Wi-Fi Issues

[ryanbach51]

Try this revised/edited EFI on your Z370 system. It should boot your system running Big Sur, Monterey or Ventura.

You just need to add your Serial Number etc to the config.plist.

Also use the Clear Nvram tool on the OC boot screen (press Spacebar to display hidden tools).

Used as-is and received invalid frame pointer.

Changed EnableWriteUnprotector=True, RebuildAppleMemoryMap=False, SynRuntimePermission=False and it booted fine!

What are my next steps? Assuming I need to add USB map kext?

 

[Edhawk]

Copy the EFI folder to your macOS drive's EFI Partition, so you can boot the system without the need for the USB drive.

Then using Hackintool and IORegistryExplorer undertake the USB configuration for your system.

Some ports may be set as Hubs, that being the case plugging in a USB device may not show correctly in Hackintool. This is where IORegistryExplorer helps.

1. If you search in the IOReg for XHC, it will display all the USB ports.
2. Select the XHC device and clear the search,
3. This will place you at the top of the USB device tree.
4. You can then look through the USB ports to see which port has been highlighted when nothing shows in Hackintool.

 

[ryanbach51]

Copy the EFI folder to your macOS drive's EFI Partition, so you can boot the system without the need for the USB drive.

Then using Hackintool and IORegistryExplorer undertake the USB configuration for your system.

Some ports may be set as Hubs, that being the case plugging in a USB device may not show correctly in Hackintool. This is where IORegistryExplorer helps.

1. If you search in the IOReg for XHC, it will display all the USB ports.
2. Select the XHC device and clear the search,
3. This will place you at the top of the USB device tree.
4. You can then look through the USB ports to see which port has been highlighted when nothing shows in Hackintool.

My system did hang after a few minutes...thinking it had something to do with USB.

I just made a USB kext with USBToolBox from Windows, it's in the latest attached EFI.

Do I still need the USB-X SSDT if I use that kext?

 

[ryanbach51]

My system did hang after a few minutes...thinking it had something to do with USB.

I just made a USB kext with USBToolBox from Windows, it's in the latest attached EFI.

Do I still need the USB-X SSDT if I use that kext?

Turns out the reason I couldn't boot is that I was missing the companion kext to UTBMap.kext (USBToolbox.kext).

Using my EFI, I updated with the kext and I'm able to boot. However I am still experiencing a system hang when I switch my mouse and keyboard from USB to bluetooth (bluetooth is for my work computer, using logitech MX3).

It sounds like my USB is still ****ed. I don't understand - I mapped it myself. Everything should be good.

Could it be the missing ASMedia that has an issue with Big Sur as mentioned in the aforementioned Golden Build thread?

EDIT: System hang happens randomly. Sleep does not cause it nor does switching my wireless mouse to bluetooth. It just froze up while browsing internet.

EDIT 2: Adding ASMedia did allow for my 3.1 controller to be recognized properly by Hackintool, but the freezing still occurs a few minutes in. So freezing is happening with my EFI and @Edhawk's EFI.

EDIT 3: Re-did my USB map to ignore the non-intel controllers and ensure I didn’t make any mistakes. No luck. Also reverted to my previous SMBIOS - still freezing up after a few minutes. It can’t be the BIOS because I have a stable build on my SSD that’s working fine. Running out of ideas and can’t find anything.

 

[ryanbach51]

You also might want to think about the following:

1. Changing your system SMBIOS from iMac19,1 to iMacPro1,1.
   • Your system doesn't have an IGPU, the iMac19,1 expects an IGPU to be present and used with a headless framebuffer.
   • The iMacPro1,1 doesn't expect an IGPU to be present, so this better matches your system.
2. You shouldn't need the ASMedia.kext as the ASM2142 USB controller is natively supported in macOS. I have a few hackintosh systems all running Catalina or newer, which use ASMedia USB ports, ASM1142, ASM2142 and ASM3142 controllers, and none of them require a similar kext.
3. Your USBPorts.kext seems to be missing a few ports, as only 11 of the maximum 15 ports are present in the kext.
   • Your Asus Z370-A II motherboard has the following USB ports & headers:
     • 2 x USB2 physical ports on rear I/O (2 x ports)
     • 3 x USB3 (Type-A) physical ports on rear I/O (6 x ports)
     • 1 x Type-C physical port on rear I/O (2 x ports)
     • 2 x USB3 headers on motherboard (8 x ports)
     • 2 x USB2 headers on motherboard (4 x ports)
   • This means your board has a total of 22 USB ports available.
   • You are activating 11/22 ports in your USBPorts.kext
   • Neither of the 2 x USB ports on the rear I/O are activated.
   • 1 of the 4 possible USB2 Internal header ports is being activated, for your Bluetooth module.
   • 10 of the 14 possible USB3 ports are being activated.
     • This surprisingly includes 6 x USB2 virtual ports and only 4 x USB3 physical ports. This is what causes me to think your kext is not set correctly.
   • The Type-C port on the rear I/O is not being activated.
   • You can include 4 additional ports in your USB configuration.
4. You could use HfsPlus.efi in place of OpenHfsPlus.efi, as HfsPlus is a better driver.
5. You have a lot of SSDT's in your ACPI folder, not sure you need all of them.
   • The USBPorts.kext contains the USB power settings, so you only require SSDT-EC.aml not an SSDT-EC-USBX.aml table.
   • I am not sure you need both the SSDT-RHUB-Reset.aml and SSDT-RP05-XHC.aml tables. As they seem to be doing the same task.
   • You generated the SSDT-PLUG.aml and SSDT-RHUB-Reset.aml tables using Corpnewt's SSDTTime script. So why aren't you using the SSDT-EC.aml that could also be generated with this script?
   • Does your Z370 Coffee Lake system not need the SSDT-AWAC-DISABLE.aml table?

You might want to think about updating the version of OpenCore you are using, as you seem to be using OC 0.6.6 from February 2021. The latest release as of July 2022 is OC 0.8.2, there have been some significant changes in how OC works via the config.plist and behind the scenes.

OK, so I have addressed all of these things and everything is working. Turns out my issue was a BIOS setting with virtualization. ASMedia is required for ASUS Prime Z370 A-II. Using a FV-AC1200. Big Sur 11.7.1.

Wifi speeds in Windows - 63/26
Wifi speeds in OSX - 23/26

So this is not an antennae issue.

Current EFI attached. Any ideas?

 

[Edhawk]

How did you measure those Wireless speeds? An Online Speed Test? Did you try different remote servers when undertaking the speed test(s)?
Which band are you using to connect to your router/modem 2.4GHz or 5GHz?
Are they measured as MB 23/26 up/down?
How many times did you repeat the test to get an average speed?


I don't think much of your USB configuration kext. It only activates 12 ports. Your motherboard has a total of 22 ports.

View of USB config UTBMap.kext.

ASMedia® USB 3.1 Gen 2 controller :
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port(s) (1 at back panel, teal blue, Type-A, Support 3A power output)
ASMedia® USB 3.1 Gen 2 controller :
1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port(s) (1 at back panel, , USB Type-CTM, Support 3A power output)
Intel® Z370 Chipset :
6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s) (2 at back panel, , 4 at mid-board)
Intel® Z370 Chipset :
6 x USB 2.0 port(s) (2 at back panel, , 4 at mid-board)

Each USB3.1 port has a physical USB3/Type-C connector and a companion USB2 virtual port.

You have 2 x Internal ports active out of the 4 available. Are you not using the other two ports? Are both Internal header connectors only serving a single device, i.e. Bluetooth module. I assume your Bluetooth module is connected to one of the 2 x Internal USB2 header ports (HS05 or HS06), with the Thunderbolt card connected to the other. Do you not have any case front USB2 ports connected to your motherboard?

You don't have either of the 2 x USB2 physical ports active, why not? It is not as if you don't have the capacity as you are only using 12 of 15 ports.

You don't have the Type-C port active, don't you need it?

You only have 4 x USB3 physical ports active, there are another 3 available, you could have activated those 3 x USB3 ports and still remained within the 15 port limit.

You have 6 x USB2 companion ports active from the USB3 ports/headers, which is not bad considering there are only 7 available. Bit strange that you don't have the USB3 physical ports for SS07 & SS08 active to match with the USB2 port count.

I assume you have an Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt card installed, as you have a TB SSDT in your ACPI folder. Do you have the TB USB ports active? Where are they activated, in the TB SSDT?

You might want to have another look at your USB config.

You shouldn't need to use the ASMedia.kext, not if the USB controller is ASMedia 2142. As the 2142 controller is natively supported in macOS.

There is nothing in your config.plist that relates to Wireless functionality, or would result in inferior WiFi speeds in macOS.

You should probably use an SSDT-USBX.aml for USB power settings, as your UTBMap.kext doesn't contain any, and your SSDT-EC.aml is just providing the EC fix.

 

[ryanbach51]

How did you measure those Wireless speeds? An Online Speed Test? Did you try different remote servers when undertaking the speed test(s)?
Which band are you using to connect to your router/modem 2.4GHz or 5GHz?
Are they measured as MB 23/26 up/down?
How many times did you repeat the test to get an average speed?

I used the same server for each test. Doing it again just now on 5ghz and its 13/1. This has been a problem for months but I've opted for ethernet because I haven't had time to address.

I don't think much of your USB configuration kext. It only activates 12 ports. Your motherboard has a total of 22 ports.

Well sir I will do my best to defend my kext.

You have 2 x Internal ports active out of the 4 available. Are you not using the other two ports? Are both Internal header connectors only serving a single device, i.e. Bluetooth module. I assume your Bluetooth module is connected to one of the 2 x Internal USB2 header ports (HS05 or HS06), with the Thunderbolt card connected to the other. Do you not have any case front USB2 ports connected to your motherboard?

There are two USB2 connectors. One (HS9 and HS10) are used for bluetooth card. It only uses one port, HS10. The other USB2 connector (HS11, HS12) is unused.

There are two USB 3.1 connectors. One (HS3/SS3/HS4/SS4) is used for the front panel. The other (HS1/SS1/HS2/SS2) is unused.

Thunderbolt has its own connector.

You only have 4 x USB3 physical ports active, there are another 3 available, you could have activated those 3 x USB3 ports and still remained within the 15 port limit.

2 are from the front case, 2 are onboard in the back. The remaining 3? Well the last one I have is on the ASMedia controller. The remaining two are unused.

You have 6 x USB2 companion ports active from the USB3 ports/headers, which is not bad considering there are only 7 available. Bit strange that you don't have the USB3 physical ports for SS07 & SS08 active to match with the USB2 port count.

I have 4 x USB2 companion ports and 2x USB2 ports (HS13 and HS14). HS13 and HS14 are strictly 2.0.

You shouldn't need to use the ASMedia.kext, not if the USB controller is ASMedia 2142. As the 2142 controller is natively supported in macOS.

From what I understand from @NorthAmTransAm golden build, Big Sur leaves off the correct USB 3.1 drivers for this controller.

There is nothing in your config.plist that relates to Wireless functionality, or would result in inferior WiFi speeds in macOS.

Then I suppose the card is junk and I will try a new one. I've seen this issue discussed on this forum and remedied with a different/new card.

I assume you have an Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt card installed, as you have a TB SSDT in your ACPI folder. Do you have the TB USB ports active? Where are they activated, in the TB SSDT?

Yes. I have fully working Thunderbolt.

You don't have either of the 2 x USB2 physical ports active, why not? It is not as if you don't have the capacity as you are only using 12 of 15 ports.

I don't have anything plugged into the other USB2 connector.

You don't have the Type-C port active, don't you need it?

It's part of the ASMedia controller.

You should probably use an SSDT-USBX.aml for USB power settings, as your UTBMap.kext doesn't contain any, and your SSDT-EC.aml is just providing the EC fix.

Will do, thank you!

 

[ryanbach51]

I used the same server for each test. Doing it again just now on 5ghz and its 13/1. This has been a problem for months but I've opted for ethernet because I haven't had time to address.



Well sir I will do my best to defend my kext.



There are two USB2 connectors. One (HS9 and HS10) are used for bluetooth card. It only uses one port, HS10. The other USB2 connector (HS11, HS12) is unused.

There are two USB 3.1 connectors. One (HS3/SS3/HS4/SS4) is used for the front panel. The other (HS1/SS1/HS2/SS2) is unused.

Thunderbolt has its own connector.



2 are from the front case, 2 are onboard in the back. The remaining 3? Well the last one I have is on the ASMedia controller. The remaining two are unused.



I have 4 x USB2 companion ports and 2x USB2 ports (HS13 and HS14). HS13 and HS14 are strictly 2.0.



From what I understand from @NorthAmTransAm golden build, Big Sur leaves off the correct USB 3.1 drivers for this controller.



Then I suppose the card is junk and I will try a new one. I've seen this issue discussed on this forum and remedied with a different/new card.



Yes. I have fully working Thunderbolt.



I don't have anything plugged into the other USB2 connector.



It's part of the ASMedia controller.



Will do, thank you!

Hey @Edhawk I'm not trying to be combative here - genuinely curious if I am missing something glaringly obvious or if I can finally relax and blame my hardware.