Using cable better than wifi?

[EarlyGab]

I have wifi on my rig but sometimes i get really low internet speeds especially when my family is around them using wifi too. If i use a ethernet cable directly from my router to my computer will it be better? i am apporx. 20meters away from the router too.

[RevoltTrain]

It will be quite a bit better if you use an Ethernet cable (Talking from personal experience)

[techswede]

I've never been a wifi kind of guy. But having a cable running from my pc to my router certainly feels better 

[Guest]

It will be quite a bit better if you use an Ethernet cable (Talking from personal experience)

 

*a lot

[EarlyGab]

Will totally buy ethernet cables tomorrow then! thanks guys

[Pro_LiZzy]

It will always be better to use cable rather than WIFI

[WhatTheQuack]

Ethernet advantages:

 - Lower latency

 - Usually cheaper

 - More reliable

 

WiFi advantages:

 - More convenient

 - better for portable devices

[Noxxx]

Ethernet is not better than wifi. It's just wifi is more affected by interference.

For example, I live in a house and my system can only see 4 other wifi networks besides my own. There is zero difference between wifi and ethernet (exact same ping/up/down) when testing with speedtest.net

[skywake]

Ethernet is not better than wifi. It's just wifi is more affected by interference.

For example, I live in a house and my system can only see 4 other wifi networks besides my own. There is zero difference between wifi and ethernet (exact same ping/up/down) when testing with speedtest.net

speedtest is a horrible way to measure LAN performance. Also even the absolute best access points on the market with 100% signal and no other devices running will hover at around 400Mbps single link throughput. Gigabit doubles that without breaking a sweat. But the real kicker is that the vast, vast majority of people using WiFi have a LOT of devices on the network, are using N300, have a fair amount of interference and are two walls away from the AP. No contest.

 

If you are the only person in your house, have paper thin walls, are always within 10m of your AP, only use your LAN for internet traffic and have <30Mbps 'nets and/or just one wireless device and it's a fancy AC one? Then sure, wired will only be marginally better. For anyone else? They'll see a benefit. Either way wired is still better.

[cloneman]

Is Ethernet better than WiFi? Yes. Mostly because its more stable and there are less variables to consider. Top speeds, for normal internet use, are similar.

 

Is Ethernet a lot better than aan optimized WiFi setup (good routers, good devices, good signal, no interference)? No, it's not that much better. But how many people have optimized setups?

 

Does ethernet have better latency? Not Really. However, there is more varience (jitter) in packets arriving over wifi, which affects applications like gaming and voip.

[Techteen14]

Anyone have any suggestions for running an Ethernet cable from my router in the basement (IK, horrible placement) to the computer I'm about to build for use on a desk in my bedroom?

Without drilling holes in the ceiling/wall.

[EmeraldFlame]

Anyone have any suggestions for running an Ethernet cable from my router in the basement (IK, horrible placement) to the computer I'm about to build for use on a desk in my bedroom?

Without drilling holes in the ceiling/wall.

 

If you have carpets and molding you can typically tuck cat5e underneath the molding in the gap between it and the subfloor, Then the carpet will hid it on the sides.

 

If that isn't possible for your home, you can run it through your walls and replace an electrical outlet with an ethernet outlet like any of these: http://www.homedepot.com/s/ethernet%2520wall%2520jack?NCNI-5

[Techteen14]

If you have carpets and molding you can typically tuck cat5e underneath the molding in the gap between it and the subfloor, Then the carpet will hid it on the sides.

 

If that isn't possible for your home, you can run it through your walls and replace an electrical outlet with an ethernet outlet like any of these: http://www.homedepot.com/s/ethernet%20wall%20jack?NCNI-5

How would I go about running it through the walls? I'm a noob when it comes to networking.

[EmeraldFlame]

How would I go about running it through the walls? I'm a noob when it comes to networking.

 

That really depends on your house, and without access to your house I couldn't really tell you. Some houses have crawl spaces you can make your runs through. Some houses sometimes have access from the attic. Other times your only easy option is to take the faceplate off an electrical outlet and run it through the outlet box to wherever you need it.

Honestly, because you had to ask how, I would recommend not doing it that way. Or if you do, call up a friend or an acquaintance who is an electrician to teach you how. This isn't something you want to go into blindly and it also isn't something that can really accurately be described through text on an internet forum. There are to many issues and dangers (like electrocution) that you can run into without the proper knowledge. There are entire books and schools dedicated to this, so its not something that can be summed up in a forum post.

[Ripull]

But doesn't it totally depend on your distance from your router?

[FizzyFantom]

But doesn't it totally depend on your distance from your router?

Yes. Wifi signal and speed will degrade the further you get from the access point, how much will depend on your access point and your wifi receiver (as well as interference among other factors). This will also happen with cables, but to a far lesser extent. I am using 25M Cat5e cables for both my PCs and I can easily maintain gigabit speeds between them, whereas I can't even connect wirelessly from this distance (but that's certainly related to my router). Wireless AC may fare better, but N is the most widespread now as far as I know.

 

Ethernet is not better than wifi. It's just wifi is more affected by interference.

For example, I live in a house and my system can only see 4 other wifi networks besides my own. There is zero difference between wifi and ethernet (exact same ping/up/down) when testing with speedtest.net

Speedtest.net is an awful way to test network speeds as the whole test will be capped at the speed of your internet connection (the speed the ISP is giving you). For most home users this could probably be covered by wirless G, so the extra speed of gigabit ethernet over wireless N is lost in this test. Ping is important, but so is raw speed and connection reliability, and wifi simply cannot compete with cables in these areas.

[Keenantheplant]

You can also use powerline adapter if you don't want an ethernet cable running through your house.

[Techteen14]

You can also use powerline adapter if you don't want an ethernet cable running through your house.

Interesting! So you just plug in an Ethernet cable from my router in the basement to a powerline adapter at the nearest outlet, and then just plug in my future computer in my second-story bedroom to a powerline adapter at an outlet there, and get internet? Awesome, and wouldn't require an electrician.

[Stomplar]

I have wifi on my rig but sometimes i get really low internet speeds especially when my family is around them using wifi too. If i use a ethernet cable directly from my router to my computer will it be better? i am apporx. 20meters away from the router too.

you're trolling right? or are you serious?