External Antenna Requirements with ESP32-S3-MINI-1U

[leansolution]

am designing a PCB that uses the ESP32-S3-MINI-1U module with an external antenna.

My question is: what are the requirements for using an external antenna with the ESP32? I understand that the impedance should be 50 ohms and that the central frequency should be 2.4 GHz. Are there any other requirements I should be aware of? The antenna I am using for prototyping is

Will this antenna work for both Wifi and BLE? What are some other options for antennas that could serve as alternatives to this one? My case scenario involves a device that will be placed inside a metal box, with the antenna located outside of the box. I found a suction cup antenna, but it is quite expensive. Are there any cheaper alternatives available? Has anyone used an affordable option for this purpose? If I follow this, will it affect the CLC matching circuit I am using? I cannot change the module. What will be the consequences if we add an SMA connector and an IPEX connector? All SMA and IPEX connectors are rated for 50 Ohm impedance and frequencies above 2.4 GHz.

I hope you understand my application scenario

[PaulRB]

I would keep things simple and avoid too many sockets and connectors. Get an IPEX/U.FL to chassis-mount SMA "pigtail" adapter. Mount this on the side of the metal box and connect the IPEX connector directly to the ESP module. Then you can try various 2.4GHz antenna with different gains, Omni and directional.

Take care, these pigtails and antenna come in either SMA or RP-SMA and they are not compatible. It could be a good idea to get 2 pigtails, one SMA and one RP-SMA.