How to build your own iMac Pro [Successful Build/Extended Guide]

[kgp]

New EFI-Folder distribution attached to originating post of this thread (guide)

EFI-Folder related changes:

• Implementation of Clover_v2.4k_r4657
• Adding AptioInputFix-64.efi, AppleImageLoader-64.efi and AppleUISupport-64.efi

Enjoy and have fun,

 

[kgp]

Hi again @kgp, Just following up. I still am stuck at productbuild --distribution ./091-94326/091-94326.English.dist --package-path ./091-94326/ installer.pkg. Am i missing some step possibly? thanks!

One simple and stupid question?

Did you change back to desktop in the terminal before executing the "productbuild" command?

Note the "cd .." above "productbuild --distribution ./091-94326/091-94326.English.dist --package-path ./091-94326/ installer.pkg" !!!!!

Just verified once more the entire procedure and it works 100%!

 

[RuleBreaker01]

@izo1 Did you try the airport card with a BCM94360CD , the one that has 4 antenna connectors?
Seems that on this card the J3 connector is dedicated to BT

The newer BCM943602CS has only 3, and while I read that BT radio is shared with the wifi one, Im starting to wonder if that is really the case, or does that card use a built-in antenna like a lot of BT chipset...
That would explain why range sucks so bad when used inside a PC case.

 

[Weston123]

One simple and stupid question?

Did you change back to desktop in the terminal before executing the "productbuild" command?

Note the "cd .." above "productbuild --distribution ./091-94326/091-94326.English.dist --package-path ./091-94326/ installer.pkg" !!!!!

Just verified once more the entire procedure and it works 100%!

Uhh yeaaaaaaaaah. I probably should've done that.... My absolute inexperience with macs and lack of following directions is showing. But Thankyou!

 

[izo1]

@izo1 Did you try the airport card with a BCM94360CD , the one that has 4 antenna connectors?
Seems that on this card the J3 connector is dedicated to BT

The newer BCM943602CS has only 3, and while I read that BT radio is shared with the wifi one, Im starting to wonder if that is really the case, or does that card use a built-in antenna like a lot of BT chipset...
That would explain why range sucks so bad when used inside a PC case.

I tried this one:
https://www.osxwifi.com/product/apple-broadcom-bcm943602cd-802-11-a-b-g-n-ac-with-bluetooth-4-1/

It has newer BT 4.1...but it didn't really make it any better to be honest. I returned it.

What somewhat solved my issue is to buy a cabled antenna and move the radios further away from the PC case/back ports:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W2TYU3A/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

I got 2 of these for the OSXWIFI.

I get less stutters now, however the distance is still an issue especially across walls.

My current OSXWifi card is the older one based on this older module:

https://www.osxwifi.com/product/pc-...94360cd-802-11-a-b-g-n-ac-with-bluetooth-4-0/

 

[RuleBreaker01]

I tried this one:
https://www.osxwifi.com/product/apple-broadcom-bcm943602cd-802-11-a-b-g-n-ac-with-bluetooth-4-1/

It has newer BT 4.1...but it didn't really make it any better to be honest. I returned it.

What somewhat solved my issue is to buy a cabled antenna and move the radios further away from the PC case/back ports:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W2TYU3A/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

I got 2 of these for the OSXWIFI.

I get less stutters now, however the distance is still an issue especially across walls.

My current OSXWifi card is the older one based on this older module:

https://www.osxwifi.com/product/pc-...94360cd-802-11-a-b-g-n-ac-with-bluetooth-4-0/

That's the antenna that came with the GB Designare right? it states 2.4GHz antenna? what about 5GHz? no issue there? (not that I care much about 5GHz)

Question now is finding which antenna BT is connected on, J0, J1 or J2... On the card you have it's J3...

 

[izo1]

That's the antenna that came with the GB Designare right? it states 2.4GHz antenna? what about 5GHz? no issue there? (not that I care much about 5GHz)

Question now is finding which antenna BT is connected on, J0, J1 or J2... On the card you have it's J3...

No, the antenna that came with the Designare EX was for a 2 port single antenna with a mini SMA connector (forgot the actual name for it)...but I did try swapping that antenna and it did not help with the onboard module mod.

So I went back to OSXWIFI and these extended cabled antennas helped.

BT is always 1 antenna port on 2.4Ghz band.

For 5Ghz I'm using Wifi and it works fine.

 

[panell]

I tried this one:
https://www.osxwifi.com/product/apple-broadcom-bcm943602cd-802-11-a-b-g-n-ac-with-bluetooth-4-1/

It has newer BT 4.1...but it didn't really make it any better to be honest. I returned it.

What somewhat solved my issue is to buy a cabled antenna and move the radios further away from the PC case/back ports:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W2TYU3A/?tag=tonymacx86com-20

I got 2 of these for the OSXWIFI.

I get less stutters now, however the distance is still an issue especially across walls.

My current OSXWifi card is the older one based on this older module:

https://www.osxwifi.com/product/pc-...94360cd-802-11-a-b-g-n-ac-with-bluetooth-4-0/

A year ago I was experimenting with increasing Bluetooth range (for my Bose QC35 headphones) in my Big 3 stories floor house (it was Win back then with GC-WB867D-I (rev. 4.2) card). From my experience, I bought some strong and long antennas and they increased range a lot, however, it still was far from perfect (I expected it would be better since headphones mostly are receiving data). Bluetooth range in most devices sucks - one or two walls or ceilings and it breaks, but also sometimes breaks quite randomly.
There should be applications in Apple/Play stores that can measure Bluetooth signal strength, so you may actually verify you "internal antenna theory" and experiment with signal strength a bit.

BTW there were some fakes like this haha:

 

[RuleBreaker01]

No, the antenna that came with the Designare EX was for a 2 port single antenna with a mini SMA connector (forgot the actual name for it)...but I did try swapping that antenna and it did not help with the onboard module mod.

So I went back to OSXWIFI and these extended cabled antennas helped.

Do you have it in the PCIe card or have it connected via the original M.2 wifi port?

BT is always 1 antenna port on 2.4Ghz band.

For 5Ghz I'm using Wifi and it works fine.

ok.. good to know that despite being a 2.4GHz it works for 5GHz

 

[RuleBreaker01]

BTW there were some fakes like this haha:

The Logilink BT0015 works great 20m+ from my PC (basically me sitting outside under a tree and my desktop inside in a pretty old country house with 40cm+ walls)https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B0096Y2HFW/?tag=tonymacx8607-21

But I'm obsessed with getting the broadcom one working properly

I have no doubt it's an antenna issue. I use the 30cm antenna cables I ordered from AliExpress that goes from the M.2 adapter to the PCI plate, and then use the antenna that came with the OSXWIFI card.