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I'd like to extend the WiFi range of a Raspberry Pi 3. I don't need high throughput because I only need to control it through a Python socket by sending simple commands. What solutions are there and with what results?

A 100m range could go well if it is not too obstacles-sensitive.I know of the existence of USB Wifi dongles, can you recommend me one valid for this purpose?

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  • You might want to be more specific about what kind of range you are looking for.
    – goldilocks ♦
    Commented Feb 19, 2018 at 16:30
  • see edits I added details
    – Miky
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 7:37

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Your best option is to use a USB Wifi dongle that has an external antenna and disable the on board WiFi. For really long range, they make dongles with two antennas. Just Google "usb wifi external antenna" for many options. To find one with two antennas, just click the "images" button on the google search results page. The description of the dongle usually lists the WiFi chip used. Make sure to get one that has a chip that is supported by Raspbian . If you need REALLY long range, you can use an external antenna dongle with a long range 2.4 ghz antenna .

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You can use a Wi-Fi dongle such as a tplink wn722n or an edimax ew-7811un

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  • I read about EW-7811Un as probably the best, even I can't figure out how it can work without and antenna. Do you have experience with these two? Which could be better in this situation?
    – Miky
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 8:33
  • I used both. None of them gave me problems. The edimax is more handy because is little. The tplink has an antenna so it is bigger. (check pictures on google.) If I remember well, the edimax does not support ad hoc mode. The tplink does support ad-hoc mode; so depending on your needs, you can make your choice.
    – clf maris
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 8:48
  • but without an antenna it will not have a less range? I'm using RPi as Python socket server ,and a smartphone as client to send commands, so I shouldn't need the ad hoc mode
    – Miky
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 9:46
  • I explained it in a wrong way: the edimax has an embedded antenna. The tplink has an external stick antenna. Both have a 2dB gain. So the performance are pretty similar
    – clf maris
    Commented Feb 20, 2018 at 9:52

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