Cheapest Easiest Mini PCIe Wifi Bluetooth Combo Configuration for Hackintosh (Native Support)

[dwideschrude]

Hi all!

Let me just start by saying I've gotten absolutely no feedback on anything I've ever posted on this website so if this post helps anyone out feel free to leave a comment.

After several weeks of trial and error buying different Mini PCIe cards and trying to follow the various guides on this website to get something working for under 30 dollars that would give me Wifi and Bluetooth via Mini PCIe, I've finally found the perfect parts for it and am surprised that it took me so long so that's basically why I'm creating this forum post.

Here are the 2 parts that I ordered from eBay:

Broadcom BCM94331CD (~$11 http://www.ebay.com/itm/BROADCOM-AP...H-CARD-BCM94331CD-607-8967-USA-/331817916327? )
Mini PCI-E Adapter for BCM94360CD/BCM94331CD (~9$ http://www.ebay.com/itm/252247256542 )

There are other posts I've seen mentioning that adapter but most of the Airport cards that work with it either cost an absurd amount of money or don't have the proper antenna connectors. All of this cost me less than 20 dollars although I went for items located in the US for faster shipping. It would be even cheaper if you were to order them from China.

This setup is perfect for the CustoMac Mini build or anything using a board that only has one PCIe slot. I have graphics card occupying my PCIe so now I can still have internal built in Wifi and Bluetooth and it works natively without having to mess with any kext enablers or any of that bull****. And since this part is pulled straight from an iMac it should have full compatibility with features like Handoff, although I have not tested it yet. It also works perfectly in Windows 10 if you're dual booting, just download the drivers from the Boot Camp Assistant and you're good to go.

One last thing to note is that I did have to actually cut in half the adapter that I purchased because it was partially obstructing the area where the antenna needed to connect to the Airport card. This might not be the case for you but it shouldn't affect anything as all the actual electronics are at the bottom of the device.

 

[mpsii]

This required no modification in your hackintosh? Native working, completely?

 

[nobodynose]

This is already covered in the thread http://www.tonymacx86.com/network/1...apple-mini-cards-pcie-mini-pcie-adapters.html. In fact, the solution you posted about is mentioned in the very first post of the thread.

 

[dwideschrude]

This required no modification in your hackintosh? Native working, completely?

Yes that is correct!

 

[dwideschrude]

This is already covered in the thread http://www.tonymacx86.com/network/1...apple-mini-cards-pcie-mini-pcie-adapters.html. In fact, the solution you posted about is mentioned in the very first post of the thread.

Well I guess I hadn't seen that post. I was just looking for an inexpensive and easy method to get basic wifi and bluetooth working so I didn't think to check that specific post.

 

[bigredchris]

Thought I'd stop by to let you know your post just ended a massive headache for me. Thanks a lot! (I didn't see the other thread either )

 

[franknitty]

Thanks man, regardless of other previous posts that mention a solution, urs happens to include the more favorable least expensive and simpler option. Thanks again

 

[hansdiether]

Thank you helped me a lot

 

[ChrM]

thanks, i also was confused by the mass of posts and threads on this issue.

i'm a hackintosh newby, so forgive me if i'm asking a possibly obvious question: the idea for an mini-ITX setup is to buy a mainboard that has a mini-pcie wifi/bt card already installed and replace that with an airport version?

 

[snekkis]

Do you know what the difference between BCM94360CD and BCM94331CD, and is one more stable over the other?