External Antenna for Arduino Yun

[SherpaDoug]

The Arduino Yun controller board has a WiFi transceiver with a SWF type connector (https://www.digikey.com/us/en/ph/Murata/SWF_Connector.html) which passes through to a ceramic built in omni antenna. Conventional WiFi antennas usually have a RP-SMA or a UFL connector.

What is the best way to connect an conventional external antenna to the Yun? The microprocessor guys on the discussion forums are clearly fish out of water here. Many users need an external antenna because they need to put the Yun board in a metal box. I need a directional antenna to connect to a WiFi hotspot 1/2 mile away.

Lacking any better idea I will probably unsolder or grind away the SWF connector and try to solder the coax from a UFL cable to the SWF pads.

 

[vfone]

If is just for a prototype, SMA connector would be the best option. For production, UFL/SWF are cheaper.
Soldering directly a coax cable to the board at 2.4GHz it will introduce some losses due to inevitable mismatch.

 

[volker@muehlhaus]

unsolder or grind away the SWF connector and try to solder the coax from a UFL cable to the SWF pads.

I see that SWF cable are expensive, much more expensive than common U.FL cable assemblies.
The SWF PCB connector seems to be the same size as U.FL connectors, so how about replacing it by a U-FL connector?

 

[SherpaDoug]

Soldering a UFL connector onto the SWF pads may be the best option. From what I have read the SWF connector is for test only and does not retain itself. The SWF spring loaded internal switch self-ejects the plug once you let go of it. There is no physical room on the PCB for a SMA connector.