What would be a typical WIFI range for ESP32-C3 Mini Dev Board?
Hey there, @Rod321444,
With any WiFi project, the limiting factor is going to be the antenna that you’re using. The ESP32-C3 Mini Dev Board 's don’t have a particularly large antenna, but a small ceramic one directly attached to the PCB. The Datasheets don’t even include any specifics about the hardware. My rough estimate is that it’s going to be on the lower side of tens of meters, maybe fifteen at most.
If WiFi range is important for your project, I would go with something like the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32-C3 | Buy in Australia | SS113991054 | Core Electronics. The Xiao Range are my personal favourite ESP32s at the moment and that sentiment is pretty much the same throughout the CS and TS offices. Pair it with a 2.4GHz Rod Antenna for XIAO ESP32C3 (SKU: SS103990623) and you’ll be good as golden.
Tks for the info
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Im not really a fan of the “how far” can something go with radio.
there are many factors and antenna quality is just one of them.
What is between the two points will have a big impact as well.
Even if you can connect, can it connect at the speed you need ?
e.g. as you get further away from the AP, your speed will go down in order to maintain a stable connection.
From memory Wifi power is inverse-square.
i.e. as you double your distance from the AP you get a 1/4 of the power at the node; then faster if not line of site.
Of course this is linked to how good the signal is to start with.
With most systems, the best option is always to test with the gear you would like to use.
Hi Michael
I think the it would be a brave soul who would answer the original question with any degree of certainty.
How true.
That is why with serious systems a radio survey is usually done as you mention here
This will either confirm or disprove path calculations or predictions. One curly one with point to point systems is “Fade Margin”, ie; how much do you need over and above the expected threshold to allow for worst case fades. The design engineers have to come up with some sort of figure which depends on lots of things, including your position on the planet and direction of propagation.
I don’t think you can worry about much of this in trying to establish an answer to this query but these things are there and it does no harm to get an appreciation of what is involved here.
Cheers Bob
Thanks Bob. I plan to do a lot of component testing and see how far I can push performance so I have confidence that high demand and reliable connectivity is well below max testing thresholds. I needed a bit of a starting point so I don’t waste time and money od devices that havo no chance to cut it!
Cheers
Macka
Hi Rod
Just a starting point. I would make sure to get a device with a decent antenna. Not sure how these PC board antennas perform and I don’t think there is too much published. This really is a key component in any communications system.
There is an old saying that you can have the best transmitter or receiver in the world but if you have not got a decent antenna to go with it you might as well have a piece of string. In other words you are wasting your time.
Cheers Bob
