145 replies to this topic

[HackinHappy]

Hi All!

Here is what I have worked out so far...

I have a Toshiba Tecra A6 which did have an Intel 3945 a/b/g miniPCI-E card. I bought a Broadcom 4311 from eBay and installed it then modified the relevant kexts with vendor IDs. I have even added the vendor ID in to AppleAirport2.kext. All permissions were fixed and kext caches removed etc.
The Airport card is recognised and shows up but is unable to find my wireless network. (I have 17" Intel iMac for reference)

<key>Broadcom PCI</key>
				<dict>
						<key>APMonitorMode</key>
						<false/>
						<key>APRoamThresh</key>
						<integer>-91</integer>
						<key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
						<string>com.apple.driver.AppleAirPortBrcm4311</string>
						<key>IOClass</key>
						<string>AirPortPCI_MM</string>
						<key>IOMatchCategory</key>
						<string>IODefaultMatchCategory</string>
						<key>IONameMatch</key>
						<array>
								<string>pci14e4,4311</string>
								<string>pci14e4,4312</string>
								<string>pci14e4,4324</string>
						</array>
						<key>IOProviderClass</key>
						<string>IOPCIDevice</string>
				</dict>						   

The strange thing is this - the NetworkInterfaces.plist shows it as AirPortPCI_MM and not AirPort_Brcm43xx. Is this the big clue? If so how do I get it to use the Broadcom driver? I have tried changing IOClass from AirPortPCI_MM to AirPort_Brcm43xx as it is in my iMac but then card is not recognized at all.

 <dict>
						<key>BSD Name</key>
						<string>en1</string>
						<key>IOBuiltin</key>
						<false/>
						<key>IOInterfaceType</key>
						<integer>6</integer>
						<key>IOInterfaceUnit</key>
						<integer>1</integer>
						<key>IOLocation</key>
						<string></string>
						<key>IOMACAddress</key>
						<data>
						ABbPnSjd
						</data>
						<key>IOPathMatch</key>
						<string>IOService:/AppleACPIPlatformExpert/PCI0@0/AppleACPIPCI/RP02@1C,1/IOPCI2PCIBridge/PXS2@0/AirPortPCI_MM/IOEthernetInterface</string>
				</dict>

The wireless light does not light despite the switch on the laptop being set to on and there are no BIOS options relating to WLAN.

I am getting close to binning OSx86 on this machine as I can't work without wi-fi. It is such a disappointment as my last laptop (Dell Inspiron 6400) worked flawlessly except for Sigmatel 9220 HD audio and the black screen wake from sleep problem.

This Tecra sleeps perfectly and everything else works great - just wireless.

Does anybody have any ideas? I'm running 10.4.6 and have attached a few bits to help.

Attached Files

•  System_Profiler___Network___AirPort_Card.jpg   61.05K   159 downloads
•  System_Profiler___Software___Extensions___AppleAirportBrcm4311.jpg   128.59K   139 downloads
•  System_Profiler___Software___Extensions___IONetwrokingFamily.jpg   123.17K   116 downloads
•  Menu_Bar.jpg   17.49K   42 downloads

[redratfish]

sportman, on Aug 6 2006, 08:04 PM, said:

Broadcom Wireless Tutorial
Kext Used
The kext used for this tutorial is the IO80211Family.kext. This kext needs to be put into /System/Library/Extensions/ if it is not already there.

Entering your device ID

• Make a backup of IO80211Family.kext
  
• Edit the .plist file

• Once editing the plist navigate to the area where you see

• Add a line with dev id (in place of XXXX)

Setting Permissions

• Type these commands into terminal

Final touches (Optional)

• edit the interface config in order to use the airport utility instead of istumbler.

• swap the en0 with en1 for that device.
  
• Run disk util and repair perms
  
• Please note that you may need to change the number to en2 if you have 2 onbaord pci lan cards.

Sometimes your network card is already configured as an airport device and you do not need to swap the en #

what sorware do you use to edit the plist and kext?

[1/2WIT]

I followed all of the instructions for Broadcom upto repair perms, and it didn't work.  I have a Linksys WMP54GS I use 4320 for device id.  I'm running tubgirl 10.4.8 on a dell poweregde 600sc. SO... I tried something else.  I loaded the 10.4 network installer for ADDLOGIX MA-WL-USB.  I went to click on the network icon in system prefs before plugging in the usb and it found my linksys card! It's running fast and strong.

THANK FOR YOUR GUIDE!

[altas]

sportman, on Aug 6 2006, 07:04 PM, said:

Broadcom Wireless Tutorial
Kext Used
The kext used for this tutorial is the IO80211Family.kext. This kext needs to be put into /System/Library/Extensions/ if it is not already there.

Entering your device ID

• Make a backup of IO80211Family.kext
  
• Edit the .plist file

• Once editing the plist navigate to the area where you see

• Add a line with dev id (in place of XXXX)

Setting Permissions

• Type these commands into terminal

Final touches (Optional)

• edit the interface config in order to use the airport utility instead of istumbler.

• swap the en0 with en1 for that device.
  
• Run disk util and repair perms
  
• Please note that you may need to change the number to en2 if you have 2 onbaord pci lan cards.

Sometimes your network card is already configured as an airport device and you do not need to swap the en #

Thank you so much! It is working!

[iamsilvermember]

sportman, on Aug 6 2006, 07:04 PM, said:

Broadcom Wireless Tutorial
Kext Used
The kext used for this tutorial is the IO80211Family.kext. This kext needs to be put into /System/Library/Extensions/ if it is not already there.

Entering your device ID

• Make a backup of IO80211Family.kext
  
• Edit the .plist file

• Once editing the plist navigate to the area where you see

• Add a line with dev id (in place of XXXX)

How do i actually save the changes in the .plist file?
sorry for asking such a silly question
but im a newbie here

[ihekmac]

I also have a compaq c300 series laptop.... and I've given up on the wireless, hey at least ethernet works great. Reading compaq/hp c300 series owners replies the only difference is that my wireless light has been on twice during OSX, but it still can't find the card.... oh well....

[Putzinger]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. This is the last thing I need to get working on my Acer 5601awlmi laptop; after this, I'm golden!

I went from the original Intel card to the Broadcom (see sig) and did everything described here and in other threads. System Profiler still tells me that there're no PCI cards detected.

The only thing I can think of preventing OS X from discovering a card that it's programmed to discover is that, by default, the power to the PCI-E slot is off. There's a little LED/killswitch combo at the front of the laptop that enables you to switch off the wifi radio on the fly. When I boot to OS X, the LED is never on; in Vista, it's fine. The Acer comes with a software solution for turning on the radio that works in Windows. Is there a hack that exists for OS X? I know from looking around that Linux users have had similar problems, and worked out a hack to start the card when Linux starts.

I've tried:

• Flipping the switch itself (duh!)
  
• Using BIOS options (there are none for wifi)
  
• Switching the en and intiger values in the kext from 1-4.

Am I missing anything? Is there some hack I can do to power up this card in OS X?

Thanks again!

[errandwolfe]

Putzinger,
  It sounds like you are in the same boat that us Compaq C5xx laptop users have.  Short of the CPU, the specs seem to match exactly.  Up to this point none of us have been able to get our Broadcom cards working.  It is the most ridiculous thing as these cards have the EXACT same chipset as the Airport card, the 4311 chipset.  So far I think we have narrowed it down to two possible reasons why the card might not be working.

1.)  No power - Many people seem to think that this is the issue as the switch light on the wifi button does not seem to turn on.  I happen to disagree...I have a dual boot with Vista (shudders) and OS X.  If I boot Vista first, the wifi light comes on and I can reboot into OS X, the light stays on, but the card is simply not detected.  If you tape over pin 20 on the card this is supposed to disable switch control and leave the card always on.  Personally neither my eyes nor the steadiness of my hands is capable of doing this, so I have not been able to test this.

2.)  PCI Express bus- This is where I think our problem is.  I don't think the mini-PCI Express slot is being properly recognized by OS X.  That would explain why even with the card remaining powered on after rebooting from Vista OS X still does not see the card.

[gabeoravitz]

i have a broadcom 4311, it says so on the chip. in windows it says the dev id is 4311. in the plist it has 4311 listed. any clues as to why it's not showing up? i'm using the jas 10.4.8 in an intel based laptop. the card is mini pci.

thanks!

[riws]

Try  4320

[gabeoravitz]

that didn't work. ive tried the kexts from jas 10.4.8 and the 10.4.5 ones from uphucks. same result from. no dice. anything else from anyone? Ubuntu 7.04 sees this card as a dell 1390. from reading on here, these should be easy to get working, some have even got them working out of the box. this is a compaq presario. i also saw others were having problems with this device in these machines. is it the minipci slot itself not being seen by os x? any help would be hugely appreciated!

[riws]

Can you see it with DPCIManager ?
Is it on? LED?

[gabeoravitz]

well that's just it; i had to send it back to get a new palm rest cuz the touchpad didnt work, and in replacing all that, someone didn't hook something up right, and now the wireless light never comes on. even in winxp. i've not used DPCIManager before, but i'll get it now. what if os x is unable to see my Mini PCI-E slot? is there any fixes for that?

[gabeoravitz]

UPDATE:  doing an ioreg -l, i can see that the system does see the card there. as well as DPCIManager sees it. it's definately listning a 4311. yet doing EVERYTHING i have found in these forums, i can't get it to work. help me!

[errandwolfe]

Gabeoravitz,
  Many of us have the EXACT same problem.  See post #88.

[gabeoravitz]

i'm gonna say that it's because of the PCI-E bus. i dont think it's so much that it's not being recognized properly rather, the existing kexts are trying to talk to a 4311 on a mini PCI bus not a mini PCI-E. it seems to me that if it is being seen by the OS, which is confirmed with ioreg, that it IS possible to get it working if the kexts were right. who knows if that can happen or not.

[Putzinger]

Well, I've done some research and found the following:

Linux users have had the same problem with the killswitch. This switch powers the PCI-E interface that cradles the card. They've written a driver for it based on an existing program for Windows that enables Vista/XP/Whatever to soft launch the slot (in the Acer, at least) upon OS boot. Of course there's nothing existing for OSX because this is a very niche need and none of the Apple laptops had an external wireless control.

I'm going to start a thread on this, but the good news is that if they did it in Linux, porting it to Unix/OS X isn't outside the realm of possibility.

http://forum.insanel...showtopic=56015

[alek]

This tutorial works even for USB wifi?
I have an USR5421 and I suppose is a broadcom 4318.
I can't find my dev id

[OxDraztikxO]

I have a Dell Latitude D610 with a Broadcom mini PCI WiFi card dev ID 4318. OSX doesnt recognize my mini PCI card as being installed, the wifi led is not on but under XP and VISTA it is fine. I have a few options in my bios for my wireless configuration basiclly my wifi card needs to be turned on by an application in the OS. Its the same situation that Putzinger has mentioned. I think you are absolutly correct Putzinger and the whole Linux killswitch thing is the problem. Someone needs to port this to osx and I think our problems with wifi will be solved. I am going to try the pin 20 trick, could you direct me to where I can get some more info on this.

[darkfiremp3]

I have a acer 3680-2682, it has a Broadcom 4311, mini PCI, do we need to tell the pc things like which mini pci port it is? Windows gives you all this information. Any ideas?