Wired vs Wireless

[Silent_Blade]

Hi I just finished build my first PC and i was wondering if i should be wired in or get wireless internet,

 

i would prefer wireless because it is difficult for me to run a Ethernet cable to my work space.

 

Anyways i wanted to know if i want to have it wireless what network card or like adapter should i get,

 

sorry im not too sure what exactly its called.   

[EthanMcL]

If it's possible, try to get wired. So much better.  I don't like WiFi, too unreliable.

[laxer]

Wired is preferred, if not I would go EOP before I would do strictly Wifi

[NeverNotExhausted]

Wired is infinitely faster.

 

On my wireless N network I get 60mbps max when I'm sitting directly next to the router, about 35 in my lounge room, about 30 when I'm upstairs vs 100 on my Ethernet connection no matter where in the house I am. Lactency is also miles away. I'm in the 200ms or so ping bracket on my wifi vs about 10-50 depending on the server when I'm on Ethernet

[STRMfrmXMN]

Hi I just finished build my first PC and i was wondering if i should be wired in or get wireless internet,

 

i would prefer wireless because it is difficult for me to run a Ethernet cable to my work space.

 

Anyways i wanted to know if i want to have it wireless what network card or like adapter should i get,

 

sorry im not too sure what exactly its called.   

I'm just a recent topics addict dropping in my two cents; this is not my area of expertise.

 

Linux and every distro within it will always tell you wired internet. From a reliability standpoint, wired internet is better. In general, wired internet through the same modem is faster, though a close enough wireless connection can yield similar results from my experience.

[EthanMcL]

Wired is preferred, if not I would go EOP before I would do strictly Wifi

@Silent_Blade I'd agree with this too.  EOP over Wireless too.  Still though, try for wired.

 

Also, EOP = Powerline.

[Enderman]

Wired > powerline > wireless AC > wireless N

[laxer]

Also, EOP = Powerline.

 

Correct, sorry forgot it's not a very common abbreviation.

[failblox]

As people have already said in this thread, try to get wired if you can, but if you can't then it really depends on what you're going to use your computer for. Depending on your router and location in your house, your speeds could be significantly slower and would be very noticeable, but in other cases there might not be that much of a difference compared to a wired connection.

If you don't need a blazing fast connection, then a wireless connection should be fine, but if you need one, then definitely get wired. You might want to look into powerline stuff which basically turns the wires used for power in your house into magical tubes for your interweb data to flow through.

[srolle]

i'm seeing no difference between my WiFi and Wired links. 

 

depends on router and adapter speed ratings as well as placement/range. 

 

go with a PCIe or mPCIe adapter. 

[Silent_Blade]

Hi thanks for the replies and i was wonder if i were to get a network adapter what are some that you would recommend

[srolle]

Hi thanks for the replies and i was wonder if i were to get a network adapter what are some that you would recommend

 

i'm currently enjoying this one, as an example for your search:

 

http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Archer-T9E-Wireless-Beamforming/dp/B00TQEX7AQ/ref=sr_1_14?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1427854922&sr=1-14&keywords=wireless+ac+adapter

[skywake]

Wired > powerline > wireless AC > wireless N

Not always. In good conditions for wireless (i.e. not a lot of distance/walls) even fairly basic wireless AC will smash the best powerline kits and N will beat most of the entry level ones. It's only when you start to put some distance between you and your router/AP that powerline starts to outperform. But only because after a certain amount of distance wireless will crap out. These threads always fall into the trap of assuming that one or the other is better when they really aren't.

 

Wired: Best, but can be a pain to setup

Wireless: Essential, allows you to move around and works well when it works well

Powerline: Last resort. For when wired isn't practical and your wireless reception is crap

[Blebekblebek]

it always baffle me everytime something like this being asked

 

I'm using wireless setup for all my home and office workstations

my office had 20 workstations (and not counting laptop/tablet/gadget/phone) which also connected.

 

the reason is convenience and easy setup not to mention I don't have to blow the wall or ceiling to hide all messiness and I don't have worried about rodent, rust, bad cable, I've start using wireless eversince wireless G is out

 

if you need higher bandwith Wireless AC is great, but I'm still using N, even with it streaming locally is seamless

 

however if you have server or NAS ofcourse it always best option to connect it via WIRED to give best output for workstations that using it.

 

if you already have wireless router buying cheapest adapter will do, my adapter cost me about $3-6 / adapter (and I prefer USB, instead internal device)

[Enderman]

Not always. In good conditions for wireless (i.e. not a lot of distance/walls) even fairly basic wireless AC will smash the best powerline kits and N will beat most of the entry level ones. It's only when you start to put some distance between you and your router/AP that powerline starts to outperform. But only because after a certain amount of distance wireless will crap out. These threads always fall into the trap of assuming that one or the other is better when they really aren't.

 

Wired: Best, but can be a pain to setup

Wireless: Essential, allows you to move around and works well when it works well

Powerline: Last resort. For when wired isn't practical and your wireless reception is crap

powerline will always give more consistent speeds and ping than wireless unless youre right beside your router in which case you should be using wired

[skywake]

powerline will always give more consistent speeds and ping than wireless unless youre right beside your router in which case you should be using wired

Well if that's what you want to think. But from testing my own gear and from reading multiple benchmarks online? Wireless is faster and more consistent than powerline for more than just directly next to the AP. Powerline has a longer range but WiFi isn't useless outside of just that one room.

 

With the gear I have, which isn't the highest end stuff for WiFi or powerline, I'd say that wireless wins out in all but one room internal to my house in my current setup. The one furtherest and the most walls away from my access point. And I live in an "average sized" Australian brick house which, I can only assume, is about the worst case scenario.... based on this at least....

 

That said, I did have more success with powerline over WiFi in more rooms until I moved my AP to a more central location. Purely because it used to be in the corner of the house rather than on the long side wall (the house is L shaped, it was on the top of the L, it's now in the middle left of the long part of the L). Which I did by running Ethernet to most rooms that had a consistent need for decent connectivity. I did this because I wanted the second TV connected permanently and was at the same time sick of the average performance I was getting over WiFi AND powerline. So I speak from lived experience with this stuff.

 

Wired: Best, but can be a pain to setup

Wireless: Essential, allows you to move around and works well when it works well

Powerline: Last resort. For when wired isn't practical and your wireless reception is crap

[Silent_Blade]

Thanks for the reply everyone