Ethernet Vs Wifi | 5 Differences between Ethernet and Wifi

Ethernet Vs Wifi | Which Connection is the Best?

In the digital world the two most popular way for connecting to the internet is through the Wifi
connection and other is through the network cable (Also known as Ethernet connection). Each connections has their own benefits.

Ethernet connection which was introduced 1st had significant advantages. Most of the digital devices such as the desktops, laptops and smartphones are able to support the Ethernet use. Even though Ethernet was able to deliver a stable performance, it still has issues in mobility. Until 1999 people had no other choice to connect to the internet than through an Ethernet connection. Then came the wireless Wifi connections. Introduction of Wifi connection has made the internet to be connected from almost anywhere. Even some of the Apple's Macbook air model does not have an Ethernet connection port, it solely depends on the Wifi network.

Even though Wifi connections are a lot improved nowadays in some situations it is still preferable to use an Ethernet connection. Those who are an online gamer will know the consequences of using a wireless network for gaming. Therefore depending on the situation and the need the use of either of these connections changes.

In this article, I will be discussing about Ethernet Vs Wifi | 5 Differences between Ethernet and Wifi At the end of this article, you will know the differences between the Ethernet and Wifi connections.

Let's move to the topic,

1. Speed

It is an indisputable fact that Ethernet connections are super faster compared to a Wifi network. Speed of the Ethernet connection depends on the cable you use. With a Cat6 cable the Ethernet connections can offer 10Gbps of speed. Cat5e cables can offer speed of 1Gbps. Apart from that the Ethernet connections can easily reach up to 100Mbps - 1000Mbps of speed. Compared to a Wifi network this speed is consistent. Consistency of the Ethernet connections can be clearly seen when gaming online.

Online gamers who use Wifi for gaming are reported experiencing constant lags, while who use Ethernet connection experience no issue at all. Earlier maximum recorded speed of a Wifi network was 54Mbps ; fast enough to be connected through the mobile phone internet. However with the new standard of 802.11ac the Wifi has got significantly faster. Now the Wifi networks are capable of offering speed up to 3200Mbps.

Winner : Ethernet

2. Security

Data sent over an Ethernet connection is much more secure than Wifi networks. This is because in Ethernet connections the data can be accessed by the devices only those which are connected to that network. Therefore there is less chance of being hacked. On the other hand, Wifi is an open network, which means that data can be easily accessed by a third party. Out of those free public wifi is insecure the most.

When using Wifi it is recommended to encrypt the data. For the encryption you can use the secure method of WPA2-PSK. Apart from that always use a firewall for the security. Most router manufacturers include a firewall service.

Winner : Ethernet

3. Mobility

In terms of mobility Wifi connections are the clear winner. Wireless technology was the concept behind the Wifi networks. You can't roam free the places you want with a wired connections. This is a clear advantage in Wifi networks. Perhaps if you have a laptop in which you roam around all the time, then it will not be possible to use an ethernet cable. But mobility is not an issue in desktops since it is always fitted at one place.

Winner : Wifi

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4. Latency

Latency is the time taken by the traffic to travel from the device to its destination. It is an important factor to consider when gaming. For the best online gaming experience reaction time must be fast. In order to avoid lags and delay in posting data, Ethernet connection is the best choice. On the other side, Wireless connections suffer from high latency.

Winner : Ethernet

5. Reliability

Wifi signals are affected from interferences due to environmental factors. Therefore the performance is inconsistent. And also signal strength becomes weak when the distance from the device to the router increases. You can notice a speed reduction when moving away from the Wifi router. This can be temporarily fixed by placing your router in a fixed position where there is high signal strength.

But moving on to Ethernet connections this problem has been completely avoided. Unlike a Wifi network, in Ethernet connections there is no need to be worried about the potential hindrances between signals and distance covered. Therefore Ethernet connections are able to produce some stable performance whenever you connect them.

Winner : Ethernet