Wires from Thunderbolt monitor to Apple Macbook Air Frayed

The replacement Octopus cables are rare and expensive, plus the process is not for average Joe.

You can just wrap the Octopus cable (please do NOT cut it, literally - might cause "short") and call it the day.

If you need the power portion from the Octopus cable, juts use the power adapter came with the laptop.

Here are the visuals for you.

Best

As you can see, the connector is frayed -- very common with TB display.

Apple made 0.5m and 2m TB1/2 cable - make sure you buy the TB 1/2 certified TB cable.

Use this TB port for the connection (the adapter is for for newer Mac Models):

First: get Thunderbolt 1/2 certified cable (Apple made 0.5m and 2m). Make sure it's Thunderbolt certified. You can find them on some auction site -- total your call.

Second: After you have the cable described in hand. You can completely omit the Octopus cable, by wrapping it around.

Like this (just do not physically CUT them off).

Third: Connect the cable you purchased to the Thunderbolt port at the back of the Thunderbolt Display

See below:

You will need the adapter, in order to connect to your MacBook Air M1.

Hope these photos could give you more insight about "how to."

Best

IrahsLladnar wrote:

I have Thunderbolt monitor (model number: MM9179LLA/A-1083 and I have been connecting it to my dell laptop for my Zoom calls and spreadhseets for work. It is a Macbook Air 13" M1 A2337.

Are you sure that this is a Thunderbolt monitor?

MacTracker only finds two matches for M9179LL/A, and for A1083. Both match the same two displays:

• Cinema Display (30-inch DVI)
• Cinema Display (30-inch DVI Late 2005)

Those displays require dual-link DVI input.

The Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch) had order numbers MC914LL/A, MC914LL/B and model number A1407. That display requires old-style Thunderbolt input. It has several hub ports: three USB 2.0 ones, one FireWire 800 one, and a Gigabit Ethernet one.

These require different adapters. The 30" Cinema Displays would require a USB-C to dual-link DVI adapter. The Thunderbolt Display would require an Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter (or equivalent).

If the 30" Cinema Displays have a permanently-attached cable, and it is becoming unusable, I do not know of any workaround for that – other than having the cable replaced by a repair shop. The Thunderbolt Display is designed to support daisy-chaining, so if you have a bad cable on a Thunderbolt Display that isn't actually shorting out, you can leave it unplugged and get a separate Thunderbolt 1/2 cable to run into the daisy-chaining port.

You gave us the identifiers for a 30" Apple Cinema Display that takes dual-link DVI input, and said that you have a "Thunderbolt monitor" whose cable is frayed … and said "It is a Macbook Air 13" M1 A2337."

To connect this display directly to a MacBook Air (M1, 2020), you would need

• A USB-C to dual-link DVI adapter for a Cinema Display (30-inch DVI or 30-inch DVI Late 2005)
• A USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter for a LED Cinema Display (27-inch)
• An Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter for a Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch)

Obviously there are possible variants on these arrangements involving using a hub or dock.

You didn't give us any clue as to what sort of video ports your Dell laptop has, or how you attached it to that Dell laptop.

I'm sorry, but you're going to have to do a better job of identifying your monitor. Pictures, lists of all of the ports, model numbers read off the monitor itself (not some ancient invoice that might refer to some other monitor your employer purchased) … something solid to go on.

You can just get a Thunderbolt 2 cable (Apple made 2 length 0.5m and 2m) --> and utilize the back of the thunderbolt Display's TB2 port. It will act as the Octopus cable (without the MegSafe portion).

By using this modification, the back of the 3 USB 2.0 port will continue to function.

I will add few pictures later on to give you the visual.

Best

Third party cables from Amazon often do not work.

They often are missing data lines to make them less expensive.

Try to use Apple OEM cables if you are using an Apple monitor.

sametenor shows good ideas for an alternate for the graphics cable.

If you are instead having problems with the AC power cord, the thicker of the cables, that is a different story.

Third party adapters often do not work either. Try to use Apple adapters with those graphic cables.

IrahsLladnar wrote:

So my only recourse is to have a repair shop fix that cord??!!

Apple sold the original 30" Cinema Display between June 2004 and March 2006, and a revised version between March 2006 and July 2010. That means that if this monitor is a 30" Cinema Display, it is about 14.5 – 20.5 years old. The warranty expired long, long ago.

Apple sold the Thunderbolt Display (27-inch) between July 2011 and June 2016. That would make one of those about 8.5 – 13.5 years old. Once again, the display would be long out of warranty.