2011 MacBook Pros can support Handoff/Continuity

[donkey_mike]

Finally got this to work for ME this week. I have an early 2011 13" MBP (A1278) running on the latest updates of OSX High Sierra. I used the the Continuity activation tool because I couldn't delete the IO80211Family kext extension. I copied and modified the IO80211 file on my desktop, deleted the extension from the library and ran Kext Drop, I reset my Mac and it worked flawlessly with my iPhone 7 plus and iPad Air 2.

Update (15 Dec 2017) - MacOS 10.13.2 update disables Handoff, but I was able get Handoff/continuity working again by repeating the steps. So far this guide still works on the latest updates to MacOS.

Update (09 Jan 2018) - MacOS 10.13.2 Supplemental Update - I just installed this latest security update and good news the update did not disable continuity on my machine.

 

[PavelKr]

I have an early 2011 13" MBP (A1278) running on the latest updates of OSX High Sierra.
Download latest beta of Continuity Activation Tool
When the trigger was started activation tool, a message ran outafter, then must be disabled SIP.
Reboot the Mac and hold down Command + R keys simultaneously after you hear the startup chime, this will boot OS X into Recovery Mode. OS X Utilities -> terminal and following command into the terminal - csrutil disable
After I disabled SIP running activation tool correctly. Everything works as it does with tablet and iPhone.

https://github.com/dokterdok/Continuity-Activation-Tool/archive/beta.zip

 

[geomacbookpro]

Following the instructions here I installed the updated card (see pic) in my Early 2011 MacBook Pro 17".

Initially on reboot it asked me to reset the clock which I did

WiFi works OK

However Bluetooth does not. I get Bluetooth: Not Available when clicking on the Bluetooth icon on the top bar. The Continuity Activation Tool confirms this

I have tried deleting com.apple.Bluetooth.plist and com.apple.Bluetooth.plist.lockfile from the Library/Preferences folder and rebooting after complete shutdown and have done an SMC reset all to no avail

Specs as follows:

Model Name: MacBook Pro

Model Identifier: MacBookPro8,3

Processor Name: Intel Core i7

Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 4

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache: 8 MB

Memory: 16 GB

Boot ROM Version: 85.0.0.0.0

SMC Version (system): 1.70f3

Serial Number (system): XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hardware UUID: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

OS: HighSierra (10.13.6)


Any suggestions

 

[golyanitskiy]

Guys, I need your help because nobody within a few hundred miles understands anything in Mac.

I replaced the bluetooth / wifi module on my macbook pro early 2011 and now it doesn’t work properly.

When trying to connect to wifi, an error "wrong password" occurs: and if a wifi network without a password - it simply cannot connect to it

BUT
when connected via Personal Hotspot on iPhone mode it works!

Same issues with BT: it finds bluetooth devices but cannot connect to it

What should I check first?

 

[dgeenewbie]

Thanks guys, finally I know how to do it right. Below is my steps:-

1) open Terminal type sudo nvram boot-args="kext-dev-mode=1"
2) reboot your MBP
3) your wifi will not be working at this moment, replace the file IO80211Family.kext in Go>Computer>System>Library>Extension
4) open Terminal type as below:-
sudo chown -R root:wheel /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext
sudo chmod -R 644 /System/Library/Extensions/IO80211Family.kext
sudo kextcache -system-prelinked-kernel
sudo kextcache -system-caches
5) now reboot your MBP again.
6) now you will see System Preferences>General> will have handoff enable option
7) open Terminal type kextstat | grep AirPort

Now you will see
kextstat | grep AirPort
130 0 0xffffff7f82c62000 0x5df000 0x5df000 com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4360 (900.14.2) <129 47 46 12 7 6 5 4 3 1>
133 0 0xffffff7f83241000 0x1f3000 0x1f3000 com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331 (800.20.24) <129 46 12 7 5 4 3 1>

You're DONE Cheers.

Once I realized that I needed to disable the System Integrity Protection it worked!
Thank you!!

 

[kestrelgk]

Hello, New to this forum; realize that there is not much activity. Came to this forum from a search for upgrading bluetooth on older Macs. I have mid 2010 13-inch. Started reading the forum and thought that I could upgrade my mac as well with the 4CAX card and instructions posted in forum. Now reading near the end of forum and seems that mid 2010 13-inch is not upgradable. Could someone confirm this for me and I might save myself some pain that might result if I try it. But I could use a bluetooth 4 USB dongle? Are these universal or Mac specific? Would the CAT need to be run as well? Looking to have AirDrop working. I can connect iPhone and iPad to the MBK with bluetooth, but airdrop is non functional. Thank you.

 

[trifero]

I have Macbook 17 2011. Changed the wifi/bluettoh card and now supports handoff/continuioty, airdrop and unlock with Apple Watch natively.

 

[dabiohazard]

I finally was able to buy one and installed it yesterday! I am so happy it was such a long wait! As soon as I got the email I jumped on it! I already have the 2012 version so the only thing I was missing was the unlock with Apple Watch which worked automatically and perfectly when I booted it up! I used to have a 2011 model that I upgraded with the 2012 card for continuity but ended up giving that to the wife and found this 2012 for cheap for the usb 3.0. so now I have this one maxed out with an i7 2.9ghz 16gig ram 1tb ssd and blu ray burner. and a Mac Pro 2012 with 2 ssds 128g ram, 2 10tb hdds, blu ray burner and a 8 gig graphics card and a usb 3.0 card. pretty good for vintage (that's what apple calls them now) Macs!

 

[Jakester83]

After seeing this thread I tried it out on my 2011 MacBook Pro 17, 2.5ghz i7, running High Sierra. Having already added ram and an SSD.
I used the latest CAT with SIP disabled. Got the "can't do that" notice and had to use PW in Security setting to make it open CAT anyway. It did have an "not okay" with a kext backup. Also signed out/in with icloud. So far all is well after a few restarts with SIP enabled.
I now have hand-off option and BT shows 4.0 with 3 yes's. Now it plays nice with iPhone 6s.

 

[308RR]

MacBook Pro 13" (Late 2011)
High Sierra 10.13.6

I had upgraded the WIFI/Bluetooth card to the one with Bluetooth 4.0 ("...4CAX" part number). I installed the latest beta CAT and got AirDrop to work, however I cannot get Handoff or Continuity to work.

Anyone have any solution on how they got theirs to work?

Also, anyone got AirDrop/Handoff/Continuity to work on a 2011 running Mojave/Catalina?

Cheers,