Nice work Tom! I may need to use this approach when I build my letterbox node 
I tried this approach but had mixed results in the end I used a D1 mini pro with its external antenna connector
Results will depend on the antenna used and the length of connecting coax.
I’ve got some more boards on the way from China and will do a before/after test next time.
Just wanted to add one more:
I found a TYWE3S module in a Tuya plug and replaced the PCB antenna with an external one. The approach is basically the same as in @tom_l’s original post, but the PCB antenna is mirrored on the TYWE3S.
I don’t have a before-after comparison. In my case the plug is used behind the pool where there is absolutely no Wifi signal, but with the above modification I could install an external antenna about 1 metre above the pool water level and ESPHome now reports around -72 dB signal strength.
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Thank you! Works well!
Proof of performance boost. Exact same location in my lawn boosted this mi-flora BLE sensor from -90 to -65dBm. It’s not a little antenna though.
Also worth pointing out that this is kind of illegal. Now that the device’s effective radiated power has changed the FCC certification is no longer valid.
In this case it’s probably ok as it is a long way from my property boundary and the signal drops off to the noise floor before it gets there.
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Does anyone have experience with adding an external antenna to a Wemos D1 Mini (non-Pro)?
Scratch away some of the insulation from the on-board antenna. Connect the signal/core of your coax to this point using solder, and be very short/neat about the connection. Connect the shield/ground of the coax to GND on your board. There ya go!
A nodeMCU wasn’t connecting at all in my shed so I tried attaching an aerial from an old router I had laying around.
Baseline as stock, upstairs.
With aerial, upstairs.
With aerial in the shed. Sorted!
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I modded a MagicHome RGB LED strip controller tonight and embedded it inside the metal case of a cheap RGB led floodlight.
Rather than cut the antenna cable, I scraped away the solder mask on the antenna trace, and the ground plane and added a surface mount UFL connector.
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Wow. That’s fiddly work.
After I (succesfully, mind you) modded a standard D1 Mini with an antenna flylead, I now use D1 Mini Pros when I need an external antenna, as that already has the socket in place. Still need to move a super-tiny 0603-size zero ohm resistor from one set of pads to another though.
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Did you measure the signal before and after the mod? What kind of results did you get?
I have been doing more research on this and on the board you have both traces are connected. So, ‘the experts’ are claiming that you need to connect one wire of the external antenna to ground on the board and the other wire of the external antenna to the antenna trace on the board. Do you have any comments about that?
Thanks for your posting
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Sadly I didn’t think to get a “before” signal reading. I do know, that I could barely get the unit on the network before the antenna mod due to the metal case of the floodlight. The tasmota signal strength bars showed 1 bar. Afterwards its doing fine sitting around -68dbm and full bars. I’ve got one more I want to do and I’ll do a before and after for that and update this thread.
As far as the ground / signal question. I severed and removed a section of the antenna trace leading to the printed antenna, disconnecting it fully, then scraped off the mask on the board where the surface mount connector would need to be grounded. I also then used the overlap of the UFL ground lead to bridge the printed antenna into the ground plane on the board in hopes to prevent any possible interference.
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It will be great if you post the latest pictures of your mod. But I understand if you can’t. Thanks again for the info
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@tom_l
Thank you for this - just copied and made a massive difference - using a USD0.26 antenna!.
Signal has gone from 40% to 60%
Attached photo of modification and also connection strength before and after the mod (measurements taken in final position after adding hot glue to strengthen and put in a upvc enclosure).
Cheers.
Details:
- ESP32 mini - outside of the house being used to drive WLED, 2xws2812b strips with sacrifical leds, and an IR receiver
- Antenna - ESP8266 ESP32 S WiFi Bluetooth Module with 2.4G IPEX Wireless Antenna for Arduino|Integrated Circuits| - AliExpress
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Has anyone added an external antenna to a Sonoff TH16?
I don’t have a TH16 but found a thread which appears to show where the connections are on the board to add one:
Hope it helps.
thank you !!
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Hello,
I have ESP32 (https://www.amazon.ae/gp/product/B086ZMDB7H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) using it for Mi flora bluetooth, but the bluetooth range is too short, will the above mentioned hack by putting external antenna improve the bluetooth range or thats just for Wifi range?
Thanks.
Yes it will help. The ESP32 uses the same antenna for both wifi and Bluetooth.
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