There is a lot of debate about WiFi speeds
and whether they can offer higher potential speeds than a cable connection, but
in practice Ethernet connections turn out to be not only faster but also safer.
The era of technology we exist in leads us
(and in some cases forces us) to be connected at all times. One of the
consequences of this connectivity can be clearly seen in communications and in
how we have gotten used to things happening instantly. Nowadays, we, as users
of technology, see it as only natural to be able to obtain information or
communicate with another person immediately.
In this context, for the most part we
have two options for getting online: The first is wireless, via WiFi,
and the second is through a network cable, commonly known as Ethernet.
Let’s analyze these two options to see the differences between them and also
take a closer look at the belief that network cables are always the best
option.
Accessing the Internet via a network cable:
Is it faster?
Naturally, the arrival of wireless
connectivity was a great benefit as it allows us to keep our physical space
tidier and avoid the need for lengths of cable between connected devices. But
besides the convenience offered by wireless, when it comes to pure speed, a
debate has been raging for some time now leading to a lot of disagreement:
Which is faster, WiFi or network cables? The answer is straightforward, though:
cable. Although WiFi is a newer protocol, there are a lot of factors in play
(in fact we will only look at a few in this article) that influence whether one
connection can be faster than another. Perhaps the main issue is the
saturation of channels and the large number of default connections, which makes
data transmission speeds less stable and generally lower.
Added to this is the effect of building
structures, for example, concrete walls, swimming pools, and other building
materials which cause a loss of signal and a reduction in performance, which
affects the speeds achievable from a WiFi connection. Generally
speaking, the higher the frequency, the larger the rate of absorption by
walls and floors.
Of course, it is almost impossible to notice
these slight, almost imperceptible variations during normal browsing. However,
the differences in performance are more obvious when it comes to activities
like playing an online game, sharing files on the network, or streaming ultraHD
content.
To summarize, we can say that while
there are different norms and standards for each type of connection, in
general, a correctly installed network cable connection ends up being faster
than a WiFi connection. When we look at the speeds offered by each protocol,
for example the 802.11ac standard, we need to understand that its
stated speed of 6.5 Gb/s is the maximum theoretical speed (which is faster than
Ethernet 2.5 at 6 Gb/s), but that in most cases it cannot actually reach
its maximum potential as it is affected by the obstacles we just mentioned. For
their part, Ethernet connections offer a more stable performance, as
they are not affected by these issues or other external factors. To finish off,
it is worth highlighting that a couple years ago the Cat.8 Ethernet
protocol was launched. Its use isn’t widespread due to its high costs, but it
can reach speeds as high as 40 Gb/s.
Accessing the Internet via Ethernet is more
secure than by WiFi
If we think in terms of secure
communications, the argument in support of wireless connections loses immediately
if we compare it to Ethernet. Numerous kinds of attacks can be carried out
remotely, such as deauthenticating a device, or cracking the encryption key to
get into the network. Furthermore, in the past year we have seen the emergence
of vulnerabilities like KRACK, which affects WPA2 (one of the most robust
and widespread protocols), and which was likely the trigger that led to the
development of the new WPA3, although this has not yet been launched. As well
as this, an attacker could also block wireless communications, with greater or
lesser degrees of success, through the famous signal-blocking jammers.
Lastly, another very common type of attack is
one which uses fake access points, whereby the victim connects to an open
network which was created by the attacker, who then spies on the user’s traffic
and steals their data. Of course, these attacks are impossible to carry out
remotely through an Ethernet network, as an attacker would need physical access
to do so. For these reasons, cable connections are more secure than wireless,
or, in other words, they offer a lower risk of incidents if you do not make
great efforts to apply some of the various security measures available.
So, more cables and less WiFi?
Having read this far, you may have started to
think about whether to update your network architecture and connect everything
via Ethernet. Of course, for devices like smartwatches, tablets, cell phones and smart lighting, this option is out of reach.
To conclude, it is logical that the best way
to transfer files between devices at maximum speed is via an Ethernet cable. It
is important to clarify that the Internet speed you agreed on in your contract
with your ISP makes no difference in this case.
Clearly, the need for mobility will have an
impact on our decision, as will the number of ports available in our router. If
you use a laptop and are constantly moving from one desk to another within the
range covered by your WiFi, it may be impractical to restrict yourself to a
cable, which would force you to stay in the same spot. With a desktop, though,
things are different. While desktops can be fitted with a wireless card, this
is only recommended when connecting an Ethernet cable between the desktop and
the router is not possible. For network sharing devices and media players,
cable connections are also best.
While the dream of cable-free devices is
already possible, in many cases it is not the best option if you love high
speeds. In the end, then, it all comes down to a question of priorities.
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