802.11n WiFi on PCI-e G5

[sanfrancisofont1984]

Just to be clear, this is for Leopard (maybe Tiger down the road). Linux or BSD should be able to use whatever PCI-e or USB WiFi solutions out there (as long as we don't hit ppc64/ppc specific bugs).

The general idea is using a PCI-e adapter like SilverStone ECWA2-LITE and 802.11n capable mini PCI-e WiFi cards from early Intel Macs.
By reading this forum, I learned that BCM94321MC and AR5BXB72 might work. Since they are inexpensive I ordered both; stilling waiting for them to arrive.

In the mean time, I also learned that we can take a look under `/System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns/XXX.kext/Contents/Info.plist`for a list of supported devices based on PCI ids. The list for Broadcom devices is a bit longer than I thought and it includes, in particular, "pci14e4,432b", which is used in BCM94322MC.

I have an unused BCM94322MC from my Mac Pro so I pulled it out and plugged it into my G5 through the adapter. Leopard 10.5.8 is not recognizing it though. Any idea why that is the case?

 

[weckart]

Is pci14e4,432b a universal kext in your Leopard installation? Run the file command in Terminal against the Mach executable part of the plug in kext and see what architectures crop up.

Tiger is very flaky with 802.11n in my experience. Sometimes it works, mostly it just doesn't connect with the hardware. I've gone over to ethernet a while back so having to rack my brains about how I did that.

 

[sanfrancisofont1984]

$ pwd
/System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext/Contents/PlugIns

$ file AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext/Contents/MacOS/AppleAirPortBrcm4311 
AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext/Contents/MacOS/AppleAirPortBrcm4311: Mach-O universal binary with 2 architectures
AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext/Contents/MacOS/AppleAirPortBrcm4311 (for architecture ppc):    Mach-O object ppc
AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext/Contents/MacOS/AppleAirPortBrcm4311 (for architecture i386):    Mach-O object i386

$ file AirPortAtheros.kext/Contents/MacOS/AirPortAtheros 
AirPortAtheros.kext/Contents/MacOS/AirPortAtheros: Mach-O object i386

"pci14e4,432b" belongs to AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext where

$ cat AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext/Contents/Info.plist
...
            <key>IONameMatch</key>
            <array>
                <string>pci106b,4e</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4311</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4312</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4313</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4318</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4319</string>
                <string>pci14e4,431a</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4320</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4324</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4325</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4328</string>
                <string>pci14e4,432b</string>
                <string>pci14e4,432c</string>
                <string>pci14e4,432d</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4353</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4354</string>
                <string>pci14e4,4355</string>
            </array>
...

 

[LightBulbFun]

the BCM94322MC should work in a PCIe G5 with a suitable PCIe to Mini PCIe adapter

but it wont work in tiger (as the BCM94322 is too new for Tigers broadcom kext)

and No Atheros card will work since its kext is compiled for intel only

 

[weckart]

the BCM94322MC should work in a PCIe G5 with a suitable PCIe to Mini PCIe adapter

but it wont work in tiger (as the BCM94322 is too new for Tigers broadcom kext)

The Tiger kext in the 10.4.7 Universal release for Mac OS X Server should support it but in practice I have found it unreliable.

 

[LightBulbFun]

The Tiger kext in the 10.4.7 Universal release for Mac OS X Server should support it but in practice I have found it unreliable.

the BCM94322 specifically? I know that there are universal Broadcom kexts for/in tiger

but AFAIK the BCM94322 itself is too new for it (with the drivers only supports older cards like the BCM94321 and older)

 

[LightBulbFun]

The Tiger kext in the 10.4.7 Universal release for Mac OS X Server should support it but in practice I have found it unreliable.

the BCM94322 specifically? I know that there are universal Broadcom kexts for/in tiger

but AFAIK the BCM94322 itself is too new for it (with the drivers only supports older cards like the BCM94321 and older)

huh no the BCM94322's Device ID is in Server 10.4.11's driver

could have sworn I checked for this before hand at some point, clearly I am mistaken!

 

[weckart]

huh no the BCM94322's Device ID is in Server 10.4.11's driver... could have sworn I checked for this before hand at some point, clearly I am mistaken!

Just out of interest and because I am not in a position to check right now, do you know if the kernel for Tiger Server retail (UB) and Tiger Client retail (PPC) is the same? They should be but I wonder if Apple did something there which might partly account for the instability I have found.

 

[LightBulbFun]

Just out of interest and because I am not in a position to check right now, do you know if the kernel for Tiger Server retail (UB) and Tiger Client retail (PPC) is the same? They should be but I wonder if Apple did something there which might partly account for the instability I have found.

Tiger Client PPC is XNU version 792.24.17

Tiger Server Universal (or at least the intel version of that running in my VM) is XNU Version 792.25.20

so the kernel in the Universal server version is slightly newer (and is the same version as 10.4.11 intel client)

 

[sanfrancisofont1984]

Thanks for the answers. Just to be clear, BCM94322MC as pulled from Mac Pro is not working for me in Leopard PPC.

I just tested the same Adapter + mini WiFi card in a Core 2 Duo PC and it is working in both Windows 10 and Linux.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Solution - you can use Ralink drivers for Tiger/leopard PPC abs I think Linux

New in Box - TRENDnet Wireless N USB Adapter TEW-644UB | eBay

New in Box - TRENDnet Wireless N USB Adapter TEW-644UB. Condition is "New". Shipped with USPS First Class.

www.ebay.com

 

[Macbookprodude]

Glad someone agreed with me - thanks man !

 

[sanfrancisofont1984]

BCM94321MC arrived and it appears to work well under Leopard PPC (getting speed beyond what 802.11g would allow) Linux could use it too but only getting 802.11g speed in my setup.

 

[netsrot39]

Hello, I've recently rebuilt my two G5s and have also gone the PCIe to mini-PCIe route in order to have wireless internet without needing the rare and expensive runaway card. One G5 has the BCM94321MC installed and the other one the BCM94322MC. The cards came from an iMac or Mac Pro, I can't quite remember since I had them as a spare in a box for like forever. Anyways both cards work great in Leopard out of the box and I have to say the integrated antennas of the late 2005 G5 really do come in handy (I've released them from the tape that was holding them down behind the logic board so I can use the antennas for the mini-PCIe airport card – the antenna cables are actually quite long and there is no need for additional antennas that are sticking out at the back like most adapters feature). Both cards aren't recognized in Tiger unfortunately. I wanted to ask if anyone could kindly share the IO80211family.kext in question. The stock kext file from the Tiger Server DVD will not work or at least that is what I've understood from reading this thread so far. I guess I would have to make a fresh install on one of my PowerPC Macs or in a VM, update it and take the kext from there. This would actually be my plan B but in case anyone is kind enough to share a working IO80211family.kext I'd greatly appreciate it .

 

[dpfenninger]

I recently acquired a Late 2005 DC-2.3 G5, and after browsing this and several other threads, went on eBay last night and ordered an Apple BCM94321MC mini-PCIe card and a mini-PCIe to PCIe adapter (with two antennae). Hoping it works right out of the box with my Sorbet Leopard SSD I now have in the system.

But likely dumb question...what is the difference between the BCM94321MC and the BCM94322MC? Max speed? Is it worth it to pursue the BCM94322MC instead?

 

[barracuda156]

the BCM94322MC should work in a PCIe G5 with a suitable PCIe to Mini PCIe adapter

but it wont work in tiger (as the BCM94322 is too new for Tigers broadcom kext)

and No Atheros card will work since its kext is compiled for intel only

Wonder if it gonna work in 10.6 PPC.

 

[Wizzlemane96]

I have a g5 quad that I used a pcie to mini pci adapter with a BCM94321MC on it and it works great with the original antennas as well. I took it a step further and added BCM92046MD bluetooth as well. I mounted the module on the back of the pcie adapter card. Then I made a custom usb cable with 2 diodes soldered in for the power wire to drop the usb 5 volt to 3.7 volt. Then I added a belkin USB 2.0 card. It has the nec chipset and has an internal usb port. Worked out pretty slick. I am currently using one antenna cable for WiFi and the other for Bluetooth. I am using leopard and sorbet leopard and the BCM94321MC is working in both. I tried tiger and it does not recognize it.

But likely dumb question...what is the difference between the BCM94321MC and the BCM94322MC? Max speed? Is it worth it to pursue the BCM94322MC instead?

The difference between the 2 is that the BCM94321MC is a G protocol and the BCM94322MC is a N protocol. G being 54mbps and N being 300mbps. contrary to @netsrot39 I tried a BCM94322MC in mine and it wasn’t recognized. The card was indeed working as it came from a Mac Pro that was functional. @sanfrancisofont1984 also mentioned in this thread of the BCM94322MC not working in PPC leopard as well so beware of using it.

 

[B S Magnet]

I have a g5 quad that I used a pcie to mini pci adapter with a BCM94321MC on it and it works great with the original antennas as well.

The difference between the 2 is that the BCM94321MC is a G protocol and the BCM94322MC is a N protocol. G being 54mbps and N being 300mbps. contrary to @netsrot39 I tried a BCM94322MC in mine and it wasn’t recognized. The card was indeed working as it came from a Mac Pro that was functional. @sanfrancisofont1984 also mentioned in this thread of the BCM94322MC not working in PPC leopard as well so beware of using it.

Indeed. The (9)4322 is not on the list of supported Broadcom/Apple-native wifi cards in either Leopard or SL-PPC (and probably not in Tiger, either). the (9)4311, of course, is.

For other folks reading this, the place you want to look is: /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.text/Contents/PlugIns/AppleAirPortBrcm4311.kext/Contents/Info.plist

Another fun place to goof around and waste a lot of time learning about arcane stuff, when it comes to wifi/BT cards, is the resurrected WikiDevi.

 

[Wizzlemane96]

I took my experiment even further. I did the same mod I did to my g5 quad but to a g4 MDD. I used a pci to pcie adapter card

with the same BCM94321MC on pciex1 adapter card. I also did the same mod for BCM92046MD bluetooth as well. I used a belkin in usb 2.0 card except this time it was a pci version. I like the belkin usb 2.0 cards for macs as they have nec chipsets. Made the same adapter cable with diodes and added antennas out the back of the pci block off plate.

After a PMU reset, SMC reset, and a PRAM reset everything works! I am thrilled to get WiFi and bluetooth on this old bugger. I have some antennas on the way for it. Right now the signal is only 1 bar amazing it works at all.