Amplify onboard wireless adapter

[cbbs70a]

All;
I have a RaspberryPi 3 with the built-in wireless adapter. Right now I am using it as a wireless access point with a TP-Link TL-WN722N USB wireless adapter. What I would like to do is take the RPi3 and build an RF amplifier to boost the signal strength of the built-in wireless, but I'm not quite sure where to begin. I'm thinking that placing the amplifier hardware inside the RPi3 case would be a very cool project to say the least. Does anyone have any experience with something like that? Any insight at all would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks;
Frank

[Ernst]

Before you start you should do some research on the penalties for operating an illegal transmission station, once you modify the Pi3 WiFi you will have a non-certified device that can get you into big problems when caught.

[linux_author]

i don't know about amplifying the on-board wifi via software, but the easiest and most immediate way to increase range on the RPi3 may be to use a wifi dongle with an extended antenna...

the results can be viewed by comparing the number of available access points when using the built-in vs an extended antenna dongle...

for example, using the built-in wifi, my RPi3 will 'see' at most, three APs in range (our home is closely bordered by two others); when using an extended antenna dongle, wifi scans show at least a dozen, with a number nearly 1,500 feet away!

hth,

willie
on the Kismet-enhanced Gulf of Mexico

[cbbs70a]

Before you start you should do some research on the penalties for operating an illegal transmission station, once you modify the Pi3 WiFi you will have a non-certified device that can get you into big problems when caught.

I know, I'm a real outlaw. I also ripped the tag off of my mattress and pillows. I hear the authorities knocking on my door now.

[davef]

Or put an external antenna on the unit instead of the chip antenna. Would require some careful soldering work but looks doable to me.

[mattmiller]

The cost, complexity and illegality are really conspiring against you on this project.

Its a non-starter

[jahboater]

Wifi radio is a two way thing. If you increase the transmit power, the other side may hear you better. But unless the other side also increases their transmit power, you will not hear them and it still wont work.

Best to improve the antenna which increases both the transmit radiated power and the received signal strength.

Harder, would be to change the antenna's radiation pattern (focus it into a beam for example) which would improve the communication and at the same time reject other interfering users on the same channel.

[jamesh]

Before you start you should do some research on the penalties for operating an illegal transmission station, once you modify the Pi3 WiFi you will have a non-certified device that can get you into big problems when caught.

I know, I'm a real outlaw. I also ripped the tag off of my mattress and pillows. I hear the authorities knocking on my door now.

Hmm, not the right attitude. Modifying it is illegal, and easily detectable, may affect TV or emergency services frequencies, depending on what you do. Your call, but the fine is large.