Disable Onboard WiFi Z490i Aorus Ultra

[BillG66]

I'm getting ready to try to install my Broadcom BCM94360CS in my hack to see if I can reestablish AirDrop. There's no Bios setting to disable the onboard WiFi on my Z490I Aorus Ultra MB. Does anyone know of an alternate method? Thanks.

 

[Feartech]

I'm getting ready to try to install my Broadcom BCM94360CS in my hack to see if I can reestablish AirDrop. There's no Bios setting to disable the onboard WiFi on my Z490I Aorus Ultra MB. Does anyone know of an alternate method? Thanks.

rip it out

 

[BillG66]

rip it out

It seems encased and part of the board... just grab the entire casing and pull?

 

[Feartech]

It seems encased and part of the board... just grab the entire casing and pull?

if it looks like:

you should be able to pull it out?

otherwise creating a SSDT to disable it may be another way

 

[BillG66]

if it looks like:

View attachment 559342

you should be able to pull it out?

otherwise creating a SSDT to disable it may be another way

Let me go back and look at it again. It seems to have a case all the way around it, but I'll take another look. Thanks!

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Let me go back and look at it again. It seems to have a case all the way around it, but I'll take another look. Thanks!

Yes there is a plastic shroud covering that part of the motherboard. You may need access to the back of the motherboard to get at the two screws holding the metal cover around the module. (I have used a Z490i Aorus Ultra and now am running the Z590i Aorus Ultra).

The job is certainly fiddly and depending on the case you are using you might need to remove the motherboard - which is a pain.

However, you are correct. To use AirDrop specifically, you need to change to a Broadcom wireless chipset, either as an internal fitment or a USB dongle. Finding a Broadcom-based USB version is very difficult (here at any rate).

 

[BillG66]

Well, I got the Broadcom installed. And when I check the network setting, it's only showing one WiFi interface, and that's the Broadcom. So maybe I don't need to worry about removing the onboard after all? And AirDrop works, I just sent myself a photo. BUT, the Bluetooth settings are showing, if I'm looking at the correctly, the onboard Bluetooth, not the Broadcom. I've got the BlueToolFixup, BrcmFirmwareData and BcrmPatchRAM3 kexts installed. Is that the right combo? If so, how do I get the system to recognize the Broadcom rather than the onboard?

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Well, I got the Broadcom installed. And when I check the network setting, it's only showing one WiFi interface, and that's the Broadcom. So maybe I don't need to worry about removing the onboard after all? And AirDrop works, I just sent myself a photo. BUT, the Bluetooth settings are showing, if I'm looking at the correctly, the onboard Bluetooth, not the Broadcom. I've got the BlueToolFixup, BrcmFirmwareData and BcrmPatchRAM3 kexts installed. Is that the right combo? If so, how do I get the system to recognize the Broadcom rather than the onboard?

Good work.

All you have to do to deactivate the Intel wireless and bluetooth is disable the kexts.

You don't mention which version of macOS you are using, but ...

Disable AirportItlwm.kext or itlwm.kext - whichever you are using.

For Intel bluetooth - that will depend on the macOS version. For Monterey/Ventura disable the IntelBluetoothFirmware kext and the BlueToolFixup (you might need this for Broadcom. Try without first).

For earlier that Monterey disable IntelBlutoothFirware AND IntelBluetoothInjector kexts.

With this done macOS should pick up on the Broadcom.

 

[BillG66]

For Intel bluetooth - that will depend on the macOS version. For Monterey/Ventura disable the IntelBluetoothFirmware kext and the BlueToolFixup (you might need this for Broadcom. Try without first).

For earlier that Monterey disable IntelBlutoothFirware AND IntelBluetoothInjector kexts.

With this done macOS should pick up on the Broadcom.

Thank you. So, I'm on Ventura, and I'm sorry I didn't mention that. When I go without any kexts, Bluetooth won't activate:

When I use BlueToolFixup.kext, it activates the onboard Bluetooth.

Any other suggestions? WiFi is clearly running off the Broadcom, only Bluetooth is giving me fits...

 

[UtterDisbelief]

Thank you. So, I'm on Ventura, and I'm sorry I didn't mention that. When I go without any kexts, Bluetooth won't activate:

View attachment 559346

When I use BlueToolFixup.kext, it activates the onboard Bluetooth.

View attachment 559347

Any other suggestions? WiFi is clearly running off the Broadcom, only Bluetooth is giving me fits...

Yeah, that line in the second screengrab - "THIRD_PARTY_DONGLE" is what BlueToolFixup.kext does.

Assuming you are now getting interference you will need to operate wifi on the 5GHz band. Bluetooth should then settle down. (I had this problem when wireless was on 2.4GHz. Changed it and fixed it).