• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Are Ethernet connections even necessary anymore?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Ok, it shows 54Mbps for me. If Netflix 4K is using 16.7 Mbps of that, I definitely won't have an over saturation issue with what else I do.

Your real life speed is usually around 40% of your Link Speed, in a best case scenario.
 
I still hardwire a lot of stuff but with AC wifi I don't go to the trouble of getting of the couch to do transfers from my laptop. I did go the trouble to run and ethernet under the house to the bedroom for video streaming back there and IP video security cameras.
 
Pretty much. Wifi is nice when you want a connection quick, but I wouldn't want to rely on it as my primary connection.


I use ethernet on my main computer, everything else is WIFI and it works flawlessly. I did spend a bit of money on a good wireless router, a Nighthawk R7000 by Netgear.

Wired: main PC.

WIFI 5G: Roku 3, Ipad, Asus Android Tablet.

WIFI 2.4G: laptops, Sony Media Player, Cell Phones, Kobo reader, Smart TV.

It just works.

PS I am not a gamer so it probably does make a difference.
 
Last edited:
I got a 30 foot ethernet cable going from my bedroom to my dedicated gaming room.Whatever reason even my wifes laptop gets a horrible signal wifi wise sitting just a few feet from our modem and there's no other wifi devices in my house to cause this. My 30 foot cord works miles better then her wifi but shes been hooked up now with a wire. My ISP has garbage modems.Its a modem/router type deal that pretty much is mandatory to use.
 
You need an Ethernet connection to configure things in the router. Do it with a WIFI connection and your asking for trouble. I use DD-WRT and some things you just can't change over WIFI. I made that mistake once and ended up resetting the router.

I wired up the whole house and just use the laptop and other devices like my Sirius radio and Blu-ray player on WIFI.
 
So... like here I am, reading an AT thread, and listening to internet radio being streamed... wirelessly... to one of my PCs (an AIO with rather nice speakers)... and then... it abruptly cuts off. Because, of course, wireless has glitches.

Oh good, it finally came back.

I need to find a better way to arrange my networking devices. When I stack them up, they overheat.

But in general, wireless works, but far less than optimally. Wired... "just works", nearly 100% of the time (unless you have a bad cable or a failing port or a duplex mismatch).
 
wired>>>>wireless. 😉
Desktop are wired. But I use wireless on my tablet, blu-ray player (Netflix), wi-fi printer, and laptop.
 
Last edited:
You will have to pry my ethernet connection away from my cold dead hands.

I have cat6 runs all over the house going to a managed gigabit switch with vlans and stuff. Wireless is a security risk, that's on a separate vlan. No way in hell I'd want my main network to be full wireless. Wireless is for mobile devices, everything else is wired.
 
Last edited:
My whole house is wired for gigabit Ethernet. As you can see there are two plates wired hot. One for my computer and one for a buddy to bring his computer over.

wNfECrO.jpg
 
I've used the Euro channels before. Had to flash the firmware of my WIFI card in a Dell Inspiron 6000 to a third party firmware and use a hex editor to do it.
 
Hmmm did not know there was more channels that could be used for wifi, why would they add country restrictions? It's not like the bandwidth has to be shared it's short range.

I've been reading up a bit on ham radio, that sounds like something fun to get into.
 
Back
Top