I have Handoff and Airdrop working on my early 2011 MBP but can't get Instant Hotspot to work. Is anyone else having this issue. Running the latest betas of CAT and Sierra with the CAX card.
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Continuity Activation Tool CAT working on 10.12 Sierra
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See the Edit within my post. I used the tool to correctly uninstall with recovery which recovered the drivers needed.
The manual method (before CAT existed) can be found here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/handoff-breakdown-with-activation-tool.1803192/#post-20124161
The two kexts you'll have to grab from your /System/Library/Extensions/ and modify and replace are:
IO80211Family.kext
IOBluetoothFamily.kext
Me, I find it easier just to disable SIP and use the kext utility to merge the info, clean up the caches and fix system permissions:
http://mac.softpedia.com/get/System-Utilities/Kext-Utility.shtml
(to disable SIP, you need to boot in recovery mode, Utilities menu, Terminal, command line is csrutil disable )
I just leave it disabled as long as we're beta - re-enable it when Sierra goes GA (provided you don't need to regularly manipulate kexts that is).
I used the 0xed file and can't find the Mac- to change. Maybe I'm missing something to display the proper string, as 0xed stops where the string is but I can't read it on the right pane.
Are these the only files I need to change, io80211family and iobluetoothfamily and put in my Mac- number? I'm thinking I need a driver file for wifi and bluethooth to work properly. (I'm from the Windows world
)Thanks
kexts (kernel extensions) are your drivers. You could use a different editor other than 0xed if you're having issues with it.I used the 0xed file and can't find the Mac- to change. Maybe I'm missing something to display the proper string, as 0xed stops where the string is but I can't read it on the right pane.
Are these the only files I need to change, io80211family and iobluetoothfamily and put in my Mac- number? I'm thinking I need a driver file for wifi and bluethooth to work properly. (I'm from the Windows world
Thanks
You need to re-read those instructions I pointed you to (or learn how to use the CAT tool properly).
And running the CAT tool didn't work? Did you run it before you manually modified the kext files or after?
Got it working again. Ended up reinstalling sierra and everything works properly including hotspot.
Thanks everyone for helping me out.
Hi All
hope someone can help me. I'm trying to get continuity working on MBP 15" mid 2009 with GMYLE BT dongle.
On Sierra PB4 (installed with the Dosdude1's tool) the CAT tool does not give me any error. At the reboot it hangs, screen stays with the Apple logo.
On El Captain 10.11.6, at the reboot I get the Kernel panic error.
I tried with the stable and beta version of the CAT tool.
I was also thinking to replace the airport card but the thing is that mine is just inside the black plastic thing under the screen.
Any suggestions I can try? Maybe with the manual method?
Thank you
EDIT: I managed to make it work by installing the kext from Yosemite on Sierra PB4.
Universal clipboard, Airdrop and Handsoff were successfully enabled and working. Handsoff was not always working btw. On 10.11.6 it doesn't work.
hope someone can help me. I'm trying to get continuity working on MBP 15" mid 2009 with GMYLE BT dongle.
On Sierra PB4 (installed with the Dosdude1's tool) the CAT tool does not give me any error. At the reboot it hangs, screen stays with the Apple logo.
On El Captain 10.11.6, at the reboot I get the Kernel panic error.
I tried with the stable and beta version of the CAT tool.
I was also thinking to replace the airport card but the thing is that mine is just inside the black plastic thing under the screen.
Any suggestions I can try? Maybe with the manual method?
Thank you
EDIT: I managed to make it work by installing the kext from Yosemite on Sierra PB4.
Universal clipboard, Airdrop and Handsoff were successfully enabled and working. Handsoff was not always working btw. On 10.11.6 it doesn't work.
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2008 MacBook Pro 17" (4,1) here, running PB6 (latest iOS and WatchOS betas).
Do we have documentation on the actions that the CAT tool is doing for all of the options?
I'd like to try manually changing the items that yet need to be repaired (last time I forced CAT to apply, disregarding the compatibility check my BT and wifi drivers were hosed and had to restore my kexts).
Current state of the system:
I tried some of the manual steps provided in the Yosemite thread (noted earlier in this thread), but the whitelisting seems to have changed for Sierra.
Let me know, thanks!
Edit: Amazingly, through all of my messing around, it just worked.. (I have a problem with my IOBluetoothFamily.kext - system report says it isn't signed properly, so need to fix that, but the Apple Watch just unlocked the lock screen) . So, at least now we know it's possible on this system (if you beat your head against the wall enough)
Do we have documentation on the actions that the CAT tool is doing for all of the options?
I'd like to try manually changing the items that yet need to be repaired (last time I forced CAT to apply, disregarding the compatibility check my BT and wifi drivers were hosed and had to restore my kexts).
Current state of the system:
I tried some of the manual steps provided in the Yosemite thread (noted earlier in this thread), but the whitelisting seems to have changed for Sierra.
Let me know, thanks!
Edit: Amazingly, through all of my messing around, it just worked.
. (I have a problem with my IOBluetoothFamily.kext - system report says it isn't signed properly, so need to fix that, but the Apple Watch just unlocked the lock screen) . So, at least now we know it's possible on this system (if you beat your head against the wall enough)
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Check your System Report - see if it says your IOBluetoothFamily.kext is ok or if it has a signing error (that's what happened to mine).
Well, the unsigned (bastardized) one that I had was making the Apple Watch unlocking unreliable (the option was still there and selected, but it seemed to work somewhat randomly...would work a few times, then quit). When I went back to a "Vanilla" IOBluetoothFamily.kext it started working reliably.
Honestly, I'm wondering if I had to run the CAT tool at all. Something I'll be finding out when Sierra goes gold - as I'll nuke my MBP and put the GA Sierra code on from scratch.
I think you really just need to have BLE 4.x and a newer wifi card (again, it seems the ones that support 802.11AC work, but whether it actually has something to do with AC vs another feature of the card??)
For those beating their head against the wall to get this working....it may just be worth the $4 to bite the bullet and get an app that supports it (requires BLE, so you may need to get a USB BLE dongle if you don't have that spec in your system). Found it posted to the dev forums: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macid/id948478740. May save a few people some stress. . Heh. I may just get it to see if it has greater range than Apple's app (my mini being 10' away from my wireless keyboard/trackpad)
. Heh. I may just get it to see if it has greater range than Apple's app (my mini being 10' away from my wireless keyboard/trackpad) 
The app you linked to is a very good app. I have been using it since it first came out. The app hasn't been updated (yet) for Sierra, although it does work with some quirks here and there.For those beating their head against the wall to get this working....it may just be worth the $4 to bite the bullet and get an app that supports it (requires BLE, so you may need to get a USB BLE dongle if you don't have that spec in your system). Found it posted to the dev forums: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macid/id948478740. May save a few people some stress.
The developer is good about staying in contact and answering questions on Twitter. He is also working on ver. 2.0
well being that the only other features would be some setting turning on based on which card the system found, I would hope its that, so we without can run CAT and get the apple watch unlock if its AC based, then a couple buck adapter, or that app might be the only options
if its AC based, then a couple buck adapter, or that app might be the only options
Which Mac(book) are you running Scoob? Running the stock Airport card or did you replace it?well being that the only other features would be some setting turning on based on which card the system found, I would hope its that, so we without can run CAT and get the apple watch unlock
Feature definitely requires BLE 4.x, but I'm wondering if there isn't some way to get continuity working with the existing wifi cards. (Heh...just not willing to upgrade my 2012 mini to Sierra until it goes gold)
.Edit: Turns out the 2012 & newer Mac Mini's do have BLE - wasn't in the specs. *grumble*. Anywho, looks like I'm in the same boat - have BLE, but not 802.11AC on my Mac Mini - so when Sierra goes gold, I'll be trying to get that wifi working with connectivity (failing that, I'll try a USB wifi adapter I have that supports AC).
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Im running a 2012 17" with the CAX replacement card.Which Mac(book) are you running Scoob? Running the stock Airport card or did you replace it?
Feature definitely requires BLE 4.x, but I'm wondering if there isn't some way to get continuity working with the existing wifi cards. (Heh...just not willing to upgrade my 2012 mini to Sierra until it goes gold)
Edit: Turns out the 2012 & newer Mac Mini's do have BLE - wasn't in the specs. *grumble*. Anywho, looks like I'm in the same boat - have BLE, but not 802.11AC on my Mac Mini - so when Sierra goes gold, I'll be trying to get that wifi working with connectivity (failing that, I'll try a USB wifi adapter I have that supports AC).
Ok, so your setup and my Mac mini are almost identical chipsets then. Your bluetooth is slightly newer than mine though (you have the BCM20702A3 BT chipset). Both of our cards support BLE.
So, no tweaking of BT will be required, but we'll need to find a way to force continuity to like our BCM4331 wifi cards (maybe we'll have to spoof the kexts to think it's the same as the BCM4360, which IS supported by continuity).
I seem to have an issue after using the continuity tool. In that my trackpad can't be disabled when a Bluetooth mouse is attached.
I go under preferences, accessibility, mouse and trackpad. The option for ignore trackpad when mouse is being used is selected. Yet the trackpad is still enabled when the mouse is connected via Bluetooth. If I deselect and reselect ignore trackpapd, the trackpad gets ignored when the mouse is connected.
Upon rebooting or shutdown I must do the same thing deselect and reselect ignore trackpad to have mouse only.
Before using continuity the trackpad would be ignored without me deselecting and re-selecting.
Any idea on this problem? I'm using the latest beta of the continuity tool.
Thanks
I go under preferences, accessibility, mouse and trackpad. The option for ignore trackpad when mouse is being used is selected. Yet the trackpad is still enabled when the mouse is connected via Bluetooth. If I deselect and reselect ignore trackpapd, the trackpad gets ignored when the mouse is connected.
Upon rebooting or shutdown I must do the same thing deselect and reselect ignore trackpad to have mouse only.
Before using continuity the trackpad would be ignored without me deselecting and re-selecting.
Any idea on this problem? I'm using the latest beta of the continuity tool.
Thanks