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

[Auggie]

Hmmm... so disable SIP, run that Terminal thingy, renable SIP, make some coffee, and voila?

I had given up a couple years ago when it wasn’t working for me and didn’t want to have SIP always disabled, so this sounds promising...

 

[bookemdano]

Hmmm... so disable SIP, run that Terminal thingy, renable SIP, make some coffee, and voila?

I had given up a couple years ago when it wasn’t working for me and didn’t want to have SIP always disabled, so this sounds promising...

That sequence worked for me. SIP only needs to be disabled when running the terminal command.

These features are also highly dependent upon Bluetooth, and the cMP chassis has a very poor Bluetooth antenna (which if you're wondering is located in the back near the PCI cards). I keep my cMP up on my desk (helps to have a large desk), but other people have gone so far as to attach an external antenna to the BT antenna connector on the airport card to get better range.

So if you're having trouble with handoff or AW unlock, you might want to make sure your BT signal is decent.

EDIT: And I assume you have already purchased the necessary 802.11ac/BT4.0 card and installed it inside your cMP. Obviously that's the first requirement for all of this to work.

 

[Auggie]

EDIT: And I assume you have already purchased the necessary 802.11ac/BT4.0 card and installed it inside your cMP. Obviously that's the first requirement for all of this to work.

Of course; got from OSXWifi in order to take advantage of the higher WiFi speeds because at the time where I was living, I didn't have hardwired Enet where the cMP was located. Which is why I didn't spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get Handoff working and I don't have an Apple Watch.

But tried this trick and it's FINALLY working after all these years! And under Mojave to boot! It started working almost immediately after I had rebooted from re-enabling SIP.

Even though I've always had this functionality on my 2012 MBP, I never really used these enhanced sharing features, so that will probably remain so now with my cMP. It's good to have access to them if I ever need them however!

 

[polanskiman]

Hi guys. Got a Mac Pro 2009 flashed to 5,1 running Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 (15G20015). I want to upgrade the Wifi airport card to something more up to date. I have read this thread partially but 40 pages is quite long and the OP dates from 2014.

Can anyone recommend a not too expensive wifi/BT card for my Mac Pro, if possible with native support.


Thanks.

 

[Pandanl]

Hi guys. Got a Mac Pro 2009 flashed to 5,1 running Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 (15G20015). I want to upgrade the Wifi airport card to something more up to date. I have read this thread partially but 40 pages is quite long and the OP dates from 2014.

Can anyone recommend a not too expensive wifi/BT card for my Mac Pro, if possible with native support.


Thanks.

Here you go: Cheaper way https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...0-keep-updating.1748061/page-30#post-24173394

All parts in one: https://www.ebay.nl/itm/Genuine-App...m=262864275416&_trksid=p2509164.c100903.m5276

I opted for option 1, and waiting for parts to come in to put it in my 5,1

 

[polanskiman]

Here you go: Cheaper way https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...0-keep-updating.1748061/page-30#post-24173394

All parts in one: http://www.ebay.nl/itm/Genuine-Appl...275416?hash=item3d33ee87d8:g:tXsAAOSwRgJXiMTa

I opted for option 1, and waiting for parts to come in to put it in my 5,1

Thanks a lot. What do you mean by you chose option 1? You mean you bought all parts separately?

Also the second link in your post doesn't seem to be working.

 

[Pandanl]

Fixed the link. Yes first option is all parts separately and a lot cheaper.

 

[polanskiman]

Fixed the link. Yes first option is all parts separately and a lot cheaper.

Care to share where you purchased all the items? Some links from the original post are down or items not available anymore. Thanks.

 

[Pandanl]

Here are all the items I ordered:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-PCI-E...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/Exte...959.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.12904c4dzwZQp8

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/for-...171.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.12904c4dzwZQp8

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/Micr...045.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.12904c4dzwZQp8

 

[polanskiman]

Here are all the items I ordered:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-PCI-E-Adapter-for-BCM94360CD-BCM94331CD-Upgrade-to-Version-3-0/232674303760?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/Exte...959.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.12904c4dzwZQp8

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/for-...171.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.12904c4dzwZQp8

https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/Micr...045.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.12904c4dzwZQp8

Beautiful! Thank you. What is strange is that the Airport card BCM943602CDP says to be BT 4.0 when it fact that model is supposed to be BT 4.2. I have seen the same thing in several postings. Weird.

 

[Pandanl]

Yes I noticed the same thing, however a few users here report BT 4.2

 

[polanskiman]

Well I ordered everything. Let's see in a few days/weeks if all goes well.

 

[alphaod]

I got osxwifi kit. Kind of expensive, but it's really plug and play.

 

[polanskiman]

I got osxwifi kit. Kind of expensive, but it's really plug and play.

Yes pretty overpriced I must say. I got everything in parts for more than 3 times less the price of osxwifi's kit. The actual adapter doesn't even need soldering as before. Simple connectors are provided with the adapter on ebay so all is left is to plug and play as well.

Plus the airport card that comes with osxwifi is the BCM94360CD which is BT 4.0. You can get the BCM943602CD airport card on ebay/aliexpress which is BT 4.2 and for some reason cheaper than all the postings I have seen on the BCM94360CD.

 

[Pandanl]

Received the adapter yesterday, it comes with a nice cable.

I got osxwifi kit. Kind of expensive, but it's really plug and play.

Didn't you need to do the CAT activation on 10.13?

 

[Dan Streaman]

Hi guys, I got the Shaluoman PCI-e card (with its own antennas) to adapt a BCM94331CD to my Mac Pro 2009.
The card is supposed to be used in a Hackintosh, and has a cable to be plugged in a standard USB2 9-pin header on a PC motherboard (it only uses 4 wires though).
My guess is that the Bluetooth subsystem needs be interfaced through USB, and I need to adapt this to the Mac Pro motherboard.

The question is: How do I adapt the 4 standard USB wires to the 4-pin Bluetooth header on the Mac Pro motherboard ?
Thanks !

 

[Partridge]

I did the Bluetooth/acWiFi mod on my 2010 and maybe it was just the eBay vendor I used but OMG the extension cable is fragile. He included two and I managed to damage both of them trying to snap them on. I ended up buying a replacement on amazon and it looked just as fragile.

I found that using some glue to make a strain relief around the connector and the end of the cable made it a whole lot easier.

 

[alphaod]

Yes pretty overpriced I must say. I got everything in parts for more than 3 times less the price of osxwifi's kit. The actual adapter doesn't even need soldering as before. Simple connectors are provided with the adapter on ebay so all is left is to plug and play as well.

Plus the airport card that comes with osxwifi is the BCM94360CD which is BT 4.0. You can get the BCM943602CD airport card on ebay/aliexpress which is BT 4.2 and for some reason cheaper than all the postings I have seen on the BCM94360CD.

To each their own I guess.

 

[Squuiid]

@cdf thanks for the quick and easy command to enable continuity support. It works great in Mojave DP6 also, including Apple Watch unlock.

As stated by cdf, for Mac Pro 5,1:

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

For other Macs:

ioreg -lp IOService | grep board-id

Substitute the board-id in "Set:Mac-XXXXXXXX:ContinuitySupport true" with the correct board-id for the Mac.

 

[wingyiulam]

I upgraded the wifi card following the tutorial, everything works fine (airplay, handoff, airdrop etc) except the magic mouse 2. the mice is only 2 ft away from an -9db external antenna and the mice is the only bluetooth device connected to the CMP, the mice is still a bit jumpy & laggy. the mice does not even being recognized if the antenna is 2 ft further away from the mice...Does anyone has the same issue, and whats the fix...it looks stupid having the antenna sitting next to the mice which i dont want to, why don't use a wired mice...

 

[h9826790]

I upgraded the wifi card following the tutorial, everything works fine (airplay, handoff, airdrop etc) except the magic mouse 2. the mice is only 2 ft away from an -9db external antenna and the mice is the only bluetooth device connected to the CMP, the mice is still a bit jumpy & laggy. the mice does not even being recognized if the antenna is 2 ft further away from the mice...Does anyone has the same issue, and whats the fix...it looks stupid having the antenna sitting next to the mice which i dont want to, why don't use a wired mice...

How you pint the antenna?

I assume you know higher dB means it's a more directional antenna, but not more powerful.

 

[bookemdano]

I've only used the first Magic Mouse, but I found it to be incredibly picky about the surface I had it on (wouldn't track on glass or light colored surfaces), which I remember being an unpleasant surprise since I most associate that phenomenon with first generation optical mice from the late 90s. I would hope Apple has corrected that for the MM2 but just in case you may want to try it on a dark, matte surface.

Barring that, here are a couple of ideas:

1. The antenna connection(s) inside are infinitesimally tiny and fragile. Maybe you can test your antenna with a multimeter for continuity to make sure it's actually physically connected to your card.

2. I know you followed the tutorial, but might be worth double-checking that you actually have the external antenna connected to the BT antenna connection on the card (instead of one of the WiFi connectors).

3. USB 3.0 is an extremely common cause of BT interference. Do you have a USB 3.0/3.1 card in your cMP? Try removing it as a test (and/or disconnect anything you have hooked up to it) to see if that makes a difference.

 

[h9826790]

I've only used the first Magic Mouse, but I found it to be incredibly picky about the surface I had it on (wouldn't track on glass or light colored surfaces), which I remember being an unpleasant surprise since I most associate that phenomenon with first generation optical mice from the late 90s. I would hope Apple has corrected that for the MM2 but just in case you may want to try it on a dark, matte surface.

Barring that, here are a couple of ideas:

1. The antenna connection(s) inside are infinitesimally tiny and fragile. Maybe you can test your antenna with a multimeter for continuity to make sure it's actually physically connected to your card.

2. I know you followed the tutorial, but might be worth double-checking that you actually have the external antenna connected to the BT antenna connection on the card (instead of one of the WiFi connectors).

3. USB 3.0 is an extremely common cause of BT interference. Do you have a USB 3.0/3.1 card in your cMP? Try removing it as a test (and/or disconnect anything you have hooked up to it) to see if that makes a difference.

Oh, yeah, it's very interesting that the pointer move speed difference is huge on difference surface. And most mouse pad I use is actually not that good for the Magic Mouse 1. They all able to provide stable mouse movement, however, the pointer move slower than it should. End up I found that one of my pure black matte surface magazine is the best "mouse pad" for my Magic Mouse.

 

[crjackson2134]

Oh, yeah, it's very interesting that the pointer move speed difference is huge on difference surface. And most mouse pad I use is actually not that good for the Magic Mouse 1. They all able to provide stable mouse movement, however, the pointer move slower than it should. End up I found that one of my pure black matte surface magazine is the best "mouse pad" for my Magic Mouse.

Mouse pad, what's a mouse pad? jk... I use the surface of my desk and it works fine with MM for me.

 

[h9826790]

Mouse pad, what's a mouse pad? jk... I use the surface of my desk and it works fine with MM for me.

The surface of my desk will make the MM pointer move even slower.