Mac Pro Airport Card Screws Needed?

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Level 2

336 points

Mac Pro Airport Card Screws Needed?

Hey gang,

I'm interested in buying an Airport card for my 2008 Mac Pro (3,1), and I see some decent deals out there. However, some say that the mounting screws are not included, screws cost extra, or screws are included (which somehow seems to jack the price up by $10+ in some cases, or otherwise being a complete package makes the price for the card much higher than the deals I'm seeing). In some cases, they don't say whether the screws are included or not.

So the question is...are they really necessary? Should I care whether the card is secured by the mounting screws or not?

2.8GHz Mac Pro Octo (Early 2008) (+2.0GHz 2007 mini), Mac OS X (10.6.1), ~ Mac Pro 2GB RAM / Mini 1GB RAM / iPod with Video 60GB (Apple r

Posted on Dec 11, 2011 3:12 PM

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Answer 1

X423424X

Level 6

14,271 points

Dec 11, 2011 4:37 PM in response to MyKidsDad

I am not sure you just want it dangling in there.

FWIW, the part number for 2008 mac pro airport/bluetooth card screws is 922-7734. A google search did indeed confirm they are "pricey" (putting it mildly). But it also shows the size is M2x3mm. I guess that is a metric screw size specification. A google search for "M2x3mm Screws" did flush out sources for those and at more reasonable prices. For example, here's one place that has them for 23 cents apiece.

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Answer 2

MyKidsDad Author

Level 2

336 points

Dec 12, 2011 12:50 PM in response to MyKidsDad

Thanks for the research & the link to the screws, that was quite kind of you! 🙂

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Answer 3

X423424X

Level 6

14,271 points

Dec 12, 2011 12:54 PM in response to MyKidsDad

You're welcome and it was no problem once you know the part numbers.

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Answer 4

Dec 12, 2011 4:01 PM in response to X423424X

Metric screw sizes:

The first number is the shaft diameter in mm. For these, M2 says 2mm diameter shaft. Those are really small.

The second number is usually thread pitch, measured as "wavelength" peak-to-peak of one complete thread. But at this size screw, it would be a number less that 0.50 mm/thread. So that cannot be it.

What is more likely is that at really small diameters, there is only one standard thread pitch, and the 3mm is the screw length.

One more piece of trivia, CD drive screws are 3mm diameter screws, but Hard Drive screws are SAE (American) #6 diameter screws.

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Answer 5

X423424X

Level 6

14,271 points

Dec 12, 2011 6:41 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the info. Yes, I am not familiar with metric screw specifications.

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Answer 6

MyKidsDad Author

Level 2

336 points

Dec 26, 2011 6:57 PM in response to X423424X

Well, for the record, these metric screws worked perfectly! I'd forgotten that this card enters into its slot at a 45 degree angle, so, no, you wouldn't want to leave it in there untethered with no screws.

I bought a Broadcom BCM94322MC 802.11n dual band card from eBay (Wondercity3); it comes up as a "third-party card" and works great.

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Answer 7

Nov 17, 2014 3:07 PM in response to X423424X

I am looking to order the same screw but that link is no longer working. Do you have the 5 digit model # for that screw? the closest they could find was 10131NP (no threadlock patch) - this is the m2x3mm

I have also seen another article that says a m2-0.4x4 works best. Any notes from you all?

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Answer 8

Nov 17, 2014 4:50 PM in response to StevendJackson

m2-0.4x4

so that would be a (tiny) metric screw 2mm diameter, 0.4mm peak-to-peak on the thread (which is likely the only thread pitch at that diameter) and 4mm long. Should work fine.

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