iPad 3G Communications Board Replacement
Duration: 45 minutes
Steps: 15 Steps
Ready to give your iPad 3G a boost? Follow along as we swap out its communications board—yep, that's the part that handles all your 3G sending and receiving magic. With a few steps and a little patience, your tablet will be back to handling data like a champ.
Step 1
Don't forget your safety glasses to shield your peepers, and watch out for that LCD screen – we want it to stay in one piece!
This helps keep any sneaky glass shards in check and gives the screen some extra muscle when you’re prying and lifting it up.
- If your display glass is cracked, keep the shards in check and avoid any ouch moments by taping over the glass before you start.
- Cover the iPad's screen with overlapping strips of clear packing tape until the entire front is wrapped up snugly.
- Follow the rest of the guide as smoothly as you can. Just a heads-up: once the glass is broken, it might keep cracking as you work, so you may need to carefully use a metal prying tool to lift out those tricky pieces.
Step 2
The iPad you see here might not be a perfect twin of yours, but don’t worry—the steps to fix it are just as solid and straightforward.
- Slide a metal spudger gently between the right side of the display assembly and the back panel.
- Twist the spudger away from you to pop loose the tabs along the top edge of the display.
Tools Used
Step 3
- Slide a second metal spudger between the top edge of the display assembly and the rear panel assembly to hold those pesky tabs in place.
- Gently pry the display assembly away from the rear panel.
Tools Used
Step 4
Heads up! As you work near the top edge of your iPad, be extra gentle—there's a digitizer ribbon cable hanging out close to the rear panel's edge, and it doesn't take much to damage it.
- Keep on carefully working your way around the bottom and left sides of the iPad, gently prying the display assembly away from the rear panel. Slow and steady wins the race!
Step 5
Careful not to yank the display assembly too far from the iPad—it’s still hooked up by a delicate antenna cable with barely any wiggle room!
- Gently lift the display assembly from the bottom edge, allowing it to gracefully separate from the rear panel assembly.
Step 6
- Gently slide the flat end of a spudger under the antenna connector near the bottom of the iPad to lift it off its socket on the communications board.
Step 7
- Next up, you'll unplug the three cables that link the display assembly to the logic board. These cables handle:
- Digitizer
- Ambient Light Sensor
- Display Data Cable
Step 8
Heads up! Make sure you're lifting the tiny retaining flap—not the whole socket. Gentle hands win the day!
- Grab your trusty iPod opening tool and gently pop up those little retaining flaps that are keeping the digitizer ribbon cables locked in place on the logic board.
- Carefully slide the digitizer ribbon cables right out of their sockets—no tug-of-war needed!
Step 9
- Grab your trusty iPod opening tool and carefully lift the ambient light sensor connector straight up from its socket. Easy does it!
Step 10
Gently glide that connector out parallel to the logic board's face, like you're giving it a friendly high-five!
- Gently flip up the metal retainer using its black plastic pull tab to free the display data cable from the main board.
- Carefully slide the cable connector out of its socket—no need to rush, take it slow!
Step 11
- Gently lift the display assembly away from the rear panel assembly. Keep it smooth and steady—no need for superhero strength!
Step 12
- Gently slide the edge of your iPod opening tool under the antenna connector and lift it off the communications board with care.
Step 13
- Gently guide the control button cable away from the top edge of the communications board.
- Lift the communications cable straight up to pop its connector free from the logic board socket.
Step 14
- Time to show that T5 Torx screw on the communications board who's boss—just unscrew it from the rear case and set it aside for later!
Step 15
Gently lift the right edge of the communications board upward to break free from that sneaky adhesive pad on the rear case. Take it slow and steady—no need to rush!
- Now that you've conquered the repair, just retrace your steps to put your device back together. If things get tricky, you can always schedule a repair for a helping hand!
