I’ve seen other guides that avoid having to remove the entire logic board by just popping the metal shield over the WiFi board on the bottom part of the logic board then popping out the WiFi board with the antenna cable attached. I assume there’s some good reason for not using this approach? Is there some risk of damaging the WiFi board? It’s just a press fit into the base of the logic board and there’s sufficient clearance to thread the antenna cable up from the bottom and out thru the space where the WiFi board goes. The metal shield can be pried off and pushed back on without damaging it, and the WiFi board can be eased up from it’s socket with the tip of an exacto knife blade. Removing the entire logic requires that it be re-seated so the metal contacts at each end mate and requires an adhesive to hold it in place. What’s wrong with this alternative?

Wskordas .. could you be a bit more precise about where/how to make the short circuit? There are two tiny screws that hold down the tiny plate, then another on the left side then one holding the clip on the cable. How do these screws and the plate effect WiFi antenna performance? Does the position/orientation of the wire running from the antenna to the logic board matter? Also, I’ve seen a range of prices for iPad 2 WiFi/bluetooth antennae … from $2 to $15 at ifixit. I assume there’s only one source for the actual part (some place in China?) so is there any really difference among these other than the price? Are there any really crucial steps or tricks when installing to make sure you get great reception? I’m probably going to remove the one I installed with poor reception and try another, though if I can get the screen off without destroying the one I just installed are there any things I should check or try to improve reception on the one I have?

You sure it’s your WiFi that’s “working normally”? If you have one of the GSM/CDMA models and have activated data coverage with a cell carrier than it could be that your internet access is coming via data roaming.

I’m in much of the same boat regarding the performance of the new WiFi antenna. I broke the old one removing a digitizer screen so got a new one (for around $5) and installed on an iPad 2 (Model A1397, 2012 vintage) . Before gluing down the screen I did test the WiFi but didn’t realize that the the fact I could connect to my network OK might not be a sufficient test (also this is a friend’s iPad so I don’t really have a sense for how the WiFi was performing before the fix). With the iPad near my Xfinity router I get a nice strong signal (but only ever see my one local network, not the 6 or 7 other networks visible on my PCs and Nexus 7 tablet). Away from the router are many dead spots and poor speed. I’d repeat the repair but wonder whether another WiFi antenna would matter? Does anybody actually know how it works? Does the antenna use part of the aluminum case for reception? Is there any way to troubleshoot this? Must part of the antenna contact the body or screen? What do the screw holders do?

Why the warning not to remove the LCD? If you first disconnect power (by removing the battery contact screw on the logic board and slipping some thin flexible plastic between the battery contacts and logic board), then isn’t safe to go ahead and disconnect the LCD cable? I’d be much more comfortable disconnecting the LCD and setting it aside in a protective bag during the remaining steps?

Based on my experience just (nearly) completing this job on an iPad 2, CDMA, is that the trickiest step is reconnecting the three CDMA antenna cables on the underside of the CDMA chip that is part of the logic board assembly. These are nearly microscopic button connectors (maybe 0.5 mm in diameter). I needed 8X magnification glasses, very bright light, tweezers, and incredible luck to get these reattached. They pop off no problem, but getting them positioned to apply pop-on force takes a LOT of patients! Maybe someone knows a trick to doing this? There’s a similar connector on the WiFi cable but the chip it attaches to can be removed from the logic board so you’re able to manage positioning them interdependently. The CDMA chip is attached (soldered?) to the logic board and the three button connectors are on the underside, and pretty close to one another, so getting all THREE attached and then the logic board in place is a miracle.

Irreversible damage to the Wi-Fi antenna is nearly unavoidable, but this is not the end of the world since you can pick up a perfectly fine replacement on-line for a few bucks. Many digitizer screen replacement kits include a new WiFi antenna and new bezel since removing the screen without damage to these is also nearly impossible. If your iPad is old enough to need a new battery, and you plan on keeping it thru at least another battery's expected life span, then I would plan on replacing the digitizer screen, bezel, and WiFi antenna as part of the battery replacement. The battery is going to be the most expensive of the set, say around $15 (US), and adding the other three will only add about another $15 (check the prices in ebay, amazon, etc.). Removing the screen often results in damage to the on/off and volume control cable since it too runs along the upper right hand edge of the base right under the screen. If you cut thru this then add another $1 to replace it too.