Help identify exact chipset in Macbook 2,1

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Help identify exact chipset in Macbook 2,1

Hi,

I've been searching all over (including this discussion board) to find a definitive answer for the Atheros chipset in my Macbook 2,1 (late 2006 model) and have turned up inconclusive results. From what I remember finding at one point, the Macbook 2,1 has an Atheros 5418 card. I find posts around with google citing 5416, 5008E, etc.

How can one identify the actual wireless chip, and is there a difference between something the words 'chip' and 'chipset' or 'card' and 'chipset'? For example could I have a 5418 wireless card BASED on the 5008E chipset? Is that the correct terminology?

My apologies if this post is misplaced - it seemed to be the best fit for the question and there was only one other post in all of the Macbook hardware discussions when searching for the word 'atheros'.

Thanks,
John

MacBook 2,1, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Dual booting FreeBSD 7.0

Posted on Jan 7, 2009 8:22 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 7, 2009 9:37 AM in response to John Hendy

The numbers refer to the card's model number not an actual chip or chipset used on the card. The essential information is displayed in System Profiler by selecting the Airport Card entry. For example: Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.10.38.24) is the information for the card in my Mac Pro.

Apple has used several different manufacturers' cards in the Intel laptops, but the two main ones are Broadcom and Atheros. The Intel laptops all use a mini-PCI card, and they should be interchangeable since OS X includes drivers for both manufacturers' products. Of course model numbers are important because they will indicate whether the card supports 802.11n or only a/b/g.

In your case the 5008E and 5418 may well be the same cards but with a different model number because one supports 802.11n and the other does not (I'm not sure if that's true, but a likely explanation.) I do know that the 5008E and 5416 cards are basically the same.

Now, why is this important for you?

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Answer 2

John Hendy Author

Level 1

105 points

Jan 7, 2009 10:40 AM in response to Kappy

Thanks for the reply. I'll check the driver and see if there's a specific number listed. I don't recall there being one, but may have missed it.

It's pertinent because I'm in the process of configuring FreeBSD. The Marvell Yukon ethernet driver works fine, but I may have to do some work to get the wireless working. Knowing the exact chip will be helpful because, for example, the FreeBSD documentation states that cards based on AR5005VL chipset are not supported but all others are. I'm not seeing my card recognized, so I thought I was mistaken in thinking it was 5008E/5418...

Also, if I need to hunt for another driver elsewhere and try to compile/port it to FreeBSD, it'll help to know the exact card I'm dealing with.

Thanks.
-John

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 7, 2009 10:54 AM in response to John Hendy

You do know that OS X is based on FreeBSD? Or are you doing this on non-Apple hardware? You could also simply replace the existing card with one supported by the FreeBSD drivers. The cards are just mini-PCI cards and are interchangeable for the most part (physical limitations aside.) So you could replace the Atheros card with one of the Broadcom cards. You can find them all over eBay and other online vendors. Most are removed from Macs. I replaced a RealTek card in my MSI Wind with a Broadcom card in order to use OS X - it has drivers for Broadcom cards but not for RealTek's. Worked perfectly.

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Answer 4

John Hendy Author

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105 points

Jan 7, 2009 11:08 AM in response to Kappy

I am aware of OS X's decendency from FreeBSD code, Mach microkernel, darwin, throw in some aqua, etc. I mainly just like to have another platform that allows for the flexibility of using open source software, learning another OS, working on my computer programming hobby, experimenting, fiddling, etc. I tried Fink/MacPorts but I didn't like them nor operating X11 from within aqua, having the mismatch of menu bars, controls, etc. I get to keep OS X as my ease-of-use/reliable (in terms of I won't break anything, not stability of the OS itself) OS for finances, email, etc. and have a separate OS with which I can use GIMP, learn the Unix command line (there is some carryover, but not all commands/usages carry over from FreeBSD), and program on FreeBSD. What can I say, I probably could do a lot of these things from Leopard... I'm just an engineer/fiddler/learning/experimenter to the core and like the flexibility and freedom allowed by having a second OS when I want it.

I'll keep the card replacement idea in mind. I saw a wiki or howto where someone replaced their MBP card, but by the end they had the entire thing on the operating table... didn't look too easy nor fun... nor warranty-friendly 🙂

Thanks again,
John

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 7, 2009 11:21 AM in response to John Hendy

Replacing the card isn't an easy project since it requires substantial disassembly of the computer, but there are several tutorials. MacSales.com has a video tutuorial of disassembly. But chances are you can find source code for drivers either at the FreeBSD forums or the Ubuntu forums. I'm sure this isn't something new.

As for warranty unless you have an AppleCare warranty still in effect there would not be any warranty concerns at this point for an original MacBook (2006 vintage, that is.)

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Answer 6

John Hendy Author

Level 1

105 points

Jan 7, 2009 12:07 PM in response to Kappy

Sounds good - I haven't found a driver for FreeBSD yet. In Linux, I did find a driver to support my card. I may try compiling it for FreeBSD somehow. I searched a bunch in the FreeBSD forums but found hardly anything for Atheros chips and even less (maybe 1 post) related to the Macbook. There's not much going on with FreeBSD on the Macbook. There's a wiki page, but nothing about wireless.

I've got a Macbook 2,1 (late 2006 Core 2 Duo) which I purchased in May 2007 just before the 3,1 (Santa Rosa) came out (wish I had known that was coming!). I've got about 1.33 years left on my extended AppleCare.

-John

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Answer 7

John Hendy Author

Level 1

105 points

Jan 7, 2009 7:43 PM in response to Kappy

Hi,

I was at work when I posted before. Just checked my system profiler and I don't have the details you seem to see with yours...

Under 'Network':

Active Series | Type | Hardware | BSD Device Name | IPv4 Address
Airport | Airport | Airport | en1 | xxx.xxx.x.xx
Bluetooth... blah blah
Ethernet... blah blah
Firewire... blah blah

Below that is just typical 'ifconfig' sorts of things: gateways, MAC address, netmask, IP, etc. for each interface.

When I click right below the 'Network' foldout menu and highlight Airport Card, I get this:

Airport Card Information:
Wireless Card Type: AirPort Extreme (0x168C, 0x87)
Wireless Card Locale: USA
Wireless Card Firmware Version: 1.4.8.0
Current Wireless Network: 2WIRE600
Wireless Channel: 1

Not finding anything more specific than that... I did try searching (google, wiki) for information on the Atheros chip inside the Airport Extreme card, but did not find anything.

What do you think?

-John

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Answer 8

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 7, 2009 8:30 PM in response to John Hendy

Well, that's unfortunate because I have no idea where to find a table cross-reference for product codes. Guess that idea is a bust. The only things I find just confirm it's an Atheros card but nothing I found identified the actual card model number.

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