esp32-cam ai-thinker, antenna, ext.antenna, your experience

[xenpac]

i have several esp32-cam modules.
they all have this pcd-antenna and an external connector via switchable resistor select.
recently i ordered one of these standard external stick-antenna with short cable to connect to the boards
antenna-socket.

my wifi performance increased with the external antenna.(mounted on a metal housing)

i am wondering, maybe one can just glue a 3.1cm Lambda/4 wire vertical (isolated) atop of the metal processor casing (ground plane) and connect it to the antenna output (onboard disconnected), to achieve the same as an external. ? (of corse this is not production style)

in other words, antenna experiments

Has anybody made some evaluation or experiments regarding antenna performance?
Is the onboard pcb-antenna in any way directional?

hoping for a vivid discussion

[alanesq]

My experience of the esp32cam module is the onboard antenna doesn't seem to work very well.
well, It works ok but if you try and put it in any type of case or even have anything near it then it will often result in very limited range or even stop working all together
Other esp32 development boards I have used do not seem to have these issues to anything like the same extent.