ESP32-C3 WiFi Not Working Custom PCB

[Reverea]

I recently created a prototype PCB for ESP32 -C3 WiFi-connected LED earrings which I am working on. These were just quick proof-of-concept boards and I didn't spend a lot of time making it the best it could be. The issue is, I am unable to get WiFi to work. For the RF section of my PCB I was confined by space and hoping to just get some that works poorly which I could use for code development. As you can see in the photos below, I have a Pi matching network which I based off a Phil's Lab ESP32 PCB Design video. The traces are not impedance matched but the total trace distance is very small. The circuit connects to a header which has a 2.4GHz dipole soldered onto it.

I understand that this setup is far less than ideal, and does not follow the proper RF standards. The purpose of this was to just get something that would work within a foot or two of the ESP32, so I wasn't concerned about getting the best efficiency. Both in AP and Client modes I get no signal from the ESP32 with my phone scanning for WiFi networks or setting up a hotspot, even right next to the antenna. Is the RF circuitry so sensitive that a poor matching circuit would completely prevent any effective signal in or out of the ESP32, or could there be another hardware/software issue at play?

Screenshot 2023-08-03 114325.png (6.03 KiB) Viewed 1273 times

Screenshot 2023-08-03 114239.png (52.73 KiB) Viewed 1273 times

[ESP_Sprite]

Erm, what is that 'ant' header going to? What is your actual antenna? Aside from that, generally at 2.4GHz the geometry of your traces start playing a pretty large role and that header footprint probably forms all kinds of parasitic capacitances, stubs etc that mess with reception.

[Reverea]

Erm, what is that 'ant' header going to? What is your actual antenna? Aside from that, generally at 2.4GHz the geometry of your traces start playing a pretty large role and that header footprint probably forms all kinds of parasitic capacitances, stubs etc that mess with reception.

A 2.4GHz dipole. Could these issues mess with reception to the point that no signal is received at all? From my experience with Amateur Radio, you should be able to get a signal even with nothing attached to the pin that close!!

[ESP_Sprite]

Ah, sorry, just saw you mentioned that in your original post. Hmm, I have no idea then. Could be that the antenna is so different from what's expected that calibration somehow fails, but I'm not really an expert on how that would work.