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MP 1,1-5,1 Cheap wifi/Bluetooth upgrade for Mac Pro 3,1

G

georgia-ctsv

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 17, 2019
34
12
Valdosta, Ga.
So I've got a fully up to date Mac Pro 3,1 running DosDues1's Catalina OS. I've been wanting to upgrade my WIFI/Bluetooth card and have ordered one of the mac cards with the adapter. The problem is when installed the Mac would not boot. So dealing with hackintoshes I have used the Fenvi FV T-919 with good results. This card allows you to be able to unlock with your apple watch handoff, and continuity. Comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac all for $59.99 fully compatible OOB. So I ordered one for the Mac Pro the problem is you need a USB Header plug which the Mac Pro does not have. BUT you can order a CRJ 9-Pin USB IDC Dupont Male Header to Single USB 2.0 Type A Male Cable which plugs on to the cable on the Fenvi card needed for Bluetooth and you just plug it into a USB plug on the back of the machine. It works great and for a total of less $70.00 it's a cheap upgrade that takes 15mins to install. Here are the links to the parts you need:
Cable https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q4QZW57/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fenvi Card https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VCCZS54/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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georgia-ctsv said:
So I've got a fully up to date Mac Pro 3,1 running DosDues1's Catalina OS. I've been wanting to upgrade my WIFI/Bluetooth card and have ordered one of the mac cards with the adapter. The problem is when installed the Mac would not boot. So dealing with hackintoshes I have used the Fenvi FV T-919 with good results. This card allows you to be able to unlock with your apple watch handoff, and continuity. Comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac all for $59.99 fully compatible OOB. So I ordered one for the Mac Pro the problem is you need a USB Header plug which the Mac Pro does not have. BUT you can order a CRJ 9-Pin USB IDC Dupont Male Header to Single USB 2.0 Type A Male Cable which plugs on to the cable on the Fenvi card needed for Bluetooth and you just plug it into a USB plug on the back of the machine. It works great and for a total of less $70.00 it's a cheap upgrade that takes 15mins to install. Here are the links to the parts you need:
Cable https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q4QZW57/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fenvi Card https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VCCZS54/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...

And this allows Handoff/Continuity and Unlock with Apple Watch on Catalina?
 
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Yes sir with no added kexts. I did have to turn off wifi and bluetooth on my iphone and the Mac Pro then back on to get hand off to work. After that working 100%.
 
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On my hackintosh about 4 feet it unlocks which is sitting at my desk with it under the desk. I have not had a chance to use it yet on my Mac Pro should be the same.
 
Thanks, I’m wondering whether I’m right on the edge of practical distance:

cff0a2e3c6e0ec08921592015902926e.jpg
 
If there is an issue you could buy an extended antenna that goes on your desktop. I do get mouse lag every once in a while but not very often and not sure what causes it.
 
I'm at a loss. I've turned off wifi and bluetooth and back on again. I've signed out of iCloud and back in again. I've restarted numerous times. I just can't get handoff, continuity, or Apple Watch unlock to work.

This is all that happens when I try to enable the Apple Watch unlock.
Screen Shot 2020-03-15 at 9.15.40 AM.png


Any thoughts or suggestions?

I'm on a Macpro5,1 running DosDude1's Catalina patcher.
 
Are you used by the Fenvi card? I had to turn off WiFi and Bluetooth on both my iPhone and my Mac Pro. After I turned them back on it all started working. If your using the stock WiFi Bluetooth card it’s not compatible with hand off.
 
georgia-ctsv said:
Are you used by the Fenvi card? I had to turn off WiFi and Bluetooth on both my iPhone and my Mac Pro. After I turned them back on it all started working. If your using the stock WiFi Bluetooth card it’s not compatible with hand off.
Click to expand...
Yes--using the Fenvi card and have turned off wifi and bluetooth. Turned them back on and still nothing.
 
Did you buy the USB adapter for the Bluetooth power plug that goes on the card? Make sure you remove the factory WiFi and Bluetooth card if not the Mac will only see them.
 
Strange it says handoff capability yes. Like I said earlier I shut off WiFi and Bluetooth on Mac and iPhone then turned them on it worked perfect. And you connected to the same WiFi 5mhz or 2.4mhz
[automerge]1584320210[/automerge]
Ok I just checked mine again and handoff was not working. I had to reconnect my iPhone to the Mac Pro through Bluetooth then it started working. Pair your iPhone with your Mac see if that fixes it.
 
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I've just upgraded my WiFi and Bluetooth card in the same way as above, I have the exact same chipset number 20702BO. I can get AirPods to work via bluetooth and I can airdrop photos but I cannot get continuity, handoff or Apple Watch unlock to work. I'm running OSX High Sierra on a 2010 Mac Pro (without any software modifications).
 
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try pairing you iPhone to your Mac pro and see if that fixes it. I had to do that to get mine to work. Also I assume you have handoff turned on your iPhone and on your Mac.
 
georgia-ctsv said:
try pairing you iPhone to your Mac pro and see if that fixes it. I had to do that to get mine to work. Also I assume you have handoff turned on your iPhone and on your Mac.
Click to expand...

forums.macrumors.com

Help with Handoff on cMP 5,1?

I can confirm the above guide works 100%. I now have all features working (bluetooth, airdrop, handoff, continuity and Apple Watch unlock. I did not use CAT method. I'm running High Sierra (2010 Mac Pro 5,1). The first problem I caused was wiring up the red and black wires the wrong way around...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com

I have now fixed and working 100%
 
Thanks for this post... has been really helpful. I have the same card and am having issues based off which slot I instal it in. Works fine on slot 3, but the Wi-Fi doesn’t work when installed in slot 1 or 2. Any thoughts? I have a 5.1 tower.
 
Mine is a 3,1 and installed in the top PCIe slot not sure of what number. WiFi should work on any slot I've had mine in the bottom PCIe slot also. What won't work is bluetooth unless you have the cable plugged in to a USB port. Make sure the factory WiFi card if you have one is not installed.
 
I really like this solution because I have a Fenvi card :)

But does it also work on a Mac Pro 5,1 from 2010? If we connect the 9-Pin USB cable for Bluetooth, it should work "natively"?

As if we had an internal USB 2.0 connector on the cMP motherboard, I mean.
 
georgia-ctsv said:
So I've got a fully up to date Mac Pro 3,1 running DosDues1's Catalina OS. I've been wanting to upgrade my WIFI/Bluetooth card and have ordered one of the mac cards with the adapter. The problem is when installed the Mac would not boot. So dealing with hackintoshes I have used the Fenvi FV T-919 with good results. This card allows you to be able to unlock with your apple watch handoff, and continuity. Comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac all for $59.99 fully compatible OOB. So I ordered one for the Mac Pro the problem is you need a USB Header plug which the Mac Pro does not have. BUT you can order a CRJ 9-Pin USB IDC Dupont Male Header to Single USB 2.0 Type A Male Cable which plugs on to the cable on the Fenvi card needed for Bluetooth and you just plug it into a USB plug on the back of the machine. It works great and for a total of less $70.00 it's a cheap upgrade that takes 15mins to install. Here are the links to the parts you need:
Cable https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q4QZW57/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fenvi Card https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VCCZS54/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...

Work on MacPro3,1 with 10.11.6 (El Capitan)?
 
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nephh said:
I really like this solution because I have a Fenvi card :)

But does it also work on a Mac Pro 5,1 from 2010? If we connect the 9-Pin USB cable for Bluetooth, it should work "natively"?

As if we had an internal USB 2.0 connector on the cMP motherboard, I mean.
Click to expand...
Hello! Curious if you tried in 5,1. I have a 4,1 flashed to 5,1 and am in need of a wifi ac solution... This looks like the best most cost effective solution I've seen yet! I'll do some more Googling and report back if I find anything...

ALSO - anyone above have the card working in bootcamp / Windows?
 
It should work no problem I had to order a cable adapter to plug it in the a USB plug on the back. Only complaint is my Magic mouse lags to the point where its useless but bluetooth keyboard, handoff, wifi and bluetooth all work. Unlock with my apple watch only works on my hacintosh but my Mac Pro 3.1 does not work too weak a signal.
 
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