Home > Consumer Reviews > APPLE Airport Extreme Card and Bluetooth Upgrade Kit M9870Z/A

The Mac Mini is not intended to be opened by the consumer - only by an authorized Apple Repair Specialist. You need a special tool to open the Mac Mini and installing the BlueTooth module is tricky and can break fairly easily during install. The Apple Store will install this for free - but if you try installing it yourself and it breaks the card and/or the attachment points on the motherboard, guess who just ate some parts and money? You did! Let Apple or an authorized specialist do this so if they make a boo-boo, you're covered. I'm really at a loss as to why this module is even available on Amazon when you can't even buy it via Apple's site unless you're an authorized repair specialist. When you buy these at the Apple Store, it's with the service - they ring it up and take your Mac Mini to the back to install it - it's never just sold over the counter as a part for the consumer.

For non-Mac Mini owners, this item will NOT work with any other Mac made - period. This upgrade kit was made especially for the Mac Mini. This will not work in any Airport card slot (original model or Extreme). PERIOD. The module works like a charm, but why it's even available for sale here is beyond me.

Please note, the photo they have above is NOT a photo of the upgrade kit for the mini. It is a totally different form factor. I have uploaded a photo of the actual kit. It does not simply pop in like the airport extreme card pictured above - it is a kit with several small pieces and screws that takes about 30 minutes for an experienced installer to complete from beginning to end.

The previous review is absolutely accurate! If you have a Power Mac G5 from October 2005 on (Duals and Quad), you need the "Apple Wireless Upgrade Kit for Power Mac G5 Dual or Power Mac G5 Quad MA252G/A"

It is a two-piece solution, with a combo AirportExtreme/Bluetooth card mounted on a "runway card" that fits into the logic board slot. Plugging in a regular Airport Extreme card like the one on this page will do nothing, even though it fits perfectly.

Amazon sometimes has the MA252G/A in stock. There are a few vendors who have them available, should you want to install this yourself. BTW, Apple claims it is NOT a Do-It-Yourself install, so make sure you're technically inclined.

Above all, have fun.

I'd only recommend you buying this if you're more DIY/techie and'd like to take the time and effort to pry your mini open to see its guts and put this in. There are numerous detailed installation guides and even a few videos online to get you through the 'cracking the case' scenario and I definately suggest getting some putty knives over the other strange techniques online.

When I bought my Original mini I didn't think of ordering this. I wish I had. Now that I have it. It is great. I serviced Macs for 12 years and so installation was fairly easy for me. About 20 minutes with taking my time. When I powered up and checked the "About this Mac" the Airport and Bluetooth componets showed up. I was able to connect to my phone via Bluetooth. I don't have a wireless network at home so I have not be able to check that out yet. This was a better buy than was available on Ebay!

It should be noted that this kit is not compatible with the new Mac Pro or the Quad G5 systems released in October 2005. The hardware is incompatible. Apple has not yet begun shipping upgrade kits for these systems as post-market options.