MacBook Pro 802.11ac upgrade

[chevelleguy3]

I've been holding out on buying a rMBP to see if they put AC in the new one. If it would work in current models I might go ahead and get one. That would help out my speeds significantly.

Here's what I get plugged into ethernet.

 

[locoboi187]

I've been holding out on buying a rMBP to see if they put AC in the new one. If it would work in current models I might go ahead and get one. That would help out my speeds significantly.

Here's what I get plugged into ethernet.

That's incredible. I'm hoping this project works out well

 

[jcpb]

Looks like someone did the 802.11ac card swap from 2013 MBA to a rMBP.

tl;dr of link = if you do the swap above, you're going from 3 antennas to effectively 2 antennas (3rd is unused as the MBA's ac card has only 2 antenna ports), and the speed gains are not great

 

[locoboi187]

tl;dr of link = if you do the swap above, you're going from 3 antennas to effectively 2 antennas (3rd is unused as the MBA's ac card has only 2 antenna ports), and the speed gains are not great

I suppose we should just wait and see if the new 15in rMBP will have a slightly different Wi-Fi card.

 

[Freyqq]

I've been holding out on buying a rMBP to see if they put AC in the new one. If it would work in current models I might go ahead and get one. That would help out my speeds significantly.

Here's what I get plugged into ethernet.

wow.. 107 MB/s. That's faster speeds than most mechanical hard drives. In fact, you're probably being bottlenecked by gigabit Ethernet already lol even though you're still about 18 MB/s away from the theoretical max.

 

[jcpb]

I suppose we should just wait and see if the new 15in rMBP will have a slightly different Wi-Fi card.

It will. Anandtech says MBPs use the entire 3x3:3 configuration, while MBAs are kept at 2x2:2.

Also...

source: comments section

I don't use Apple laptops, but I've tested so many Windows laptops and do you know how many actually had 3x3:3 dual-band WiFi adapters? TWO. Two laptops in the past seven years. So you'll pardon me for saying that the Windows vendors are being totally cheap. Sure, you can custom order something better from some OEMs, but the vast majority of Windows laptops purchased by consumers come pre-built with single-band, single-antenna solutions.

 

[locoboi187]

It will. Anandtech says MBPs use the entire 3x3:3 configuration, while MBAs are kept at 2x2:2.

Also...

So this can necessarily be good news for us when we get our hands on the 3x3:3 cards?

 

[Dreamer2go]

bump!

So I guess we have to wait till the new retina macbook pro comes out, take away it' wireless AC card and install it in the 2012 macbook pro right?

It's such a bummer that the 2012 rMBP does not have the 802.11ac card in it. It is such a perfect system.

(I had to get a new laptop, or else I would have waited for 1 more year)

 

[okwhatev]

This will 100% work unless Apple decides to change the port for the wireless card from SATA to PCI-E

 

[jetlitheone]

I've been holding out on buying a rMBP to see if they put AC in the new one. If it would work in current models I might go ahead and get one. That would help out my speeds significantly.

Here's what I get plugged into ethernet.

Google fiber much? Lol

 

[Sym0]

If this is for internet access then 150 Mbps is plenty. I doubt if anyone has a internet connection that is faster than 54 Mbps!

But if you want to network within your home or work then more the merrier...

Mine is - rMBP over Wireless-N 100Mbit connection...

 

[cbautis2]

If this is for internet access then 150 Mbps is plenty. I doubt if anyone has a internet connection that is faster than 54 Mbps!

But if you want to network within your home or work then more the merrier...

I know this post is old, but 150Mbps WLAN connection won't be able to take advantage of my connection to CSULB campus Wi-Fi (beachnet+) using my 2011 MBA 13 since the maximum throughput at 150Mbps is only 6 MB/s or 48 Mbps.

This still more than enough for the 300 Mbps connection, but Wireless-AC is also a great addition if MBP's Wi-Fi are upgradeable.

 

[RMSko]

Anyone have any update on this?

 

[punchwalk]

Anyone have any update on this?

The new (2013/Haswell) MBPs have 802.11ac. As for the 2012s, I have nothing helpful to add.

 

[fatlardo]

Where can we buy this new card!

 

[zipur]

Here's the upgrade you were looking for...


Wireless AC: Next generation Wireless AC
Dual Band: Up to 867 Mbps Wireless AC or 300 Mbps Wireless N
Compatible: Connects to standard Wireless N networks
USB 3.0: SuperSpeed 5 Gbps USB 3.0 connection to computer
Coverage: Expanded coverage with MIMO technology
One Touch Connection: Connect to a router at the touch of the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button

 

[locoboi187]

Here's the upgrade you were looking for...


Wireless AC: Next generation Wireless AC
Dual Band: Up to 867 Mbps Wireless AC or 300 Mbps Wireless N
Compatible: Connects to standard Wireless N networks
USB 3.0: SuperSpeed 5 Gbps USB 3.0 connection to computer
Coverage: Expanded coverage with MIMO technology
One Touch Connection: Connect to a router at the touch of the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) button

Image

This is not what we were looking for

 

[troop231]

For people still interested in this and wanting NATIVE internal 3 stream 802.11ac WiFi for classic MBP's (2011-2012), I've been working on a solution for the past few months If there's enough interest..

 

[nateo200]

For people still interested in this and wanting NATIVE internal 3 stream 802.11ac WiFi for classic MBP's (2011-2012), I've been working on a solution for the past few months If there's enough interest..

Very much so! early 2013 rMBP's should have had 802.11ac and while I normally wouldn't care my system needs to be future proof and I much prefer Ivybridge rMBP options to Haswell rMBP options (unless I want to spend an arm and a leg on the max option with the dGPU).

 

[troop231]

Very much so! early 2013 rMBP's should have had 802.11ac and while I normally wouldn't care my system needs to be future proof and I much prefer Ivybridge rMBP options to Haswell rMBP options (unless I want to spend an arm and a leg on the max option with the dGPU).

For my solution to work, the new late 2013 rMBP WiFi cards will need to become available for purchase from places like ifixit or ebay, which generally happens a few months after launch.

Edit: I see that you have a 2012 rMBP, so all you would need is the 2013 rMBP's WiFi card which will drop right in. The thing I'm working on is for older MBP owners.

 

[nateo200]

For my solution to work, the new late 2013 rMBP WiFi cards will need to become available for purchase from places like ifixit or ebay, which generally happens a few months after launch.

Edit: I see that you have a 2012 rMBP, so all you would need is the 2013 rMBP's WiFi card which will drop right in. The thing I'm working on is for older MBP owners.

I actually have an early-2013 rMBP if thats what you mean by 2012...so I'm guessing Ill have to wait for late-2013 rMBP 802.11ac cards to pop up? I definitely would prefer having all three antenna's. This is good stuff regardless though!

 

[locoboi187]

For my solution to work, the new late 2013 rMBP WiFi cards will need to become available for purchase from places like ifixit or ebay, which generally happens a few months after launch.

Edit: I see that you have a 2012 rMBP, so all you would need is the 2013 rMBP's WiFi card which will drop right in. The thing I'm working on is for older MBP owners.

I'm very much excited to see how the late 2013 rMBP ac WiFi card works with the 2012 rMBP!

 

[actuallyinaus]

If this is for internet access then 150 Mbps is plenty. I doubt if anyone has a internet connection that is faster than 54 Mbps!

But if you want to network within your home or work then more the merrier...

the IT building at uni has gigabit internet, we average 900+Mbits/s, so ac would be very useful there

but that's a rare scenario (unless you have google fiber), most places even if they had gigabit connections would limit users to 100mb each (like the rest of uni)

the ac is very useful for streaming and copying at decent speeds between you laptop and a home NAS

 

[krravi]

the IT building at uni has gigabit internet, we average 900+Mbits/s, so ac would be very useful there

but that's a rare scenario (unless you have google fiber), most places even if they had gigabit connections would limit users to 100mb each (like the rest of uni)

the ac is very useful for streaming and copying at decent speeds between you laptop and a home NAS

Agree. My city has been selected for fiber internet by a local company. Un believable.

 

[SVTmaniac]

I think my Wireless N is my bottleneck.

Also, I hate each and every one of you in this thread.

And no, I don't live in a third world country. I live in a major city in Arizona.