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bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,514
846
I just recently reformatted my 2009 cMP and fresh installed 10.13.4 on a brand new drive. A year or two ago I purchased the BCM943602 from that eBay listing and installed it. I recall needing to run CAT to get it to work. But anyway, after the fresh install of 10.13.4, looking at System Information->Bluetooth I see:

Handoff Supported: Yes
Instant Hot Spot Supported: Yes

And Allow Handoff shows as an option in System Preferences->General

This is without running CAT. Is that normal, or is running CAT not needed anymore?

I don't really want to log into my iCloud account and test it because I'm about to sell my cMP and don't want any personal info on this drive. I was just curious if CAT was no longer needed with this card since the ebay listing says "NO extra software or modify needed"

Thanks. Mainly I just want to know so I can inform the person who buys my cMP.
 

cdf

macrumors 68020
Jul 27, 2012
2,256
2,583
Even with a supported bluetooth card, the cMP still needs a slight modification to macOS. You can use CAT, but you can easily do it manually. On a MacPro5,1 (possibly flashed), enter this in terminal after disabling SIP:

Code:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"

This is all I've needed to reliably toggle Continuity and Handoff after macOS installs and updates.
 

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,656
8,587
Hong Kong
Even with a supported bluetooth card, the cMP still needs a slight modification to macOS. You can use CAT, but you can easily do it manually. On a MacPro5,1 (possibly flashed), enter this in terminal after disabling SIP:

Code:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"

This is all I've needed to reliably toggle Continuity and Handoff after macOS installs and updates.

Thanks, this is a good info. Added to the sticky cMP upgrade thread :D
 

MikkelAD

macrumors regular
Feb 17, 2018
188
33
Even with a supported bluetooth card, the cMP still needs a slight modification to macOS. You can use CAT, but you can easily do it manually. On a MacPro5,1 (possibly flashed), enter this in terminal after disabling SIP:

Code:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"
This is all I've needed to reliably toggle Continuity and Handoff after macOS installs and updates.

What does that do?

It that only needed to "... toggle Continuity and Handoff" or is that necessary to make it work at all with bluetooth and wifi?

So this command has to be done every time You make a fresh install of OS X?
 

bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,514
846
Even with a supported bluetooth card, the cMP still needs a slight modification to macOS. You can use CAT, but you can easily do it manually. On a MacPro5,1 (possibly flashed), enter this in terminal after disabling SIP:

Code:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"

This is all I've needed to reliably toggle Continuity and Handoff after macOS installs and updates.

Awesome bit of info, cdf. Thank you.
 

davidec

macrumors 6502
Jan 31, 2008
429
456
Awesome bit of info, cdf. Thank you.

Guys any ideas where is best to stick the new bluetooth antenna inside the MP 5,1. Seems to work nice without the side on but if it's anywhere internally i get only one metre range. At the moment I have it dangling outside the case. Have installed the
OSX Wifi Broadcom card and new internal antenna:
http://www.osxwifi.com/apple-broadc...-with-adapter-for-macpro-2009-and-macpro-2010
http://www.osxwifi.com/wireless-internal-antenna-for-bluetooth-mac-pro-4-1-and-mac-pro-5-1
 

Squuiid

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2006
1,877
1,713
how is the card from this seller working for you? i just ordered one also, same seller.

i want that airdrop!!
I’ve purchased multiple cards from this vendor and they’ve all been excellent.
 

MisterAndrew

macrumors 68030
Sep 15, 2015
2,895
2,390
Portland, Ore.
Even with a supported bluetooth card, the cMP still needs a slight modification to macOS. You can use CAT, but you can easily do it manually. On a MacPro5,1 (possibly flashed), enter this in terminal after disabling SIP:

Code:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"

This is all I've needed to reliably toggle Continuity and Handoff after macOS installs and updates.

I tried this under Mojave and it doesn't seem to be working.
 

mattspace

macrumors 68040
Jun 5, 2013
3,344
2,975
Australia
Even with a supported bluetooth card, the cMP still needs a slight modification to macOS. You can use CAT, but you can easily do it manually. On a MacPro5,1 (possibly flashed), enter this in terminal after disabling SIP:

Code:
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"

This is all I've needed to reliably toggle Continuity and Handoff after macOS installs and updates.

Interesting tidbit - I've noticed that Handoff / Continuity (the dock icon for an app appearing next to Finder's icon on the Mac when I'm using my iPad or iPhone) has worked sporadically on my BT/AC upgraded 4,1->5,1. I've never been sure whether it's just that I don't use the combination of apps that are using iCloud very often, or if the capability is silently failing.

What's the best way to test it - using an iWork app like Pages or Numbers that's installed on both?

Two basic questions - is the recovery partition boot functional with a non-efi GPU? And, can you disable SIP, run the PlistBuddy command, then reenable SIP all in the one session, or do you have to reboot between?
 

cdf

macrumors 68020
Jul 27, 2012
2,256
2,583
What's the best way to test it - using an iWork app like Pages or Numbers that's installed on both?

Two basic questions - is the recovery partition boot functional with a non-efi GPU? And, can you disable SIP, run the PlistBuddy command, then reenable SIP all in the one session, or do you have to reboot between?

My use of handoff is limited to Safari and Mail. I'm not aware of any method to test it other than observing the icon pop up next to the dock.

If your video card has native driver support (that is, if it works in MacOS without having to install anything), then the recovery partition should be available. But you should still be able to disable SIP otherwise; see the sticky. I believe that SIP is only fully disabled after a reboot.

I tried this under Mojave and it doesn't seem to be working.

Is the SystemParameters.plist present in Mojave?
 

mattspace

macrumors 68040
Jun 5, 2013
3,344
2,975
Australia
But you should still be able to disable SIP otherwise; see the sticky. I believe that SIP is only fully disabled after a reboot.

The sticky comes back here :)

So reboot into recovery, disable SIP. Reboot (into recovery?), run the command. Reboot into recovery, enable SIP. Reboot.

Is that correct?
 

bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,514
846
I tried this under Mojave and it doesn't seem to be working.

Same, tried just now under PB5 (disabled SIP first, of course) and while the command completed successfully I don't seem to be getting any handoff stuff showing up. Also, I tried enabling Apple Watch unlock but the little wheel just spun for a minute or so. Then the wheel went away and the box stayed checked, but when I log out and click on my name it's not trying to use the watch to unlock.

So... does anyone have handoff or AW unlock working in Mojave? If so, was yours an upgrade from HS or a clean install?
 

crjackson2134

macrumors 601
Mar 6, 2013
4,847
1,957
Charlotte, NC
Same, tried just now under PB5 (disabled SIP first, of course) and while the command completed successfully I don't seem to be getting any handoff stuff showing up. Also, I tried enabling Apple Watch unlock but the little wheel just spun for a minute or so. Then the wheel went away and the box stayed checked, but when I log out and click on my name it's not trying to use the watch to unlock.

So... does anyone have handoff or AW unlock working in Mojave? If so, was yours an upgrade from HS or a clean install?

Yes, it's working perfectly for me. Very reliable here.

I disabled SIP, rebooted, ran the CAT beta, rebooted, ran the terminal command, rebooted.

I know using the CAT tool and the terminal command may seem redundant, but that's what it took for me. Installed a few times now, and I always have to do both to get it working.

AppleWatch unlocking works fine for me...

We may have a slightly different WiFi/BT card, so this could be a factor.
 

bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,514
846
OK, thanks for the post. I will try CAT too.

Was yours a clean install of Mojave on a blank disk, or an upgrade of an existing macOS install?
 

crjackson2134

macrumors 601
Mar 6, 2013
4,847
1,957
Charlotte, NC
OK, thanks for the post. I will try CAT too.

Was yours a clean install of Mojave on a blank disk, or an upgrade of an existing macOS install?

Clean each time... I have since migrated a lot of HS stuff to the Disk without any problems.

Still all working fine with my iPhone, Watch, iPadAir2

1st time I ever saw message app from my watch, pop up on the Mojave dock. Was surprised...
 
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bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,514
846
Well I just opened screen sharing to remote into the cMP running Mojave to download CAT and got a message on the login screen that Apple Watch unlock is not available when running screen sharing. So that's an encouraging sign at least on the AW unlock front. I'll run down there here in a half hour or so and wake it up in person and see if it unlocks.

Incidentally, that's a good improvement in Mojave. I use screen sharing a lot to my iMac and it's always half amusing/half annoying that each and every time it tries to use my watch to unlock even though I'm not anywhere nearby.
 
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bookemdano

macrumors 68000
Jul 29, 2011
1,514
846
It's been a while since I've messed with activating Continuity and had forgotten that it can take a little while to start working after you enable it.

Happy to report that handoff and AW unlock are working just fine now. I never did need to run CAT, just the terminal command provided earlier in the thread, followed by a reboot to re-enable SIP and then just waiting an hour or so.

So count this as another report of success in Mojave.
 

crjackson2134

macrumors 601
Mar 6, 2013
4,847
1,957
Charlotte, NC
It's been a while since I've messed with activating Continuity and had forgotten that it can take a little while to start working after you enable it.

Happy to report that handoff and AW unlock are working just fine now. I never did need to run CAT, just the terminal command provided earlier in the thread, followed by a reboot to re-enable SIP and then just waiting an hour or so.

So count this as another report of success in Mojave.

That could be why I THOUGHT it was because of doing both, that it worked for me.

Perhaps I just didn’t wait long enough from the time of running the command. In either case, as you have already found, it all still works fine in Mojave.
 
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