Airport Extreme A1521 Internal Structure Replacement Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          25 minutes

Sections

Internal Structure
5 steps

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What you need

Step 1

              Internal Structure

Using a metal spudger, gently pry the cover off the bottom of the device.

Using a metal spudger, gently pry the cover off the bottom of the device.

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Step 2

Four black internal wires, three thin and one thick, are connected to the logic board: three by small end clips and one by a larger end clip. Handle the clips gently; they break easily.
To detach the small clips from the connectors, place the flat end of the plastic spudger underneath the clip and gently lever it away from the center of the device.
To detach the large clip from its connector, place the flat end of the spudger on the clip and lever it upward out of the connector.

Four black internal wires, three thin and one thick, are connected to the logic board: three by small end clips and one by a larger end clip. Handle the clips gently; they break easily.

To detach the small clips from the connectors, place the flat end of the plastic spudger underneath the clip and gently lever it away from the center of the device.

To detach the large clip from its connector, place the flat end of the spudger on the clip and lever it upward out of the connector.

Step 3

Using two fingers, pinch the power supply wire and gently lift it upward. Move it away from the metal plate.
Next, unscrew the four 3.3mm T8 Torx screws and remove the metal plate.
The metal plate fits snugly into the gap. To reassemble the device, push the rounded edge of the plate into the gap first. This will wedge the gap open so that you can fit the rest of the plate into its proper place.

Using two fingers, pinch the power supply wire and gently lift it upward. Move it away from the metal plate.

Next, unscrew the four 3.3mm T8 Torx screws and remove the metal plate.

The metal plate fits snugly into the gap. To reassemble the device, push the rounded edge of the plate into the gap first. This will wedge the gap open so that you can fit the rest of the plate into its proper place.

Step 4

Remove the T8 Torx screwdriver head and replace it with the 60 mm extension; then, add the T9 Torx head.
Loosen, but do not remove the two screws at the bottom of the 1.2-inch wide gap in the middle of the internal structure.
These screws are spring-loaded and will stay in the device, even when loosened; however, it is still possible for them to be fully removed. Be careful to only partially loosen them.

Remove the T8 Torx screwdriver head and replace it with the 60 mm extension; then, add the T9 Torx head.

Loosen, but do not remove the two screws at the bottom of the 1.2-inch wide gap in the middle of the internal structure.

These screws are spring-loaded and will stay in the device, even when loosened; however, it is still possible for them to be fully removed. Be careful to only partially loosen them.

Step 5

Using only your fingers, gently compress the internal structure and pull evenly upward to remove it from the white case.
When you put the internal structure back into the case, gently compress it, and lower it most of the way into the case. Stop lowering it when the top port has just entered the case. Now push the two sides of the internal structure outward against the sides of the case.
Finish lowering the internal structure the rest of the way into the case. The ports should be lined up with the openings in the case and should be flush against the sides of the case.

Using only your fingers, gently compress the internal structure and pull evenly upward to remove it from the white case.

When you put the internal structure back into the case, gently compress it, and lower it most of the way into the case. Stop lowering it when the top port has just entered the case. Now push the two sides of the internal structure outward against the sides of the case.

Finish lowering the internal structure the rest of the way into the case. The ports should be lined up with the openings in the case and should be flush against the sides of the case.

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

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                    Keith Yu

Member since: 10/18/2013

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Team

                       Cal Poly, Team 4-26, Amido Fall 2013                        

                                                  Member of Cal Poly, Team 4-26, Amido Fall 2013 



                    CPSU-AMIDO-F13S4G26                     


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                                            18 Guides authored

Lance Baker - Apr 30, 2016

I’m seeing a large cavity in the center. Is that for a drive? Can you add an internal drive to make the AirPort Extreme function like the Time capsule?

Josh akana - Jul 1, 2020

In the airport time capsule the hard drive would be in this cavity but in the airport extreme, there is missing hardware and the logic board does not look like it has a port for the sata cable the time capsule would have for the hard drive.

Bo Falk - Aug 15, 2022

where can I buy new cables the connectors are broken

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