Improve Core One WiFi by placing it anywhere : WiFi module Back-Cover with Stand or Magnets

You want to simply improve the WiFi reception of your Prusa Core One ? you're at the right place !

Prusa Core One Wi-Fi module Back-Cover + Stand or Magnetic

My Prusa Core One couldn't catch the Wi-Fi signal in my cellar, so I moved the Wi-Fi module on top of the printer (instead of behind the printer) and now the Wi-Fi signal reception is perfect.

You too can enjoy great Wi-Fi singal reception for your Prusa Core One, with this very easy upgrade.

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Is this going to work for you ?

1. As a rule of thumb, if your phone can get the wifi signal but your printer cannot, then placing the printer antenna on top of the printer will fix the problem.

2. But if your phone can't get your wifi signal, then you'd better install a new mesh router, powerline wifi range extender, or an ethernet cable.

3. If you're unsure you can always try this print, its really cheap !

To place the Wi-Fi module on top of the printer (or anywhere you like), the upgrade is simple and here's what you need:

• Two Male-to-Female dupont cables with 4 wires (links to purchase them on aliexpress herebelow),
  or build a shielded cable using Ethernet CAT-6 cable and Dupont male and female plugs.

• One of the back-cover for the Wi-Fi module that you can find in this project.

I have made 6 versions, to suit any of your use-cases:

1. With a Stand : To place the WiFi module anywhere

   • Screwed assembly (with two 3x3x4.2 brass inserts and a single M3x6mm screw)

   • Glued assembly (a few drops of universal glue to attach the front case to the back cover, and the back cover in the stand), the assembly is definitive…
      

2. Magnetic : To place the WiFi module on the metal frame of the Prusa Core One

   • Screwed assembly (with one 3x3x4.2 brass insert, six 6x3 round magnets N52, and six drops of universal glue to secure the magnets in place)

   • Glued assembly (a few drops of universal glue to attach the front case to the back cover, six 6x3 round magnets N52, and six drops of universal glue to secure the magnets in place), the assembly is definitive…
      

3. Simple (without stand or magnets) : just a simpler back-cover for easy remix.

   • Screwed assembly (with one 3x3x4.2 brass insert)

   • Glued assembly (a few drops of universal glue to attach the front case to the back cover), the assembly is definitive…

What you need:

• You may find on AliExpress

  • 4 wires Male-to-Female dupont cables, of your desired length (I used 100cm)
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003638697583.html
    (*) if you see that the wifi is unavailable it can be due to interferences on the 1m dupont cable which is unshielded, the fix is to build yourself a shielded cable: I used CAT-6 Ethernet cable and dupont male and female plugs. Then the connection is rock-solid but it requires that you build the cable yourself using a dupont cable kit: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005699352644.html

  • brass insert M3x3x4.2
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007830491580.html

  • M3x6 screw
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007830491580.html

  • 6x3 round magnets N52
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006198751403.html 

  • Optional: for easy mounting of the brass inserts I use “soldering iron heat transfer heads for insert nuts”
    https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007341986648.html
    (you just need the heat transfer head and soldering iron, the guiding stand is useless)
    Or you can heat the brass inserts directly with your soldering iron, I saw some people doing it like that.

Print configuration

• PLA

• 0.4 mm nozzle

• 0.2 mm layer

• 3 perimeter layers

• 15% infill

• No supports

• For the "Screwed" version, prefer to use the .3mf files and opening them “as a PrusaSlicer project” because I've adjusted the infill around the brass insert for ultimate strength.

Assembly Instructions

• Look at the photos ;-)

• IMPORTANT: make sure to plug in the cable correctly, as if the module was plugged directly to its port: check with the colors of your cables to make sure.

• Hint for the glued versions:

  • DO NOT USE superglue to attach the wifi module case to the back-cover, prefer a “universal” (not so strong) glue which will allow you to disassemble it if needed.

  • Use gel-superglue to attach the back-cover to the stand

• Recommandation: Glue the two dupont cables heads together with one drop of superglue

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CAD files

1. With a Stand

   • Screwed https://cad.onshape.com/documents/c52b75761bfa3924488181c2/w/16a5d0fdc1cc53a8de651a8f/e/5c83702e699cb39945b863d0

   • Glued
     https://cad.onshape.com/documents/2b756eaea22ed08d0621545c/w/122d10a684e81c9b0f1c6c6f/e/e57d205a7f56d44a1c2c9a59

2. Magnetic

   • Screwed
     https://cad.onshape.com/documents/7b6f2bbf7c30b2c0640a58b1/w/5cb9c6342562163b4165fba7/e/af63b20117cd70cd9e8645e2 

   • Glued
     https://cad.onshape.com/documents/71ed0ba18da585469ba25ccd/w/029de3441a5df24f7a1a2725/e/1b1b3c7f34614cfc9274bcdd 

3. Simple (without Stand)

   • Screwed
     https://cad.onshape.com/documents/2b3ca21b16a6aa9c3c01a80e/w/5ee9c9408b17aa9fdb013694/e/5a74bc39d0cedb05a74a0400

   • Glued
     https://cad.onshape.com/documents/74e204a81648c27f45da6431/w/b3a9b780f4c4304e410447d1/e/43e15816aef02e3bbd8256bf

Enjoy great Wi-Fi signal reception !