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Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 & GTX 760

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Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

Woot! I just installed a TP-Link Archer C7 v2 wireless router that I bought, used, off of eBay for $70 USD. My 11n systems are running at the max mbps speed, depending upon their 11n technology, and the Edimax Wireless AC1200 Dual Band USB 3.0 Adapter (EW-7822UAC) is running at 857 mbps. BTW, the Edimax is now at a low price of $30 USD at Amazon which is a good buy to get into 11ac wireless on the H97N-WIFI.

I've also ordered the iMac Broadcom WIFI/BT4LE card and the mini PCI-e adapter discussed in tonymacx86's http://www.tonymacx86.com/network/1...apple-mini-cards-pcie-mini-pcie-adapters.html thread. Unfortunately they're coming from China, which means 4-6 weeks delivery time. Once I receive the two items, I'll have to determine how to add two more antennas to the H97N's two standard WIFI/BT antennas. But, that's the fun of hackintoshing. :thumbup:

I also have a Gigabyte GTX 750 Ti on the way from Amazon. I like Gigabyte's 750 Ti because of the dual DVI and dual HDMI connectors; the card supports four monitors. Since I have two monitors (Dell U2711 2560x1440 & HP ZR24W 1920x1200) shared among four systems by the IOGear 4-Port Dual View Dual-Link DVI KVM switch (GCS1644), the two DVI ports are a requirement. I also like the low power requirement of the 750 series graphics cards. This card should be good enough for my game playing which I've just started again after a long hiatus from playing computer games. Unfortunately, I'll now be running Yosemite on Hector in order to use the 750 Ti with nVidia's web drivers as Apple and nVidia don't support the 750 Ti on Mavericks. I say unfortunate because Yosemite is still new and buggy, but 10.10.1 cured the wireless, networking and Bluetooth communication problems for most users.

I've posted LuxMark and Unigine Heaven benchmarks now that the 750 Ti is installed. http://www.tonymacx86.com/graphics/...am-new-gigabyte-750-ti-2gb-graphics-card.html
 
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

Nice router! I just got the Archer C8 myself. Got the N900 in the hack running at 450mb/s and the MBP running 300mb/s. The girlfriend is getting the most benefits with her iP6 at 1300mb/s. Can't wait to get an AC card in this Hack. This is all a huge improvement over the crap Medialink router I had. It only lasted about a year before the Wifi started to die.
 
HackONE
GA-Z87-HD3 |  i5 4670 |  HD 4600
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

The TP-Link Archer C7 v1/2 got very good review at SmallNetBuilder.com. See their rating for the AC1750 routers: http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/rankers/router/ranking/AC1750?rank=6&clear=1. BTW, I read that site weekly, both the new reviews and the forum, as the site has lots of good information on networking products.
 
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

IMessage iCloud works :-D (unibeast,multibeast)
 
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

Stork, thanks again for all the info.
Once you get the WiFi/BT card, how/where do you get the USB cable for the BT?

I'd also be curious on how you're going to set this up with the 2 other antenna ports on the card, since
I'm considering doing the same setup.
 
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

I just got the parts and am testing the configuration. Yeah, the four antenna configuration is a PITA. I've jury rigged the antenna setup. So far, wifi and BT work. I'll publish more info later including pictures and a installation guide. :thumbup:

Update

The WiFi/BT 4LE card is an Apple iMac card and the miniPCIe adapter interfaces correctly with the Gigabyte H97N's motherboard WiFi/BT card slot. Both were purchased from Amazon as described in tonymacx86's guide: http://www.tonymacx86.com/network/1...apple-mini-cards-pcie-mini-pcie-adapters.html. Here's the more specific information:

82498-4641fe842c02a2005e96ac3209ab7bc6.jpg
82497-2e7d9be5993450e2cd2e7b0d4cf2504b.jpg

Broadcom BCM94360CD BCM4360CD 802.11ac mini PCI-E WiFi WLAN Bluetooth 4.0 Card for Apple
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L35XSMS/

Generic Mini Pci-e Adapter for Bcm94360cd Bcm94331cd
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NQAXDW8/

Both of the above came in about two weeks from China. However, given the time of year of the Christmas holiday, December, delivery may take longer. You'll need two additional antennas which you can find on eBay for next to nothing, because the iMac WiFi/BT card has four antenna connections.

Super Power Supply® 2 x 6in / 15cm Mini PCI U.FL / IPEX to RP-SMA Antenna WiFi Wireless Router Pigtail Cable - You'll need to replace the Gigabyte antenna leads which are too short
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ITWDN32

Super Power Supply® 2 x 12in / 30cm Mini PCI U.FL / IPEX to RP-SMA Antenna WiFi Wireless Router Pigtail Cable - these longer leads will allow you to mount the two additional antennas on the back of the computer case
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DIHLOYS/

Below are the WiFi and BT System Report information. BTW, this combo does not require a separate USB cable to the motherboards USB plugs. :thumbup:

Wireless
123759-hectors-wifi-2.png


Bluetooth
116781-hectors-wifi-bt.png


The iMac WiFi/BT 4 card and adapter card fits into the miniPCIe on the motherboard, replacing the Gigabyte WiFi/BT card. It does stand 2 to 2 1/2 times taller than the Gigabyte card, which is OK as I'm using the standard Intel processor cooler than comes with boxed Intel processors. It might cause a fit problem if you're using a larger, 2nd party processor cooler.

I will replace the antenna lead wires as the stock Gigabyte ones were design to only fit the Gigabyte card and are almost too short for the iMac card and adapter card. Additionally, since the iMac card has four (4) antenna connectors verses the Gigabyte motherboard's two antenna connectors, I had to kluge together an installation to add two more antennas to the Prodigy case using longer antenna leads, snaked through a non interference hole in the back of the Prodigy's case next to the exhaust fan. Currently, these two antennas are lying across the base of the two motherboard mounted antennas.

This mounting is temporary until I can move the components to another case that has more PCI case slots in the back of the case. The Prodigy's two PCI case back panel slots are taken up by the GTX 750 Ti graphics card. So, by moving the components to a case with more PCI slots on the case back, I can use one of my old PCIe card's PCI vertical plates with two antenna holes to mount the additional two antennas with 12" antenna lead wires.

See Post #41 in my build description thread for how I finally resolved placing the two other antennas.

BTW, the card's antennas connectors are defined:
J0, J1, J2 > WiFi
J3 > BT​

123739-hector-wifi-2.jpg


123738-hector-wifi-1.jpg
 
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Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

Thanks again, Stork.

A few more questions:

- Can you try a BT KB, to see if you can use it to get into the BIOS?
- Have you seen any BT flakyness? Not recognizing/pairing any BT hardware you may want to connect to your Hack.

I'd like to use a BT KB, most likely Apple's, with a new Hack I'll (hopefully) be building soon, but I also use Phillips BT headphones for my audio. Trying to eliminate as many wires as possible :D
 
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

Yes, I can enter the BIOS with the BT keyboard, and I can use the Apple Mighty Mouse to move through the BIOS screens and items, but the keyboard's arrow keys are easier. Just as an aside, I could get into the BIOS using both the Gigabyte card's BT capability, and, after removing the card, with the GMYLE BT 4 USB dongle.

I have not seen/experienced problems with the iMac card's BT; just the opposite as a matter of fac, it seems very steady. I've not tried any handoff or other Yosemite/iOS 8 type of capabilities, yet. Just haven't had the need to use it although I do have an iPhone 6 and an iPad 4. Guess I need to try some of the integration between Yosemite and my iDevices.

I just tried my headset using the Prodigy case's headset plugs. Didn't work. But, that could be due to my case's hook up. I use a IOGear KVM switch which has audio/mic plugs on the from of the switch, and, off course, the headset works with the IOGear KVM switch. I'll tinker around with the Prodigy case connects to see if I can get it working and report back here.
 
Stork's Entry Level Hector Build: GA-H97N-WIFI - i5-4690 - HD4600 Two Monitors

Thanks Stork!

I'm curious how you've got the WiFi antennas connected, since that iMac card has 4 ports, but the Intel card that comes with that mobo only has 2.
 
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