How much for mac mini airport upgrade ?

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Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I recently received a mac mini that I had ordered about seven weeks ago but it didnt come with the airport card which I had ordered.



I dont live in the US right now, so I would rather not send it back to the retailer who is in the states and have to wait another six/seven weeks. I plan on asking for a refund in the amount of what it would cost for me to have the airport card installed when I get back to the states.



But I have no idea how much these upgrade kits and labor cost... can anybody give me a figure ?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    dmzdmz Posts: 5,775member
    I don'r know about the card cost, but you can open the case yourself. I just did this for a memory upgrade two days ago.



    Take a cat 5 cable and separate the wires (leave the insulation on each wire)



    there 3 tabs in front, 6 on each side and NONE on the back.



    loop 6'' sections of wire around each tab, and pull past the 'tooth' on each tab (stick the loop in each opening leave the ends hanging and pull)



    then GENTLY starting at the back. pull the case open -stong steady pressure -- the tabs are still slightly engaged.



    you can find the picutres here
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  • Reply 2 of 5
    aslan^aslan^ Posts: 599member
    Nice article, but from what I understand, the airport assembly is on a daughterboard of sorts that needs to be professionally installed... Ive taken my share of computer stuff apart but I'd rather not with the mini. I took my ibook apart to replace the hard drive which works and everything is cool but I've noticed in the past few months that it doesnt seem to be grounded and shocks me every so often when I use it on my lap... with the mini being brand new and all, I'd just rather have someone a little more qualified do it
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  • Reply 3 of 5
    wingnutwingnut Posts: 197member
    hmm, I put in an airport card into my ibook a while back, and it used to shock me too. It's stopped doing it recently. I don't understand why it would do it?



    Anyway, I'm not sure about using the wire to open a mini, but using a putty knife is really easy. As far as the wifi module on the mini, it's a $100 option, though I don't think you can just buy the card anywhere (yet?). The card has airport and bluetooth together, so it's not that bad of a price.
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  • Reply 4 of 5
    aslan^aslan^ Posts: 599member
    Thank you
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  • Reply 5 of 5
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dmz

    I don'r know about the card cost, but you can open the case yourself. I just did this for a memory upgrade two days ago.



    Take a cat 5 cable and separate the wires (leave the insulation on each wire)



    there 3 tabs in front, 6 on each side and NONE on the back.



    loop 6'' sections of wire around each tab, and pull past the 'tooth' on each tab (stick the loop in each opening leave the ends hanging and pull)



    then GENTLY starting at the back. pull the case open -stong steady pressure -- the tabs are still slightly engaged.



    you can find the picutres here




    i'm all for a better solution than the Putty Knife but the mini with all those wires looping in and out of it looks horrific. i nearly threw up \



    but yeah visually it doesn't look so attractive but a lot safer than Putty Knife technique
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