Mac Pro 2009 & AirDrop....shows up, but won't work?

[Ashton1]

I have a Mac Pro (Early 2009) flashed to 5,1 WITH this
AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87) card.
When I look in the Finder I can see the AirDrop icon (the round concentric circles icon) but it doesn't say AirDrop next to it. When I click on it and open it, it does say AirDrop, but I can't connect my laptop (a MBP Late 2011).
Any suggestions as to how I can get this to work? I've seen a lot of people trying to connect to iPhones or iPads which I know may need updated bluetooth (?) but I just want to connect to my laptop...?
Thanks,
Alan.

 

[haralds]

This might help:
- Turn off SIP
- Load terminal and enter
sudo /usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set:Mac-F221BEC8:ContinuitySupport true" "/System/Library/Frameworks/IOBluetooth.framework/Versions/A/Resources/SystemParameters.plist"
- Reboot
- Turn SIP back on

 

[Ashton1]

heralds,
I tried this but no success, still have the AirDrop symbol only (doesn't say the word "AirDrop" in the finder sidebar). I tried to put a document in there but it said "Modifying “Hard Drive” requires an administrator name and password"...when I click "Authenticate" it says something like "you can move this to AirDrop but you won't be able to see it. Other users with sufficient permissions will be able to use them" (or something like that)...then if I click OK, I get an Error -8058...
Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[h9826790]

Airdrop supported in system info?

 

[Ashton1]

Airdrop supported in system info?
View attachment 820011

Yes, says it is supported here...

 

[h9826790]

Yes, says it is supported here... View attachment 820129

I don't think that's a supported card. Simply put the cMP in the white list (that terminal command) may not be enough.

Did you try CAT yet?

 

[Ashton1]

I don't think that's a supported card. Simply put the cMP in the white list (that terminal command) may not be enough.

Did you try CAT yet?

Hmm...but did you see the screenshot I posted? It says card is supported?
Also, not sure what you mean by CAT (I may be out of my depth here in terms of my computer savvy!)
Thanks,

 

[h9826790]

Hmm...but did you see the screenshot I posted? It says card is supported?
Also, not sure what you mean by CAT (I may be out of my depth here in terms of my computer savvy!)
Thanks,

Continuity Activation Tool

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

I suspect you mod the kext which confused the OS about supportability.

AFAIK, that command should be used for natively Handoff supported card e.g. BCM94360. But not make non supported card provide those new functions.

 

[TheIguana]

Continuity Activation Tool

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

I suspect you mod the kext which confused the OS about supportability.

AFAIK, that command should be used for natively Handoff supported card e.g. BCM94360. But not make non supported card provide those new functions.

Hmm...but did you see the screenshot I posted? It says card is supported?
Also, not sure what you mean by CAT (I may be out of my depth here in terms of my computer savvy!)
Thanks,

"Atheros Wi-Fi AirPort cards will prevent Continuity from working even when adding a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle. The System Diagnostic feature of CAT tells which Wi-Fi brand is active. There are no workarounds and no patch is expected to change this, an AirPort card upgrade is required."

Straight from the CAT site, looks like you need a new Airport Card if you want continuity support or Wifi support in newer MacOS versions. Atheros cards befuddle newer versions of MacOS.

 

[Ashton1]

"Atheros Wi-Fi AirPort cards will prevent Continuity from working even when adding a Bluetooth 4.0 dongle. The System Diagnostic feature of CAT tells which Wi-Fi brand is active. There are no workarounds and no patch is expected to change this, an AirPort card upgrade is required."

Straight from the CAT site, looks like you need a new Airport Card if you want continuity support or Wifi support in newer MacOS versions. Atheros cards befuddle newer versions of MacOS.

OK, thanks...so looks like the new WiFi card runs about $150, but it would be Bluetooth 4.0 with handoff / AirDrop etc and faster speeds. I was hoping for a cheaper solution, but maybe I'll do some internet digging around and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the info.

 

[h9826790]

OK, thanks...so looks like the new WiFi card runs about $150, but it would be Bluetooth 4.0 with handoff / AirDrop etc and faster speeds. I was hoping for a cheaper solution, but maybe I'll do some internet digging around and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the info.

There should be lots of low cost solution. I got my card from China 2 years ago.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...0-keep-updating.1748061/page-25#post-23654356

And this card should only cost about $30 now.

But I bought it from the Chinese site which is more for local (I can use that site because I am in Hong Kong). For western country, you should go for AliExpress and beach for it.

 

[Ashton1]

There should be lots of low cost solution. I got my card from China 2 years ago.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...0-keep-updating.1748061/page-25#post-23654356

And this card should only cost about $30 now.

But I bought it from the Chinese site which is more for local (I can use that site because I am in Hong Kong). For western country, you should go for AliExpress and beach for it.

Thanks, appreciate all your input.
Do you think that this would work for me..? (Broadcom BCM943602CS 802.11AC WiFi + Bluetooth 4.0 PC Desktop WLAN Card PCI E 1X). As I understand I could just install that and not require any software patches etc?
Thanks again!

 

[h9826790]

This is for Hackintosh, you better go for the cMP card