802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2 upgrade 2010–2012 MBPs

[mikehalloran]

Limited topic, I know but a few of us have 2012 MBPs. On many, the WiFi cards are now intermittent or have failed completely. I've found sources for used/system pulls in the $45–$50 range but often go through one or two to find a reliable replacement.

These are expensive @ $149 but a lot better than OE in that they support newer wireless and BT standards than the originals. Installation is very easy.


https://subtle.design/products/80211ac/

802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2 upgrade for the following Unibody MacBook Pros

13″ – Early 2011 through Mid 2012 – Model A1278
15″ – Mid 2010 through Mid 2012 – Model A1286
17″ – Mid 2010 through Late 2011 – Model A1297
This upgrade unlocks faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi speeds – up to 1300 Mbps with 3×3 MIMO capability, and Bluetooth 4.2.

Each build sells out quickly so you get on the wait list. The October 20 build release sold out the next day but mine has one. Weird to have WiFi working again.

My daughter swapped her 2012 for my 2012 because WiFi was intermittent — eventually stopped working completely. I had tried two replacement cards that didn't last more than a few days.

"Dude, it might not be the card..."

Uh, Dude? It was definitely the card… and the next one… and the one after that.

No, my daughter isn't getting this one back. If she wants faster wifi and better Bluetooth, her husband can get on the wait list and pay the $149.

There are some issues for those running unsupported MacOS such as Apple Watch compatibility–and workarounds. The last supported OS for 2010-2011 was High Sierra but 10.14–15 can be installed if patched. Not an issue for 2012s running Catalina which is supported.

Hey la, Hey la, my WiFi's back!

[bayswater]

What are the symptoms of failing Wifi on the MBP? Does it just stop working?

I have a A1278, and recently decided not to replace it when I found a decent battery for very little money. I had upgraded RAM and SSD a long time ago. It never occurred to me to upgrade the wifi and BT, but that might extend the life for a while yet. The new ones are just too expensive.

[mikehalloran]

What are the symptoms of failing Wifi on the MBP? Does it just stop working?

I have a A1278, and recently decided not to replace it when I found a decent battery for very little money. I had upgraded RAM and SSD a long time ago. It never occurred to me to upgrade the wifi and BT, but that might extend the life for a while yet. The new ones are just too expensive.

Yep, WiFi just stops working. The symbol in the menu bar turns from the fan to an empty triangle. At first, rebooting brings it back to life—then that doesn’t do it anymore.

Had any of the used cards I’d tried before worked, I wouldn’t have bought this one. The blazingly fast 802.11ac WiFi is nice, though, if your router and gateway supports those speeds—13x that of 802.11n. Apple didn’t introduce that till 2013.

Installation couldn’t be easier. You remove the bracket containing the old one (it won’t be reused), lay the new unit in the tray and connect 4 of the 5 old cables. The BT antenna is built into the card so the old one won’t be used. I used a piece of tape to hold everything in place while I replaced the back. Hardest part is positioning those tiny screws with only one hand on reassembly.

If you have a 13”, he gives you a new bracket for one of your speakers as the old bracket is part of the original card assembly.

Sure, they may be slow compared to new ones but there’s a lot of life left in these old laptops.

[bayswater]

Sure, they may be slow compared to new ones but there’s a lot of life left in these old laptops.

As an old friend said a few decades back when they increased his office system from 1200 Baud to 9600, "What's the point? I can't even read or type at 1200."
Thanks for the details.

[mikehalloran]

I am told that there will be a new batch soon.

https://subtle.design/products/80211ac/

My daughter is visiting and I just installed the other one I bought last year. Unlike the first 2012 MBP (mine), Wifi was working in this one. What I did not know was that BT was flakey and often dead. Well, this updates BT to 4.2 in addition to upgrading Wifi to 802.11ac.

These are the later cards adapted to new circuit boards. This can be done for less if you want to do some layout and micro-soldering. There are threads on MacRumors about it. Ok… No thanks. A few minutes with a small Phillips driver and a plastic pry tool and I was done. While in there, I also replaced the battery—need a tri-lobe tool for that (comes with most batteries).

Anyway, I did mine to keep a 2012 MBP going another year or so—mission accomplished.

She, OTOH, is fighting getting a new one till her Apple engineer husband forces her to upgrade — not my fight or concern. I'm just the dad. Anyway, she's happy, everything works and that's good.