How To: Build your own "Real" Airport Card

[matix]

You can attach all 3 its just that you have to remove one to fit the card in (clearance) and the shield won't sit nicely if your wires are coming out towards the bracket. This is why i routed them out the side as it means the shield goes on nicely and there is no rats nest of wiring.

Both adapters are the same as far as antennae goes. The pictures on the MP2W show an intel 5300 which has 3 antenna ports: http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/adapters/5000/index.htm

Finally, yes rebranding the id seems to be the only thing that apple does. You can sometimes use it unbranded, but it will show as 3rd party and may not be as reliable.

 

[cakemonster]

Thank You. Sounds like the BCM94321MC with branding cheap is the easiest method for now, as you have done.

Did you get yours from US or China...

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=BCM943 ... t=0&bkBtn=

 

[javimdq]

I made the same build (MP2W + BCM94321MC) and I have one problem.
Airport looses connection within some minutes surfing after the machine wake up from sleep. Any thoughts about this issue?

 

[matix]

Is it apple branded?

If not, you should rebrand it using prasys method.

 

[javimdq]

Is it apple branded?

If not, you should rebrand it using prasys method.

Yes, I rebranded it using that method, but still happens..
Maybe it is a faulty card.

 

[andars]

This guide worked great for me!

I ordered this Dell card with the BCM94321MC chipset:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWNX:IT

I also ordered the adapter posted in the guide:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 1154wt_962

I then rebranded the card using this guide:

http://prasys.co.cc/2009/12/rebranding- ... s-airport/

The results:

 

[cakemonster]

I did the same...

Winking adapter $15 (took two weeks to get here)
Apple Branded card ($15 on ebay) - It sayes Apple 2006 on it

Airport works on reboot and configuration...

It seems a little slower than my USB adapter, but I don't have an above table antenna for it yet.

Nice to have that little airport signal icon up on the top of the screen though!

Issues:
1. When waking from sleep I have to rechoose the network, any way to fix this?
2. A couple things, unlike the post above my STATUS: Shows Network Service Inactive
3. WhenI click on the airport icon at the top of the screen it sayes: Airport Not Configured...

Did someone unbrand my card? Any ideas of settings I need to put in, the only thing that is annoying is having to reselect every time I wake from sleep, my USB didn't even do that, and it was 3rd party!

The wireless is working great through all of this and it sayes apple on the card so I know it was apple branded...Any ideas? Is this a problem?

UPDATE: I deleted all my connections in Network (had been labeled as WLAN, not Airport, probably remnant of my USB wireless), and then added it as airport. Everything works now as expected! Phew!

Airport.png

 

[rabbit74]

I ordered the parts, built it and tested it.

It works but only 3MB/s

Anyone else get better results?

rabbit.

 

[cakemonster]

I am around 3 MB/second, but that is all my ISP does, so I thought that was the limit. I have not tried transferring between computers over the network yet. I am on a 811.g network though, not N.

 

[shremi]

Thanks for the amazing guide.

I just received the parts and i am very happy with the results.

Specially when it works OOB and recognized as an airport.

How can i test my MB/s??? so we can compare results. Cant really relay on my ISP since in my country the service is really slow.