How to Repair Intel Wi-Fi Cards After Upgrading to macOS Sequoia

How to Restore Intel Wi-Fi Functionality on macOS Sequoia

When upgrading a Hackintosh from macOS Ventura or Sonoma to macOS Sequoia, built-in Intel wireless cards can stop working entirely. This behaviour is due to macOS Sequoia dropping support for legacy Apple network controller APIs, rendering older versions of AirportItlwm.kext incompatible.

1. Prerequisites

• Target Hardware: Laptops with Intel wireless cards (e.g. AX200, AX201, AC 8265, AC 9260).
• Required Drivers: The latest AirportItlwm (Sequoia build) or itlwm.kext and the HeliPort app.

2. Compatibility Snapshot

• macOS Sequoia Support: Intel cards are fully supported, but requires updating kernel drivers to match Sequoia\'s updated networking stack.

3. Installation Preparation

1. Backup EFI: Mount your EFI System Partition and make a copy of your folder.
2. Identify macOS version: Ensure you know the exact build of Sequoia you are installing (e.g. 15.0, 15.1) as AirportItlwm is build-specific.

4. EFI and config.plist Review

1. Option A (AirportItlwm): Download the specific AirportItlwm Sequoia build, replace the old kext in EFI/OC/Kexts, and ensure it is enabled in config.plist.
2. Option B (itlwm + HeliPort): If the native card fails to bind, replace AirportItlwm.kext with itlwm.kext. Download and install the HeliPort app to connect to Wi-Fi networks manually.

5. Post-Installation

1. Reset Network Interfaces: Delete stale plist files to force macOS to rebuild network interfaces: sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist.
2. Reboot: Reset NVRAM during boot.

6. Troubleshooting

Reported Issue: Intel card stopped working after upgrade

1. Wi-Fi toggle grayed out: This indicates the kext was blocked or failed to load. Boot with verbose mode enabled (-v) and verify the kernel loading output.
2. HeliPort "No Device Loading" error: Ensure itlwm.kext is enabled in config.plist and that AirportItlwm.kext is disabled, as they conflict.

7. Dual Boot and Advanced Configuration

• This does not apply to this case because Windows uses official Intel wireless drivers.

8. Verification, Maintenance and Rollback

• Verify Fix: Check System Settings -> Network -> Wi-Fi to confirm it is active.

9. References and Glossary

• itlwm: The open-source driver designed for Intel Wi-Fi cards on macOS.