Common types of devices that use Ethernet cables or have Ethernet ports are:Įthernet is almost always faster than WiFi in all circumstances. Your device is directly connected to the router in your home that receives the internet signal, in one form or another, through the use of a cable. If your device has an Ethernet cable that is connected to your router directly to an Ethernet port, typically in the back of your computer or device, then you are using an Ethernet connection to connect to the internet. This ensures that you can have both Ethernet and WiFi connections and have them not slow down or interfere with each other. Your router is able to support a greater Ethernet speed than your WiFi speed and set an allotted amount of data, based on its maximum performance, to each type of connection. While the average WiFi signal can get up to 1000 megabits per second or over ten times slower than Ethernet.
An average Cat 7 Ethernet cable is able to transfer 10 gigabits per second or roughly an entire full-length HD movie every second of data. In all instances, Ethernet is able to support a greater bandwidth than WiFi at current technological standards.
Your router can only send and receive a certain amount of data per second (bandwidth) typically measured in megabits per second (Mbps). WiFi is preferable because you do not need a direct connection to the router itself, making it very easy to access the internet at all times. Typically, Ethernet is much faster than WiFi since it uses a direct connection to the router, so it is able to transfer more data at faster speeds. The difference between the two lies in how your device is able to connect to the internet through the use of a WiFi signal or Ethernet cable. You will be considered very tech-savvy when you can tell people the difference between Ethernet and WiFi and how they impact each other. If you want to have an edge up on your peers, parents, or children, you must be able to comprehend these common terms of the internet. Typically, people use these terms interchangeably, which has led to some people being very confused about the most basic terms of the internet. It is vital for you to understand the two main ways to obtain a connection to the internet today, Ethernet, and WiFi. The article will give you this edge-up on your peers, children, or parents who have very little knowledge of the internet and make you sound highly intelligent when having a casual conversation. Having a basic understanding of Ethernet and WiFi and how, potentially, Ethernet could slow down WiFi gives you an advantage in everyday life. But, for other situations, Ethernet does not slow down your WiFi. Those strenuous situations include having more than 4 or 5 devices, all downloading or streaming HD videos at the same time, which slows down your entire internet connection together.
In order for you to succeed in the professional world, you must understand how Ethernet and WiFi work, and if Ethernet is better than WiFi or if one has an impact on the other.ĭoes Ethernet slow WiFi? The short answer is that Ethernet does not slow down the WiFi of your router when in non-strenuous situations. Whether we like it or not, we are always in contact with the internet.
The Internet plays a vital role in our lives today.