Disable internal wifi hardware on MacBook
March 28, 2024 12:26 PM Subscribe
I have a 2012 Retina MacBookPro that works fine except the built-in wifi is so out of date/spec that it hogs spectrum and makes other devices take a shit. I have a nice shiny new 801.11/ac USB wifi adapter that I want to use instead of the built in hardware.
When I plug in the USB wifi adapter, it's mounted and recognized, but isn't used as a network adapter. I can't seem to select it, nor to specifically disable the built in hardware. The OS is Catalina, 10.15.
I'm not averse to opening the machine up and pulling the native hardware out, but I'm not sure that's possible, and would rather choose a software configuration solution if one is available.
(NOTE: web searches for this specific issue of "macbook disable built-in wifi hardware and use usb wifi adapter instead" appear to be especially fruitless, so please don't just "google it for me" because that probably won't be helpful.)
When I plug in the USB wifi adapter, it's mounted and recognized, but isn't used as a network adapter. I can't seem to select it, nor to specifically disable the built in hardware. The OS is Catalina, 10.15.
I'm not averse to opening the machine up and pulling the native hardware out, but I'm not sure that's possible, and would rather choose a software configuration solution if one is available.
(NOTE: web searches for this specific issue of "macbook disable built-in wifi hardware and use usb wifi adapter instead" appear to be especially fruitless, so please don't just "google it for me" because that probably won't be helpful.)
In my experience, going into the System Settings, then Network, and then choosing WiFi should let you disable the built-in chipset. Then plug in the new WiFi dongle, and go back to the Network settings you were just in, and set it up there.
Does this not give you the results that you (ok, "we both") are expecting? :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 1:26 PM on March 28, 2024
Does this not give you the results that you (ok, "we both") are expecting? :7)
posted by wenestvedt at 1:26 PM on March 28, 2024
What dongle are you using? Catalina is completely 32-bit unfriendly, so if it is an older driver that the manufacturer hasn't bothered to update, that may be the problem.
And can you even see the dongle in Apple Menu -> About This Mac -> More Info -> System Report, under the "USB" section?
posted by wenestvedt at 1:30 PM on March 28, 2024
And can you even see the dongle in Apple Menu -> About This Mac -> More Info -> System Report, under the "USB" section?
posted by wenestvedt at 1:30 PM on March 28, 2024
Piggyback/side question: Is this "making other devices take a shit" a known issue about wifi hardware in older macbooks? I'm asking because I was recently both resurrecting a 2012 MBP and having random network outages that took out both my entire wifi and wired internal network. Couldn't figure out what was happening, but I also haven't powered on that old macbook since then and haven't had the problem.
(My suspicion was our makeshift wiring closet having heat issues and I've ventilated it better, but maybe that's a red herring)
posted by jozxyqk at 1:44 PM on March 28, 2024
(My suspicion was our makeshift wiring closet having heat issues and I've ventilated it better, but maybe that's a red herring)
posted by jozxyqk at 1:44 PM on March 28, 2024
Response by poster: Yeah no it's not that simple. The device name was recognized in the USB device tree, for sure. But there was no hardware selection anywhere. Then opened up the machine and pulled the inner card out to see if it would work anyway. It did not. It just said I have no bluetooth or wifi.
In desperation I downloaded the drivers from TP-Link (it's an Archer T3U), which would not even install despite claiming to do so, and claiming to be compatible with Catalina, until I disabled SIP in Recovery Mode.
Now I have installed the TP-Link drivers and rebooted again and I got a different wifi icon (in addition to the dead bluetooth and wifi ones from the os) and have successfully connected to the router. So now I have working fast WIFI but no Bluetooth.
This is adequate for now but I will probably torment myself by reinstalling the inner card to see if I can get Bluetooth back, not that I really need it. And also re-enable SIP in recovery mode after its 15 minute disk analysis whatever.
As to "making other devices take a shit" because the macs of that era only had 802.11/n capability and running on modern networks with every other device having /ac there is a lot of bandwidth contention and it's ... unpleasant. Your mileage may vary.
I'm leaving this open until I settle on a final configuration.
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:04 PM on March 28, 2024
In desperation I downloaded the drivers from TP-Link (it's an Archer T3U), which would not even install despite claiming to do so, and claiming to be compatible with Catalina, until I disabled SIP in Recovery Mode.
Now I have installed the TP-Link drivers and rebooted again and I got a different wifi icon (in addition to the dead bluetooth and wifi ones from the os) and have successfully connected to the router. So now I have working fast WIFI but no Bluetooth.
This is adequate for now but I will probably torment myself by reinstalling the inner card to see if I can get Bluetooth back, not that I really need it. And also re-enable SIP in recovery mode after its 15 minute disk analysis whatever.
As to "making other devices take a shit" because the macs of that era only had 802.11/n capability and running on modern networks with every other device having /ac there is a lot of bandwidth contention and it's ... unpleasant. Your mileage may vary.
I'm leaving this open until I settle on a final configuration.
posted by seanmpuckett at 2:04 PM on March 28, 2024
Yeah, besides contention, and older client will often make your router drop to a "lowest common denominator" mode of running slower to accommodate the laggard.
On some routers you can disable compatibility for the older modes, but then that slower gear can't get on the network.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:24 AM on March 29, 2024
On some routers you can disable compatibility for the older modes, but then that slower gear can't get on the network.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:24 AM on March 29, 2024
Best answer: On re-installing the native hardware, I got bluetooth back while keeping the built-in wifi disabled. The wifi driver for the USB interface is a completely different bit of software from the built-in wifi. It has a different icon and different user interface (even looks crunky compared to Apple's HMI standards). But it works, and I'm now on an 802.11ac connection with the router.
Anyway, so steps that worked for me, buying a TP-Link Archer T3U 'big antenna' USB wifi interface. Machine is a 2012 Retina MacBookPro 15", running Catalina.
1) download drivers from TP-Link website. Don't install them.
2) in Terminal, type
3) If it says
4) Turn off built-in WIFI
5) Plug in USB WIFI adapter
6) Run TP-Link driver installer, which requires a reboot
7) After restart and a few seconds, a new status icon will appear, click it and enable USB wifi interface.
Should be fine from here. Re-enable SIP at your convenience (I haven't yet).
posted by seanmpuckett at 8:44 AM on March 29, 2024
Anyway, so steps that worked for me, buying a TP-Link Archer T3U 'big antenna' USB wifi interface. Machine is a 2012 Retina MacBookPro 15", running Catalina.
1) download drivers from TP-Link website. Don't install them.
2) in Terminal, type
csrutil status 3) If it says
System Integrity Protection status: enabled. then the OS will not let the TP-Link drivers install, and you need to follow these instructions to turn off SIP then reboot.4) Turn off built-in WIFI
5) Plug in USB WIFI adapter
6) Run TP-Link driver installer, which requires a reboot
7) After restart and a few seconds, a new status icon will appear, click it and enable USB wifi interface.
Should be fine from here. Re-enable SIP at your convenience (I haven't yet).
posted by seanmpuckett at 8:44 AM on March 29, 2024
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This blog post describes a direct 802.11ac replacement card for the 2012 Retina MBP, one that I believe I also did many years ago back when I had one of these.
Unless you are especially cash tight, upgrading to an modern Apple Silicon Mac is extremely worthwhile in every respect.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 1:11 PM on March 28, 2024 [2 favorites]