The Comprehensive Hackintosh Guide: Getting Qualcomm QCA9377 Working on MacOS Big Sur

Introduction: Hackintoshing, the art of running macOS on non-Apple hardware, often requires a bit of finesse, especially when dealing with hardware compatibility issues. In this guide, we'll tackle the challenge of getting the Qualcomm QCA9377 Wi-Fi card to work on a laptop running MacOS Big Sur. We'll explore various kexts and methods to make this possible.

Step 1: Understanding the Challenge The Qualcomm QCA9377 Wi-Fi card isn't natively supported by macOS, so we'll need to rely on third-party kexts and tweaks to get it up and running.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Kexts Based on your attempts, it seems you've already experimented with the AirPortAtheros40.kext and HS80211Family.kext. While these kexts might provide partial functionality, they might not fully enable the QCA9377. We'll explore alternative kexts to enhance compatibility.

Step 3: Exploring Alternative Kexts

1. itlwm: This is a popular open-source Wi-Fi driver for Intel-based wireless cards. While it's primarily designed for Intel Wi-Fi chips, some users have reported success using it with certain Qualcomm chips with limited functionality.
2. AirportItlwm: A variant of itlwm, specifically tailored to provide compatibility with various non-Intel Wi-Fi cards. This might be worth trying if itlwm alone doesn't yield satisfactory results.

Step 4: Installation Process

1. Begin by removing any previously installed kexts related to Wi-Fi to avoid conflicts.
2. Install itlwm or AirportItlwm along with its dependencies.
3. Reboot your system and check if the Wi-Fi card is detected.

Step 5: Troubleshooting If itlwm fails to load or encounters errors, try the following:

• Ensure that you've installed all required dependencies.
• Check system logs for any error messages related to itlwm or the Wi-Fi card.
• Reinstall itlwm or AirportItlwm and carefully follow the installation instructions.
• Experiment with different versions of the kexts or explore community forums for potential solutions.

Step 6: Spoofing Device ID If all else fails, you can attempt to spoof the device ID of your Qualcomm QCA9377 to mimic a supported Wi-Fi card. This method involves modifying system files to make macOS recognize your Wi-Fi card as a compatible model.

Conclusion While getting the Qualcomm QCA9377 to work on MacOS Big Sur might be challenging, it's not impossible. By experimenting with different kexts, following installation procedures meticulously, and possibly resorting to device ID spoofing, you stand a chance of achieving Wi-Fi functionality on your Hackintosh laptop. Remember to back up your system before making any significant changes, and don't hesitate to seek help from online communities if you encounter obstacles along the way. Happy Hackintoshing!