Macbook Pro 15 Retina Display Early 2013 Airport Board Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

                          15 - 30 minutes            

Sections

3

• Lower Case
• 2 steps
• Battery Connector
• 2 steps
• AirPort Board
• 2 steps

Flags

0

• BackMacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Early 2013

• Full Screen

• Options

• History

• Save to Favorites

• Download PDF

• Edit

• Translate

• Get Shareable Link

• Embed This Guide

• Notify Me of Changes

• Stop Notifications

Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case               

• Remove the following P5 pentalobe screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro:
• Eight 3.0 mm
• Two 2.3 mm

Remove the following P5 pentalobe screws securing the lower case to the MacBook Pro:

Eight 3.0 mm

Two 2.3 mm

1024

Step 2

• Lifting from the edge nearest the clutch cover, lift the lower case off the MacBook Pro.
• Set the lower case aside.

Lifting from the edge nearest the clutch cover, lift the lower case off the MacBook Pro.

Set the lower case aside.

Step 3

              Battery Connector               

• Peel back the warning label covering the battery connector.

Peel back the warning label covering the battery connector.

Step 4

• Using the flat end of a spudger, gently pry the battery connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.
• Bend the battery cables back and out of the way, ensuring that the battery connector doesn’t accidentally make contact with the logic board.

Using the flat end of a spudger, gently pry the battery connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board.

Bend the battery cables back and out of the way, ensuring that the battery connector doesn’t accidentally make contact with the logic board.

Step 5

              AirPort Board               

• Use the tip of a spudger to detach the three antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort board.

Use the tip of a spudger to detach the three antenna connectors up from their sockets on the AirPort board.

Step 6

• Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort board to the logic board.
• Grasp the edges of the board and slide it out from its connector.
• Lift and remove the AirPort board.

Remove the single 2.9 mm T5 Torx screw securing the AirPort board to the logic board.

Grasp the edges of the board and slide it out from its connector.

Lift and remove the AirPort board.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      19 other people completed this guide.                                             

Author

                                      with 4 other contributors 

                    Sam Goldheart                     

Member since: 10/18/2012

455,549 Reputation

                                      548 Guides authored                  



                       Badges:
                       48







                                                        +45 more badges                           

Team

                       iFixit                        

                                                  Member of iFixit 



                    Community                     


                                            141 Members                     


                                            15,767 Guides authored                     

Maddin - Oct 19, 2016

Reply

Seems like pretty much all Early 2013 rMBP guides say that it has T5 screws but mine has the P5 screws. I had to turn in my Mac for repairs early 2016 so it seems like the screws are different due to that.

earustemeyer - Nov 1, 2016

Reply

This tutorial worked perfectly for me and I have never, ever, considered working on my computer before. I ordered the tools from ifixit.com and it was a breeze!!!! Everything works perfectly -thank you so very much!

Joseph Riesen - Mar 24, 2017

Reply

Everything worked great, took me about 30 minutes to complete. I replaced my working adapter with an 802.11ac module (BCM94360CSAX), cost me $12 on Ebay. I now have 802.11ac (instead of just 802.11n) and with working 802.11v support provided by the new adapter, I can now unlock my MBP with my apple Watch! Thank you.

The required hardware seems correct – I needed a T5 bit and a P5 Pentalobe, as well as a spudger. I used the flat end of the spudger to gently press the antenna connectors together. They make a distinctive “snap” when they connect.

alan - Nov 16, 2018

Reply

When you replace the Airport card, (or at least if you’ve upgraded it to a newer but compatible 802.11ac/BT4.0 card) any apps you downloaded from the App Store won’t launch, but complain that they were downloaded on a different Mac. You’ll either need to authenticate with your Apple ID for each one, or reinstall them.

John - Mar 25, 2019

Reply

Success here using this tutorial to upgrade to an Airport card that supports 802.11ac/BT4.0. It took 30 minutes, and with the upgraded card I can now unlock my MacBook Pro with my Apple Watch.

As Alan mentions above, some of my App Store purchases have prompted me for my AppleID password. The bigger correction was that upon starting up my computer I had to System Preference » Date & Time to update the calendar and clock. All I had to do was click the lock at the bottom left of the dialog box, enter my MacBook Pro password, and it auto-updated.

Then to get it to recognize my Apple Watch I went to System Preferences » Security & Privacy and checked the box for “Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac.” Then I clicked the lock in the bottom left to lock it, quit out of System Preferences, and I was good to go.