383 replies to this topic

[consolation]

WITH 10.4.x
Checked with 10.4.8/.9, gives you a 100% airport extreme experience.
For use with 10.4.10+ you need to copy the kext from one of the previous versions. You can get it easily by downloading Apple's 10.4.8 update, then using Pacifist to extract the IO80211Family.kext


WITH 10.5.x
Using the 10.4.8 kext with Leopard gives you a working airport extreme, but only for WEP or open networks. WPA is proving a bit belligerent, you can connect to wpa2/wpa networks using the "chipxsd method" described at the end of this post. Editing the 10.5 kext can lock up your system when trying to use your airport. Feedback would be greatly appreciated if you have found a way, or even if you tried and failed.

Leopard "instructions" after the Tiger ones.


10.4 up to 10.4.8


Manufacturer ID: 168c
Device ID: 0013

(168c:0013)


Edit:

/System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AirPortAtheros5424.kext/Contents/Info.plist

from

<key>IONameMatch</key>
<array>
<string>pci106b,0086</string>
<string>pci168c,1c</string>


change to

<key>IONameMatch</key>
<array>
<string>pci106b,0086</string>
<string>pci168c,1c</string>
<string>pci168c,13</string>

if your manufacturer & Device ID are different, just change the line to

<string>pci{man ID,Dev ID}</string>


Then

sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/
sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/
sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions.mkext
sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions.kextcache

(Or, use the script in the attached .dmg file if you can't be bothered cleaning up permissions by hand)

Reboot...

and voilà detected as an airport extreme card


LEOPARD INSTRUCTIONS:

The previous kext method:

For use with 10.5 you need to copy the kext from one of the previous versions. You can get it easily by downloading Apple's 10.4.8 update, then using Pacifist to extract the IO80211Family.kext

Edit the kext as per the Tiger instructions above...

(Thanks Eclau.)

Got the exact same prob and i ended up copying the IO80211Family.kext I used in Tiger, it still works in Leo

The new kext method

For 10.5, follow the same procedure, but edit the System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AirPortAtheros.kext

1. Changed the IO80211Family kext/Atheros plugin for the card (changed <string>pci168c,1c</string> to <string>pci168c,13</string>) - card showed up in Profiler.
2. Changed the NetworkInterfaces.plist to en1 for Airport - the icon showed up but was blank.
3. Changed the preferences.plist to en1 too - the icon showed up and had signal. Stuck me pass in and was connected. On reboot I have to click on my preferred network, but I can live with that.

IO80211Family version is 2.0
IONetworkingFamily version is 1.6.0
AirportAtheros Version is 3.0.

Glad it helped

warning:

after adding the line in the info.plist the card is recognized as airport and it even shows the available networks, but when i try to connect to a network the whole os freezes

With Leopard kexts a lot of computers get this problem -consider it a "work in progress." This seems to help in some cases:

the solution..... I took all other device ids and only left mine in there .

Connecting to WPA/WPA2 in 10.5

To connect to WPA/WPA2 networks follow this guide (thanks chipsxd). Your airport icon in the task bar may or may not work, and, you might get an error at the end of the steps - BUT you will be connected to the network

I don't know if others found out a way to connect to a secured wireless connection with the Tiger kext? ... but I think I have found a solution:

You have to use the 'Assist me' -> 'Diagnostics', to connect to your secured connection, it worked fine for me. I took the liberty to include screenshots in this post, so you can see how I did it...


I had to use the System Preferences -> Network -> Assist me... -> Diagnostics -> AirPort -> ... to get me connected to my access point


Here you see me connected to my secured wifi connection

A little tip to make life easier. under /system/library/CoreServices is the Network Diagnostics.app. Drag it onto your dock and use it to connect - saves a few clicks

To make it connect automatically at login:

Use chipxsd's script from here

or:

sudo chmod +s /usr/sbin/networksetup
sudo nano /etc/rc.local
networksetup -setairportnetwork "yournetwork" "yourpassword"

Note: if you get these symptoms:

When OSX loads, I see the Airport icon on the bar, but it doesn't seem to work. When I load the System Profiler, it says "Airport is currently off".

Then

You just need to edit the /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist file

edit the string <string>en0</string>

to <string>en1</string> (or en2 if you have other network cards i guess)

and string <key>IOInterfaceUnit</key>
<integer>0</integer>

to <key>IOInterfaceUnit</key>
<integer>1</integer> <--- this number shall reflect the one used in the other.. so if you have en1 it shoud be 1 and en2 should be 2 and so on.

Then just reboot and check your network settings. It should find a new Airport card.

(Thanks thew.)

Attached Files

•  Extension_folder_fix.dmg   49.56KB   4040 downloads

Edited by consolation, 18 January 2008 - 12:02 AM.

[rparker]

Hi, where did you purchase this card, or where is it available for purchase?

[saGat]

Works Great !!!!!

thanks :]

[consolation]

Hi, where did you purchase this card, or where is it available for purchase?

http://www.extremepc...6384d4b943b4818

That's about $20 US, but that's probably useless for you if you are outside of NZ.

Edited by consolation, 30 January 2007 - 01:27 AM.

[saGat]

I have the getgear WG311T that has the same device id and vendor id like TP-LINK and it works great.

[i.Silver]

Where can I find the Device ID and Vendor ID without opening up the laptop?
My System Profiler doesn't show any information.

[i.Silver]

Shooting myself in the foot here... I found my own answer in a Rammjet thread:

Hardware ID's

[consolation]

If you install apple's AirPortExtremeUpdate2007001 (feb 07) you will need to re-edit the plist, but otherwise this method works fine with the new kext & frame work.

Edited by consolation, 16 February 2007 - 05:42 AM.

[matticus]

Is there a known solution for Atheros 5523-based cards? Mine appears in System Profiler (vendor ID 0cf3 and device ID 0002), and it indicates that the manufacturer is Atheros, but this plist mod will not work.

The kext itself says it's for the 5424, but here it works for the 5212. Is there any way of knowing what the difference is?

[consolation]

Is there a known solution for Atheros 5523-based cards? Mine appears in System Profiler (vendor ID 0cf3 and device ID 0002), and it indicates that the manufacturer is Atheros, but this plist mod will not work.

The kext itself says it's for the 5424, but here it works for the 5212. Is there any way of knowing what the difference is?

Have you tried adding the id to the other atheros plist? -probably delete it first from the 5424 one

[matticus]

Yeah. It looks like it's just plain incompatible. Thanks for the tip.

I've moved it over to a Linux box using NDISwrapper and stole the PCI wireless card from that machine after finding it in the HCL. Lucky me!

[ounas]

Thanks with your help my TP-Link wireless card works.

[chipxsd]

I must be doing something wrong. I have the same card as consolation, with the same manufacturer ID and device ID. I followed the instructions:

• added the <string>pci168c,13</string> to the /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AirPortAtheros5424.kext/Contents/Info.plist file
• sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/
• sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions.mkext
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions.kextcache
• and finally rebooted the machine

When OSX loads, I see the Airport icon on the bar, but it doesn't seem to work. When I load the System Profiler, it says "Airport is currently off".
I did all that on a fresh 10.4.8 installation. What am I doing wrong?

My Hackintosh setup:
- P5W64 mobo
- Intel QX6700
- 2GB DDR2
- ATI X1590XT
- TP-LINK 651G

Can someone please help me?

[consolation]

I must be doing something wrong. I have the same card as consolation, with the same manufacturer ID and device ID. I followed the instructions:

• added the <string>pci168c,13</string> to the /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AirPortAtheros5424.kext/Contents/Info.plist file
• sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/
• sudo chmod -R 755 /System/Library/Extensions/
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions.mkext
• sudo rm /System/Library/Extensions.kextcache
• and finally rebooted the machine

When OSX loads, I see the Airport icon on the bar, but it doesn't seem to work. When I load the System Profiler, it says "Airport is currently off".
I did all that on a fresh 10.4.8 installation. What am I doing wrong?

My Hackintosh setup:
- P5W64 mobo
- Intel QX6700
- 2GB DDR2
- ATI X1590XT
- TP-LINK 651G

Can someone please help me?

Are you using plist editor to edit the plist? I find that nano in terminal works as well, but you have to be VERY careful with formatting. Sounds like you are doing everything right. Maybe use the kext from 10.4.5, you will only get plain airport with that, but it could be a fall back option while you try to work things out.

Else, apply apple's 10.4.8 combo, replace kernel and Applesmbios.kext before reboot and try again.

[thew]

You just need to edit the /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist file

edit the string <string>en0</string>

to <string>en1</string> (or en2 if you have other network cards i guess)

and string <key>IOInterfaceUnit</key>
<integer>0</integer>

to <key>IOInterfaceUnit</key>
<integer>1</integer> <--- this number shall reflect the one used in the other.. so if you have en1 it shoud be 1 and en2 should be 2 and so on.


Then just reboot and check your network settings. It should find a new Airport card.

[chipxsd]

Finnaly, it works!!

Thank you Thew and consolation for your help.

If anyone is interested, I can "lend" my notes from my notebook. My english is a bit crappy, but I think it's still usefull. You can find it here: http://www.google.co...Q8d-Ks50i?hl=en

[aRnonymous]

it worked for me on a tp-link TL550G
works good and easy
Thanks a lot!

[consolation]

Tidied up first post.

[UltimateGordita]

I used this method in an attempt to get my Netgear WG311T Wireless Card to work. I'm using JaS 10.4.8. I believed this was the correct method, I applied it and ended up seeing no results so I reset in hope it would update then. Instead I found I was stuck at the Grey loading screen with the swirling not pinwheel. I have a backed up kext but I can't get into console or anything to replace it. I was hoping someone could guide me in the right direction.

JaS 10.4.8
E6600 Processor
P5B Asus Mother Board

[consolation]

boot into single user mode (instructions on how to are easily found here), then delete the kext and try again, check your device IDs, etc.