How to Install an AirPort Card in a Macbook
Apple designed their MacBook so that the Airport WiFi card inside of it could be removed if it stopped working and replaced with another one. The MacBook must be partially disassembled to access the Airport card, and Apple recommends that you have this done by a service center, although doing it yourself doesn't void the warranty unless you cause some damage to an internal component. Putting a new Airport card in the MacBook yourself is a time-intensive project but will save you a lot of time that would otherwise be lost waiting to get it back from the service center.
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Instructions
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1
Put a soft cloth down on a table. Turn off the Macbook and close the lid. Put the Macbook down on the soft cloth with the bottom facing up. Insert the penny into the battery slot and rotate the slot till the battery pops up. Remove the battery from the battery compartment and put it aside.
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2
Remove the three screws from the "L" bracket inside of the battery compartment with the Phillips head jeweler's screwdriver. Rotate the Macbook so that the back part with the outputs is facing you. Use the screwdriver to remove the two screws from the back. Remove the four screws surrounding the vent area on the back.
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3
Turn the Macbook face down again and put it on the soft cloth. Lift up and remove the "L" bracket and put it aside. Use the screwdriver to remove the three screws beneath the bracket. Use the screwdriver to remove the nine screws from the left side of inside of the battery compartment. Use the screwdriver to remove the two screws from the rim of the battery compartment at the connector side facing you.
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4
Use the screwdriver to remove the last three screws that are just above the battery compartment on the upper shell of the bottom of the Macbook. Turn the Macbook face up and put it back down on the soft cloth.
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5
Insert the screwdriver into a corner of the keyboard and gently pull it up off of the bottom case of the Macbook. Pull off the ribbon cable attached to the keyboard from its socket on the Macbook's motherboard. Put the keyboard aside.
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6
Remove the gray and the black antennas lying in the center of the motherboard by lifting up the little tabs that are on each one before pulling the antenna straight out. Lay both antennas down on the motherboard and unscrew each antenna from the Airport card using the screwdriver.
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7
Remove the defective Airport card from the slot it is in by grabbing the top of the card and pulling it out to the right. Discard the defective Airport card. Slide the replacement Airport card into the slot now vacated. Use the screwdriver to screw in each of the antennas to the connection on the wireless card; the black antenna screws into the left side and the gray antenna screws into the right side. Position the two antennas back to their original positions over the Airport card. Close the tabs to hold the antennas in place.
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8
Reassemble the keyboard to the Macbook. Reassemble the Macbook. Put the battery back in.
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Tips & Warnings
Label the screws as you remove them so that you will be able to return them to their original positions without any problems.
Avoid carpeting as it can cause static electricity which is harmful to the Macbook's internal components.
