Why is wired (Ethernet) better than Wifi?

Wifi is obviously a much more convenient option compared to the messy Ethernet cables. However, until now, Ethernet wired network still has advantages compared to Wifi wireless network.

In the smartphone era, it is obvious that you will not need to plug any network cable into your phone to access the Internet. However, with many other devices, especially gaming machines, or PC platforms for multimedia entertainment, backup devices, digital receivers . the wired network is an option. can not refuse. Below, we'll take a look at three main advantages of Ethernet over Wi-Fi: superior speed, low latency, and stable connectivity.

Picture 1 of Why is wired (Ethernet) better than Wifi?
The speed of Ethernet is faster than Wifi.

How much faster is Ethernet?

It is true that Ethernet is faster than Wifi, and there is no way to help Wifi catch up to the speed of Ethernet. However, in fact, this distance is smaller than you think. Thanks to technologies such as 802.11ac and 802.11n, with maximum speeds of 866.7Mb / s and 150Mb / s, Wifi is increasingly more aggressive. Even though this number is somewhat illusory in real life, Wifi is good enough to meet your everyday needs.

Ethernet, on the other hand, can reach a maximum speed of 10Gb / s using Cat6 cables. The maximum speed of an Ethernet network depends on the type of cable you use; however, just Cat5e cable has a maximum speed of 1Gb / s, and this speed is very stable, not pretending to be Wifi.

It should be noted that your Internet speed is like a bottle neck, meaning that if the Internet speed is much lower than any other connection you are using, speeding up that connection is just as much. means.

Picture 2 of Why is wired (Ethernet) better than Wifi?
Ethernet affects the speed between devices in a network.

Ethernet affects the speed between devices in a network. For example, if you want to transfer files as quickly as possible between two home computers, using wired networks will be faster than Wifi. At that time, the Internet connection was not involved in the transfer process, so you will reach the maximum speed that your network hardware can provide.

A few more examples on this issue:

  1. If you have multiple backup devices on a NAS system, backup server, or a shared shared hard drive, the backup process will be faster if you use Ethernet.
  2. If you are streaming from a media server (like Plex or Kodi) then Ethernet will be much faster and more stable.

How does Ethernet have lower latency?

Connection speed also depends on "latency". Delay is the delay when data is transferred from the device to the destination; gamer often calls it ping.

If you are an online gamer, you will have to find a way to minimize the latency. This is the time when Ethernet wired network works.

If you only watch videos or listen to music, surf the web, this is not a matter of concern.

If you are curious, you can test the delay with the "Ping" command in the Command Prompt of Windows or Terminal on Linux and Mac. You will see, if using Wifi, the delay will be a little higher because the signal must go back and forth between the device and the router. With Ethernet networks, latency is of course much lower.

Picture 3 of Why is wired (Ethernet) better than Wifi?
Connection speed also depends on "latency".

Stability and reliability of Ethernet network compared to Wifi

Ethernet for connection is more reliable than Wifi, which is indisputable.

Wifi networks are certainly affected by more things than wired networks. It could be a house structure, a wave barrier, an electromagnetic signal, or even a neighbor's Wi-Fi wave - all of which make the Wi-Fi network unstable and reduce reliability, and cause problems. quite a problem from small to large:

  1. Loss of signal : sometimes you will be "dropped" but must reconnect. This is not a big problem if you surf the web or watch movies, because the connection will only take a few seconds. However, imagine you're in a legendary League match and . lost your life. Probably will inhibit many gamers.
  2. High latency : the more objects impact, the higher the network delay.
  3. Decreasing speed : the more objects impact, the poorer the Wifi signal quality, resulting in a decrease in speed.

So what is the benefit of using Ethernet?

The article is completely not meant to "immerse" Wifi, because anyway it is quite fast, quite convenient, and meets the needs of most users. In particular, if you use a smartphone (which is definitely using a smartphone), Wifi becomes extremely necessary. Or there are times when you " might not be able to" coexist " with Ethernet, perhaps because of circumstances that don't allow you to run a network cable to your desired location .

That's when Wifi surpasses Ethernet: its usability is too high. If you often move and don't want to carry bulky cord, Wifi is an obvious choice.

However, if you use a desktop or server and only place it in a single place, it's best to switch over to Ethernet, because it offers better stream quality, as well as good online game matches.

In short , Ethernet provides better connection speeds, low latency, and reliable and reliable connectivity. Wifi brings convenience and meets the basic needs of the majority of users. So, consider carefully the problem of using wireless or wired network; Anyway, a simple cable has brought about a difference in speed, but this difference is big or not.