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B150I PRO GAMING-WIFI. WiFi replaceable?

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Nov 6, 2014
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Motherboard
FoxConn AT-7330
CPU
i3-3227u
Graphics
HD4000
Hi, I am looking at ordering the B150I PRO GAMING/WIFI mini ITX board but looking at the board overview and specs on the ASUS website did not tell me what I wanted to know. I downloaded the WiFi drivers and had a look and found this:

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_003E&SUBSYS_86CD1043
So after searching Google for 168C 003E I found it not compatible with OS X.

What I want to know is if I order one of these boards is it possible to lift up the shield with "WiFi-Go!" stamped on it and maybe uncover an M.2 slot and replace the card?

Cheers all.
 
Hi, I am looking at ordering the B150I PRO GAMING/WIFI mini ITX board but looking at the board overview and specs on the ASUS website did not tell me what I wanted to know. I downloaded the WiFi drivers and had a look and found this:

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_003E&SUBSYS_86CD1043
So after searching Google for 168C 003E I found it not compatible with OS X.

What I want to know is if I order one of these boards is it possible to lift up the shield with "WiFi-Go!" stamped on it and maybe uncover an M.2 slot and replace the card?

Cheers all.

It is almost certainly a removable MiniPCIe or M.2 module, but I couldn't find much information about it. However, let's take a closer look at the info we have.

We know that it uses a Qualcomm Atheros chipset (which I gleaned from looking at the Windows driver package from Asus' website). We know based on the device ID you provided (168c:003e) and this table that the chipset is one of the following: QCA6164, QCA6174, QCA9880 v2, QCA9882 v2, QCA9890 v2, or QCA9892 v2, and that under Linux it uses the ath10k driver. Knowing that, this table lists 168c:003e as an NGFF (M.2) device.

So *if* you can remove that shield without doing damage (or voiding the motherboard's warranty), you'll *most likely* find an M.2 module, which you can replace. There's one M.2 Wifi/Bluetooth module that's known to work in a Hackintosh - the Broadcom BCM94352Z (see this thread for more info).

Let us know how this works out - I expect we'll be seeing hidden MiniPCIe / M.2 slots like this (probably) on motherboards covered with a shield this way more often.
 
Hi, I am looking at ordering the B150I PRO GAMING/WIFI mini ITX board but looking at the board overview and specs on the ASUS website did not tell me what I wanted to know. I downloaded the WiFi drivers and had a look and found this:

PCI\VEN_168C&DEV_003E&SUBSYS_86CD1043
So after searching Google for 168C 003E I found it not compatible with OS X.

What I want to know is if I order one of these boards is it possible to lift up the shield with "WiFi-Go!" stamped on it and maybe uncover an M.2 slot and replace the card?

Cheers all.

Well I have the ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming and in this thread (post 13 on page 2) http://www.tonymacx86.com/others/173534-neilharts-q4-z170-project-os-x-2.html
You will find photos of the ASUS WiFi Go disassembled from the motherboard.

I have not found a replacement WiFi - m.2 card but have not looked lately either.

Good modding,
neil
 
Well I have the ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming and in this thread (post 13 on page 2) http://www.tonymacx86.com/others/173534-neilharts-q4-z170-project-os-x-2.html
You will find photos of the ASUS WiFi Go disassembled from the motherboard.

I have not found a replacement WiFi - m.2 card but have not looked lately either.

Good modding,
neil

OK, then that's definitely an NGFF (M.2) card, so replacing it should be doable. Again, the Broadcom BCM94352Z is the only M.2 Wifi/Bluetooth card known to work with OS X.
 
Sweet :thumbup: Thanks.
I have the BCM9432z on the way.

My reason for asking about the ASUS was this:

I have the Gigabyte H170n-WiFi but I wanted to install a FireWire card. Based on my experience with the FireWire PEX1394B3LP on Gigabyte 7/8/9 series motherboards, installing this card (the FireWire) causes restart on shutdown. I don't think I have seen this problem on ASUS motherboards... At least not on 8 series. Being a mITX, I need to use the M.2 to get BT 4.0 and Airport working.

I'll report back on the WiFi / BT, and, if it's of any use to anyone, I'll report back about the F/W card on the Gigabyte h170
and the ASUS h110

Cheers
 
All good on the BCM94352z as expected.

Thanks.
 
Did you succeed to do hackintosh using this motherboard? any problem did you encounter with? I'm planning to do dual booting on this motherboard.
 
hey did you ever get the m.b. to work?
 
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