Bluetooth 4.0 Dongle on MacBook Pro

[Baklava]

Hello everyone,

I bought a Bluetooth dongle today but no drivers for Mac were included. After searching the web to figure out how it can work on Mac, I found this article:

http://www.atpeaz.com/index.php/2012/using-unsupported-bluetooth-4-0-usb-dongle-with-os-x/

According to System Information, my dongle has the same chip like the one in the article mentioned (BCM20702A0). The guide is written for Mountain Lion and I figured out some differences between ML and Yosemite inside the Info.plist file:

- the String com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController in ML is now called com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport in Yosemite

- the String BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController in ML is called BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport in Yosemite

Everything else seems to be the same. I considered these minor changes and did everything the guide said but I just didn't get my dongle to work. Every time I modify the kext-file and install it via Kext Tool, the Bluetooth icon in the menubar gets a zig-zag-line on it. Clicking it reveals a grayed-out item called "Bluetooth Not Available".

Is somebody using a third-party USB dongle on the Mac without having any drivers from the manufacturer?

 

[crjackson2134]

I would suggest this dongle, it's pricey but you get what you pay for.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I would suggest this dongle, it's pricey but you get what you pay for.

Have you tried it in Yosemite?

 

[crjackson2134]

Another user here has one (in fact I think he got the very first one). He reports it works fine in Yosemite.

It's best to ask MacVidCards about any specifics. I've purchased other BT/WiFi devices from him. Excellent quality, excellent customer service, PERFECT compatibility.

If you want to ask a user/customer, just contact flowrider. Check this thread.

 

[flowrider]

Have you tried it in Yosemite?

I'm the user Mr. Jackson is referring to. Yes, everything works fine in Yosemite.

Lou

 

[Apple_Robert]

I'm the user Mr. Jackson is referring to. Yes, everything works fine in Yosemite.

Lou

What model Mac do you have? I am running a late 2011 MBP. I am interested in the handoff feature to the MAC. Did you also have to get a the special wifi ac card?

Edited to add: I see from the other thread, that you have a MacPro.

----------

Another user here has one (in fact I think he got the very first one). He reports it works fine in Yosemite.

It's best to ask MacVidCards about any specifics. I've purchased other BT/WiFi devices from him. Excellent quality, excellent customer service, PERFECT compatibility.

If you want to ask a user/customer, just contact flowrider. Check this thread.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Baklava]

I would suggest this dongle, it's pricey but you get what you pay for.

I would like to use the dongle I currently have.

 

[MacVidCards]

I would like to use the dongle I currently have.

You will need to enable dev mode in Yosemite to do any kext modding

 

[Baklava]

You will need to enable dev mode in Yosemite to do any kext modding

Well... This is not my question either...

EDIT:
This is an old entry inside the file System > Library > Extensions > IOBluetoothFamily.kext > Contents > PlugIns > BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport.kext > Contents > Info.plist

		<key>PID 156 0x9C VID 1118 0x45E</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
			<string>com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>
			<key>Dongles</key>
			<dict>
				<key>Microsoft</key>
				<string>Bluetooth 2.0 USB</string>
			</dict>
			<key>IOClass</key>
			<string>BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>
			<key>IOProviderClass</key>
			<string>IOUSBDevice</string>
			<key>idProduct</key>
			<integer>156</integer>
			<key>idVendor</key>
			<integer>1118</integer>
		</dict>

And I modified it with all values given by System Information under Hardware > USB

		<key>PID [B]8680[/B] [B]0x21e8[/B] VID [B]2652 0x0a5c[/B]</key>
		<dict>
			<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
			<string>com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>
			<key>Dongles</key>
			<dict>
				<key>Microsoft</key>
				<string>Bluetooth 2.0 USB</string>
			</dict>
			<key>IOClass</key>
			<string>BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport</string>
			<key>IOProviderClass</key>
			<string>IOUSBDevice</string>
			<key>idProduct</key>
			<integer>[B]8680[/B]</integer>
			<key>idVendor</key>
			<integer>[B]2652[/B]</integer>
		</dict>

And I still don't know why this shows up in the menubar:

 

[MacVidCards]

If you don't put it into dev mode, the second you make a single change to a kext it stops loading. With or without fixing permissions.

In system profiler you can see extensions and whether they loaded or not and if not, why

 

[Baklava]

If you don't put it into dev mode, the second you make a single change to a kext it stops loading. With or without fixing permissions.

In system profiler you can see extensions and whether they loaded or not and if not, why

I did that by using the Kext Tool. But I also mentioned that in my first post.

 

[MacVidCards]

I did that by using the Kext Tool. But I also mentioned that in my first post.

Please find someone who can translate what I have been typing more clearly for you.

I think that you are missing some crucial pieces of information.

Kext Tool has nothing to do with dev mode.

This will be SO MUCH SIMPLER when you understand this