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CustoMac Mini Deluxe w/ both EVGA GTX 950 AND TP-Link PCIe?

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vizhun

vizhun

Joined
Apr 3, 2013
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2
Motherboard
MSI Z370-A
CPU
Intel i7-8700k
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce 1080
I'm planning on getting the CustoMac Mini Deluxe with parts almost exactly as what is specified in the buyer's guide except for the computer case.

But, before pulling the trigger, there's something I couldn't figure out.
What's strange is that it says "Please note that the included Intel m.2 card includes both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but only the bluetooth features are available under OS X. If you don't use the PCIe slot, we recommend the TP-Link PCIe card below for native Wi-Fi support."

I'm confused, because I know that if I didn't want to use a dedicated graphics card, a PCIe slot x16 would be open. From my understanding, the TP-Link PCIe is an x1 card but can work with a x16 slot, so I can just pop the TP-Link card in there if I "don't use the PCIe slot." BUT I DO want to use a graphics card. So there are no more PCIe slots on a mini-ITX right? Can someone please help shed some light as to how I can have the native wifi and a graphics card on a mini-ITX build? Please let me know, thanks!
 
vizhun said:
I'm planning on getting the CustoMac Mini Deluxe with parts almost exactly as what is specified in the buyer's guide except for the computer case.

But, before pulling the trigger, there's something I couldn't figure out.
What's strange is that it says "Please note that the included Intel m.2 card includes both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but only the bluetooth features are available under OS X. If you don't use the PCIe slot, we recommend the TP-Link PCIe card below for native Wi-Fi support."

I'm confused, because I know that if I didn't want to use a dedicated graphics card, a PCIe slot x16 would be open. From my understanding, the TP-Link PCIe is an x1 card but can work with a x16 slot, so I can just pop the TP-Link card in there if I "don't use the PCIe slot." BUT I DO want to use a graphics card. So there are no more PCIe slots on a mini-ITX right? Can someone please help shed some light as to how I can have the native wifi and a graphics card on a mini-ITX build? Please let me know, thanks!
Click to expand...

See Stork's Hector Build for an example of how to have a graphics card, BT and Wifi all working in a mini-itx system.

http://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/s...a-h97n-wifi-i5-4690-hd4600-gtx-750-ti.136386/

He used a mini pci-e adapter with a compatible wifi / BT card and got it working along with a 750 Ti in the x16 PCI-e slot.
 
Last edited:
See my signature block for my Hector build description and my adding a GTX 750 Ti (Maxwell chipset) graphics card.
 
Thanks for the quick response. I looked it up and it seems it leads me back to the same link that was given in the May Buyer's Guide for the CustoMac Mini Deluxe for Continuity and Handoff Capable Apple Mini Cards + PCIe and mini-PCIe Adapters.

I tried reading that page and looking at the pictures but I still couldn't figure out how you would fit that PCIe adapter into a non-existing "extra" pcie slot. I'm guessing that is the glowing answer here but I still don't get it. Am I missing something obvious here? There's no spot to even put the adapter on the mini-itx motherboard.
 
(Hmmm, he said to self, it helps to read the whole thread before responding.)

The M.2 WiFi/BT card/slot is rare and is uses a Intel WiFi chipset which is not supported by Apple's OS X. I was (as it seems now) to be fortunate to have a mPCIe slot with probably the same chipsets as supplied by Gigabyte with the motherboard. In my Hector build description I talk about a USB 3 WiFi adapter. While it only has AC1200 speed, it does work, but requires a driver for OS X. That adapter is an inexpensive WiFi solution. There are more expensive solutions like an external WiFi access point connected to your motherboard with a short Ethernet cable.

Good Luck!
 
get the BCM94352Z m.2 card and replace the onboard intel card with it.
got it on my itx build using RehabMans wifi and bluetooth kexts
 
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