If you have a wireless device and it doesn’t always perform like it should, it connects sporadically or not at all, then perhaps its little internal antenna doesn’t make it.
You can add a bigger, powerful and serious external antenna.
So all you need is an antenna and an extension cable. And a little skill.
If you have an antenna you recovered from an old router or something like that, that’s good. Or you can buy a new one. These wireless antennas usually use SMA connectors. It’s always a good idea to recover RF cables and connectors from scrapped devices, but the downside is that in time you’ll end up with a pile of junk, like I do. The upside is that you can easily start a new project and it doesn’t cost you a lot of money. It’s a matter of hobby and passion.
Check the PCB for the internal antenna. You must cut the trace to it and solder the coaxial extension. The center wire. The shield goes to ground.
Be aware that this is generally irreversible and if it doesn’t work, your WiFi will be dead.
It usually works, and your device will connect faster and will function more reliably.
Or it will just work, when previously, it didn’t.
This technique is particularly useful if your WiFi device is enclosed in a metallic box.
Hello Racov! I just discovered your Youtube channel and your website. Thank you for all the information you provide. I can see hours of exploration.
I have been watching your video “HOW TO ADD EXTERNAL ANTENNA TO ANY WIRELESS DEVICE”
I was wondering if you could suggest a solution: I want to add external antennas to my Mifi M2000 but I’m not sure how the SMA cables should be soldered to those compression contacts. I include a link to detailed photos. https://fccid.io/PKRISGM2000B/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-4943430.pdf
Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers! ~ Marc
Hey Marc,
This device is too complicated for my expertise, sorry.
Best of luck,
Racov
Marc, the device in question has 9 cellular ant connections on the board. The case that the device is in, has 9 points of contact for the antennas that are built into the case. Devices like this, and phones, generally have more than one antenna because of the handing of the device in use. The software takes all of the antennas into account and takes measurements from them to keep the best connection alive. Since there is no schematic on https://fccid.io/PKRISGM2000B/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-4943430.pdf , I am unable to tell you which points are ground and which are not. If you are able to use a volt meter, you can find out which of the points (9 x 2, every connection has a ground next to it) are ground and wire it accordingly. You only need to use one set of connections for the antenna you want to solder on. Good luck!