is ethernet worth it

[nodeHP]

i was wondering is ethernet worth it 

[Donut417]

9 minutes ago, nodeHP said:

i was wondering is ethernet worth it 

Depends. I mean you connection will be more stable overall. Also you will get the best speeds compared to WIFI, Moca or powerline adapters.

[GuiltySpark_]

It’s the only option as far as I’m concerned. 
 

We can’t tell you what something is worth to you. 

[Needfuldoer]

You'll never have to worry about your connection to your router dropping, slowing down, or getting strange lag spikes, but it's up to you whether that's worth the effort of running a cable.

 

If you have an open attic or unfinished basement adjacent to your space, and your own your house, running a cable is easy. If you rent or can't modify the walls, you'll have to get creative with chasing baseboards.

 

Spoiler

 

 

[NobleGamer]

It Depends(tm)

 

I asked myself this for the home I moved into, and the only place I use ethernet is from my ISPs to my Edgerouter-X to my base wifi mesh hub.

 

Beyond that, I bought used MoCA adapters to use existing coax to go from my wifi mesh hub to 3 other rooms, and I connected them to one AP in each. MoCA adaptors cost a bit more than buying a long spool of outdoor rated Cat 6, but it sure beats the time I would have spent removing the coax and refishing cat 6 through the walls. If I didn't already have a wire crimper and such, the cost might have been breakeven.

 

My internet is only <100mbps, I dont have a home NAS, and I rarely play multiplayer games, so for my use as long as all my devices have strong 5 Ghz signal without interference, I'm fine direct ethernet connections to any of my computers.

[Blue4130]

7 hours ago, nodeHP said:

i was wondering is ethernet worth it 

How much do you need to spend to get it?

[Falcon1986]

7 hours ago, nodeHP said:

i was wondering is ethernet worth it 

Your situation will determine the worth. Not everyone is in the same situation, so what I find greatest value in might not be what you find value in.

 

If you want a more direct answer, you have to not be so vague with your question. Explain your situation and you might get more valuable input.

[wseaton]

In this day and age Ethernet is a better option over let's say Token Ring. 16/4 Token Ring is clearly superior over Fast Ethernet, but the hardware is so expensive.

 

 

 

 

[ewitte]

On 10/7/2023 at 9:43 AM, GuiltySpark_ said:

It’s the only option as far as I’m concerned. 
 

We can’t tell you what something is worth to you. 

I would have just stated "physical connection".  SFP+ can be great for budget 10Gbit for instance (or QSFP for 40/100Gbit).  There is also fiber.

[Alex Atkin UK]

1 hour ago, ewitte said:

I would have just stated "physical connection".  SFP+ can be great for budget 10Gbit for instance (or QSFP for 40/100Gbit).  There is also fiber.

That's an odd way to describe things, given SFP+ is most often used for fibre as its not ideal for 10G-BASE-T (limited range due to power limits, often more expensive than just buying a RJ45 card) and DAC is usually too short range.

[ewitte]

21 hours ago, Alex Atkin UK said:

That's an odd way to describe things, given SFP+ is most often used for fibre as its not ideal for 10G-BASE-T (limited range due to power limits, often more expensive than just buying a RJ45 card) and DAC is usually too short range.

DAC on 10Gbit SFP+ is extremely popular for home setups.

[Alex Atkin UK]

9 hours ago, ewitte said:

DAC on 10Gbit SFP+ is extremely popular for home setups.

For people with a telecoms closet then sure, but someone asking if ethernet is worth it is rather unlikely to fit into this category.