Longer Range?

[prairietech]

I've been blown away with the ease and simplicity of using esp easy and various esp8266 modules for temperature monitoring and publishing the data using mqtt.
But I have an application that needs better distance and penetration of around 100 meters. I've read about LoRa but it seems to mostly interface to an outside network that I don't want to do.
Any other ideas or solutions?

[Shardan]

WiFi is limited in range due to legal policies limiting the transmit power.

With the onboard antennas it will be difficult to extend the range to 100 meters.
The only way out might be WiFi repeaters - if they are possible at all.

Another way are ESP-07S. Please don't mix up with ESP-07 (without the "S"). These have 0,5MByte flash and won't work with ESPEasy.
The ESP-07S has no own antenna but an IPEX connector instead. You may use these ESP-Chips with an IPEX-->SMA cable. The SMA-connector allows to connect an
antenna with higher gain.

At this point it will need some experimenting is necessary.
A bar antenna with a gain > 5dB might be enough - or not. If it does not suffice you might use a Yagi antenna (similar to the former TV antennas).
A yagi is a directional antenna with high gain, it must be directed to the antenna of your WiFi AP/router.

Yagi's are somewhat expensive. First try should be a high gain bar antenna on both sides.

Regards
Shardan

[prairietech]

Thanks Shardan. I just received a couple of Wemos d1 minis with external antenna connectors and have a 12db gain patch antenna to try. I think clear line of sight will be fine but 2.4 GHz isn't going to give much penetration of walls. I've looked around at 900 MHz but it appears I'm on my own to develop the code to handle the data.

[Drum]

I have used them at over 100 meters with an external AP for a while then a AP in a window after the outdoor unit died.

[ut1545]

Hi Shardan,

I have a esp-07 without "S" and I can confirm that it has 1MBytes memory as you can see bellow:

Code: Select all

$ esptool.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 flash_id
esptool.py v2.1
Connecting....
Detecting chip type... ESP8266
Chip is ESP8266
Uploading stub...
Running stub...
Stub running...
Manufacturer: e0
Device: 4014
Detected flash size: 1MB
Hard resetting...
$

Regards,

[Shardan]

As these parts arenot made by Espressif there are different versions around.
Depends on which flash chip the manufacturer implements.
I've just tested mus left over ESP-07; They all have 512 KB.....

[ut1545]

May be I'm so lucky...

I have had only one in my hands so, it may be an exception. It is marked as AI-Thinker but I know that there are a lot of fake chips around...

BTW, I'm using it just to extend range and works great...

Regards,

[mrwee]

Thanks Shardan. I just received a couple of Wemos d1 minis with external antenna connectors and have a 12db gain patch antenna to try. I think clear line of sight will be fine but 2.4 GHz isn't going to give much penetration of walls. I've looked around at 900 MHz but it appears I'm on my own to develop the code to handle the data.

AFIK you need to move a 0Ohm resistor for the external connector to work. If you don't, you're still using the internal ceramic antenna.

[prairietech]

Thanks Shardan. I just received a couple of Wemos d1 minis with external antenna connectors and have a 12db gain patch antenna to try. I think clear line of sight will be fine but 2.4 GHz isn't going to give much penetration of walls. I've looked around at 900 MHz but it appears I'm on my own to develop the code to handle the data.

AFIK you need to move a 0Ohm resistor for the external connector to work. If you don't, you're still using the internal ceramic antenna.

Yes I was aware of the 0 ohm resistor.
Looking forward to warmer weather so I can do some additional range testing. I'm curious to see what directional gain antennas will do?

[mattlward]

I was going to suggest the D1 Mini Pro, but I have not used one yet. So far, I have not needed the external antenna. I have something I want to try this spring and may have to order one to try!

[toffel969]

I was going to suggest the D1 Mini Pro, but I have not used one yet. So far, I have not needed the external antenna. I have something I want to try this spring and may have to order one to try!

I'm using two mini pro with external antenna. I swapped them in After wifi reliability issues with normal minis. Works well

[mattlward]

Will have to look at boxes, so far all of my D1's are naked and afraid!

[Ton_vN]

Based on experience with 2*WEMOS almost side-by-side (=1*Mini +1*Pro):
WEMOS D1 Pro + antenna provides gain as expected compared to 'naked/antenna-less' WEMOS.
The extra dBs from the antenna are clearly visible in ESPEasy's Wifi RSSI.

[mattlward]

Thanks for that update... I have one unit that is running down in the -77 and 1 that is running down around -82. May have to try one on the next order.