Connectivity Evaluation of ESP32 in Outdoor Scenarios

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate WiFi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n)performance of ESP32 modules in outdoor scenarios using an offthe-shelf access point (AP). This was done by measuring its receivedsignal strength indicator (RSSI) and application data transfer ratesat different locations of a relatively open area, prone to possiblesources of interference, in order to simulate a real-life usage situation.The results show that this setup is suitable for medium datarate applications at distances up to 300m from the wireless accesspoint. Based on the acquired RSSI values, the achievable data rateon the PHY layer was also estimated for each point based on thehardware documentation. Throughout the text, challenges facedduring the implementation of the system are shared, as well asthe solutions found, which will be useful for those who wish toreplicate the experiment.