To have good Internet speed, using network cable may be the solution. It is usually more stable than Wi-Fi and that also translates into faster. Now, there is the option of using conventional Ethernet cables, which would be the ones you probably have in your router, but also the option of plastic fiber optics. Is there a difference in speed or will they work the same?
A key element, when talking about cable Internet speed, is to compare between Fast and Gigabit Ethernet. In the first case, the speed will be limited to 100 Mbps; in the second case, it can reach up to 1 Gbps. There are devices that, even today, are only compatible with the first option. But what about plastic fiber optics?
Plastic and traditional fiber speed
First of all, we must remember the differences on a physical level. We can say that a plastic fiber cable is useful for carrying the connection to other places in the home, since it is a flexible and thin cable. It is more manageable and you will be able to carry out the installation more easily. On the other hand, traditional Ethernet cables are thicker, less flexible and more complicated to carry to other areas.
If you want to achieve a connection of up to 1 Gbps, you really don’t care about one option or another. Plastic fiber optic cabling usually offers up to 1 Gbps. On the other hand, there may be more differences with Ethernet cables, since you must make sure that they are Gigabit, so as not to be limited to 100 Mbps. However, if you have CAT 5e or higher cables, you will not have problems.
Now, in case you want maximum speed, and aim for up to 10 Gbps, Ethernet cables do offer this speed, if they are of higher categories. Fiber media converters are usually only up to Gigabit Ethernet. Plastic optical fiber, therefore, will have more limitations to achieve that maximum speed of up to 10 Gbps.
Analyze each case
If you are wondering if it is better for you to install plastic fiber optics or use traditional Ethernet cables, it is best to analyze each case. Perhaps your home already has an Ethernet installation, so in this case it will be clearer that it would be better for you to simply install good quality Ethernet cables to connect your devices.
On the other hand, if you do not have a cable installation, and parts from scratch, then it could be interesting to opt for plastic fiber optics. It will be easier to install and you will be able to have up to 1 Gbps. You probably don’t need more than that speed, so it will be more than enough for your home.
An alternative, beyond using these wired options, is to have a good Wi-Fi network. But of course, the wireless signal will not always arrive correctly. To optimize it, what you can do is have a good Wi-Fi Mesh system, which allows you to locate the satellites in different places.
