Hacking RPZ hardware to add up permanent Wi-Fi dongle

The USB dongle solder hack is considered one of the very first hacks shared in the community after the release of the Raspberry Pi Zero. With such a small form factor and USB OTG connectors, many hackers didn't like the idea of adding to the size of the board with an adapter and then tacking on a USB dongle. This recipe shows you how to attach an uncased Wi-Fi adapter to the Raspberry Pi Zero to keep your footprint still small enough to fit a mints tin.

Getting ready

This is another soldering hack, and not necessarily for the faint of heart. You'll need a compatible USB Wi-Fi dongle, but it is important to make sure to check the compatibility list on https://www.elinux.org to ensure that your dongle is both compatible and does not require additional power. Since we will be soldering this one right to the Zero, it will need to be able to get all of the power it needs from the incoming USB 5V port.

A great way to test whether you...