Hey guys, I've looked and can't find a thread for this but I have a Mac Pro 4,1--> 5,1 and I want to be able to use continuity and air drop. For this I have to have Bluetooth 4.0 BLE. I JUST bought a new AirPort Extreme card for my Mac Pro so I really don't want to have to buy the 2 in 1 Bluetooth airport card. I also don't want to have to take up a USB port by getting a Bluetooth 4.0 adapter. Are there any Bluetooth only cards I can switch my only current card for? I saw just Mac Pro Bluetooth replacement cards selling on amazon but they were Bluetooth 2.0, not 4.0. Anyone have any links to one or know where they can be purchased? Thanks in advance!
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Mac Pro Bluetooth 4.0
- Thread starter Zobrien
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Would I have to take out my current Bluetooth card? And would a USB work just as well as the combined module?
No, but you may need BT Explorer (free download at Apple developer page) to activate the USB BT dongle. Once you choose the USB dongle as the BT device, the internal one will be disabled automatically.
If you expect to CAT, then you can follow this guide from CAT webpage.
Bluetooth 4.0 USB dongles
A few important notes about using CAT with USB Bluetooth 4.0 dongles:
If you expect to CAT, then you can follow this guide from CAT webpage.
Bluetooth 4.0 USB dongles
A few important notes about using CAT with USB Bluetooth 4.0 dongles:
- Bluetooth 4.0 dongles based on the Cambridge Silicon Radio CSR8510 A10 chip (e.g. Inatek Nano) are not compatible with CAT.
- The recommendation is to look for dongles based on the Broadcom BCM20702 chip, which are similar to the ones used by Apple in their Continuity compatible Macs. A few examples: Asus BT400, IOGEAR GBU521, GMYLE, and many others. Compatibility with CSR dongles is not guaranteed.
- Instant Hotspot currently doesn't work reliably when using a dongle. This is a known issue, no workarounds have been identified yet.
- Atheros Wi-Fi AirPort cards will prevent Continuity from working even when adding a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle. The System Diagnostic feature of CAT tells which Wi-Fi brand is active. There are no workarounds and no patch is expected to change this, an AirPort card upgrade is required.
Out of the USB's you mentioned, are there any ones better than the other one? I am leaning towards Asus just because I've built PC's with their parts and they have never failed me, but I'll get the best one if there is a difference between them. Thank you for the help
Check Out MacVideo Cards web page. See attached.
http://www.macvidcards.com/store/p33/Wifi_AC_and_Bluetooth_Airport_Card.html
Also Check Out http://www.osxwifi.com/apple-broadc...-with-adapter-for-macpro-2009-and-macpro-2010
I have been thinking about upgrading but have not jumped in since I am not sure I need new bluetooth or a new Mac Pro.
Bob
No idea, you better try some hackintosh forum, there should be more info about which one gives you the best compatibility.
I have bought the GMYLE USB dongle. I'm not an Apple Developer - does that mean I'm unable to get BT Explorer?
As long as you have a valid Apple ID, you can login the Apple developer page and download the BT Explorer.
I think the Bluetooth itself works fine.. the issue is that I want to use AirDrop to iOS devices. Doesn’t seem to be possible without some sort of CAT / other hack. Or have you found another way to fool OSX? I have tried the CAT 3 or 4 times to no avail. Each time I’ve had to reinstall OSX afterwards.
Airdrop on my 4,1>5,1 is a mixed bag. I want to use it to transfer files to and fro my MBP, and it works about 50% of the time (and that's a generous estimation).
I do use an external USB bluetooth transceiver, because the tower is behind an insulated wall to keep the noise out of my listening environment. I simply disconnected the internal bluetooth chip.
I do use an external USB bluetooth transceiver, because the tower is behind an insulated wall to keep the noise out of my listening environment. I simply disconnected the internal bluetooth chip.
I read up on the "802.11ac bt 4.0 and continuity handoff are working on mac pro 2010 - keep updating" thread and was able to have continuity, handoff and airdrop fully functional on my MacPro 5,1. If you want full integration with 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.0 working on your MacPro then follow this thread.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...orking-on-mac-pro-2010-keep-updating.1748061/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...orking-on-mac-pro-2010-keep-updating.1748061/