Editing AirPort (section)

===Integrated AirPort Extreme 802.11a/b/g and /n cards===

As 802.11g began to come standard on all notebook models, Apple phased out the user-installable designs in their notebooks, iMacs and Mac Minis by mid-2005, moving to an integrated design. AirPort continued to be an option, either installed at purchase or later, on the Power Mac G5 and the Mac Pro.[[File:Apple-Airport-Extreme-80211g-WiFi-Card.jpg|thumb|right|An Airport Extreme card pulled from a late 2007 MacBook]]With the introduction of the Intel-based MacBook Pro in January 2006, Apple began to use a standard [[PCI Express Mini Card|PCI Express mini card]]. The particular brand and model of card has changed over the years; in early models, it was [[Atheros]] brand, while since late 2008 they have been [[Broadcom]] cards. This distinction is mostly of concern to those who run other operating systems such as [[Linux]] on MacBooks, as different cards require different [[device drivers]].

The MacBook Air Mid 2012 13",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Air-13-Inch-Mid-2012-Teardown/9457/2#s36160|title=MacBook Air 13" Mid 2012 Teardown: Step 10|website=iFixit|first=Walter|last=Galan|date=June 12, 2012|access-date=2021-10-07}}</ref> MacBook Air Mid 2011 13"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Air-13-Inch-Mid-2011-Teardown/6130/1#s26668|title=MacBook Air 13" Mid 2011 Teardown: Step 6|website=iFixit|first=Andrew|last=Bookholt|date=July 21, 2011|access-date=2021-10-07}}</ref> and MacBook Air Late 2010 (11", A1370<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Air-11-Inch-Model-A1370-Teardown/3745/2#s17834|title=iFixIt MacBook Air 11" Model A1370 Teardown|website=iFixitdate|first=Walter|last=Galan|date=October 21, 2010|access-date=2021-10-07}}</ref> and 13", Model A1369<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-MacBook-Air-13-Inch-Model-A1369-AirPort-Bluetooth-Card/4506/2#s20575|title=Installing MacBook Air 13" Model A1369 AirPort Bluetooth Card|website=iFixit|date=November 22, 2010|first=Walter|last=Galan|access-date=2021-10-07}}</ref>) each use a Broadcom BCM 943224 PCIEBT2 Wi-Fi card (main chip BCM43224: 2 × 2 2.4&nbsp;GHz and 5&nbsp;GHz<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Air-13-Inch-Mid-2011-Teardown/6130/1#s26677|title=MacBook Air 13" Mid 2011 Teardown: Step 7|website=iFixit|first=Andrew|last=Bookholt|date=July 21, 2011|access-date=2021-10-07}}</ref>).

The MacBook Pro Retina Mid 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook-Pro-15-Inch-Retina-Display-Mid-2012-Teardown/9462/2#s36199|title=MacBook Pro Retine Mid 2012 Teardown: Step 11|website=iFixit|first=Kyle|last=Wiens|date=June 13, 2012 |access-date=2021-10-07}}</ref> uses Broadcom BCM94331CSAX (main chip BCM4331: 3 × 3 2.4&nbsp;GHz and 5&nbsp;GHz, up to 450&nbsp;Mbit/s).

In early 2007, Apple announced that most Intel [[Core 2 Duo]]-based Macs, which had been shipping since November 2006, already included AirPort Extreme cards compatible with the draft-802.11 Draft-N specification. Apple also offered an application to enable 802.11 Draft-N functionality on these Macs for a fee of $1.99, or free with the purchase of an AirPort Extreme base station.<ref name="apextreme-2007" /> Starting with Leopard, the Draft-N functionality was quietly enabled on all Macs that had Draft-N cards. This card was also a PCI Express mini design, but used three antenna connectors in the notebooks and iMacs, in order to use a 2 × 3 [[Multiple-input multiple-output communications|MIMO]] antenna configuration. The cards in the Mac Pro and [[Apple TV]] have two antenna connectors and support a 2 × 2 configuration. The Network Utility application located in ''Applications → Utilities'' can be used to identify the model and supported protocols of an installed AirPort card.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://store.apple.com/us/product/D4141ZM/A|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120218231800/http://store.apple.com/us/product/D4141ZM/A|archive-date=2012-02-18|title=AirPort Extreme 802.11 Draft-N* Enabler|work=Apple Inc.}}</ref>