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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > [Rant] AirDrop - WTF not on older Macs ?

[Rant] AirDrop - WTF not on older Macs ?
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turtle777
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Jul 22, 2011, 12:10 AM
 
WTF, Apple ?

Macs that support AirDrop in OS X Lion

The following list shows the earliest of each Mac model type that is supported. If your Mac is the same, or newer than the model listed, then it supports AirDrop.

MacBookPro (Late 2008 or newer)
MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
MacBook (Late 2008 or newer)
iMac (Early 2009 or newer)
Mac Mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
Mac Pro (Early 2009 with AirPort Extreme card, or Mid 2010)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4783

I don't get it. My 2007 iMac runs Lion, WTF can't I have AirDrop ?

[/rant]

-t
     
indigoimac
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Jul 22, 2011, 12:17 AM
 
My guess it is some hardware limitation with the wireless cards. No idea what tech apple's using for airdrop as i think it's kind of silly, but... there is certainly a pretty heavy layer of ad-hoc stuff going on.
15" MacBook Pro 2.0GHz i7 4GB RAM 6490M 120GB OWC 6G SSD 500GB HD
15" MacBook Pro 2.4GHz C2D 2GB RAM 8600M GT 200GB HD
17" C2D iMac 2.0GHz 2GB RAM x1600 500GB HD
     
turtle777  (op)
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Jul 22, 2011, 12:20 AM
 
Still odd. In Late 2008, they had no clue what they were going to do with Lion and AirDrop. How come those Macs support it ?

-t
     
Art Vandelay
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Jul 22, 2011, 12:42 AM
 
I don't know the technical details exactly but AirDrop requires WiFi chips capable of dynamically creating private peer-to-peer WiFi networks. It's a newer feature of 802.11n hardware.
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Spheric Harlot
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Jul 22, 2011, 07:35 AM
 
from what I gather, AirDrop run on a separate "channel" without either machine having to be in - OR disconnect from - a wireless LAN.

The hardware either does them, or it doesn't.
     
Wiskedjak
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Jul 22, 2011, 08:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by Art Vandelay View Post
I don't know the technical details exactly but AirDrop requires WiFi chips capable of dynamically creating private peer-to-peer WiFi networks. It's a newer feature of 802.11n hardware.
802.11n hardware showed up on Macs in 2006, not 2008. Apple does have a history of not enabling a software feature on a piece of hardware that was perfectly capable of supporting that feature, while higher-end or newer hardware would get the feature.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jul 22, 2011, 08:58 AM
 
I think the issue may be whether it has two or three antennas for multi-streaming.
     
turtle777  (op)
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Jul 22, 2011, 09:15 AM
 
Interesting thought.

Apple could have implemented AirDrop for *ANY* Mac connected to a newer Airport via Ethernet.

I think (w/o any proof or knowledge) Apple was just not willing to "extend" those features to older Macs.
But maybe hardware limitation is the reason. Perhaps someone will dig up a link confirming this.

-t
     
Wiskedjak
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Jul 22, 2011, 09:22 AM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
I think (w/o any proof or knowledge) Apple was just not willing to "extend" those features to older Macs.-t
My thought as well. They've done it before.
     
Wiskedjak
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Jul 22, 2011, 09:23 AM
 
Side note: is "Air" becoming the new "i" for Apple?
     
turtle777  (op)
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Jul 22, 2011, 09:26 AM
 
AirPod ?
AirPhone ?

Catchy

-t
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jul 22, 2011, 09:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Interesting thought.

Apple could have implemented AirDrop for *ANY* Mac connected to a newer Airport via Ethernet.
'Twoudn't be AIRdrop then, would it?
     
turtle777  (op)
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Jul 22, 2011, 10:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
'Twoudn't be AIRdrop then, would it?
Of course, because it's still MAGICAL

-t
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jul 22, 2011, 10:55 AM
 
From what I've read elsewhere:

The point of AirDrop (as opposed to just sharing files across a network) is that it doesn't require either machine to be in a network, and it doesn't require either machine to DISCONNECT from a network, either.

It "just works", as long as the machines are in proximity.

This requires hardware that supports simultaneous infrastructure AND ad-hoc modes, which apparently hasn't been possible until fairly recently.

If they wanted an arbitrary cut-off, why include three-year-old machines?
     
Waragainstsleep
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Jul 22, 2011, 10:56 AM
 
Don't forget Airplay.

The wireless N cards have flitted back and forth between two and three antennas (I never discerned any trend or pattern) since their inception. I think there is something different in the chips themselves. Is it possible Airpdrop is limited to those Macs whose cards support Wake on WAN?
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
turtle777  (op)
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Jul 22, 2011, 10:58 AM
 
Ok, I can agree that for networked machines, there are other ways to share files, and AirDrop is not THAT crucial.

It would still have been nice if Apple enabled AirDrop ability for ALL NETWORKED Macs, regardless of age.

Think of the children elderly: if I tried to teach my parents how to share files via a networked Mac, OMG. Unpossible. But they'd probably understand AirDrop.

-t
     
vipvideo
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Jul 23, 2011, 04:25 PM
 
Its a free app on the Mac App Store. Trust me, its easier and works with anything. I love it
I have an '08 Mac Pro and I use it with my wife's '10 iMac.

USE DROP COPY
     
vipvideo
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Jul 23, 2011, 04:25 PM
 
Use drop copy on mac app store
     
   
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