Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

11

Time Required

                          30 - 45 minutes

Sections

3

  • Lower Case
  • 2 steps
  • AirPort/Bluetooth Cable
  • 2 steps
  • AirPort/Bluetooth Board
  • 7 steps

Flags

0

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Lower Case
  • Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:
  • Three 13.5 mm (14.1 mm) Phillips screws.
  • Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.
  • When removing these screws, note how they come out at a slight angle. They must be reinstalled the same way.

Remove the following ten screws securing the lower case to the upper case:

Three 13.5 mm (14.1 mm) Phillips screws.

Seven 3 mm Phillips screws.

When removing these screws, note how they come out at a slight angle. They must be reinstalled the same way.

1024

Step 2

  • Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.
  • Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Using both hands, lift the lower case near the vent to pop it off two clips securing it to the upper case.

Remove the lower case and set it aside.

Step 3

              AirPort/Bluetooth Cable
  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth cable connector up off the logic board.
  • Carefully peel the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable off the top of the black plastic AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth cable connector up off the logic board.

Carefully peel the AirPort/Bluetooth ribbon cable off the top of the black plastic AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

Step 4

  • Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth cable connector up off its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Use the flat end of a spudger to pry the AirPort/Bluetooth cable connector up off its socket on the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Step 5

              AirPort/Bluetooth Board
  • Disconnect the camera cable by pulling its connector away from the socket on the logic board.
  • Pull the connector toward the optical drive opening.

Disconnect the camera cable by pulling its connector away from the socket on the logic board.

Pull the connector toward the optical drive opening.

Step 6

  • Pry the AirPort and Bluetooth antenna connectors (3 total) up off the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Pry the AirPort and Bluetooth antenna connectors (3 total) up off the AirPort/Bluetooth board.

Step 7

  • De-route all three antenna cables from their channels in the black plastic AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

De-route all three antenna cables from their channels in the black plastic AirPort/Bluetooth housing.

Step 8

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth board housing to the upper case.
  • Carefully remove the AirPort/Bluetooth assembly from the lower case.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth board housing to the upper case.

Carefully remove the AirPort/Bluetooth assembly from the lower case.

Step 9

  • Remove the two Phillips screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth board to the AirPort/Bluetooth board housing.

Remove the two Phillips screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth board to the AirPort/Bluetooth board housing.

Step 10

  • Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from its black plastic housing.

Remove the AirPort/Bluetooth board from its black plastic housing.

Step 11

  • Before securing the AirPort/Bluetooth bracket to the upper case, be sure the small plastic tab on its left edge is inserted into the small void cut into the black plastic optical drive opening.

Before securing the AirPort/Bluetooth bracket to the upper case, be sure the small plastic tab on its left edge is inserted into the small void cut into the black plastic optical drive opening.

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

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                    Walter Galan

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Ralf Bergs - Oct 22, 2016

Reply

I didn’t even have to replace my daughterboard – I ordered a used one, but simply “reseating” (removing and attaching it again) the ribbon cable to the daughter board fixed my problem that the WiFi and Bluetooth card was invisible to the OS.

Thanks anyway for these great instructions! Without them I hadn’t even thought about that the WiFi functionality was on a daughterboard… I thought other than in most “Windows laptops” that functionality was integrated into the main board.

Yannick Streit - Dec 11, 2016

Reply

Excellent guide! The whole thing took me about 30 minutes and as soon as I turned on my mac again the WiFi worked perfectly.

rsteinbart - Dec 20, 2016

Reply

I replaced both the card and the ribbon cable. Still get the message that there is no WiFi device installed. 15" MBP, mid-2010. The Bluetooth and Ethernet still work. But it is very inconvenient not having WiFi. Any thoughts on what else to try would be appreciated.

Raymond Steinbart

Peter Mayo - May 8, 2017

Reply

Excellentguide as usual, but not sure the anntena cables should have be replaced in their housings before the Airport/ Bluetooth bracket was secured. Was there a reason I missed.

Markus Kappeler - Apr 23, 2021

Reply

Is it possible to upgrade? Is there any “successor” known for Bluetooth 4.0 ?

Thanks