The classic ticket: "I dropped my phone, and now WiFi only works next to the router." When signal strength collapses after physical damage, the WiFi antenna flex at the top of the iPhone X has torn loose from the board stamping. It is a textbook flex replacement — if you can confirm it before quoting.
Confirm the fault
- Compare WiFi dBm against a same-model phone at the same distance
- Test Bluetooth too — the same top antenna flex serves both radios
- If both radios are weak, the flex is the prime suspect
- If only WiFi is weak, check the board-side coaxial connector seating
The repair path
The WiFi antenna module sits at the top of the display-side frame. Open the display (bottom pentalobes, heat, open from bottom), disconnect the battery, remove the top bracket, and swap the module — the antenna flex listing covers current models and the X-series module is stocked in the iPhone X collection. Re-test dBm before sealing.
What feels like antenna but is not
Slow WiFi with full bars is a router or firmware issue, not hardware. Weak cellular with perfect WiFi points to the SIM reader or the tray instead. Diagnosing by radio, not by vibe, is what separates a 30-minute flex job from an hour of wasted board probing.
FAQ
After the swap, still weak? Check the coaxial spring contacts for corrosion — liquid damage bends them flat.