WiFi Compatibility

Needing a deeper dive into supported cards? Check out the Wireless Buyers Guide for supported cards.

If you have an Intel, Realtek, Ralink, Mediatek, or anything else, it's not supported but these cards:


 * Up to Catalina:
 * PCIe/x1: BCM94360CD - native WiFi/ac and BT4LE (3 antennas) [Native, Mac card]
 * PCIe/x1: BCM94331CD - native WiFi and BT4LE [Native, lost support in 10.15 when running 3rd party cards]
 * M.2: BCM943602BAED/DW1830 - native WiFi/ac and BT4LE (3 antennas) [Native]
 * may have issues with some laptops
 * 6 + 12: BCM94360CS2 - native WiFi/ac and BT4LE [Native, Mac card]
 * 6 + 12: BCM943602CS - native WiFi/ac and BT4LE [Native, Mac card]
 * M.2: BCM94352Z/AzureWave AW-CE162NF/DW1560 - supports WiFi/ac and BT4LE (for A/E slot)
 * M.2: BCM94352Z/Lenovo Part: 04X6020 - supports WiFi/ac and BT4LE (for E slot only)
 * M.2: BCM94350ZAE/DW1820A - native WiFi/ac and BT4LE [Native]
 * Has LOTS issues with laptops (like mine, I love pain), works mostly ok with desktops
 * Half mini: BCM94360HMB/AzureWave AW-CB160H - native WiFi/ac and BT4LE (3 antennas) [Native]
 * Half mini: BCM94352 HMB/AzureWave AW-CE123H/DW1550 - supports WiFi/ac and BT4LE
 * Up to High Sierra:
 * BCM943224 HMB supports Airport and BT3 (may probably work on Mojave too with some hacks, maybe...)
 * AR9285 (as in AR5B195/95) 2.4 GHz, abgn, 1 stream, 54/75 Mbps (works on mojave with a little hack, NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE)
 * AR9287 (as in AR5B197/97) 2.4 GHz, abgn, 2 stream, 108/150 Mbps (works on mojave with a little hack, NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE)
 * AR9280 - 2.4/5 GHz, abgn, 2 Stream, 300 Mbps [Native] (works on mojave with a little hack, NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE)
 * AR9380 - 2.4/5 GHz, abgn, 3 Stream, 450 Mbps [Native] (works on mojave with a little hack, NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE) Sauce: toleda Github Guide

Note: The price of the DW1560 are getting higher, the best alternative now is to take either of BCM9430602CS/CS2 cards (6 + 12) and use them with a  that you can buy separately, the downside is the you need vertical space, some laptops may not have that, you can then use   to use with one of the M.2 2280 SSD slots but you'll lose the BT4LE support. Make sure you check your laptop internals and specs and supported hardware.

Listen here boi! Your card may or may not work, because:


 * 1) The card depends on your OEM/manufacturer's drivers (if they even provide it)
 * 2) The drivers usually come with a hideous app, that is 32-bit and will not work 10.15 until the OEM updates it (which is rare)
 * 3) Some cards get discontinued from the get-go and you have to look for an alternative driver which is a pain
 * 4) Suffers from connection drops
 * 5) May break sleep
 * 6) May break USB (some ports may just stop working)
 * 7) May cause system instability (random kernel panics)
 * 8) You will not get Apple-centric features like AirDrop, Handoff...

But you do you, you have been warned. Seems like you got your compatible hardware all listed, now you want to start dig into this pool of mess and headache. Well, we go you covered!