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802.11ac and BT 4.2 are here for unibody MBPs!
source link: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/802-11ac-and-bt-4-2-are-here-for-unibody-mbps.2171056/
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802.11ac and BT 4.2 are here for unibody MBPs!
I am pleased to announce that 5 years after my post found here (where I threw in the towel early): https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macbook-pro-802-11ac-upgrade.1521466/page-4#post-18438927 , native 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.2 are working on classic unibody MBPs!
Edit: I'm now selling the upgrade cards here: https://subtle.design/products/80211ac
All of this was performed on a Mid-2012 A1278 13" MBP with Mojave 10.14.3.
This upgrade will work on the following models:
13" - Early 2011 through Mid 2012 - Model A1278
15" - Mid 2010 through Mid 2012 - Model A1286
17" - Mid 2010 through Late 2011 - Model A1297
I was encouraged by several members, most prominently, @highvoltage12v , who said the iMac cards from 2015 have the proper IPX antenna jack sizes on the card for the classic MBPs.
I reused my original adapter board I luckily kept from 2013, and lo and behold, it all works!!
Now that the prototype works, the current plan is to make the adapter more compact and robust without using Apple's proprietary Airport connector.
Photos and screenshots:
Edit: I'm now selling the upgrade cards here: https://subtle.design/products/80211ac
All of this was performed on a Mid-2012 A1278 13" MBP with Mojave 10.14.3.
This upgrade will work on the following models:
13" - Early 2011 through Mid 2012 - Model A1278
15" - Mid 2010 through Mid 2012 - Model A1286
17" - Mid 2010 through Late 2011 - Model A1297
I was encouraged by several members, most prominently, @highvoltage12v , who said the iMac cards from 2015 have the proper IPX antenna jack sizes on the card for the classic MBPs.
I reused my original adapter board I luckily kept from 2013, and lo and behold, it all works!!
Now that the prototype works, the current plan is to make the adapter more compact and robust without using Apple's proprietary Airport connector.
Photos and screenshots:
Last edited: Jan 21, 2020
highvoltage12v
macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
Yes, this project has been resurrected. Me and @troop231 have been working on ways to make a 2015 iMac wifi card fit into an a1278/a1286 chassis. Currently we are trying to find a source for Apple's proprietary Airport connector (2013+) which many Macbooks/iMacs use. If anyone here on Macrumors knows the specific connector name or type please let us know. I also have been toying with the idea of adding this to a 2011-2012 Mac mini by moving the primary dirve to the upper drive bay and having this card hang over where the original card sat. If anyone here has interest in modifying a 2010-2012 Mac mini for Wireless AC please also let us know. Further interest in this project depends on interaction on this thread. Our current target is the a1278/a1286 2011/2012 MBP, but the older Airport connector was used on many Macs from 2009 up untill 2012.
Last edited: Feb 23, 2019
Reactions: tsialex and mbosse
You are the real MVPs
Name of connector
SSD-K99
F-RT-SM1
514S0335
But no luck with finding one
Name of connector
SSD-K99
F-RT-SM1
514S0335
But no luck with finding one
Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
I don't need it as described in my first post.You are the real MVPs
Name of connector
SSD-K99
F-RT-SM1
514S0335
But no luck with finding one
StellarVixen
macrumors 68020
Mar 1, 2018
2,452
3,968
Earth
Excuse me for my ignorance, what is the benefit of this?
Faster transfer speedsExcuse me for my ignorance, what is the benefit of this?
Reactions: DeepIn2U
StellarVixen
macrumors 68020
Mar 1, 2018
2,452
3,968
Earth
How much? Significantly or slightly?Faster transfer speeds
How much? Significantly or slightly?
At least three times faster, depending on your router. I'm using a Google WiFi router, so the link speed shown below is only 867 Mbps. If I remember correctly, the max speed is 1300 Mbps on more advanced routers.
802.11ac card:
802.11n card:
Speedtest internet results. New 802.11ac card is the bottom three entries in the screenshot. The top two entries are where I reconnected the old 802.11n card that came with the MBP.
Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
Reactions: Mr. Retrofire, DeepIn2U and highvoltage12v
highvoltage12v
macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
My fear is Apple removing the kext for the BCM943224 chipset in the next version of Mac OS. Which will remove a lot of 2012 Macs from the support list. If the kext cannot be added back to 10.15 like we are doing with the 10.13 Atheros kext for the 2011 iMac in 10.14, we may be SOL.Excuse me for my ignorance, what is the benefit of this?
The 2015 iMac Airport card utilizes the bcm94360cd which is also the same card in the 2017 iMac. We gain things such as handoff and continuity etc. Most importantly to me we will have Wireless AC and Bluetooth 4.2
Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
Reactions: DeepIn2U
I have ordered a used Airport Extreme router to verify that 1300 Mbps link speed works.
Reactions: DeepIn2U
As someone using an ancient 2011 macbook, it'll be great to get newer bluetooth for airdrop/continuity and 802.11ac/ax speeds if they come in time
With that said even 450Mbps 802.11n is perfectly fine for most uses.
With that said even 450Mbps 802.11n is perfectly fine for most uses.
Update: Wake on wifi is confirmed to work as well as rebooting the machine using Screen Sharing, it connected right away.
[doublepost=1551067152][/doublepost]
Glad to have you aboard! That makes two people so far, maybe three.As someone using an ancient 2011 macbook, it'll be great to get newer bluetooth for airdrop/continuity and 802.11ac/ax speeds if they come in time
With that said even 450Mbps 802.11n is perfectly fine for most uses.
Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
Reactions: DeepIn2U
StellarVixen
macrumors 68020
Mar 1, 2018
2,452
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Earth
OK.
Since I cannot use such high speeds anyway (my home network is 100 Mbps), is it possible to upgrade the Bluetooth the same way? I need it for audio.
Thanks in advance.
Since I cannot use such high speeds anyway (my home network is 100 Mbps), is it possible to upgrade the Bluetooth the same way? I need it for audio.
Thanks in advance.
highvoltage12v
macrumors 6502a
Mar 27, 2014
Yes, the 2015/2017 iMac cards have Bluetooth 4.2.OK.
Since I cannot use such high speeds anyway (my home network is 100 Mbps), is it possible to upgrade the Bluetooth the same way? I need it for audio.
Thanks in advance.
StellarVixen
macrumors 68020
Mar 1, 2018
2,452
3,968
Earth
I am talking about upgrading MacBook Pro (mid-2012) to Bluetooth 4.1 or newer.Yes, the 2015/2017 iMac cards have Bluetooth 4.2.
Yes, as the wireless card that is used for this upgrade comes from an iMac. Bluetooth and 802.11ac are on the same card.I am talking about upgrading MacBook Pro (mid-2012) to Bluetooth 4.1 or newer.
Reactions: DeepIn2U
StellarVixen
macrumors 68020
Mar 1, 2018
2,452
3,968
Earth
OK, thank you.Yes, as the wireless card that is used for this upgrade comes from an iMac. Bluetooth and 802.11ac are on the same card.
I was convinced that 2012 MBP has 3.0, but it actually has BlueTooth 4.0. That is good enough for me.
Thank you, anyway.
tabormeister
macrumors member
Jul 9, 2018
Southern PA
This is so dope! Glad you guys got back into it. My coworker who has a 2011 15" MBP just walked by, he's in for one!
I have tested the 2015 iMac Airport card in my A1278 MBP and have confirmed that it works all the way back to macOS Yosemite.
The Airport extreme router should arrive in a few days so I can verify that 1300 Mbps link speeds work correctly.
The Airport extreme router should arrive in a few days so I can verify that 1300 Mbps link speeds work correctly.
Last edited: Feb 27, 2019
Reactions: majer and tabormeister
Update: 1300 Mbps link speeds work!
Requires macOS El Capitan and later to achieve the full speeds, because Yosemite has reduced link speeds.
Requires macOS El Capitan and later to achieve the full speeds, because Yosemite has reduced link speeds.
Reactions: webg3, highvoltage12v and mbosse
not bad signal/noise with uMBP antennas.
Cant wait to test it on my own
Cant wait to test it on my own
Edit: outdated info
Last edited: Apr 27, 2019
The printed piece is almost fully designed. Just a quick prototype:
Reactions: timjd, DeepIn2U, kennethdale and 3 others
mbosse
macrumors 6502
Apr 29, 2015
Vienna, Austria
Excellent - what do you assume the final piece will cost?The printed piece is almost fully designed. Just a quick prototype:
I think the final cost, since it includes the wireless card, is yet to be determined. The best thing to lower cost is to get a group buy so I can buy all the components in bulk. I don't think a Kickstarter is necessary, but maybe if I add a poll that would help determine the interest?Excellent - what do you assume the final piece will cost?
I'm designing it to work in the A1286 and also definitely want to do the 2011-2012 Mac mini. It technically should work on the white MacBooks as well, but I'm not sure if people would want to invest money into those machines?
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