How To: Build your own "Real" Airport Card

[Badaboum03]

Hello guys,
I've made one of those cards too but i have a quite big problem. i can only see three wireless networks with this DIY card and i can see 12 with my netbook. I think the problem is the antennas, any suggestions?
thanks

 

[ravi22]

First of all thanks for the amazing guide. I followed the instructions and installed apple branded BCM94321MC in my first mini-ITX Lion build. I am able to connect to the wireless internet, but I have couple of questions, first like the previous post I can only see my wireless network, while I see many available in my macbook pro.
Other question is when I open the airport utility it gives me an error "airport utility was unable to find any airport wireless device."
Please help me, as I can still return the card if anything is wrong with it. I checked the stats by using istumbler and I am getting 68% signal strength.

Thanks in advance.

 

[alpha90]

Hello guys,
I've made one of those cards too but i have a quite big problem. i can only see three wireless networks with this DIY card and i can see 12 with my netbook. I think the problem is the antennas, any suggestions?
thanks

I also see fewer wifi access points with my CustoMac than I do with my PowerMac and MacBook Pro. This means that Apple's antenna's are better tuned to the precise 2.4 GHz freq than the ants on the PCIe adapter are.
But since the signal strength to my CustoMac is 60-70% with low noise and stable browsing, good downloads, and fast file transfers on my LAN, I'm not concerned.

 

[alpha90]

The AirPort Utility only detects an Apple-branded router-access point such as an AirPort base station or Time Capsule. Is your WAP an Apple or other vendor?

68% signal strength is fine, depending how close your CustoMac is to the WAP.

I also see fewer of my neighbors' AP's on my CustoMac than my MBP or PowerMac, and I think this is due to the antennas on the PCIe adapter not being 100% resonant with the precise 2.4 GHz wifi freq. But I'm seeing good wi-fi browsing and network performance on the CustoMac, so it's more than acceptable to me.

First of all thanks for the amazing guide. I followed the instructions and installed apple branded BCM94321MC in my first mini-ITX Lion build. I am able to connect to the wireless internet, but I have couple of questions, first like the previous post I can only see my wireless network, while I see many available in my macbook pro.
Other question is when I open the airport utility it gives me an error "airport utility was unable to find any airport wireless device."
Please help me, as I can still return the card if anything is wrong with it. I checked the stats by using istumbler and I am getting 68% signal strength.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ravi22]

Thanks for the clarification alpha90. Also I have two antennas attached to the wireless adapter as per the guide. Do you think adding another antenna will improve the signal quality? The reason i asked is that if I keep my custom mac close to the router it works flawlessly, but if I try to use this in another room then the signal is very weak. Thanks again.

 

[alpha90]

Thanks for the clarification alpha90. Also I have two antennas attached to the wireless adapter as per the guide. Do you think adding another antenna will improve the signal quality? The reason i asked is that if I keep my custom mac close to the router it works flawlessly, but if I try to use this in another room then the signal is very weak. Thanks again.

Although some of the PCIe adapters have 3 antennas, most of the wifi cards have only 2 antenna connections. I removed the 3rd antenna from the PCIe card to reduce clutter.

If you "adding another antenna" as you suggest, what would you connect it to? Aren't both the antenna jacks on your BC4321 filled.

Or did you mean trying a different antenna in place of one of the stock antennas that shipped with the adapter? I know some users have experimented successfully by attaching an external antenna of some sort so that they could mount in higher in the room where the CustoMac is placed. Higher is better for signal strength, so worth a try.

 

[ravi22]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant trying a different antenna in place of one of the stock one. As the signal strength is too weak for my custom mac and I don't even get any signal now in my other rooms. As you said I will try external antenna, do you have any suggestions for external antenna?

 

[alpha90]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant trying a different antenna in place of one of the stock one. As the signal strength is too weak for my custom mac and I don't even get any signal now in my other rooms. As you said I will try external antenna, do you have any suggestions for external antenna?

To optimize performance I may try experimenting with one of these:

Rosewill Antenna Extender
http://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-RNX-A2-E ... 00558OPRG/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6833998060

TRENDnet TEW-AI07OB Indoor Omni Directional Antenna
http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-2-5GHZ-D ... t_dp_o_npd

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6833980017

Note: if you end up choosing something from Amazon or NewEgg, remember to order via a tonymacx86 affiliate link to the benefit of our forum sponsors: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14398

 

[aFlockOfMoosen]

Sorry for the confusion, I meant trying a different antenna in place of one of the stock one. As the signal strength is too weak for my custom mac and I don't even get any signal now in my other rooms. As you said I will try external antenna, do you have any suggestions for external antenna?

This also may be worth trying -- simple enough to make. I've got one on my router, but i haven't gotten my macs wireless working yet to notice the difference.

http://www.squidoo.com/homemade-wireless-antene

 

[applerocks123]

I made this card and everything works but iCloud,FaceTime,and mac app store. I have tried all of the methods that are on this forum. Is their a way to fix this ?

please help!!!