DIY Guide to Replace iPad 2 GSM Right Cellular Data Antenna
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 66 Steps
Get ready to swap out that cellular data antenna in your iPad 2 GSM, second generation! Just a heads up, some parts of this guide were filmed using a Wi-Fi model, so the insides might look a tad different from the cellular version. But don’t worry, the steps are pretty much the same for both models, unless we say otherwise. If you need help, you can always schedule a repair.
Step 1
It’s a good idea to give your microwave a quick clean before you dive in, as any stubborn bits stuck to the bottom might just hitch a ride on the iOpener. Keep it tidy for a smoother repair experience!
– Pop that iOpener right in the middle of the microwave!
Tools Used
Step 2
Keep an eye on that iOpener! Overheating it might lead to an unexpected burst—yikes! Aim to keep the heat below 100˚C (212˚F).
If the iOpener looks like it’s been hitting the gym and is a bit swollen, steer clear of it.
If the center of the iOpener is still too hot to handle, don’t fret! Just hang tight and let it cool down a bit before you give it another heat-up. A well-heated iOpener should keep its cozy warmth for about 10 minutes.
– Give your iOpener a warm-up session in the microwave for thirty seconds. It’s like a spa day, but for your repair tools!
– As you work through the repair, keep that iOpener nice and cozy. Whenever it starts to cool down, just pop it back in the microwave for another thirty seconds to keep the good vibes going.
Tools Used
Step 3
Careful now! The iOpener can get pretty toasty, so handle it with care. An oven mitt might just become your new best friend!
– Carefully take the iOpener out of the microwave, gripping one of the flat ends to steer clear of that hot center. You’re doing great!
Tools Used
Step 4
If a microwave isn’t part of your kitchen arsenal, don’t worry! Just pop your iOpener into some boiling water to get it nice and toasty.
– Grab a pot or pan and fill it up with enough water to completely dunk your iOpener.
– Turn up the heat and bring that water to a rolling boil. Then, just turn off the heat.
– Carefully drop the iOpener into the hot water and let it soak for 2-3 minutes. Make sure it’s totally covered in the steamy goodness!
– Using tongs (safety first!), lift the hot iOpener out of the water.
– Give the iOpener a good dry-off with a towel. We want it nice and cozy!
– And voilà! Your iOpener is all set for action! If it needs a little more warmth, just repeat the boiling process – heat the water, turn off the heat, and let the iOpener chill in there for another 2-3 minutes.
Tools Used
Step 5
– Grab a SIM eject tool or an uncoiled paperclip, and gently pop out that SIM card tray like a pro!
Step 6
– Gently slide the SIM tray out of its cozy spot and say goodbye to it as you take it out of your iPad 2.
– If you’re swapping out the SIM card, give it a little nudge to pop it out of its tray and snugly place the new one in.
Step 7
Put on those safety glasses to keep your peepers safe, and watch out for that LCD screen – it’s more fragile than it looks!
– Got a cracked display? No worries! Let’s keep things in one piece and protect yourself while you work by sticking some tape over that glass.
– Grab some clear packing tape and lay overlapping strips over the iPad’s display until it’s fully covered. You got this!
– Follow the rest of the guide as best as you can. Just a heads up: once the glass starts to crack, it might keep on cracking as you go. You may need to whip out a metal prying tool to help scoop out the broken bits.
Step 8
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that you might be dealing with some tricky broken glass during this process. So, put on those safety glasses to shield your eyes from any sneaky flying shards. Better safe than sorry, right?
– Place the iOpener flat along the right edge of your iPad, making sure it’s nice and cozy against the surface for optimal warmth.
– Give the bag a little time to work its magic on the iPad—about 90 seconds should do the trick—before you dive into opening the front panel.
Tools Used
Step 9
Getting that wedged tip of the opening tool between the glass and plastic might take a little muscle! Take your time and be gentle—wiggle that plastic opening tool back and forth as needed. You’ve got this!
– Look closely at your iPad! You’ll notice a tiny gap in the adhesive ring up in the upper right corner, about 2.0 inches (~5 cm) from the top. That’s your golden opportunity to get started.
– Get your tool ready and align it with the mute button. Gently slide the tip of a plastic opening tool into that little gap between the front glass and the plastic bezel. Just nudge it in a bit, enough to widen that crack slightly.
Step 11
– With the tip of your trusty plastic opening tool snugly tucked between the front glass and the plastic bezel, gently slide a plastic opening pick into that little gap right next to your tool. You’re doing great!
Step 12
– Gently take out the plastic opening tool from your iPad, and slide the opening pick a little deeper under the front glass—about half an inch should do the trick!
Step 14
The adhesive is super strong, so you might need to put in a bit of elbow grease. Take your time and be gentle.
If you can spot the tip of the opening pick peeking out from under the front glass, gently pull it out a bit. While it’s totally safe to use the pick this deep, just a heads up – it might leave some adhesive residue on the LCD. But hey, that’s nothing we can’t handle!
– While the iOpener is warming up the bottom edge, start peeling back the adhesive from the right side of the iPad.
– Gently slide the opening pick down the edge of the iPad, freeing the adhesive as you go along.
Tools Used
Step 15
You might find it helpful to slide that warm iOpener back onto the right edge of the iPad as you peel away the adhesive. Just keep in mind, this depends on how long your iPad has been chilling while you’ve been busy working on it.
– If your opening pick decides to stick around in the adhesive, just give it a little ‘roll’ along the side of the iPad to keep freeing up that sticky stuff.
Tools Used
Step 16
– Before you tackle that first opening pick in the bottom corner of your iPad, slide a second pick under the right edge of the front glass to keep the adhesive from getting all clingy again.
– Give your iOpener a quick reheat, then place it at the top edge of the iPad to keep things nice and warm!
Tools Used
Step 17
Hey there! The Wi-Fi antenna is snugly fitted to the bottom right corner of the rear case of your iPad with screws and a cable. Just a heads-up: because of how the Wi-Fi antenna is positioned, it’s super important to handle it carefully to avoid any permanent damage. You’ve got this!
– Take a deep breath and channel your inner repair guru for the next few steps—it’s all about being careful!
– Gently release the adhesive that’s keeping the antenna snug against the front panel, but watch out for those delicate parts that connect the antenna to the bottom of the iPad. Follow these steps closely, and you’ll be just fine!
Step 18
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: don’t slide that pick too far down to the bottom right corner. You might accidentally give the Wi-Fi antenna a little ouch!
– Gently glide the opening pick around the bottom right corner of the iPad, freeing up that adhesive like a pro.
Step 19
When you’re gliding that opening pick along the bottom right corner of the front panel, keep an eye out! The Wi-Fi antenna is just a hop away from the edge, and if you’re not careful with the adhesive, it might just decide to take a little vacation. So, let’s keep it intact, shall we?
Just give that pick a little tug! Don’t pull it all the way out from under the front glass—keep about 1/8″ (3 mm) of the tip snugly in there. You’re doing great!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the bottom edge of the iPad to loosen up that sticky adhesive over the Wi-Fi antenna. You’ve got this!
Step 20
– After you’ve gracefully glided past the Wi-Fi antenna (about 3″ or 75 mm from the right edge, right next to the home button), gently reinsert the opening pick all the way in.
– Now, slide that pick to the right and watch as the adhesive holding the Wi-Fi antenna to the front glass lets go like a champ!
Step 21
Keep the iOpener’s heating sessions to a minute max, and give it a breather of at least two minutes before you heat it up again. Your device will thank you!
– Keep peeling away the sticky stuff along the bottom of your iPad, making sure to wiggle the opening pick around the home button. Once you’ve got it past the home button, slide it in about 1/2 inch (10 mm) to keep things moving smoothly.
Tools Used
Step 22
– Keep peeling away that adhesive along the bottom edge of your iPad like a pro!
– Once you’ve made some progress, tuck that opening pick snugly under the front glass near the home button to keep things steady.
Step 24
If your adhesive is feeling a bit too cool, just swap in the iOpener along the top edge and keep on going. If the iOpener has lost its warmth, give it a quick reheat and you’ll be back in action.
– Gently glide the opening pick along the top edge of the iPad, giving it a little tug to navigate around the front-facing camera bracket.
– The adhesive in this area is pretty robust, so you might need to apply a bit of muscle. Take your time, and be cautious to avoid any slips that could harm you or your iPad.
– If the opening pick feels like it’s stuck in the adhesive, try ‘rolling’ the pick as illustrated in step 9.
Tools Used
Step 25
If the adhesive is feeling cozy and warm, go ahead and take the iOpener off the iPad for easier handling. But if it’s still holding on a bit too tightly, just give the iOpener another heat-up session and place it on the left edge while you get to work.
– Keep peeling away the adhesive at the top edge of your iPad, and gently maneuver the opening pick around that top left corner like a pro.
Tools Used
Step 26
Hey there! The digitizer cable is hanging out about 2″ (50 mm) from the bottom of your iPad. When you slide that pick in, just take a breather and stop when you’re around 2.25″ (60 mm) from the bottom. You’ve got this!
– Gently glide the opening pick along the left side of your iPad, letting it work its magic to release that adhesive. It’s a bit thinner here because of the digitizer running along the entire left edge, so keep your pick at a shallow angle—no more than 1/2 inch (10 mm)—to avoid any mishaps with the digitizer. You’ve got this!
Step 27
Be super careful! The bottom of that digitizer cable is just about an inch (25 mm) from the iPad’s edge. Take your time and work gently to avoid accidentally cutting this cable.
– With that trusty opening pick still nestled under the bottom edge of your iPad, gently free the adhesive in the bottom left corner. You’ve got this!
Step 28
Sometimes, the adhesive around the edge of your iPad might decide to play hide and seek and stick back down. If you find yourself in this situation, gently slide a pick underneath the edge of the iPad where the front glass is still holding on tight and give that adhesive a little ‘snip’ to release it.
– Grab one of those nifty opening picks and gently pop up the bottom right corner of your iPad. Once it’s lifted, give it a little pinch with your fingers to hold it steady.
Step 29
Watch out for any sticky stuff that might still be hanging around! Grab an opening pick and gently slice through any adhesive that’s keeping that front panel in place.
– Grab your iPad by the top and bottom right corners, and gently twist that front glass away from the device like you’re unveiling a surprise!
– When you’re putting things back together, don’t forget to whip out a microfiber cloth and some compressed air to give that LCD a little TLC—remove any dust bunnies or pesky fingerprints before you seal it up with the glass.
Step 30
– Let’s get started! First, gently unscrew those four 2.0 mm Phillips screws that are holding the LCD in place. You’ve got this!
Step 31
– Gently lift the LCD from the edge nearest to the volume buttons and swing it out from the back case like you’re unveiling a surprise.
– Carefully place the LCD on the front panel, just like in the second picture, and let it chill there for a moment.
Step 32
Make sure to gently pry up on those little hinged flaps, not the sockets themselves. You’ve got this!
Check out the second picture where the retaining flaps are highlighted in a lively red. They’re waiting for your attention!
– Gently nudge the retaining flaps on the two digitizer ribbon cable ZIF sockets upwards using the edge of a plastic opening tool. You’ve got this!
Step 33
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently work the edge under the digitizer cable to lift it off the shields on the logic board. It’s like peeling a banana, but for your device!
– Now, with a careful touch, pull the digitizer cable away from the adhesive that’s keeping it snug against the rear case. Think of it as giving your gadget a little stretch!
Step 34
– Gently wiggle and pull the digitizer ribbon cable straight out of its two cozy sockets on the logic board. You’ve got this!
Step 35
To take off the front panel assembly, gently slide the ribbon cable out from between the case and the LCD. You might need to shift the LCD a bit to create some space for this.
– Gently lift the LCD from its long edge that’s furthest away from the digitizer cable and flip it back toward the rear case—think of it like closing a book with a little flair!
– While keeping the LCD lifted, carefully slide the front panel away from your iPad. Just a heads up—watch out for that digitizer cable; we don’t want it getting caught on the rear case or LCD!
Step 36
To dive into the inner workings of the iPad, we first need to gently lift the LCD out of its cozy case.
– Gently lift the LCD from the edge nearest to the volume buttons and flip it out of the rear case—imagine you’re turning a page in your favorite book!
– Carefully place the LCD face down on a clean surface. A soft cloth underneath is a great idea to keep it scratch-free.
Step 37
Be gentle when disconnecting the connector—no need to tug it up like a stubborn jar lid!
– Gently place the LCD beside the rear panel, giving it a comfy spot.
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and give that display data cable lock a gentle lift upwards.
– Carefully slide the display data cable out of its cozy socket.
Step 38
– Carefully detach the LCD assembly from the rear panel assembly. You’ve got this!
Step 39
Make sure to pry up on the hinged retaining flap, not the socket itself! You’ve got this!
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently lift the retaining flap on the headphone jack and front camera cable ZIF socket. You got this!
– Carefully peel away the headphone jack and front camera cable from the rear case. Easy peasy!
Step 40
– Gently wiggle the headphone jack and front camera ribbon cable, then pull it straight out from its cozy spot on the logic board. You’ve got this!
Step 41
– Unscrew those three little 2 mm Phillips screws that are holding the SIM card slot snugly against the rear panel. You’ve got this!
Step 42
– Let’s get started by unscrewing those two 2.9 mm Phillips screws holding the headphone jack snugly to the top edge of the rear panel. You’ve got this!
Step 43
Hold your horses! You can’t remove the assembly just yet because those ribbon cables are still hanging on.
– Grab a trusty plastic opening tool and gently pry the headphone jack out from its cozy spot in the top of the rear panel. You’re doing great!
Step 44
– Gently lift the front camera and microphone cables away from the rear panel.
Step 45
– Gently peel away the tape that’s shielding the front camera cable connector. You’ve got this!
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and carefully disconnect the front camera cable from the microphone cable just below it. Easy peasy!
Step 46
– Gently lift the front camera cable away from the microphone cable.
Step 47
Take care when peeling off the tape; those camera, microphone, and headphone jack ribbon cables are delicate little fellows that need your gentle touch!
– Peel off the piece of tape that’s got a bright red highlight!
Step 48
– Gently lift the front camera away from the foam adhesive that’s holding it snugly to the rear panel. You’ve got this!
Step 49
– Gently coax the front-facing camera cable out of its cozy little channel nestled in the rear panel.
– Carefully detach the front-facing camera from your iPad, and give it a little wave goodbye!
Step 50
– Grab a trusty plastic opening tool and gently pop that microphone cable connector loose!
– Carefully take out the headphone jack/SIM slot from your device. It’s like giving your gadget a little breather!
Step 51
– First things first, if there’s any tape hanging out over the dock connector cable, go ahead and peel that off. We want a clear path!
– Now grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently coax the dock connector cable’s connector up from its snug little home on the logic board. Be gentle, it’s a delicate operation!
– Finally, take a moment to peel the dock connector ribbon cable away from the rear panel. It should come off nice and easy!
Step 52
– Gently slide the prying tool underneath the four wires at the end of the connector and carefully lift the speaker cable connector straight up from its home on the logic board. Remember, don’t pry from the other end of the connector; that could mess up the four solder points underneath and lead to a microsolder repair. We’re here to keep things smooth and simple!
Step 53
Be gentle with that cable! When you’re disconnecting it, keep it level and avoid lifting it up. You’ve got this!
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently lift up the retainer that’s holding the upper component board cable connector snugly in its socket on the logic board.
– Now, carefully wiggle the connector free from its cozy home on the logic board.
Step 54
– Let’s get started by taking off those two 2.1 mm Phillips screws that are holding the logic board bracket snugly to the rear case, right by the digitizer cable socket. Grab your screwdriver and let’s go!
– Once those screws are out of the way, gently lift the logic board bracket off the rear case. You’re doing great!
Step 55
– Let’s get those four 2.6 mm Phillips screws out of the way that are holding the logic and communications boards snugly to the rear panel. You’re doing great!
Step 56
– Grab a plastic opening tool and gently nudge the logic board up from the rear case. It’s a delicate dance, so take your time!
– The logic board is stuck to the rear case with some serious adhesive; be patient and work steadily to lift it away without causing any harm to the board.
Step 57
Hey there! Just a friendly reminder: don’t attempt to completely take out the logic board just yet. It’s still got three antenna cables hanging on, so let’s keep it cozy for now.
– Gently lift the logic board out of the rear case, giving it a little twist toward the battery as you go. You’re doing great!
Step 58
– Grab your trusty plastic opening tool and gently disconnect the cellular data antenna cable from its cozy spot on the communications board. You’ve got this!
Step 59
– Unscrew the lone 2.1 mm Phillips screw that’s holding the cellular data antenna cable snugly to the rear case. You’ve got this!
Step 61
– Carefully use a plastic opening tool to pop the cellular data antenna away from the rear case. You’ve got this!
Step 62
– Carefully lift the cellular data antenna out of its cozy little spot in the iPad casing.
– Gently guide the cellular data antenna cable through the channel cut in the rear panel, and then free the antenna from the device.
Step 63
– Grab a plastic opening tool and gently pry away the right antenna cable from its cozy little home on the communications board.
Step 64
– Unscrew the lone 2.1 mm Phillips screw that’s holding the right cellular antenna snugly to the rear case. You’ve got this!
Step 65
In this step, let’s peel away those three pesky pieces of tape that are keeping the right cell antenna cable snug against the rear case. You’ve got this!
Step 66
– Carefully ease the antenna away from the back casing using a plastic opening tool. No need to rush—take your time!
– Now, gently lift and detach the right cellular data antenna from your iPad 2. You’re doing great!
