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Introduction
Each step has a bullet indicating the tool you'll be using. Don't worry about getting lost or confused; hundreds of people have successfully used the Fixit Guide series to repair their laptops.
Tools used in this guide
Step 1 — Disassembly
We got our new Airport Extreme 802.11n today. We decided to deviate from our standard modus operandi and run some benchmarks before we took it apart. (I know, I know-- our screwdrivers were lonely for a while.) This image is a sneak-peek to get your appetite whetted.
The new base station is amazing. We achieved a 10x performance boost, and a 3x usable range increase (significantly better than Apple's 5x/2x claims). Actual benchmarks are on the next page.
Step 2
Included: Base station, the famous $1.99 install CD, smallish power brick, and a manual. No USB or ethernet cables.
Our office is a little bit spread out-- we have two snow 802.11g base stations and two Airport Express units. We may be able to replace them all with just one new base station!
Step 3
From bottom up: Mac Mini, new base station, old base station.
The base station is the exact same footprint as the Mac Mini, and slightly more than half as tall.
The device feels very sturdy, and weighs a bit more (1.70 pounds) than the old base stations (1.22 pounds).