Introduction¶
This page is a step by step guide to get Wi-Fi and Bluetooth working on T2 Macs. This guide is also applicable to iMac19,1 and iMac19,2, which are T1 Intel Macs. This guide is NOT applicable for rest T1 and older Intel Macs.
Arch/EndeavourOS
If you're running Arch or EndeavourOS and have apple-bcm-firmware installed, you do not need to follow this guide.
Ensure Kernel Supports OTP Firmware Selection¶
Check if this command outputs any lines: modinfo brcmfmac | grep 4387 If it doesn't output anything, then upgrade your kernel.
Refer to the "Updating Kernel" section on your distro's FAQ for instructions if you need to update your kernel:
Setting up¶
We now use a script which can help you set up Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Click here to download the script.
There are 5 methods supported by this script to get firmware for Linux, named as Method 1-5 in this guide. Details of each method are given in the On macOS and On Linux section. You have to choose any one of the five methods to get firmware as per your choice.
Method 1-3 require macOS installed on your Mac. The initial steps of these methods are to be followed on macOS, and later steps have to be followed on Linux. Thus, if you choose one of these methods, you first need to follow the On macOS section and then proceed to the On Linux section.
Method 4 also requires macOS, but doesn't have any step to be followed on macOS. So you can directly follow the On Linux section if you choose it.
Method 5 does not require macOS, so you can directly follow the On Linux section if you choose it.
macOS Removed after installing Linux
In case you have removed macOS after installing Linux, and need the firmware, Method 5 is the only option for you.
On macOS¶
Run the script on the macOS terminal. After you run the script, it will ask you to choose between 3 methods to move firmware to Linux:
Method 1: Copy the firmware to the EFI partition and run the same script on Linux to retrieve it
If you choose this method, unlike Method 2 and Method 3, you need not have any specific dependency already installed on your Mac. So if you don't want to install any additional software on macOS, this method is the only option for you.
In this method, the script will copy the firmware to your EFI partition.
To retrieve the firmware from EFI partition in Linux, you shall have to run the same script on Linux. You have 2 options do so, described in detail in On Linux section.
Method 2: Create a tarball of the firmware and extract it to Linux
If you choose this method, the script will install the following dependencies, if missing, on macOS:
- python3 - Renames the firmware and creates the tarball.
The script shall automatically detect if any dependency is missing, and if required, will give you the option of installing it. So you need not worry about having missing dependencies.
Once the script confirms that you have the necessary dependencies installed, it shall create a tarball of the firmware by the name of firmware.tar in your Downloads folder.
Now you have to extract the firmware in the tarball to Linux. The procedure has been described in detail in On Linux section.
Method 3: Create a Linux specific package which can be installed using a package manager
If you choose this method, the script will install the following dependencies, if missing, on macOS:
- python3 - Renames the firmware.
- dpkg - Creates a package that can be installed on Linux using
apt. - rpm - Creates a package that can be installed on Linux using
dnf. - makepkg - Creates a package that can be installed on Linux using
pacman. - coreutils - Additional requirement of makepkg.
The script shall automatically detect if any dependency is missing, and if required, will give you the option of installing it. So you need not worry about having missing dependencies.
Once the script confirms that you have the necessary dependencies installed, it shall create a package of the firmware which can be installed by apt, dnf or pacman, depending on the option you chose while running the script. The package shall be saved in your Downloads folder.
Now you have to install the package in Linux using your package manager. The procedure has been described in detail in On Linux section.
On Linux¶
Once you have run the script on macOS, depending on the method you chose, the steps to be followed on Linux are described below:
Method 1: Copy the firmware to the EFI partition and run the same script on Linux to retrieve it
Now we need to retrieve the firmware from the EFI partition. You further have 2 options to do so:
In this option, you have to run the firmware script on Linux. You run it with:
bash /path/to/firmware.sh
After you run the script, you have to choose the "Retrieve the firmware from the EFI partition" option. After choosing that option, the script will install the firmware on Linux.
Note
Replace /path/to/firmware.sh with the actual path of the script. For example, if the script is in the Downloads folder in Linux, command to be run would be bash $HOME/Downloads/firmware.sh
In this option, you simply have to run the following commands in Linux:
sudo mkdir -p /tmp/apple-wifi-efi
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /tmp/apple-wifi-efi
bash /tmp/apple-wifi-efi/firmware.sh
sudo umount /tmp/apple-wifi-efi
After you run the above commands, you have to choose the "Retrieve the firmware from the EFI partition" option. After choosing that option, the script will install the firmware on Linux.
This option shall be useful if you are unable to copy the script to Linux.
Method 2: Create a tarball of the firmware and extract it to Linux
Now we shall extract the tarball of the firmware which was saved in the Downloads folder in macOS as firmware.tar. In order to do so, copy firmware.tar to Linux and extract the firmware to /lib/firmware/brcm by running:
sudo tar -v -xC /lib/firmware/brcm -f /path/to/firmware.tar
Note
Replace /path/to/firmware.tar with the actual path of the tarball. For example, if firmware.tar is copied to the Downloads folder in Linux, command to be run would be sudo tar -v -xC /lib/firmware/brcm -f $HOME/Downloads/firmware.tar
Then reload the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drivers by running:
sudo modprobe -r brcmfmac_wcc
sudo modprobe -r brcmfmac
sudo modprobe brcmfmac
sudo modprobe -r hci_bcm4377
sudo modprobe hci_bcm4377
Method 3: Create a Linux specific package which can be installed using a package manager
Now we have to install the firmware package which was saved in the Downloads folder in macOS. Copy the package to Linux and follow the instructions below, depending on whether you use apt, dnf or rpm:
This package manager is found in Ubuntu, Debian and other similar distros.
To install using apt, run:
sudo apt install /path/to/firmware_package.deb
Note
Replace /path/to/firmware_package.deb with the actual path of the package. For example, if apple-firmware_14.5-1_all.deb was created in macOS and has been copied to the Downloads folder in Linux, command to be run would be sudo apt install $HOME/Downloads/apple-firmware_14.5-1_all.deb
This package manager is found in Fedora.
To install using dnf, run:
sudo dnf install --disablerepo=* /path/to/firmware_package.rpm
Note
Replace /path/to/firmware_package.rpm with the actual path of the package. For example, if apple-firmware-14.5-1.noarch.rpm was created in macOS and has been copied to the Downloads folder in Linux, command to be run would be sudo dnf install --disablerepo=* $HOME/Downloads/apple-firmware-14.5-1.noarch.rpm
This package manager is found in Arch Linux, EndeavourOS, Manjaro and other similar distros.
To install using pacman, run:
sudo pacman -U /path/to/firmware_package.pkg.tar.zst
Note
Replace /path/to/firmware_package.pkg.tar.zst with the actual path of the package. For example, if apple-firmware-14.5-1-any.pkg.tar.zst was created in macOS and has been copied to the Downloads folder in Linux, command to be run would be sudo pacman -U $HOME/Downloads/apple-firmware-14.5-1-any.pkg.tar.zst
Method 4: Retrieve the firmware directly from macOS
Internet connection may be required for Method 4
Method 4 needs certain dependencies to work. If they are missing, you need to have an active internet connection on Linux to download and install them. You can use Ethernet, USB tethering or an external Wi-Fi adapter to get internet. If you are using a customised ISO made for T2 Macs, then most likely those dependencies shall be shipped alongwith the ISO, so in that case internet shall not be required.
This method does not have any steps to be followed on macOS. So, you have to run the script directly on Linux. After you run the script on Linux, you have to choose the "Retrieve the firmware directly from macOS" option.
If you choose this method, the script will install the following dependencies, if missing, on Linux:
- APFS driver for Linux - Enables mounting and reading of the macOS Recovery volume, which has the firmware. The source code of the driver which shall be installed by the script is obtained from here.
- dmg2img - Converts the macOS Recovery Image obtained to a Linux readable format.
The script shall automatically detect if any dependency is missing, and if required, will give you the option of installing it. So you need not worry about having missing dependencies.
Once the script confirms that you have the necessary dependencies installed, it shall automatically install the firmware.
Method 5: Download a macOS Recovery Image from Apple and extract the firmware from there
Internet connection is required for Method 5
Method 5 downloads a macOS Recovery image from Apple. So you need to have an active internet connection on Linux. You can use Ethernet, USB tethering or an external Wi-Fi adapter to get internet.
This method does not have any steps to be followed on macOS. So, you have to run the script directly on Linux. After you run the script on Linux, you have to choose the "Download a macOS Recovery Image from Apple and extract the firmware from there" option.
If you choose this method, the script will install the following dependencies, if missing, on Linux:
- curl - Downloads a python script which is used to download the macOS Recovery image from Apple.
- dmg2img - Converts the downloaded macOS Recovery Image to a Linux readable format.
The script shall automatically detect if any dependency is missing, and if required, will give you the option of installing it. So you need not worry about having missing dependencies.
Once the script confirms that you have the necessary dependencies installed, it shall give you the option to choose which macOS version you wish to download. You must choose macOS Monterey or later in order to get complete firmware files. After you choose the desired macOS version, the script should do the rest of the work itself.
Testing Firmware¶
You can check the logs to confirm correct loading of the firmware using sudo journalctl -k --grep=brcmfmac, the output should look similar to this:
Dec 24 22:34:19 hostname kernel: usbcore: registered new interface driver brcmfmac
Dec 24 22:34:19 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0002)
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_fw_alloc_request: using brcm/brcmfmac4377b3-pcie for chip BCM4377/4
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4377b3-pcie.apple,tahiti-SPPR-m-3.1-X0.bin failed with error -2
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4377b3-pcie.apple,tahiti-SPPR-m-3.1.bin failed with error -2
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4377b3-pcie.apple,tahiti-SPPR-m.bin failed with error -2
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4377b3-pcie.apple,tahiti-SPPR.bin failed with error -2
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac4377b3-pcie.apple,tahiti-X0.bin failed with error -2
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_process_txcap_blob: TxCap blob found, loading
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM4377/4 wl0: Jul 16 2021 18:25:13 version 16.20.328.0.3.6.105 FWID 01-30be2b3a
Dec 24 22:34:20 hostname kernel: brcmfmac 0000:01:00.0 wlp1s0f0: renamed from wlan0