# Adding an external antenna
**URL:** https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404
**Category:** Hardware
**Tags:** wifi, antenna, wireless, howto
**Created:** [September 12, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404 "2016-09-12T16:19:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/1 "2016-09-12T16:19:35Z")
For the improved WiFi range and stability in challenging radio environments it is possible to add an external antenna to your Garadget.
## Adding the antenna
Antenna can be purchased on eBay for about a buck shipped. Search for _2.4GHz antenna IPEX_. There are many types that will work electrically, but are going to be difficult to add mechanically. One type that is easy looks like this:
It only needs a small hole in the back of the unit to get it installed:
##Switching firmware to the external antenna
Next step is to upload the [modified Garadget firmware](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2Du6BHCGPG7MS1nQWdBVnNYUEU) that utilizes the external antenna. For that you’ll need to install DFU driver. Instructions for the driver installation can be found [here](https://community.particle.io/t/tutorial-installing-dfu-driver-on-windows-24-feb-2015). The command to upload the firmware is:
```
dfu-util -d 2b04:d006 -a 0 -s 0x80A0000:leave -D garadget-1-8a.bin
```
To reverse the firmware to the [original version](https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2Du6BHCGPG7dUFHa0Z1c3ZVdEE) the command is:
```
dfu-util -d 2b04:d006 -a 0 -s 0x80A0000:leave -D garadget-1-8.bin
```
Questions, ideas? Please post in this thread.
---
### Author:  [@DrVon](https://community.garadget.com/u/DrVon)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2016, 1:29pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/2 "2016-09-14T13:29:19Z")
The Garadget I just received came with a external antenna. Did you decide to add this for every newer device?
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [September 14, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/3 "2016-09-14T14:15:29Z")
At this point there is no plan to add an external antenna to all units as a standard feature, but I have thoroughly tested the concept and modded several dozen units. Few are still available for purchase.
---
### Author:  [@DrVon](https://community.garadget.com/u/DrVon)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/4 "2016-09-15T02:17:03Z")
So I lucked out then. Nice!
---
### Author:  [@Crusader](https://community.garadget.com/u/Crusader)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2017, 12:05pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/6 "2017-01-02T12:05:20Z")
I just adde d external antennas to my garadgets but have 1.13 firmware is there another way to enable external antennas without flashing modified firmware. Might be good to add it as a option in settings.
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/7 "2017-01-02T22:56:03Z")
4 posts were split to a new topic: [New order from Kickstarter backer](https://community.garadget.com/t/new-order-from-kickstarter-backer/942)
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2017, 4:12pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/8 "2017-01-02T16:12:08Z")
@Crusader, please PM me the device ID and name and I’ll update the setting remotely. The firmware version will go back to v1.13 when finished
---
### Author:  [@Crusader](https://community.garadget.com/u/Crusader)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/9 "2017-01-03T21:53:12Z")
Cool thanks! I can see it went back to 1.11 then now back to 1.13. I don’t see much difference in dB. Probably already got a good signal.
---
### Author:  [@3.14](https://community.garadget.com/u/3.14)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/10 "2017-02-17T04:21:47Z")
Hi,
I’ve added the following external antenna with VERY positive results:
[www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity-AMP/2118060-1](http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/TE-Connectivity-AMP/2118060-1)
Easy to plug in and no changes to the case where needed.
Questions welcome.
-Philip
---
### Author:  [@Papa007](https://community.garadget.com/u/Papa007)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2017, 4:12am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/11 "2017-02-18T04:12:03Z")
Hi Philip 3.13 I added the shorter one and i didn’t really see much difference. I might gives yours a try and see what happens. Cheers and thanks, Craig
---
### Author:  [@3.14](https://community.garadget.com/u/3.14)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/12 "2017-02-18T05:06:32Z")
Mouser also has a few other variants as well.
For me the difference was significant - You will need to ‘garadget’ to switch your antenna input from built-in to external as well.
[mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=et9FEJD5S1Y2ddAOPQOnhQ%3D%3D](http://mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=et9FEJD5S1Y2ddAOPQOnhQ%3d%3d) this one has 4.7db of gain!
-philip
---
### Author:  [@3.14](https://community.garadget.com/u/3.14)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/13 "2017-02-19T01:09:34Z")
Also if you don’t have any WiFi signal in the location the antenna is not going to help, you need some signal for the antenna to work from.
---
### Author:  [@edash](https://community.garadget.com/u/edash)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/14 "2017-04-01T21:18:56Z")
@garadget can you switch my firmware over to external antenna? I can’t seem to find a way to PM you to send you my account info.
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/15 "2017-04-01T22:46:42Z")
Sure. To PM click on the profile picture then on blue “message” button.
---
### Author:  [@edash](https://community.garadget.com/u/edash)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/16 "2017-04-02T00:25:27Z")
Maybe I don’t have enough forum cred to do that yet? Perhaps if you PM me, I can reply.
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 12:45am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/17 "2017-04-02T00:45:12Z")
That’s strange. Ok, I’ll initiate one.
---
### Author:  [@edash](https://community.garadget.com/u/edash)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/18 "2017-04-02T02:23:13Z")
Just finished adding an external antenna and the results so far are fantastic. In my (not so scientific tests) I went from -80-85dB to about -58dB and from 2 bars to 5. Ping response time is low. Pretty sure this will correct my network drop offs from having a detached garage quite a ways away from my AP.
If anyone is wondering which antenna I used, it was this one: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XVHQ9M/ref=oh\_aui\_detailpage\_o04\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XVHQ9M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
 
As @garadget mentioned to me in a PM, if you are going this route, it might be good to use the screw mount as it will throw off the weight distribution. I have been using a screw to mount it from day 1 so wasn’t an issue for me.
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2017, 2:30am UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/19 "2017-04-02T02:30:55Z")
Nicely done, Eric! Thanks for posting the results.
Those not in a hurry can save few bucks by [ordering antenna on ebay](http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=2.4GHz+antenna+ipex&_sop=15).
---
### Author:  [@markdj](https://community.garadget.com/u/markdj)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/20 "2017-05-22T20:20:53Z")
Oh, that looks great, I think I’ll do that too as I am getting 20 online notifications today.
Is this one ok?
Check out 2.4GHz Bluetooth Wifi Ipex IPX Antenna for ESP8266 Spark Core Zigbee RF Wireless [http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4GHz-Bluetooth-Wifi-Ipex-IPX-Antenna-for-ESP8266-Spark-Core-Zigbee-RF-Wireless/182106369170?roken=cUgayN&soutkn=VC8p1L](http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-4GHz-Bluetooth-Wifi-Ipex-IPX-Antenna-for-ESP8266-Spark-Core-Zigbee-RF-Wireless/182106369170?roken=cUgayN&soutkn=VC8p1L)
---
### Author:  [@garadget](https://community.garadget.com/u/garadget)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404/21 "2017-05-22T21:26:39Z")
Mark,
The antenna you found will work just fine.
The only thing is that it will have to be mounted somehow so it doesn’t just hang on the wire.
[Next page](https://community.garadget.com/t/adding-an-external-antenna/404.md?page=2)