[Guide] Airport - Half Mini PCIe

[wormyrocks]

Just purchased this chip. It does the same thing as the last one - wifi connects fine, but I still can't get online, and the computer drops the connection shortly afterwards.

Should it work OOB? Do I need to change anything? Could it be a hardware problem with my PCI adapter? Does there need to be an electrical contact between the top holes in the wireless card and the PCB of the adapter?

 

[toleda]

Just purchased this chip. It does the same thing as the last one - wifi connects fine, but I still can't get online, and the computer drops the connection shortly afterwards.

Should it work OOB? Do I need to change anything? Could it be a hardware problem with my PCI adapter? Does there need to be an electrical contact between the top holes in the wireless card and the PCB of the adapter?

It' not the wifi cards. You need at least one screw to ensure secure PCIe contact and 3 antennas (w/9380). And, yes, the adapter may be flaky.

 

[wormyrocks]

Great... where would you recommend finding screws? The adapter didn't come with any..

 

[Kongzilla]

Great... where would you recommend finding screws? The adapter didn't come with any..

I have the same card but my adapter came with screws, it should would OOB once its secured properly. Try checking at a hardware store for screws, or you can use zipties instead

 

[Funky G]

Plugged in my Atheros 9280, and even without using the Z77N-WiFi antennas, everything is recognized and working fine. 10.8.2 installed it as Airport. Did not have to manually enter any information other than network selection. Also, my BT4.0 adapter was recognized OTB. Great stuff here at TMx86! Thanks!

 

[mrengles]

@Toleda

I've been using the T-P Link WDN4800 (AR9380) under 10.8.2 for the last month, the card is detected as an Airport card, and works, but I'm unable to use any 5ghz channels over 64. The card doesn't have any support for channels over 64 in (Wi-Fi) System Information. The Locale and County Code are both empty.

In windows 7 I'm able to use every available channel even ones illegal in the US with the CommView application when scanning, and because of the card regdomain (I don't know what its set to) i'm unable to change with RCU.exe because the application says the card doesn't need it to change anything.

Do you know how I might be able to add these extra channels, with a DSDT edit or something else?

Like I said the card work OOB just with very limited 5ghz channel support. Its hard to setup a decent wifi network in my area because of all the interference and only allowed to use up to channel 64 kinda ties "my hand behind my back" so to speak with setting up my router to perform on a frequency with the least amount traffic.

Even though the card works, do I maybe need a DSDT patch to make it look exactly like an Apple AR9380? Does apple even use this Atheros card in real Macs? No right they don't have any 450m Airport card do they?

As always thanks,

Mrengles

PS. Maybe I can setup SMBios as iMac 2011 model and use the wifi firmware update to remove the world mode regdomain the AR9380 is currently using, and hopefully change to what ever apple uses for there Atheros wi-fi cards?

Wishful thinking i know, i'm sure to have a brick after that, if it even allow the update... =)

 

[toleda]

I've been using the T-P Link WDN4800 (AR9380) under 10.8.2 for the last month, the card is detected as an Airport card, and works, but I'm unable to use any 5ghz channels over 64. The card doesn't have any support for channels over 64 in (Wi-Fi) System Information. The Locale and County Code are both empty.

Even though the card works, do I maybe need a DSDT patch to make it look exactly like an Apple AR9380? Does apple even use this Atheros card in real Macs? No right they don't have any 450m Airport card do they?
)

I show 16 channels over 64 on my 9280 (Locale is RoW and Country Code is US). Contact TP Link because they can't sell a card with those fields blank (FCC reg). The issue can only be resolved in firmware on the card. The dsdt edits will make System Information/Network/WiFi look real Airport. In other words, the dsdt edits asre cosmetic.

All Apple products with WiFI support 450 MHz (except Airport Express and iPhones before the 5) and have for many years. Don't think about Apple Firmware Updates on non Apple hardware.

 

[mrengles]

I show 16 channels over 64 on my 9280 (Locale is RoW and Country Code is US). Contact TP Link because they can't sell a card with those fields blank (FCC reg). The issue can only be resolved in firmware on the card. The dsdt edits will make System Information/Network/WiFi look real Airport. In other words, the dsdt edits asre cosmetic.

All Apple products with WiFI support 450 MHz (except Airport Express and iPhones before the 5) and have for many years. Don't think about Apple Firmware Updates on non Apple hardware.

It's funny you had mentioned calling TP Link, I spoke with them earlier today. They had told me the card is set with a world domain I don't know what that means but the card is supposedly only supported with Windows 7 and the drivers handlse the reg domain by beacon location or something...


It's a shame this card is recommended by Tonymacx86, And on the CustoMac hardware list. It sucks. I placed an order on Amazon today for an Apple branded 9280 full size mini PCI E and adapter.

I'll get the DSDT patch a try, just in case but I should have my new hardware in a couple of days.


Thanks again,
Mrengles

 

[hackerz]

Hello toleda...

I'm using a HP Envy 17 laptop and it comes with Wifi + Bluetooth from Broadcom which has BCM943224HMB chip... Is there any chance that I can use this card as an airport card?

Thanks for your reply...

 

[toleda]

I'm using a HP Envy 17 laptop and it comes with Wifi + Bluetooth from Broadcom which has BCM943224HMB chip... Is there any chance that I can use this card as an airport card?

The newer Broadcom WiFi cards only work when they have the Apple subsystem-vendor-id (106b). The rebranding technique does not work on the current firmware.