Wifi module antenna
#1
Hey, kind of curious...

What did you do with the antenna on your wifi module? Did you stick it anywhere? Are you just letting it flop around?

I'm not sure if I want to use the adhesive part to stick it somewhere yet but also I think it shouldn't bounce around freely.

What do you think?
#2
(08-06-2016, 06:36 PM)MrWolf Wrote: Hey, kind of curious...

What did you do with the antenna on your wifi module? Did you stick it anywhere? Are you just letting it flop around?

I'm not sure if I want to use the adhesive part to stick it somewhere yet but also I think it shouldn't bounce around freely.

What do you think?

For best reception, you want the active bit of the antenna (the bit on the end with the adhesive) as high as you can get it, and as far away from the board or any other electronics as you can get it. The wire is actually coaxial wire/cable, which means the wire is shielded to prevent it acting like an antenna and introducing interference (noise). 

Having said that... you may find that simply shoving the antenna under the pine64 works for you also... (as long as you make sure it doesn't short any connections out... all really depends on your wireless setup and environment. For a while mine was simply shoved under the board to get it out of the way (and since the router was only 2 meters away, it would have to be a completely useless antenna to not work perfectly!). Now that it's mounted somewhere else, it's poked up so it can do its thing.
#3
On my desk units I have the wifi cable standing pretty much straight up on one unit, and out to the front on the other unit. Within a couple meters of the router it doesn't make much difference. 

On my Play Box, I removed the backing from the end of the antenna and 'stuck' it to the side of the box away from the board, and away from the batts (both the lith-ion batt, and the 3v RTC backup batt). The primary purpose of sticking it down is to prevent interference, but also I find it annoying to have stuff flopping around inside the box. I also have the end 'stuck' down in the center of the box, so that its away from my hands while I'm playing with it. The actual antenna is the small adhesive part on the end of the cable, and it should be mounted away from where your hands will hold the box.
marcushh777    Cool

please join us for a chat @  irc.pine64.xyz:6667   or ssl  irc.pine64.xyz:6697

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#4
I completely did away with the peel n stick antenna Smile
I bought a RP-SMA to u.fl adapter and a rp-sma antenna from sparkfun.
#5
(08-09-2016, 08:57 PM)soldierx Wrote: I completely did away with the peel n stick antenna Smile
I bought a RP-SMA to u.fl adapter and a rp-sma antenna from sparkfun.

Link ?
marcushh777    Cool

please join us for a chat @  irc.pine64.xyz:6667   or ssl  irc.pine64.xyz:6697

( I regret that I am not able to respond to personal messages;  let's meet on irc! )
#6
RP-SMA

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/662

SMA

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9145

They're both $4.95 Smile
#7
Thanks for the feedback, guys.

After tinkering a bit with the dremel I ended up with a pretty nice little case with brass hex spacers and have placed the antenna wire on the top part which seems to give pretty good reception although I am only about 10 feet away from the router. I haven't used the adhesive yet, I'm going to test it in a room further away from where it is now and see what the results are like.
#8
(08-10-2016, 10:25 AM)soldierx Wrote: RP-SMA

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/662

SMA

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9145

They're both $4.95 Smile

The second link (9145 ) points to the antenna, right?
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#9
Nope... the second link points to the normal version of the uFL to SMA cable from the first link (which is a uFL to reverse-pin (RP) SMA adapter).

To fit an external antenna, you want a Interface Cable RP-SMA to U.FL and a 2.4GHz Duck Antenna RP-SMA. The first is the converter from the uFL connector to RP-SMA, which can be bulkhead/project box mounted, and the second is the actual antenna. Wink

(09-21-2016, 02:54 PM)mribunal Wrote: The second link (9145 ) points to the antenna, right?
#10
Thanks!
Follow me on Twitter: @MarlonRibunal
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