watchthelight labs

Can the kext be used during macos installation? #3

openquestionarea:wifi
amnesi-ary 2026-10-22

Is there some way that I can enable the wireless card during the installation of macos? The installing process needs network but I don’t have other ways to connect. Could you please give some suggestions?

OS: 26.7.1
Model: legion 2025 (intel u9 275hx with 5060)

watchthelight 2026-10-22

Yes, with an open network. The installer can't run the mtkwifi tool or the Wi-Fi menu (MtkWlanNative), but the driver can join an open network on its own:

  1. Add only MtkWlan.kext to EFI/OC/Kexts and Kernel > Add. Leave out MtkWlanNative and the mtkfe boot-args for the install.
  2. Open MtkWlan.kext/Contents/Info.plist and, under the MtkWlan personality, set MtkAutoOpenSsids to your network's exact name.
  3. Turn your phone's hotspot on with no password and that same name.
  4. Do a full power off before booting the installer (see #1: the card can disappear after a warm restart).
  5. About 20 s after the first scan it joins and gets an address. The installer sees it as an Ethernet connection.

Once macOS is installed, add MtkWlanNative and use the normal Wi-Fi menu with your password.

If an open hotspot isn't an option, the other way is a full offline installer (InstallAssistant.pkg), which doesn't need a network at all.

One thing to check first: some 2025 Intel Legions ship with an Intel Wi-Fi 7 card instead of the MT7925. In Windows, Device Manager should list "MediaTek Wi-Fi 7 MT7925" under Network adapters. If it says Intel, this driver won't see it.

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