iM 4,1-14,4 iMac (late 2007 to mid 2011) 802.11ac + BT 4.0 internal upgrade

[Ausdauersportler]

So, I tried connecting the right hand 2.4 GHz antenna to J3 (Right hand = on the upper right side of the frame, as seen from the front. Originally for WiFi), and the 5 Ghz antenna (circular, behind the screen) to J1. This resulted in extremely poor BT performance, with keyboard and mouse only connecting when held right up against the screen of the iMac, loosing connection whenever moved even a little bit away. Also checked with discoverability: iPhone 6s could not see iMac from 1 m, but could see iMac when held directly up against the screen of the iMac.

I then tried connecting the right hand 2.4 GHz antenna to J0, while keeping J1 attached to 5 GHz antenna. This results in very good BT performance.

These findings weakens the hypothesis that (for all) BCM94360CD cards, J3 is BT. On my card, at least, BT seems to be J0.

Now we know for sure your BT antenna does not provide a better reception. What happens if you disconnect J0 completely? Same reception on BT? This is all weird. Honestly only a few users tested, most copied picture from other threads in.

Usually I make sure to connect the 5GHz correctly in iMac12,2 and all others are technically identical. As long as I connect all other ports to 2,4 GHz antennas it should work.

You need to setup the trust between all devices to use handover, watch unlock etc. Follow the Apple docs to get there.

 

[sveinung]

Now we know for sure your BT antenna does not provide a better reception. What happens if you disconnect J0 completely? Same reception on BT? This is all weird. Honestly only a few users tested, most copied picture from other threads in.

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by the first line. I tried having nothing connected to J0, with extremely poor BT performance as a result. I now have 4 separate data points all indicating that, when nothing is connected to J0, BT performance is terrible, and when something is connected to J0, BT performance is good. This suggests that J0 on my card = BT.

As for Continuity: the procedure outlined in my last post did the trick! Everything appears to work now, including Watch Unlock.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by the first line. I tried having nothing connected to J0, with extremely poor BT performance as a result. I now have 4 separate data points all indicating that, when nothing is connected to J0, BT performance is terrible, and when something is connected to J0, BT performance is good. This suggests that J0 on my card = BT.

As for Continuity: the procedure outlined in my last post did the trick! Everything appears to work now, including Watch Unlock.

This is a forum, not a chat. It would be so much more easy if you add all your experiments and results to a single post, this way nobody can be confused.

As I said, I do not doubt your results, was just asking back if J0 connected and disconnected make any difference (it does!).

 

[sveinung]

This is a forum, not a chat. It would be so much more easy if you add all your experiments and results to a single post, this way nobody can be confused.

Noted. I could create such a post now, if that would be helpful?

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Noted. I could create such a post now, if that would be helpful?

You cannot edit your older posts? I can - so I just go back and add/change information once in a while instead of adding a series of posts.
(we already spent a whole page on discussing this interesting topic )

 

[sveinung]

I sure can.

 

[vkd]

Hi,
I have a 2011 27" iMac. I am presently running Monterey 12.5.1 with OCLP 0.5.1. I connect to the internet with cable and have no need for Handoff, Continuity, etc. or any Wifi really, but I do need the Bluetooth.


I am looking at upgrading to the new macOS, Ventura. Please could you let me know if I will need to modify my computer to do so.

BTW I upgraded the GPU to nVidia Quadro K2100M already.

Thanks so much for your kind attention.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Hi,
I have a 2011 27" iMac. I am presently running Monterey 12.5.1 with OCLP 0.5.1. I connect to the internet with cable and have no need for Handoff, Continuity, etc. or any Wifi really, but I do need the Bluetooth.


I am looking at upgrading to the new macOS, Ventura. Please could you let me know if I will need to modify my computer to do so.

BTW I upgraded the GPU to nVidia Quadro K2100M already.

Thanks so much for your kind attention.

Regards,
Andy

Same rule here, check the first post of this thread for available modules and the process. Additionally you may read/scan through the first 15 pages…

 

[vkd]

Same rule here, check the first post of this thread for available modules and the process. Additionally you may read/scan through the first 15 pages…

Yes, I tried. The problem is that it is all about wifi and my specific question regarding Bluetooth only is not answered. Thats why I asked. If you know I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know. Thanks.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Yes, I tried. The problem is that it is all about wifi and my specific question regarding Bluetooth only is not answered. Thats why I asked. If you know I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know. Thanks.

Off, topic here. This thread is about regaining macOS functionality by upgrading supported hardware. You can search through countless other threads or on Hack sites how to update BT with a USB dongle and how this might work and what is needed.
Titel says "internal upgrade" and you might even notice the intention of the original author.

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by the first line. I tried having nothing connected to J0, with extremely poor BT performance as a result. I now have 4 separate data points all indicating that, when nothing is connected to J0, BT performance is terrible, and when something is connected to J0, BT performance is good. This suggests that J0 on my card = BT.

As for Continuity: the procedure outlined in my last post did the trick! Everything appears to work now, including Watch Unlock.

Found an interesting quote about the BCM9436xxxx cards and it's antennas:

The antennas are not separately 2.4ghz, 5ghz, bluetooth.

It is a three stream WiFi chipset, it uses all three antennas at both frequencies in order to do all the things it does. Things like antenna diversity, beam forming and mu-mimo.

You should use three antennas or a 2 stream card ideally. The 3 stream card will still work with only 2 antennas, and you shouldn’t have any problems but you will only have 2 stream WiFi at best, limiting your speed considerably. That is, if you even have an AC router. And assuming the card/firmware deals with a faulty/missing antenna as best it can.

You should be sure your antennas are 2.4 AND 5ghz in one. They should have resonating elements tuned for both sets of frequencies, but simplest is to confirm with the seller.

Not sure we have dual frequency antennas in our iMacs...

 

[marvin_95l]

Thanks for this very helpful thread !!!

Today I successfully upgraded the Wifi card in my iMac 27" 2010. I used a Wifi card from a broken Macbook Pro Retina 2012 (BCM94331CSAX). Bluetooth and WiFi work perfectly, Airdrop also works without problems.
But I have a small problem with Airplay. The stream from my iPhone or iPad to the iMac works, but not from iMac to my TV. With my Macbook Pro 2012 (with exactly the same Wifi card) the stream to the TV works.
Does anyone have an idea?

Best Regards

 

[Ausdauersportler]

Thanks for this very helpful thread !!!

Today I successfully upgraded the Wifi card in my iMac 27" 2010. I used a Wifi card from a broken Macbook Pro Retina 2012 (BCM94331CSAX). Bluetooth and WiFi work perfectly, Airdrop also works without problems.
But I have a small problem with Airplay. The stream from my iPhone or iPad to the iMac works, but not from iMac to my TV. With my Macbook Pro 2012 (with exactly the same Wifi card) the stream to the TV works.
Does anyone have an idea?

Best Regards

Same here, AppleTV video streaming broke with Big Sur or Monterey on AMD equipped iMacs (as far as I remember). Nice to have a confirmation the BCM94331CSAX still works with Monterey.

Using a NVIDA dGPU you need the iGPU enabled to have AirPlay, which does not work on Big Sur and later. This is a widely known issue.

 

[marvin_95l]

Same here, AppleTV video streaming broke with Big Sur or Monterey on AMD equipped iMacs (as far as I remember). Nice to have a confirmation the BCM94331CSAX still works with Monterey.

Using a NVIDA dGPU you need the iGPU enabled to have AirPlay, which does not work on Big Sur and later. This is a widely known issue.

Too bad there is no way that airplay works correctly. Handoff and Airdrop work fine with the BCM94331CSAX in MacOS Monterey.

 

[dorninko]

Hi all, another problem: I installed a BCM94360CS in an iMac11,1. The system recognised the WiFi card and the bluetooth card. BT works but WiFi does not find any network.
I installed the same card and adapter in an iMac 11,3 and it worked instantly.

Update: new installation of Monterey fixed the issue.

Thanks for your support.

 

[jay508]

iMac 12,2 models NIC bcm94360cd

Monterey 12.6.1, reset nvram airdro function normal view bluetooth chipset identification bcm-20702B0


reboot the system after airdrop can identify the search to the device can not use send no response, production to see the bluetooth is identified as third_party_dongle

Wi-Fi Bluetooth function is normal, the keyboard and mouse is also normal what is the problem has been troubled for a long time Thank you

 

[Aine0nline]

Hello! Got iMac 27" mid 2011 with High Sierra on it. Upgraded CPU, hard drive and graphic card successfully.
I've been reading this topic for a couple of months now... First time upgrading any computer, and iMac at that Never tried soldering anything or whatever... So first time in everything (and I'm a woman too, haha).
Can someone perhaps tell me what I did wrong?
I got BCM94360CD, as recommended few times here, mini PCI-E adapter with a cable soldered to D+/D-, long u.fl/MHF4 antenna (but seems I got it wrong because it's much smaller than original somehow!)...
1. Got JST connector from old bluetooth module and soldered D+/D- cable from mini PCI-E adapter to it.
2. Connected antenna from old place to the card (J3). Attached it with some clear scotch tape, because one side fits well, and another is tiny (can see it on the picture compared to my fingers).
3. Connected all other antennas (no stripe J0, 1 stripe J2, two stripes J2).
But my iMac just says that there is no hardware detected whatsoever. What did I do wrong?
Please explain it to me as if you'd talk to a child, cuz I am so new to all this stuff Like a newborn...

 

[internetzel]

Hello! Got iMac 27" mid 2011 with High Sierra on it. Upgraded CPU, hard drive and graphic card successfully.
I've been reading this topic for a couple of months now... First time upgrading any computer, and iMac at that Never tried soldering anything or whatever... So first time in everything (and I'm a woman too, haha).
Can someone perhaps tell me what I did wrong?
I got BCM94360CD, as recommended few times here, mini PCI-E adapter with a cable soldered to D+/D-, long u.fl/MHF4 antenna (but seems I got it wrong because it's much smaller than original somehow!)...
1. Got JST connector from old bluetooth module and soldered D+/D- cable from mini PCI-E adapter to it.
2. Connected antenna from old place to the card (J3). Attached it with some clear scotch tape, because one side fits well, and another is tiny (can see it on the picture compared to my fingers).
3. Connected all other antennas (no stripe J0, 1 stripe J2, two stripes J2).
But my iMac just says that there is no hardware detected whatsoever. What did I do wrong?
Please explain it to me as if you'd talk to a child, cuz I am so new to all this stuff Like a newborn...

Well done!
I'd suggest you make sure the black and red cable from the first picture aren't in short circuit.

 

[Aine0nline]

Well done!
I'd suggest you make sure the black and red cable from the first picture aren't in short circuit.

Hm, they probably are I'll try to solder it again, I guess.
Does everything else look ok? I think to relocate bluetooth antenna, because extention one doesn't fit well and keeps falling out on one end.

 

[dfranetic]

Hm, they probably are I'll try to solder it again, I guess.
Does everything else look ok? I think to relocate bluetooth antenna, because extention one doesn't fit well and keeps falling out on one end.

You need a different extension cable - U.FL/U.FL. MHF4 is a smaller connector appearing only on cards ending in CS.

 

[Aine0nline]

You need a different extension cable - U.FL/U.FL. MHF4 is a smaller connector appearing only on cards ending in CS.

I figured when I got it Got confused with all information and different card numbers. But I can just get another antenna and relocate it closer to the card, right? Or is only extention neccessary?

 

[dfranetic]

I figured when I got it Got confused with all information and different card numbers. But I can just get another antenna and relocate it closer to the card, right? Or is only extention neccessary?

You can, but how will that antenna serve its purpose then? There are special cutouts at antenna locations on the frame of the front glass, which let radio signals pass. (Otherwise the iMac is quite close to a Faraday cage. Of course, WiFi will still work with one antenna less, but not at full specified performance.)

 

[Aine0nline]

You can, but how will that antenna serve its purpose then? There are special cutouts at antenna locations on the frame of the front glass, which let radio signals pass. (Otherwise the iMac is quite close to a Faraday cage. Of course, WiFi will still work with one antenna less, but not at full specified performance.)

Oh, really? Can't it be placed where other antennas are? Have to make order on aliexpress again then 🤔

 

[Aine0nline]

You need a different extension cable - U.FL/U.FL. MHF4 is a smaller connector appearing only on cards ending in CS.

Can you perhaps give me a link from aliexpress, please? It keeps showing me MHF4 ones instead, can't find one I need.

 

[Aine0nline]

Is this the correct one, right?