Can you confirm the two "nubs" where the airport antenna connections are, is it a simple "plug" like thing?
Yes they are simple gold plugs. Quite fiddly thought as they are pretty small. Once you have got a good fit you will s=know as they sort of just snap on.
i) Will Apple Software Updates for this card automatically show up and install? Will Apple base the updates on machine or hardware installed
ii) My machines warranty is well and truly void!
iii Is it worth the effort - I think I will only be able to say this once I get the new Airport Extreme N
Good luck. M.
i) If they don't I'm sure you'll be able to install them using Pacifist anyways. Anybody hacking their MB/MBP in this way will easily get an update to install even if it's machine specific.
ii) As stated earlier, how on Earth is Apple ever going to tell if you reinstall the original parts prior to submitting your machine for repairs?
Yes they are simple gold plugs. Quite fiddly thought as they are pretty small. Once you have got a good fit you will s=know as they sort of just snap on.
HTHs.
M.
Cool, thanks. Now I can fiddle with it with confidence. For a while when I opened up my MacBook about a month ago (cleaned fan+vents at inside back, applied some duct tape*) I saw the antenna connectors, and thought they were soldered on or something.
My theory is that the Core[1]Duo MacBook and MacBookPros have 2 antennas because they support 802.11a which runs at 5ghz and 802.11b/g which runs at 2.4ghz.
I suspect the Mac Pro two antennas are similar, except the 5 ghz supports the 802.11a/n@5ghz and 2.4ghz antenna supports 802.11b/g/[email protected].
Now here is a good one for you guys. I have an older iMac. A G4 1 Ghz to be more specific. The first one without USB 2.0. Is there anyway to replace my existing airport card with one that supports 802.11N? I am very interested in the airport disk feature as I share many computers in the home and not everyone has a mac. Before everyone jumps on me telling me to get a new Mac simply cannot afford that. I'd really like to get another year or two out of this computer before I have to get a new one since I only bought it in 2003. If anyone can be of assistance I appreciate it.
Now here is a good one for you guys. I have an older iMac. A G4 1 Ghz to be more specific. The first one without USB 2.0. Is there anyway to replace my existing airport card with one that supports 802.11N? I am very interested in the airport disk feature as I share many computers in the home and not everyone has a mac. Before everyone jumps on me telling me to get a new Mac simply cannot afford that. I'd really like to get another year or two out of this computer before I have to get a new one since I only bought it in 2003. If anyone can be of assistance I appreciate it.
Thanks.
Nick
Hi, please list your other computers in the home and what (if any) sort or Airport/wireless cards they have. Also, what sort of hard disk would you like to use as the AirDisk ??
Now here is a good one for you guys. I have an older iMac. A G4 1 Ghz to be more specific. The first one without USB 2.0. Is there anyway to replace my existing airport card with one that supports 802.11N?
If it's a PowerMac, then you can probably ask the people at LowEndMac whether there are any PCI cards that will work. With only USB 1.1, you won't benefit from a USB dongle. There is a chance that a CardBus card would work but the people at that site would know best.
You know you don't need crossover Ethernet cables any more? Since about 2002?
All new Gigabit and also a lot of the 10/100 network cards automatically switch to crossover whenever needed...
This is one of the coolest things I recall when I switched back to Macs back in 2002. I like to use it--and screen capoture--as an example when friends wonder what I mean by "it just works" in comparison to Windows.
This is one of the coolest things I recall when I switched back to Macs back in 2002. I like to use it--and screen capoture--as an example when friends wonder what I mean by "it just works" in comparison to Windows.
I wonder if PCs have this capability yet?
I think all current Intel network chips can do this, and all previous Intel gigabit net chips too.
try provantage for the mac pro card. i got one on delivery, i hope it is what i need, 'cause i cannot return it. 50 bucks shipped.....hope it is the one! 8)
For those trying to get the replacement card the part Number for the :Airport Extreme Wireless Kit for Mac pro" is MA688ZM/B. Cost here in the UK is £30. You can get them at Apple Stores but they won't sell them to you because it is not a user installable part....
PS I took my machine apart again and checked the connections to the new card. All fine - so I have to say in my experience so far the Network range with the MacPro card is not as good.
I think any of the newer n cards will work. I think it would probably be fine to leave the third antenna port open, the cards seem to choose what antenna or antennas work best at any given time. What makes the Mac Pro card useful is that it's the one that is easier to find.
i got the MA688ZM/A @ gravis mannheim, germany. ?49,95. they had it in stock to my amazement...
installation was ok, a little difficult to fiddle with the antenna connectors...
immediately after the install the card was recognized and the 802.11 a/b/g/n capabilities were displayed.
i had the enabler installed before i installed, and @ first i seen a cap on downloads @ 4mbit. i reinstalled from the 21.5MB dmg with all the APX apps and the enabler, after that the speeds were ok.
in my APX(old white station) in 802.11g are around 3.6MB/sec. i have 16mbit(2MB/sec) DSL. so i have no way of getting to the limit of 802.11g. i maxed that connection out with the old/new wifi card. i had a friend over with this mbp C2D and we did wifi to wifi and ethernet to wifi tests, thruput on wifi to wifi was 3.6MB, ethernet to wifi was 3.6MB to. oddly enuff was that the C2D mbp haad slower upload speeds in the LAN than me, i uploaded to him @ 100% 802.11g speed, but he could only upload to me @ 75%., this test was done vice versa, ethernet and wifi combinations. it seems that there's a bug with the s/w/firmware on the atheros hardware, the broadcom in my mbp CD seems to work faster than his.... very odd...
I got the MA688Z/A from the closest Apple dealer (3rd party dealer) here (I live in western Canada, no Apple stores out here yet). Cost was $60CDN. The service dept told me that if they installed the card it would not void any warranties and my AppleCare would stay intact on my MBP.
Got the card installed, but the service dept did not enable the N for me. Got the enabler installer and the Network Utility shows a/b/g/n capability and I am connected to my Linksys WRT300N router at 130Mb.
Speeds do not seem to be what others have reported online with near 100Mb wire speeds (ie 8-9MB/s). Transferring in a large 2+GB ISO file onto my MBP yields around 2.9-3.1MB/s sustained transfer with a peak of 3.4MB/s according to the ftp client on the other end (plugged into the router with ethernet cable). If I plug in my MBP into ethernet, I get 9MB/s no problem via ftp transfer.
I dual boot with Windows Vista so I fired up into there and transferred the same file by Windows transfer. Hard to know if the window was accurate, but it did seem to tranfer the file faster by a couple minutes so I tend to believe it. Tried setting the router to mixed and N only for both OS X and Windows. N only seemed to slow things down more than the mixed environment.
Not sure what I can do to try and increase speeds on the OS X side of things. As per the previous poster, I tried installing all the apps and enabler from the new APX CD dmg file but it didn't seem to help me. Any ideas?
MacBook Pro Core Duo 2.16Ghz w/ AirPort Extreme N card (MA688Z/A)
2.9-3.1MB is slower than my previously achieved 3.6MB in 802.11g mode...
my setup has fallen back to the slow mode. i have reinstalled osX and still it only uses 11mbit mode(from the 54mbit possible, steps are 11/18/38/48/54mbit) in 802.11g. whenever i start to use the network via airport the tx rate goes into what seems to be a fall back mode...
i use ap grapher and ipnetmonitorX in order to visualize what's going on with the setup. i have to go to a local shop to get torx screwdriver in order to check on the card and the antenna, i have a hunch it has to do with the antenna... i will try to switch the antenna connectors from on to the other, maybe on of the connectors is loose, let's see...
the weird thing is that for 2 days everything worked as i emailed you. i tried to find comparable experiences on the web, like apple discussions or other message boards, but to no avail. if someone has messaged you with similar symptoms, please let me know. also the top on the left side where the broadcom 4321 is located gets pretty warm, not hot, but warm.
Comments
You know you don't need crossover Ethernet cables any more? Since about 2002?
All new Gigabit and also a lot of the 10/100 network cards automatically switch to crossover whenever needed...
Yeah, I was reading that after I got the cable
In fact I did this yesterday with my MacBook Core Duo. My thoughts:
......
ii) My machines warranty is well and truly void!
Can you confirm the two "nubs" where the airport antenna connections are, is it a simple "plug" like thing?
Can you confirm the two "nubs" where the airport antenna connections are, is it a simple "plug" like thing?
Yes they are simple gold plugs. Quite fiddly thought as they are pretty small. Once you have got a good fit you will s=know as they sort of just snap on.
HTHs.
M.
Potential Problems:
i) Will Apple Software Updates for this card automatically show up and install? Will Apple base the updates on machine or hardware installed
ii) My machines warranty is well and truly void!
iii Is it worth the effort - I think I will only be able to say this once I get the new Airport Extreme N
Good luck. M.
i) If they don't I'm sure you'll be able to install them using Pacifist anyways. Anybody hacking their MB/MBP in this way will easily get an update to install even if it's machine specific.
ii) As stated earlier, how on Earth is Apple ever going to tell if you reinstall the original parts prior to submitting your machine for repairs?
iii) The choice is yours.
Yes they are simple gold plugs. Quite fiddly thought as they are pretty small. Once you have got a good fit you will s=know as they sort of just snap on.
HTHs.
M.
Cool, thanks. Now I can fiddle with it with confidence. For a while when I opened up my MacBook about a month ago (cleaned fan+vents at inside back, applied some duct tape*) I saw the antenna connectors, and thought they were soldered on or something.
My theory is that the Core[1]Duo MacBook and MacBookPros have 2 antennas because they support 802.11a which runs at 5ghz and 802.11b/g which runs at 2.4ghz.
I suspect the Mac Pro two antennas are similar, except the 5 ghz supports the 802.11a/n@5ghz and 2.4ghz antenna supports 802.11b/g/[email protected].
................
*long story
5degC overall CPU temp reduction!
................
Accelerate Your Mac had info on this a week or so ago:
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/archives/...07.html#S22380
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/archives/...07.html#S22381
Appreciate the links. Also from xlr8 I found out - new Office Mac 2004 Update!! Wooooooo
Installed it (Office Update), seemed okay. 8)
Now, back to 802.11n hack for Core[1]Duo laptops.
Firstly, I think the xlr8 site while generally helpful, the verbose "user experience" stuff is too rambling sometimes.
Secondly, we need to look at some real tests with
1.AirportExtreme running at 802.11n-only@5ghz
2.AirportExtreme running 802.11b/g/[email protected]
3.Non-Apple router running 802.11n-only@5ghz
4.Non-Apple router running 802.11b/g/[email protected]
Thirdly, no way in HELL am I gonna buy a DELL card as one of the users in the site did, I'd try and swing a Mac Pro card.
I wish I could doo somethig wifout killin teh warrenteez.
Yeah, if you can't even write a proper sentence you shouldn't even go close to a screwdriver.
Thanks.
Nick
Now here is a good one for you guys. I have an older iMac. A G4 1 Ghz to be more specific. The first one without USB 2.0. Is there anyway to replace my existing airport card with one that supports 802.11N? I am very interested in the airport disk feature as I share many computers in the home and not everyone has a mac. Before everyone jumps on me telling me to get a new Mac simply cannot afford that. I'd really like to get another year or two out of this computer before I have to get a new one since I only bought it in 2003. If anyone can be of assistance I appreciate it.
Thanks.
Nick
Hi, please list your other computers in the home and what (if any) sort or Airport/wireless cards they have. Also, what sort of hard disk would you like to use as the AirDisk ??
Now here is a good one for you guys. I have an older iMac. A G4 1 Ghz to be more specific. The first one without USB 2.0. Is there anyway to replace my existing airport card with one that supports 802.11N?
If it's a PowerMac, then you can probably ask the people at LowEndMac whether there are any PCI cards that will work. With only USB 1.1, you won't benefit from a USB dongle. There is a chance that a CardBus card would work but the people at that site would know best.
You know you don't need crossover Ethernet cables any more? Since about 2002?
All new Gigabit and also a lot of the 10/100 network cards automatically switch to crossover whenever needed...
This is one of the coolest things I recall when I switched back to Macs back in 2002. I like to use it--and screen capoture--as an example when friends wonder what I mean by "it just works" in comparison to Windows.
I wonder if PCs have this capability yet?
This is one of the coolest things I recall when I switched back to Macs back in 2002. I like to use it--and screen capoture--as an example when friends wonder what I mean by "it just works" in comparison to Windows.
I wonder if PCs have this capability yet?
I think all current Intel network chips can do this, and all previous Intel gigabit net chips too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_rig
Maybe you have only heard "jerry-rigging"
Funny.
PS I took my machine apart again and checked the connections to the new card. All fine - so I have to say in my experience so far the Network range with the MacPro card is not as good.
installation was ok, a little difficult to fiddle with the antenna connectors...
immediately after the install the card was recognized and the 802.11 a/b/g/n capabilities were displayed.
i had the enabler installed before i installed, and @ first i seen a cap on downloads @ 4mbit. i reinstalled from the 21.5MB dmg with all the APX apps and the enabler, after that the speeds were ok.
in my APX(old white station) in 802.11g are around 3.6MB/sec. i have 16mbit(2MB/sec) DSL. so i have no way of getting to the limit of 802.11g. i maxed that connection out with the old/new wifi card. i had a friend over with this mbp C2D and we did wifi to wifi and ethernet to wifi tests, thruput on wifi to wifi was 3.6MB, ethernet to wifi was 3.6MB to. oddly enuff was that the C2D mbp haad slower upload speeds in the LAN than me, i uploaded to him @ 100% 802.11g speed, but he could only upload to me @ 75%., this test was done vice versa, ethernet and wifi combinations. it seems that there's a bug with the s/w/firmware on the atheros hardware, the broadcom in my mbp CD seems to work faster than his.... very odd...
Got the card installed, but the service dept did not enable the N for me. Got the enabler installer and the Network Utility shows a/b/g/n capability and I am connected to my Linksys WRT300N router at 130Mb.
Speeds do not seem to be what others have reported online with near 100Mb wire speeds (ie 8-9MB/s). Transferring in a large 2+GB ISO file onto my MBP yields around 2.9-3.1MB/s sustained transfer with a peak of 3.4MB/s according to the ftp client on the other end (plugged into the router with ethernet cable). If I plug in my MBP into ethernet, I get 9MB/s no problem via ftp transfer.
I dual boot with Windows Vista so I fired up into there and transferred the same file by Windows transfer. Hard to know if the window was accurate, but it did seem to tranfer the file faster by a couple minutes so I tend to believe it. Tried setting the router to mixed and N only for both OS X and Windows. N only seemed to slow things down more than the mixed environment.
Not sure what I can do to try and increase speeds on the OS X side of things. As per the previous poster, I tried installing all the apps and enabler from the new APX CD dmg file but it didn't seem to help me. Any ideas?
MacBook Pro Core Duo 2.16Ghz w/ AirPort Extreme N card (MA688Z/A)
2GB RAM
Linksys WRT300N router
my setup has fallen back to the slow mode. i have reinstalled osX and still it only uses 11mbit mode(from the 54mbit possible, steps are 11/18/38/48/54mbit) in 802.11g. whenever i start to use the network via airport the tx rate goes into what seems to be a fall back mode...
i use ap grapher and ipnetmonitorX in order to visualize what's going on with the setup. i have to go to a local shop to get torx screwdriver in order to check on the card and the antenna, i have a hunch it has to do with the antenna... i will try to switch the antenna connectors from on to the other, maybe on of the connectors is loose, let's see...
the weird thing is that for 2 days everything worked as i emailed you. i tried to find comparable experiences on the web, like apple discussions or other message boards, but to no avail. if someone has messaged you with similar symptoms, please let me know. also the top on the left side where the broadcom 4321 is located gets pretty warm, not hot, but warm.