloud
4. Booted back into Sierra and logged into iCloud
5. Handoff features did not immediately work so I toggled enable handoff on the Mac Pro and iPhone
6. Enabled "Allow Watch to unlock your Mac" in Security & Privacy on Mac Pro and everything began working!

Just to be clear here are all the features that now work: Airdrop, Handoff, iMessage SMS, Instant Hotspot, Apple Watch Unlock of Mac. I'm seeing some weirdness with universal clipboard but it's not a big deal for me.

Is it necessary to keep SIP disabled for CAT to continue working? I would prefer to have it enabled but I can live with having it off if necessary.

Thanks to nopster and kgapp for their fast help with the problem!

Glad to hear it!
I can tell you that enabling SIP again works perfectly. Me too want SIP enabled.
[doublepost=1475063224][/doublepost]

You mean everything works WITHOUT signing into iCloud?

Nope, read my post. With a fresh install of Sierra I didn't signing into iCloud, installed CAT, rebooted and then signing in iCloud!

 

[h9826790]

Nope, read my post. With a fresh install of Sierra I didn't signing into iCloud, installed CAT, rebooted and then signing in iCloud!

You didn't say that, that's why I asked.

In fact, I read multiple times before I asked, because that looks strange to me.

 

[nopster]

You didn't say that, that's why I asked.
View attachment 660379
In fact, I read multiple times before I asked, because that looks strange to me.

w/o < means without, sorry. See attachment

 

[h9826790]

w/o < means without, sorry. See attachment

I know, and I did emphasis if it works WITHOUT sign in, because you never mention that you sign in again. Please read my capture in the last post!

 

[nopster]

I know, and I did emphasis if it works WITHOUT sign in, because you never mention that you sign in again. Please read my capture in the last post!

Misunderstanding. I believe you were writing about "without" signing.
It's obviously re-activated, because if you don't sign into iCloud again, every new feature (Continuity, Air Drop, universal clipboard or Unlock with Apple Watch) will not work at all.

 

[pdafan]

BCM943602CS (802.11AC 1300M WIFI+BT4.1) is the newer card can be used.

Anyway, the only newer Mac Pro is the 6,1. And doesn't looks like any Wi-Fi /BT "card" in there. Apart from the SSD and RAM, I don't know if anything in the nMP can be used in the cMP.

Should it be BCM943602CD instead?

 

[pastrychef]

If anyone needs a BCM94360CS on a PCI-e card. I have a spare one for sale listed in the Marketplace sub-forum.

BCM94360CS Wifi 802.11ac/Bluetooth 4.0 Card w/ PCI-e Adaptor - $60

 

[h9826790]

Should it be BCM943602CD instead?

 

[h9826790]

I just upgraded my old MacPro 2009 with this latest AirPort card. No CAT required, just plug & play. So cool! The installation's easier than I thought.
View attachment 650236 View attachment 650237

Thanks for your suggestion. I eventually get the same card from your seller. Good quality.

Since my 4,1 didn't come with the wi-fi card and all the antennas are hidden behind the logic board. Therefore I decide to remove the whole processor cage to do the wi-fi card installation.

Because there are plenty of room for my hand to move around, the installation process is very easy. The package cable length (between the wi-fi card and BT card) is prefect.

All Wi-Fi, BT work straight after boot. Airdrop works (between Mac and iPhone, my main purpose), Siri works (all functions need location required Wi-Fi), Handoff works (a bonus for me), Auto Unlock successfully enabled (tested, and work).

What worry me most before the upgrade is the Magic Mouse connection. I use BT Explorer to monitor the connection quality, very good, stay at max.

And I take this opportunity to clean all the fans, heatsink, graphic cards etc. Everything cost me around 1 hour, a successful upgrade with some fun.

Anyway, I have absolutely no idea which antenna is which, I just randomly connect them. Luckily has good result. I don't need extreme Wi-Fi speed, my primary network still via the cable connection. All I care is the BT connection quality. And I got it right by luck.

Update 1:

I contacted the seller and asked him which antenna is for the BT. He told me is the middle one. Also, to achieve best BT connectivity, the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi should set to channel 11 (if in use).

 

[Squuiid]

Has anyone been able to have Apple Watch unlock work without using CAT?

 

[macsba]

Hi ya everybody;

Hope you guys are doing fine.

Have a little question. I received the WiFi/Bluetooth Continuity module for my Mac Pro 5,1. Have hooked up the antenna cables to jacks J0, J1, and J3. The bluetooth being hooked up to J3 and antenna cables 1 to J1 and 3 to J0. Is there any reason why antenna cable 2 to be hooked up to J2? I don't have it hooked up but I can see the WiFi networks and my bluetooth trackpad.

Thank you.

P.S. I'm having a much more difficult time trying to hook up antenna 2 cable to J2. Other parts were easy and fast.

 

[h9826790]

Hi ya everybody;

Hope you guys are doing fine.

Have a little question. I received the WiFi/Bluetooth Continuity module for my Mac Pro 5,1. Have hooked up the antenna cables to jacks J0, J1, and J3. The bluetooth being hooked up to J3 and antenna cables 1 to J1 and 3 to J0. Is there any reason why antenna cable 2 to be hooked up to J2? I don't have it hooked up but I can see the WiFi networks and my bluetooth trackpad.

Thank you.

P.S. I'm having a much more difficult time trying to hook up antenna 2 cable to J2. Other parts were easy and fast.

BT is the port that must connect, not sure which port on your card, but that's a must.

The other ports are for Wi-Fi, connect all all them will give you better speed. One Wi-Fi antenna missing won't affect the function, but just slower speed.

And even though there should be a optimum way to pair those antenna and port, but it doesn't really matter, unless you have poor BT reception, then may be swap the BT antenna can help.

 

[Taipan]

Hi!

Thanks for your description, MacProSector, your pictures really help a lot!

Unfortunately, my attempt was unsuccessful nevertheless. :-(

I bought this card: http://www.ebay.de/itm/121966117471?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

It is supposed to be a BCM94360CD, though it doesn't say so anywhere on the card, contrary to the pictures on eBay.

I tried it with two different mPCIe-Adapters, and none of them worked (I bought te second one because the first one didn't have the USB connectors). I expected some problems with Bluetooth due to the D+ and D- connectors, but I couldn't even get Wifi to work. The Mac does seem to recognize "something", but Wifi is disabled and can't be enabled.

Do you think I have a wrong or faulty BCM94360CD card?Any help would be appreciated
Thanks in advance!

 

[pastrychef]

The card is marked as "PROTO1". Is it a prototype?

 

[waimtrp]

Yes, it's a prototype version , and it only work until Yosemite, not work with El Capitan or higher AFAIK .

 

[JedNZ]

Mac Pro 2009 4,1 (firmware upgraded to 5,1).

Anyone know where to get a hold of a cable that connects the mini PCIe card (I've got an Apple Broadcom BCM94360CD in it) to the small port on the motherboard that the original Apple Bluetooth backplane plugs into? The mini PCIe card needs power to drive the BT side of the BCM94360CD.

Or failing that, anyone know of somewhere I can get the backplane cable (part number 922-8962) that attaches the original Apple Bluetooth module to the motherboard? I've seen the backplane connector for a fairly good price US$17-$29), but the shipping options are exorbitant to NZ.

 

[pastrychef]

You don't want to use that cable to attach power to the BCM94360CD. Just the data cables, D+ and D-.

The most cost effective way is to splice the existing cable.

 

[Squuiid]

Still can't get my Apple Watch to unlock my Mac Pro, so frustrating. My MacBook Pro does it fine.
I refuse to use the activator, it should just work though, no?
I have tried both BCM94360CD and BCM943602CDP

 

[saulinpa]

Still can't get my Apple Watch to unlock my Mac Pro, so frustrating. My MacBook Pro does it fine.
I refuse to use the activator, it should just work though, no?

Real simple. If you refuse then Apple says you need Mac Pro Late 2013 or newer.

 

[Squuiid]

Real simple. If you refuse then Apple says you need Mac Pro Late 2013 or newer.

Everything else works fine though, Continuity, Handoff, Airdrop, etc. Just not Apple Watch unlock.

 

[JedNZ]

You don't want to use that cable to attach power to the BCM94360CD. Just the data cables, D+ and D-.

The most cost effective way is to splice the existing cable.

I lost the existing cable (I lost it somewhere when I was out trying to find an Apple service repairer that could splice it for me), hence why I'm now having to try and find one. I've worked out that the connector is likely to be A JST SH 1.0mm 4-Pin so I've bought some off eBay.

So are the wires (D+ and D-) used to power the BT side of the combo card, or to transport data to the mob?

 

[pastrychef]

I lost the existing cable (I lost it somewhere when I was out trying to find an Apple service repairer that could splice it for me), hence why I'm now having to try and find one. I've worked out that the connector is likely to be A JST SH 1.0mm 4-Pin so I've bought some off eBay.

So are the wires (D+ and D-) used to power the BT side of the combo card, or to transport data to the mob?

Nice find!

D+ and D- are just data. Do not connect power to those two leads.

 

[haralds]

Handoff is working ok with Sierra 10.12.1 beta and iPad Air 2. There seem to be ongoing issues with iPhone 7 due to BlueTooth trouble. AirDrop is working fine.