To surf the Internet we can do it both by cable and Wi-Fi. Each of these options has its positive and negative points. However, there are certain situations in which it is convenient to avoid the wireless network and connect by cable. In this article we are going to talk about it. We are going to explain to you when you should avoid Wi-Fi, as long as you have the possibility to connect via Ethernet cable.
When to use a network cable and not Wi-Fi
If you want to have an adequate speed and without interruptions, especially when you are going to use the connection for something important, it is essential that you connect to a stable network. But when we talk about wireless networks this does not always happen, so using an Ethernet cable is what really gives us stability.
To play online
A first case is when you go to play online. For everything to go well, it is necessary to have good speed, but also a low ping or latency. Otherwise you might have a hard time getting into a game or even not be able to. Wireless networks, especially when they are unstable, often have high ping.
Therefore, if you have the possibility to choose between cable or Wi-Fi to play online, our advice is to use an Ethernet cable. Use it both if you are going to play from the computer or if you are going to do it through a game console.
Watch videos in Streaming in maximum quality
It is also important to have a good Internet connection to watch streaming videos in maximum quality. For example, a YouTube video in 4K, a series on Netflix, etc. If you’re connecting over Wi-Fi, you’re less likely to have an acceptable connection so there won’t be any dropouts when watching those videos.
If you connect by cable, you will gain stability and you will also have greater speed. You will be able to play videos in Streaming without the risk of them being cut off or some typical complication arising.
You have a limited Wi-Fi receiver
One more cause is when you have a limited Wi-Fi receiver, which does not offer a good speed. For example, it may only work through the 2.4 GHz band, which will prevent you from reaching full speed when connecting wirelessly. That will affect many services you use on the Internet.
By connecting via cable, as long as you have a Gigabit Ethernet network adapter, you will be able to enjoy the maximum fiber optic speed. You will not have speed problems.
coverage is not good
It may happen that the coverage of the wireless connection is not adequate. This happens if you are far from the router and the signal is very weak. In these cases, it is not convenient to use Wi-Fi to use platforms that require a good connection, such as watching Streaming series, making a video call, downloading, etc.
What you can do is carry out an installation at home to bring Ethernet cables to the areas where you need a good connection. Failing that, an alternative is to use PLC devices, which use electrical wiring, and are ideal to bridge the distance and not have problems.
You want maximum security
Safety is another important factor to consider. If you connect through wireless networks there is greater risk. This especially happens when you connect to a public Wi-Fi, which may have an intruder and launch an attack or spy on those who connect to that network. On the other hand, by connecting via cable the risk decreases considerably.
If security is a key factor for you and you are going to connect somewhere at risk and there is the option of using an Ethernet cable, it is undoubtedly an ideal alternative.
In short, as you can see, there are circumstances in which it is convenient to use a network cable instead of Wi-Fi. You can have greater speed, stability and security, as well as being able to use certain online services that may have problems.