A Pro-Con Comparison between Wired and Wireless Networks

Nowadays, the internet is one of the most vital factors in everyone’s life. In fact, people can hardly do without a reliable internet connection irrespective of whether they are at home, workplace, or outdoors. As a result of this huge demand, internet service providers are offering multiple types of packages for their customers depending on their purpose and usage. Usually, you can avail internet connection in two ways; wired and wireless.

Now, you may be wondering about the right choice for you. As mentioned earlier, it depends on your purpose, usage, and convenience. If you still cannot choose an option, you should do a pro-con comparison of wired and wireless internet connection to get better clarity. In order to do so, below are some of the significant points that you may want to consider.

The basics

Wired internet connection is the traditional option and it involves Ethernet cable. Note that this cable looks similar to your telephone landline cable. You can easily avail reliable internet connection by installing a router or modem at your place and attaching the cable to a device, which you need to connect to the internet.

When it comes to the wireless internet connection, it comes without any physical wired system setting, as the name indicates. In this case, you can avail the internet on any or as many devices as you wish at your place by installing a Wi-Fi router or modem. For this, all you have to do is to connect to or join a reliable network.

Network speed

One of the main factors that you may consider while choosing an internet service will be its speed. In the case of modern Ethernet connections, you can expect a maximum speed of 5 gigabits per seconds. On the other hand, Wi-Fi networks usually offer a maximum speed of 1 gigabit per second. Even though the wired network is the winner when it comes to the internet speed, 1 gigabit per second speed is way more than what most customers require. Hence, always choose a connection keeping your purpose in mind.

However, a wired connection will be better for business purposes since it offers the great reliability and best speed. Note that wired networks are less susceptible to radio interference and hence, the loss of data packets that have to be retransmitted will be fewer in this case. Similarly, go for this option if you are a committed video game player and would like to avoid issues of latency that can put your gaming status at stake.

Mobility

Needless to mention, wired connections are physical that acts as a tether. In simple words, you can move your device only as long as your cable can reach. Of course, you can run Ethernet cable through your home in case the device you need to connect to the internet is further. However, this might take some time and effort. After all, running cable through the walls is not an easy task. Plus, you will have to insulate or manage your cable well to avoid degradation issues in the future.

When it comes to a Wi-Fi connection, it requires no tether and the only limit, in this case, is the range of connection. As long as you have a strong network at your place, you can take your device anywhere you’d like. However, never expect your wireless network to cover your entire workplace or home and you are likely to experience bubbles of connection or no connection if you go far away from the router. To tackle this issue, install more routers or signal repeaters at your place.

Security

The security of an Ethernet connection mainly depends on a firewall. Usually, a wired connection comes with a reliable firewall. Plus, you can add more and better firewalls on your device if required. Note that all the data packets are passed through a cable in case of a wired network and your connection is absolutely safe as long as the router is secured by a credible firewall.

On the other hand, the wireless connection is vulnerable to security issues. In fact, this lower security factor can overshadow all other great features it offers. Needless to say, an unsecure wireless network connection is most likely to be hacked by a cybercriminal and your confidential data will be stolen or lost within seconds. Thankfully, you can secure your wireless network and avoid such cyber-attacks by taking some simple measures. One of the most common and basic solutions for this is to use a strong password to secure your network.

Best of both

In short, while the wired connection is a hands-on winner in case of reliability and speed, wireless network outruns it regarding mobility and connectivity to multiple devices. Is it still hard for you to single out an option or would you prefer to enjoy the best of both? Then, choose Wi-Fi routers that come with Ethernet ports. This way, you can avail Ethernet connection on the devices that require more stable, speed, and reliable internet while enjoying wireless network access on other devices. This is an ideal choice for all the people who use multiple devices such as desktops, phones, tablets, etc.