A quick and easy hack can improve the WiFi signal strength of inexpensive ESP32-C3-based microcontrollers by 6 to 10 dBm, with even bigger gains possible, according to tests.
This can make a significant difference to IoT nodes, especially if they are deep inside a building or underground.
The fix involves opening up the original ceramic chip antenna and soldering a 31-mm-long piece of silver wire looped at one end and straight at the other in parallel with it.
Tests by one hacker showed that the modified antenna consistently outperformed the original, and in some cases a 20 dBm improvement was seen.
Further experimentation and optimisation of the new antenna’s length and orientation could possibly yield even better results, so this hack is well worth trying for IoT developers.
