Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter

Well I finally got OS X version 10.6.4 to pickup my Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter.

According to the Product Brief, there are two models: EXPI9301CT and EXPI9301CTBLK.
I have the EXPI9301CTBLK.

Just wanted to create a quick post of my experience for future reference.
The reason I bought the Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter is because my on-board Realtek 8112L is unreliable.

One benefit of this card is, it uses an otherwise empty PCI-Express 2.0 x1 Slot.

Well here's a quick guide that I used:
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/index. ... e=threaded

The Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter has an Intel 82574L ethernet controller on it. This is the same controller used in the new Mac Pros, and as such, Apple generously provides the kext for us. We just need to add our Ethernet controller's device id to the list of supported devices in the kext itself.

Open /System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/Intel82574L.kext/Contents/Info.plist

and edit the following lines:

<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIPrimaryMatch</key>

I. Change <key>IOPCIPrimaryMatch</key> to <key>IOPCIMatch</key>.

II. Add your Ethernet Controller's uid to the list in the line right after the <key>IOPCIMatch</key> line. My id is 0x10D38086. The simple way to find out what it is is to use Windows Device Manager. What you will see is something like PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_10D3&SUBSYS… Now what you need is the numbers/letters following VEN and DEV. These are your vender and device ID numbers. My Vendor ID is 8086 and my Device ID is 10D3.
Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter.jpg
Info.plist should look like this:

<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIMatch</key>
<string>0x10D38086 0x104b8086 0x10f68086</string>
<key>IOPCISecondaryMatch</key>
<string>0x00008086 0x00000000</string>
<key>IOProviderClass</key>
<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
<key>IOResourceMatch</key>
<string>IOKit</string>

III. Remove the lines that say <key>IOPCISecondaryMatch</key>,
and also remove the line <string>0x00008086 0x00000000</string>.

Info.plist should now look like this:

<key>IOClass</key>
<string>Intel82574L</string>
<key>IOPCIMatch</key>
<string>0x10D38086 0x104b8086 0x10f68086</string>
<key>IOProviderClass</key>
<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
<key>IOResourceMatch</key>
<string>IOKit</string>

Once complete, run Kext Utility to repair kexts permissions.

Restart the system. When you get to the Chameleon boot screen, use the boot flags "-f -v". This will force OSX to load all kexts, and will spit out verbose system messages. You should see Ethernet adapters en0 and en1 now show up in Network Preferences.

Edit: Attached, Systems Profiler Screenshots.
System Profiler.jpg
I have two ethernet cards.
1. Realtek 8112L On-board ethernet. Device Name: en0
2. Intel Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter (Intel 82574L Chipset). Device Name: en1

Just got one of these myself (was tired of my onboard Realtek dropping into a coma with lots of connections), thanks for the tip. Do you have to use the -f flag in Chameleon on every subsequent boot once you've installed the card or just the first time?

darukaru said:

Just got one of these myself (was tired of my onboard Realtek dropping into a coma with lots of connections), thanks for the tip. Do you have to use the -f flag in Chameleon on every subsequent boot once you've installed the card or just the first time?

Click to expand...

Just the First Time. Then you can Restart and boot normally.

Thanks guys for the infos,

Do you know if those informations would work with
Intel® PRO/1000 PT Desktop Adapter . I had one lying in my things and saw that there was a driver available for mac OS. Unfortunately my p7p55d doesn't see it. Hope to have
some news.

By the way is there a difference between the EXPI9301CT and the EXPI9301CTBLK? If I stay on 10.6.3 it won't workright ? Thanks in advance for your answers

Sirius199 said:

Thanks guys for the infos,

Do you know if those informations would work with
Intel® PRO/1000 PT Desktop Adapter . I had one lying in my things and saw that there was a driver available for mac OS. Unfortunately my p7p55d doesn't see it. Hope to have
some news.

By the way is there a difference between the EXPI9301CT and the EXPI9301CTBLK? If I stay on 10.6.3 it won't workright ? Thanks in advance for your answers

Click to expand...

Where these the drivers you tried?
http://www.small-tree.com/Articles.asp?ID=198

According to this Product Brief, the Intel® PRO/1000 PT Desktop Adapter uses the Intel® 82572GI Gigabit Controller. Your Vender ID is 8086 and Device ID is 10B9.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information on how to get this adaptor working on a hackintosh. You can do more searching yourself, you need to find a kext for the "82572GI" Gigabit Controller.

I don't think there is a difference between the EXPI9301CT and the EXPI9301CTBLK.

You shouldn't have to upgrade from 10.6.3, as long as you have the latest IONetworkingFamily.kext inside /System/Library/Extensions/

Thanks hactivist for your reply. I think I will find the same intel card and do the install as you showed here. I will let you know how it went.

I have another question. I know it can sound silly, but I come from th PC world. From what I understand , I just have to accomplish what Hactivist has made in order to make the card working, right ? I don't need to go download any driver and install it ?

Thanks to all

Sirius199 said:

I have another question. I know it can sound silly, but I come from th PC world. From what I understand , I just have to accomplish what Hactivist has made in order to make the card working, right ? I don't need to go download any driver and install it ?

Thanks to all

Click to expand...

You shouldn't have to download anything.

Just make changes to /System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/Intel82574L.kext/Contents/Info.plist

Also, any future OS updates will revert any changes you made to Info.plist.
Just follow the guide again and add your Device/Vender ID to Info.plist, or overwrite your Info.plist with the one I attached.

Sirius199 said:

By the way is there a difference between the EXPI9301CT and the EXPI9301CTBLK?

Click to expand...

It's just a difference in the packaging. The 'BLK' stands for 'bulk packaged'. You just get the card in a clear plastic clamshell with no labeling. The idea is that it's for people building dozens or hundreds of systems that don't need driver CDs and retail overpackaging for each one.

Thanks to all of you guys, my unit sees the card and I'm able to see the challenge code in omnisphere. I have now to install that plug in correctly.

Regards