The choice between wired ethernet and wireless WiFi connections fundamentally shapes how you experience your home network. While WiFi offers convenience and mobility, ethernet delivers consistency and reliability. Understanding the strengths of each technology helps you make informed decisions about when to use wired connections and when wireless is the better choice.
Understanding the Fundamental Differences
Ethernet and WiFi both connect devices to networks, but they do so through entirely different means. Ethernet uses physical cables to create dedicated connections between devices and network equipment. Each connected device has its own exclusive pathway to the router or switch, unaffected by other devices on the network.
WiFi transmits data through radio waves in shared frequency bands. All devices within range share the available radio spectrum, with the router coordinating access to prevent collisions. This shared medium introduces variables like interference, signal attenuation through walls, and competition between devices that ethernet connections avoid entirely.
These fundamental differences lead to predictable performance characteristics. Ethernet connections provide consistent speeds and low latency regardless of network load from other devices. WiFi performance varies based on distance from the router, obstacles between device and router, interference from other networks and devices, and the number of active wireless devices.
Neither technology is universally superior. Each excels in different scenarios, and most Australian homes benefit from using both appropriately. Understanding when to deploy each technology optimises both convenience and performance across your network.
Speed Comparison: Real-World Performance
Modern WiFi standards offer impressive theoretical speeds. WiFi 6 (802.11ax) can exceed 1 Gbps under ideal conditions, and WiFi 6E and WiFi 7 push even higher. However, these theoretical maximums rarely translate to real-world performance. Actual WiFi speeds depend heavily on environmental factors and typically deliver 30-50% of theoretical capacity in practice.
Ethernet connections deliver consistent speeds close to their rated capacity. A gigabit ethernet connection reliably provides 900+ Mbps of actual throughput. Cat6 cables supporting 10 Gbps connections deliver that full speed when connected to compatible equipment. The consistency of wired performance is as valuable as the absolute speed.
For Australian NBN connections, both ethernet and WiFi typically exceed internet connection speeds. An NBN 100 plan delivers around 100 Mbps, which both technologies handle easily. The difference becomes apparent in internal network transfers: copying files between computers, streaming from a local media server, or backing up to network storage.
Speed test results for WiFi can be misleading. A speed test measures the connection between your device and the router, which may show impressive WiFi speeds. However, the consistency of that connection during actual use matters more than peak performance. Ethernet maintains its speed reliably, while WiFi performance fluctuates with conditions.
Latency and Reliability
Latency measures the time for data to travel between your device and its destination. For applications like gaming, video calling, and interactive applications, low latency is often more important than raw speed. Even modest latency increases can make video calls feel awkward or gaming feel sluggish.
Ethernet connections typically show latency of 1-2 milliseconds to the router. WiFi connections range from 2-10 milliseconds under good conditions, with spikes to much higher values when interference occurs or the network is congested. These differences seem small but compound through every interaction with network resources.
Jitter, the variation in latency over time, affects quality of experience more than absolute latency. A connection with consistent 8ms latency feels better than one averaging 4ms but occasionally spiking to 50ms. Ethernet provides stable, predictable latency, while WiFi inherently introduces jitter from its shared-medium nature.
Reliability encompasses both connection stability and consistent performance. Ethernet connections essentially never drop unexpectedly if cables and equipment are functioning. WiFi connections can drop when interference spikes, the device moves between access points, or radio conditions change. For critical applications, ethernet's reliability is invaluable.
Situations Favouring Ethernet Connections
Gaming benefits substantially from wired connections. Competitive online games are sensitive to latency and jitter, where milliseconds matter. Downloading large games happens faster and more reliably over ethernet. Game streaming services like PlayStation Remote Play and Xbox Cloud Gaming require consistent connections that ethernet provides.
Video conferencing and voice calls perform better on wired connections. The consistent bandwidth prevents video quality fluctuations, and stable latency reduces awkward pauses in conversation. For professionals who work from home, ethernet connections to work computers are strongly recommended. Our home office network guide covers this in detail.
Media servers and network storage should always use ethernet. Streaming 4K video from a local server requires consistent bandwidth that WiFi may not provide reliably. Backing up to network storage is faster and more reliable over ethernet. NAS devices typically include only ethernet ports, recognising that wired connections are essential for their use cases.
Desktop computers and stationary equipment are natural candidates for ethernet. These devices do not move, so WiFi's mobility benefit is irrelevant. The slight effort of running a cable pays dividends in connection quality. Smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices in fixed locations benefit similarly from wired connections.
Situations Favouring WiFi
Mobile devices like phones and tablets require WiFi for practical connectivity. Running cables to handheld devices would eliminate their mobility advantage. WiFi provides excellent performance for typical mobile use cases like web browsing, social media, and video streaming. Even devices that could theoretically use ethernet, like some tablets, are best served by WiFi.
Laptops used throughout the home benefit from WiFi mobility. While a home office setup might include ethernet at the desk, the ability to work from the couch, kitchen, or outdoor areas requires WiFi. Many users find a hybrid approach works well, using ethernet when docked at a desk and WiFi when mobile.
Smart home devices like lights, thermostats, and sensors typically use WiFi or other wireless protocols. The impracticality of running cables to dozens of distributed devices makes wireless essential. Some devices like security cameras benefit from wired connections when possible, but many smart home devices are designed exclusively for wireless operation.
Temporary setups and rental properties where running cables is impractical or prohibited rely on WiFi. While performance may not match wired connections, quality WiFi equipment and proper router placement can deliver good results. Mesh WiFi systems help cover larger properties without cables between access points.
Building a Hybrid Network
Most Australian homes benefit from combining ethernet and WiFi strategically. Wire the devices that benefit most from stable connections: desktop computers, gaming consoles, smart TVs, media servers, and home office equipment. Use WiFi for mobile devices and smart home devices that cannot practically be wired.
Wired WiFi access points often outperform mesh systems that relay wirelessly. If your home needs WiFi coverage beyond your router's range, running ethernet to strategically placed access points provides the best performance. Each access point has a dedicated high-speed connection to the router, avoiding the bandwidth loss of wireless mesh backhaul.
Removing high-bandwidth devices from WiFi improves performance for remaining wireless devices. Your phones and tablets experience better WiFi when the smart TV and gaming console are on ethernet. This reduction in wireless congestion benefits all WiFi-connected devices.
Plan ethernet infrastructure during renovations or new construction. Running cables is straightforward when walls are open, but becomes expensive and disruptive afterward. Even if you do not need wired connections everywhere today, installing cable during construction provides options for the future at minimal additional cost.
Making Your Decision
Evaluate each device in your home based on its location, mobility requirements, and performance needs. Stationary devices handling high-bandwidth or latency-sensitive applications are candidates for ethernet. Mobile devices and those with modest performance requirements work well on WiFi.
Consider the practical effort of running cables. If your router is in the same room as your desk, running an ethernet cable is trivial. If your home office is at the opposite end of the house, the installation effort increases. Weigh the performance benefit against the installation complexity for your specific situation.
Quality matters for both technologies. A poor ethernet cable can underperform good WiFi, and excellent WiFi equipment can outperform a badly configured wired network. Invest in quality equipment appropriate for each technology, and configure both properly for best results.
Ready to improve your wired network? Our cable finder tool recommends appropriate cables for your needs, and our product selection features quality options available in Australia with fast delivery.