crwdns2915892:0crwdne2915892:0
Use this guide to replace the AirPort/Bluetooth card in a 21.5" Retina 4K 2017 iMac.
Some images in this guide use a 2015 iMac, which has minor visual differences. These differences do not affect the repair procedure.
crwdns2942213:0crwdne2942213:0
-
crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0iMac Intel 21.5" Cardboard Service Wedge$4.99
-
Before beginning any work on your iMac: Unplug the computer and press and hold the power button for ten seconds to discharge the power supply's capacitors.
-
-
-
Starting on the left of the display, near the power button, insert the iMac Opening Tool into the gap between the glass panel and the rear enclosure.
-
-
-
Use the tool like a pizza cutter—roll it along through the gap, and it will cut the foam adhesive through the center.
-
Run the tool up along the left side of the display.
-
-
-
Continue running the tool up around the top left corner.
-
-
-
Cut the adhesive along the top left of the display.
-
-
-
Continue along the top of the display.
-
-
-
Push the tool around the top right corner of the display.
-
-
-
Wheel the tool down along the right side of the display.
-
-
-
Finish pushing the opening tool to the bottom of the right side of the display.
-
-
crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0Plastic Cards$2.99
-
Starting from the top right corner of the iMac, wedge a plastic card between the display and frame.
-
-
-
-
Gently twist the plastic card sideways to create a gap between the display and frame.
-
Move slowly and be careful not to stress the display glass too much—you only need to make a gap of about 1/4".
-
-
-
Slide the card toward the center of the display to cut any of the remaining adhesive along the top right corner of the iMac.
-
-
-
Wedge the plastic card into the top right corner once again, and leave it there to prevent the adhesive from resticking.
-
-
-
Insert a second plastic card into the gap between the display and frame near the top left corner of the iMac.
-
-
-
Gently twist the card upward, slightly increasing the space between the display and frame.
-
-
-
Slide the plastic card toward the center, again stopping just before the iSight camera.
-
-
-
Wedge the plastic card back into the top left corner.
-
-
-
With both plastic cards inserted as shown near the corners, gently twist the cards sideways to increase the gap between display and case.
-
Begin to lift the top of the display up from the frame.
-
-
-
Hold the display with one hand while using your other hand to unplug the display power cable.
-
-
-
Continuing to support the display with one hand, flip up the metal retaining bracket on the display data cable.
-
Carefully pull the display data cable from its socket on the logic board.
-
-
-
Lift the display up to a near-vertical position.
-
-
crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0Plastic Cards$2.99
-
Grasp the small tab at the end of one of the bottom edge display adhesive strips and pull the adhesive toward the top of the iMac to remove it.
-
Repeat this step with the other adhesive strip and remove it.
-
-
-
Lift the display up from the frame and remove it from the iMac.
-
It may be necessary to slowly lift from one side to peel against the remaining adhesive.
-
-
-
Remove the two 4.0 mm T5 Torx screws securing the four antenna connectors to the AirPort/Bluetooth card.
-
-
-
Use a spudger to disconnect all four antenna connectors by prying them up from their sockets on the AirPort/Bluetooth Card.
-
-
-
Remove the two 3.3 mm T5 Torx screws securing the AirPort/Bluetooth card to the logic board.
-
-
-
Gently push the antenna cables aside to clear access to the AirPort/Bluetooth card.
-
-
-
With a firm grip on the edges of the AirPort/Bluetooth card, pull it straight out of its socket on the underside of the logic board.
-
-
crwdns2935267:0crwdne2935267:0Tweezers$4.99
-
With the tweezers pointed downwards, insert the points of the tweezers through the screw holes in the AirPort card, next to its antenna connector sockets.
-
Using your finger, press down on the edge of the AirPort card to angle it until it is roughly parallel to the logic board.
-
Align the AirPort card with its slot on the logic board, and press the card into the slot until the screw holes nearest the connector align with those in the logic board.
-
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
crwdns2935221:0crwdne2935221:0
crwdns2935229:03crwdne2935229:0
crwdns2947412:03crwdne2947412:0
Hello, I would like to know which other airport is compatible with this model of IMAC 21.5 "? I have 1 2017 4k but do not find to buy this Airport and maybe it is compatible with another, can you help me?
Thanks for the guide Asam!
Yes, I would like to know as well the exact model number for iMac 21.5 4K 2017? The other iMac guides sugged another module that may not be compatible with this model? The only bits that are readable are BCM?
Oh, I saw it - step 29, I must be blind ;) It’s BCM943602CDP, thanks!
I may have damaged the sockets for the antenna connectors (#1 and #3 reading from L -R) in the process of reassembling my late 2017 iMac after replacing my 8 GB RAM DIMMs (REMBER testing after a kernel panic failed, and OWC sent me new DIMMs, which pass REMBER testing.
However, now I cannot pair my BT mouse, or unlock the iMac with my Apple Watch, or pair my AirPods Pro reliably. Curiously, my Magic keyboard works just fine. When the AirPods Pro seem to pair, the music playback to them is awful (stuttering). I know that I couldn’t pop those two antenna connectors onto the little pins on the BT/Airport board the way they were before, but I don’t seem to have any network issues (SPEEDTEST results are similar to previous testing). I don’t know where to get an Airport/BT card or whether that really is my issue, but it certainly corresponds to making the repair. I did reset NVRAM and delete the BT p-list files; neither of those seemed to make any difference.