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Installing Mac mini Model A1176 Bluetooth Antenna
- Author: Walter Galan
- Difficulty: Moderate
Replace a faulty Bluetooth antenna to regain Bluetooth range.
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Edit Step 1
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Top Housing
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You can skip this step if you bought your putty knife from iFixit. Putty knives purchased from iFixit come with pre-ground edges.
You'll need a putty knife in order to open the case. A 1.5 inch thin putty knife will work well, but you'll want to grind the edge down. Rub the putty knife's short edge back and forth on a sheet of all purpose rough grit sandpaper (100 grit will work fine) until it attains a beveled edge.

Edit Step 2 ¶
Carefully insert a putty knife into the crevice in between the top cover and bottom housing. Start on the left side first. Push the blade down until you meet firm resistance (roughly 3/8 of an inch).
Gently enlarge the existing crevice by prying the handle of the putty knife downward and away from the mini.
It helps to start in the middle, then work along the edge until the bottom housing pops up slightly.

Edit Step 6
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Bluetooth Antenna
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First remove the AirPort antenna (the larger of the two), located near the power button.
Slightly squeeze the two retaining arms toward each other and lift the AirPort antenna off its post.
Squeezing the two posts excessively will surely break them off the internal frame. Work delicately.
During reinstallation, you will have to slightly squeeze the two posts together so they fit into the openings on the AirPort antenna board.
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