Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
18
Time Required
Suggest a time??
Sections
5
- Outer Case
- 2 steps
- Fan Assembly
- 6 steps
- Fan Assembly Lid
- 1 step
- AirPort Board
- 4 steps
- AirPort Card
- 5 steps
Flags
0
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Introduction
What you need
Step 1
Outer Case
- Slide the lock switch to the right, to the unlocked position.
Slide the lock switch to the right, to the unlocked position.
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Step 2
- Lift the outer case straight up off the Mac Pro.
- It may help to push down on the center of the fan while lifting the case up.
Lift the outer case straight up off the Mac Pro.
It may help to push down on the center of the fan while lifting the case up.
Step 3
Fan Assembly
- Remove five 5.1 mm T10 Torx screws from around the outer perimeter of the fan assembly.
Remove five 5.1 mm T10 Torx screws from around the outer perimeter of the fan assembly.
Step 4
- The fan assembly is attached to the rest of the computer by two cables on the IO board side.
- Tilt the assembly up away from the IO board.
- Do not try to remove the fan assembly yet, as it is still attached by two cables.
The fan assembly is attached to the rest of the computer by two cables on the IO board side.
Tilt the assembly up away from the IO board.
Do not try to remove the fan assembly yet, as it is still attached by two cables.
Step 5
- While supporting the fan assembly with one hand, loosen the two T8 captive screws in the fan cable bracket.
- These screws are captive in the Mac Pro. Do not try to remove these screws from your Mac Pro.
While supporting the fan assembly with one hand, loosen the two T8 captive screws in the fan cable bracket.
These screws are captive in the Mac Pro. Do not try to remove these screws from your Mac Pro.
Step 6
- Use a pair of tweezers to pull the fan cable bracket away from the fan assembly.
Use a pair of tweezers to pull the fan cable bracket away from the fan assembly.
Step 7
- Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the fan assembly ribbon cable from the IO board.
Use the flat end of a spudger to disconnect the fan assembly ribbon cable from the IO board.
Step 8
- Disconnect the fan assembly antenna cable from the IO board.
- Remove the fan assembly from the Mac Pro.
Disconnect the fan assembly antenna cable from the IO board.
Remove the fan assembly from the Mac Pro.
Step 9
Fan Assembly Lid
- Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the fan assembly lid up off the fan assembly.
- Remove the fan assembly lid.
Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the fan assembly lid up off the fan assembly.
Remove the fan assembly lid.
Step 10
AirPort Board
- Remove the three 3.7 mm T4 screws securing the metal cover to the AirPort board bay.
Remove the three 3.7 mm T4 screws securing the metal cover to the AirPort board bay.
Step 11
- Lift and remove the metal cover from the AirPort board bay.
Lift and remove the metal cover from the AirPort board bay.
Step 12
- Use the tip of a spudger to flip the ZIF retaining tab on the fan assembly ribbon cable connector.
- Remove the fan assembly ribbon cable from its ZIF socket.
Use the tip of a spudger to flip the ZIF retaining tab on the fan assembly ribbon cable connector.
Remove the fan assembly ribbon cable from its ZIF socket.
Step 13
- Use the tip of a spudger to flip the ZIF retaining tab on the fan ribbon cable.
- Disconnect the fan ribbon cable.
Use the tip of a spudger to flip the ZIF retaining tab on the fan ribbon cable.
Disconnect the fan ribbon cable.
Step 14
AirPort Card
- Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the four AirPort antenna cables from the AirPort card.
Use the tip of a spudger to disconnect the four AirPort antenna cables from the AirPort card.
Step 15
- Remove three 3.7 mm T4 screws securing the AirPort board to the fan assembly.
Remove three 3.7 mm T4 screws securing the AirPort board to the fan assembly.
Step 16
- Remove the AirPort board and card from the fan assembly.
Remove the AirPort board and card from the fan assembly.
Step 17
- Remove the two 3.7 mm T4 Torx screws securing the AirPort card to the AirPort board.
Remove the two 3.7 mm T4 Torx screws securing the AirPort card to the AirPort board.
Step 18
- Slide the AirPort card out of its socket in the AirPort board.
Slide the AirPort card out of its socket in the AirPort board.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
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Andrew Optimus Goldheart
Member since: 10/17/2009
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Vincent Monteil - Oct 26, 2016
Reply
Is there a way to replace the Mac Pro Airport card with a more recent one, like when you insert a recent one in an old macbook pro to get new features such as “unlock my mac with my apple watch” ? This is an interesting question that remains unanswered (until now ?)
Sanong - Sep 22, 2018
Reply
You show how to replace it but I can’t buy it from ifixit….why?
dillonrw - Jun 9, 2019
Reply
Why not start at step 9 and leave the lid attached?
David Orriss Jr - Mar 13, 2021
I wondered the exact same thing. I can see zero reason to remove the fan assembly from the top of the machine just to replace the wifi card. The only reason I can see for doing it would be if you drop a screw it’s at least easy to get to, because everything is separate from the core unit.
