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[HOW TO] Wi-Fi 6 Intel AX210 on macOS Sonoma

@Leesureone did the two PCIe cards have the same USB cable layout, i.e. did the cables line up the same way in the motherboard header, usually on the bottom row of the header plug.

I have a number of different PCIe adapter cards from different manufacturers that have different 9-pin header cables. A couple of these don't line up and connect to the same USB port, when the cable is plugged in to the same header. I have had to change the Internal port so the new BT module works, when swapping a couple of the cards.

Each row of pins in the 9-pin header plug aligns with a specific USB port. So if the cables are in the bottom row in the header plug they will work only with the bottom USB port. Same goes for a cable plug where the cables are aligned in the top row of the header plug.

The issue comes when you have a cable that works in the header with the cables connecting the bluetooth module to the bottom USB port. Then switch PCIe adapter and cables and the second cable has the cables set to work with the USB port in the top row. The Bluetooth won't work in this case, not without first changing/activating the top USB port from the motherboard header.

When configuring our USBPorts.kext or USBMap.kext we would naturally only activate the USB port used by the Bluetooth module, the second USB port served from the header connector would be disabled/excluded from the kext, so as to keep within the 15 port limit.
I'm understanding you are saying the USB connector cable can be wired differently and it turns out that was the case. There are a couple of differences, the Cudy has only three wires coming from the motherboard header and they connect to the top pins on the header. Both Fenvi cards, T919 and Ax210, have four wires and connect to the bottom pins. Bluetooth worked with the Cudy but that easily could have been the issue, remapping the USB port might have resolved the issues. Good tip and something I'll be sensitive too in the future.
 
Does the Cody PCIe card have a Red coloured heatsink over the WiFi/BT card?

While troubleshooting the issue, have you removed the heatsink to check the 2 x antenna are securely attached to the AX210 WiFi connectors?
 
Does the Cody PCIe card have a Red coloured heatsink over the WiFi/BT card?

While troubleshooting the issue, have you removed the heatsink to check the 2 x antenna are securely attached to the AX210 WiFi connectors?
No, it’s a two part card. It’s a PCIe adapter that includes an M2 AX210 card with it. You can clearly see the antenna connections.
 
OK, some of the Cudy AX5400 cards have a heatsink that covers the M.2 card and antenna.

16644949.jpg Typical Cudy WiFi/BT card with heatsink on Amazon.

Wasn't sure if yours was like that or had an exposed AX210 card like the card shown below.

61+57MYS9pL._AC_SL1200_.jpg

Mine looks similar to the card above, as I bought the PCIe adapter and WiFi/BT card separately.
 
It looks like yours, I have since determined it was a USB port mapping issue.
 
The issue comes when you have a cable that works in the header with the cables connecting the bluetooth module to the bottom USB port. Then switch PCIe adapter and cables and the second cable has the cables set to work with the USB port in the top row. The Bluetooth won't work in this case, not without first changing/activating the top USB port from the motherboard header.

Hi guys!
Hi @Edhawk, please could you explain how to do this?
I installed a PCIe Intel AX210NGW card into my laptop and there is no way to have a Bluetooth working (NULL device find). Before I had a BCM card that worked fine out of the box.
I tried a lot of kexts, workaround and so on... but nothing: no BT both in Ventura and Sonoma (now I'm on it).
I also remapped the USB ports, but nothing.

On Windows this card works fine and BT is active on USB port number 10:
40e42fff-51d8-4bb8-ab17-e776270b75cb.jpg


On macos I'm using the attached kext generated from Windows with all the USB ports (in addition to USBToolBox.kext, of course) but nothing.

What can I do? Thanks
 

Attachments

  • UTBMap.kext.zip
    2.4 KB · Views: 9
You don't need to do anything with port 10, it appears as it should with the Bluetooth module shown and the port set as Internal.

Are the guesses regarding the port types made by the UTBMap script correct?

You failed to select the option 'D' to disable all empty ports. So your UTBMap.kext/Contents/info.plist contains all the ports discovered, even if they don't existing in your laptop. So instead of having 8 x active ports your UTBMap.kext contains 18 x active ports!

Screenshot 2023-11-25 at 21.55.07.png UTBMap.kext/Contents/Info.plist viewed in ProperTree.

All 10 x inactive/non-existent ports are set as 'Internal' (UsbConnector = 255), which will completely mess up your USB configuration.

This is what your UTBMap.kext/Contents/Info.plist should look like whenviewed in ProperTree.
Screenshot 2023-11-25 at 21.59.09.png Revised and cleaned up UTBMap.kext/Contents/Info.plist.

Revised kext is attached below for you to use.
 

Attachments

  • UTBMap.kext.zip
    2.4 KB · Views: 10
Do you have the correct Alpha v2.3.0 kext in your OC kexts folder, so the WiFi card works in Sonoma?

 
Do you have the correct Alpha v2.3.0 kext in your OC kexts folder, so the WiFi card works in Sonoma?

Yes I got it and for this reason Wi-Fi it was never a problem.
The issue for me is Bluetooth and drive me crazy.
 
Have you replaced your current UTBMap.kext with the revised kext I provided above?
Do you have USBTooBox.kext in your /EFI/OC/Kexts folder, alongside the revised UTBMap.kext?
Are both activated in your config.plist?

What's the result?
 
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