Computers Fellow Macsterbators...Is there a way to get 802.11ac on a mid-2011 iMac 21.5?

htismaqe · 05-11-2014, 06:33 AM

My main workstation is a mid-2001 iMac dual core i7 and I would love to be able to use 802.11ac on it.

However, it doesn't have USB 3.0 ports.

It looks like my only option would be to get a Thunderbolt to USB3.0 adapter and then get a USB 3.0 wifi dongle. I have yet to find any Thunderbolt wifi dongles so I'm not sure what else I can do.

Fish · 05-11-2014, 08:56 AM

Not sure if that would be possible without stepping down to USB2. Is there a working Thunderbolt to USB3 dongle yet? Last I heard that was still in the works.

Some info here: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/..._adapters.html

But nothing really mentioned for the iMac. Looks possible with a Mac Pro. Could probably rig it to work since it's just a mini PCI express card, but it would be messy....

htismaqe · 05-11-2014, 09:03 AM

Yeah, according to what some of the guys over at SmallNetBuilder are saying, it's not worth it.

All of the USB3.0 dongles out there are two-stream AC876 and the built-in wifi in this iMac is 3-stream N450, so the performance increase is going to be negligible even if I did have USB3.0 capability.

05-11-2014, 06:33 AM
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $10269900	Fellow Macsterbators...Is there a way to get 802.11ac on a mid-2011 iMac 21.5? My main workstation is a mid-2001 iMac dual core i7 and I would love to be able to use 802.11ac on it. However, it doesn't have USB 3.0 ports. It looks like my only option would be to get a Thunderbolt to USB3.0 adapter and then get a USB 3.0 wifi dongle. I have yet to find any Thunderbolt wifi dongles so I'm not sure what else I can do.
Posts: 100,022

05-11-2014, 08:56 AM	#2
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2318919	Not sure if that would be possible without stepping down to USB2. Is there a working Thunderbolt to USB3 dongle yet? Last I heard that was still in the works. Some info here: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/..._adapters.html But nothing really mentioned for the iMac. Looks possible with a Mac Pro. Could probably rig it to work since it's just a mini PCI express card, but it would be messy.... __________________
Posts: 47,470

05-11-2014, 09:03 AM	#3
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $10269900	Yeah, according to what some of the guys over at SmallNetBuilder are saying, it's not worth it. All of the USB3.0 dongles out there are two-stream AC876 and the built-in wifi in this iMac is 3-stream N450, so the performance increase is going to be negligible even if I did have USB3.0 capability.
Posts: 100,022