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Is There an AC Airport Extreme Card For a Mac Pro?

S

SIRmisterD

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 8, 2013
67
2
Hello,
I just recently obtained a 2009 Mac Pro, however I need a wifi card. Since I need one, I was thinking about the possibility of obtaining an AC Card, as I have a AC router. I cannot seem to find an Apple made Airport Extreme that uses AC WiFi to use in my Mac Pro. Can anyone help me to find an Apple made AC Card, or to confirm that Apple hasn't manufactured an AC Airport Extreme card?

Thanks!
 
ActionableMango

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,612
6,907
I've looked into this and come out with nothing.

The Airport Express card is an industry standard mini PCIe card. However, all newer model Macs with AC are using a new WiFi+Bluetooth 4.0 card with a proprietary connector. So you can't just order one of these new cards as a spare from another Mac and drop it into a 2009 MP.

That being said, clearly there are drivers in OS X to support the Broadcom chips in Macs that do have AC, so we know support is already there. I suspect it's simply a matter of someone finding a Broadcom Wi-Fi adapter with the same chipset, but that comes in a Mini PCIe, PCIe, or USB package so it can physically connect to the Mac Pro. In fact, I bet someone has already done that in the Hackintosh forums in order to get wireless AC, so you might look/ask there.
 
K

koban4max

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2011
1,582
0
SIRmisterD said:
Hello,
I just recently obtained a 2009 Mac Pro, however I need a wifi card. Since I need one, I was thinking about the possibility of obtaining an AC Card, as I have a AC router. I cannot seem to find an Apple made Airport Extreme that uses AC WiFi to use in my Mac Pro. Can anyone help me to find an Apple made AC Card, or to confirm that Apple hasn't manufactured an AC Airport Extreme card?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

i have 4,1...and had to purchase it from macmall...my suggestion is mac mall online.
 
K

koban4max

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2011
1,582
0
ActionableMango said:
That's an "N" card, not an "AC" card.

Honestly I don't think there is an Airport Extreme AC card. I've looked pretty long and hard.
Click to expand...

oh shoot...my bad...didn't read carefully about ac...

----------
ActionableMango said:
That's an "N" card, not an "AC" card.

Honestly I don't think there is an Airport Extreme AC card. I've looked pretty long and hard.
Click to expand...
http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Airport...eywords=mac+pro+2009+airport+wireless+card+ac

what's this then?
 
ActionableMango

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,612
6,907
koban4max said:
oh shoot...my bad...didn't read carefully about ac...

----------


http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Airport...eywords=mac+pro+2009+airport+wireless+card+ac

what's this then?
Click to expand...

A discontinued "N" card. Strangely, the description says "G". Not sure what you see in the product information that makes you think this one is an "AC" card either.

Robert Davies said:
It is alleged on that insanely mac thread that this card from the recent imac works in an MP:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111254489261
Click to expand...

I am extremely skeptical about that. I've read the little AC boards for the newer Macs have a proprietary connector that only superficially looks like mini PCIe. The pictures of the Mac parts show 6 pins + 12 pins on the connector. Mini PCIe cards have 8 pins + 18 pins.

I would like to see the thread where they claim that works. With the pinout difference, it makes no sense to me.
 
Last edited:
Robert Davies

Robert Davies

macrumors 6502
Jul 28, 2011
316
4
People's Republic of Wrexham
ActionableMango said:
I am extremely skeptical about that. I've read the little AC boards for the newer Macs have a proprietary connector that only superficially looks like mini PCIe. The pictures of the Mac parts show 6 pins + 12 pins on the connector. Mini PCIe cards have 8 pins + 18 pins.

I would like to see the thread where they claim that works. With the pinout difference, it makes no sense to me.
Click to expand...

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/289922-anyone-got-any-pci-e-bcm4360-wifi-ac-card-going-new-macbook-air-owner-wanted/#entry1972571

English is not that guy's first language, and I keep reading and re-reading that post linked above to try and work out exactly what he's done. He talks about an adaptor, then no adaptor….

??

Anywho there y'go :)
 
flowrider

flowrider

macrumors 604
Nov 23, 2012
7,230
2,957
flowrider said:
Thread:

http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/to...i-ac-card-going-new-macbook-air-owner-wanted/

Lou
Click to expand...

Robert Davies said:
http://www.insanelymac.com/forum/topic/289922-anyone-got-any-pci-e-bcm4360-wifi-ac-card-going-new-macbook-air-owner-wanted/#entry1972571

English is not that guy's first language, and I keep reading and re-reading that post linked above to try and work out exactly what he's done. He talks about an adaptor, then no adaptor….

??

Anywho there y'go :)
Click to expand...

Your a funny guy - posting the exact same link that I posted above:eek:

Lou
 
S

SIRmisterD

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 8, 2013
67
2
Thank you everyone for the replies. Sorry I haven't been on this thread as much as I would like, however I have been busy due to personal reasons. From reading the many responses, it seems I will go with a standard "N" card for now. Also from some of the links it seems as though the card is roughly $25, so it isn't a bank-breaker to get. In the future, I can always upgrade it, if it is supported with an Apple made AC.

Thank you everyone for the superb help, please feel free to continue on this thread if need be.
 
flowrider

flowrider

macrumors 604
Nov 23, 2012
7,230
2,957
^^^^Didn't know we needed your permission, but thanks anyway. So - CARRY-ON:p

Lou
 
M

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
nox-uk said:
Got it yet? :)

Nox
Click to expand...

I ended up ordering 4 different ones from 4 sources, 3 in China and one in Australia.

The ac Airport Extreme is here, it is a Time Capsule 2TB model.

One of the ac cards I ordered should work in my 2012 rMBP which will be very cool.

Looking forward to testing the cards in 2006/8/10 MPs.

NOT looking forward to this antennae connectors, was extremely frustrating when I upgraded all 3 to "N" boards with 3 antennae connectors last time. (fingers too big for tiny snaps, frequently knocked one off when putting another one on)

Updates soon.
 
M

MacVidCards

Suspended
Nov 17, 2008
6,096
1,056
Hollywood, CA
ac Cards got here....THWARTED AGAIN !!!!

So, 2 different BCM94360CD cards got here.

Stupid me thought Mini PCIE meant they were the same as past Airport cards.

Turns out NO.

The linked Insanley Mac post uses the same card but first in one adapter that fits inside the PCIE adapter.

So I need the adapter that uses new micro form to put in Mini form.

Since these are Apple proprietary slots, not sure about right naming for them.

So right now the only thing I could upgrade would be a 2012 iMac to ac.

I don't have one so kind of a bummer.

I've been googling for last half hour....still no solid answer.

Turns out a variety of manufacturers have used that same slot in different ways.

Back to the drawing board.
 
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