Wired network vs wifi network

[blupupher]

I wired up my house back in 2004 with Cat 5e.
Modem/router are in my bedroom. Router has 3 out directly from it, 1 to the Vonage router, 1 to my desktop, and 1 to a 5 port switch.
The switch goes to a printer, server, and then into the wall up, in the attic to a hallway closet that has another 8 port switch. That serves the rest of the house, kids bedrooms (sons room for his xBox (wireless was just a little laggy) and daughters room currently not used, but has been used in past), back to master bedroom for the HTPC in there, living room to another switch (HTPC, desktop computer, Roku), and garage to another switch, has MyQ garage door opener and security camera system, and a spare plug when I work on computers out there.
I just prefer wired for stationary devices. Stability and security.
Wifi is for everything else.

The Google mesh routers that I own each have only two ports. To do home runs, more ports will be needed on one. Will the use of an ethernet hub affect performance?

No, all a switch does is allow more wired connections to be added to the network.

 

[PandaBear]

The Google mesh routers that I own each have only two ports. To do home runs, more ports will be needed on one. Will the use of an ethernet hub affect performance?

Not for typical home user. If you run a server and have a lan party then maybe, but even lan party won't put that much stress on gigabit ethernet.

Wifi is fast too unless you do large file transfer, the problem is latency and consistency / stability. Wireless can't touch wired in those. You see and feel the lag when you do remote desktop once in a while.

My usually stable 5GHz wifi dropped my video conference twice yesterday. My other machine on the same internet but wired? Stable.

 

[Hall]

Here's (another) reason to actually run Ethernet (though I still think it's normally not necessary) and that is it allows you to locate your wireless router in different locations, i.e. to find the "best" location for it.

 

[blupupher]

Here's (another) reason to actually run Ethernet (though I still think it's normally not necessary) and that is it allows you to locate your wireless router in different locations, i.e. to find the "best" location for it.

To an extent, yes, but not always.

My problem is the internet coming into the house is on one side of the house, and that is where my modem is, as well as my desktop, server, printer, and where I test computers.
So it is easier to have the modem and router in that one place instead of having to run a ethernet cable from the modem, into the attic, to my central hall closet, connect the router, then have a second cable come back to right where I started.
I admit I have debated taking my coax cable and running it up the outside wall and into the attic to the middle closet and having all the network stuff there. Would just require about 30 feet of Coax (which I may have anyway). Would not require any additional ethernet wiring.
I have good enough coverage through my house though with the router on one end, so not that worried about it.

 

[Saabist]

Impressed that you use these new-fangled things called "computers" too !

I've been working with computers for over 40 years and with the internet for nearly as much time. What were you doing 40 years ago?

 

[Gimpy1]

If I was building a house now, I would run at least Cat 6A cable to Ethernet ports in every single room in the house, multiple to some rooms. Cabled is always better for stability and latency. Leave the WiFi for mobile devices.

Yes and in the future more and more people will be working from home most companies frown upon wireless internet connections because of security issues

 

[flanso]

I am going to locate the router near the center of the house and then home run Cat6 from the stationary devices. Portable devices will use wifi. Wired access points will be added if necessary. Thanks everyone for your very helpful posts.

 

[ka9mnx]

I am going to locate the router near the center of the house and then home run Cat6 from the stationary devices. Portable devices will use wifi. Wired access points will be added if necessary. Thanks everyone for your very helpful posts.

Very good plan...

 

[benjy]

hardwiring is always better, especially if you believe the fact that "dirty air" from wireless can cause health issues, which for obvious reasons $$$$ is well hidden, even heavy cell users may be at risk. my cousin about 70 YO just diagnosed with brain cancer generally a healthy person, but like diabetes it happens for a reason!!

 

[Skippy722]

hardwiring is always better, especially if you believe the fact that "dirty air" from wireless can cause health issues, which for obvious reasons $$$$ is well hidden, even heavy cell users may be at risk. my cousin about 70 YO just diagnosed with brain cancer generally a healthy person, but like diabetes it happens for a reason!!

WiFi, as well as cell phones, are non-ionizing radiation with an energy level (eV) lower than visible light. The only way to be hurt by it is for it to be pumped to ridiculous levels, like standing 2ft in front of a high powered antenna.

 

[PandaBear]

Yes and in the future more and more people will be working from home most companies frown upon wireless internet connections because of security issues

Wired vs wireless isn't the problem for this. Every point in the middle can have a monkey.

If you are working from home your company is responsible for providing a VPN and 2FA (phone based? token?).

 

[PandaBear]

hardwiring is always better, especially if you believe the fact that "dirty air" from wireless can cause health issues, which for obvious reasons $$$$ is well hidden, even heavy cell users may be at risk. my cousin about 70 YO just diagnosed with brain cancer generally a healthy person, but like diabetes it happens for a reason!!

Sunlight causes way more radiation at a more dangerous frequency than microwave (yes your microwave oven and your wifi router are the same thing except the power level, 1000W vs something around 100mW). Microwave is even further away from the infrared and for the same power, it is even less dangerous than infra red or visible light.

BBQ is more carcinogenic than microwave from wifi router or cell phone.
Alcohol consumption is more carcinogenic than wifi router.
Tailpipe emission from your car is more carcinogenic than wifi router.
Fume from your cooking, emission from your water heater and natural gas furnace, etc are all more carcinogenic than wifi router.

All the comfort food (high fat and high sugar diet of all kinds, preserved meats, smoked meat, salty and brined food, etc) we eat will reduce your health and your life expectancy more than wifi router.

 

[Andrew1972]

I have had ethernet all over my in my home for 15years now and not a single connection problem ever using that.

Over the years working from home everyone one of network issues in home and working at home has been on Wifi from a Linksys WRT11 to TP-Link(trash) to Google Wifi I have had intermittent connectivity issues at some point.

The Google Wifi is pretty flawless now after iOs 12 update on wife's iPad which was a disaster on it.

 

[brianl703]

On a side note, do new homes these days come with phone jacks?

They install a cat5e cable with an RJ11 on the end. And it's wired to a central point somewhere. Easy to change the RJ11 to an RJ45 to make it a network jack (or split out the extra 2 pairs to an RJ45 to make it a 10/100 network jack, which might be useful for a printer).

 

[brianl703]

We have 4 TVs streaming wirelessly and simultaneously to Amazon Fire sticks via an AC router. Plus all of the extraneous devices (phones, Ipads, laptops, etc). Never a problem. We haven't used hardwired connections in over 15 years.

I can't see why you would want to string CAT6 in this day and age. Wireless is that solid.

So solid that I need two access points to cover my 3300 square foot home. Fortunately I put a bunch of network drops in while it was being built.

 

[Kawiguy454]

Elon musk it putting in the SkyNet satellites now for "Universal Global Access to Things" in a few years. Wire is secure and will not suffer from myriad interference like solar flares or neighbors on same channel.

 

[Greggy_D]

So solid that I need two access points to cover my 3300 square foot home.

Which is completely normal based on the layout of your home.

 

[brianl703]

Which is completely normal based on the layout of your home.

Yes, and it wouldn't have worked too well at all without a wired infrastructure for the access points to use.

Another consideration is power. I have a UPS in the basement and my main access point is powered via POE. And I've added an extra battery to the UPS so it can keep the cable modem, router, switch, and POE injector (all located in the basement) powered for several hours.

Without a wired infrastructure, you'd have to have a UPS at every access point location.

 

[CKN]

I have three Rokus and 1 Tablo (DVR) that runs on a wireless network. Provider is Comcast/with their modem. I have a 95% reliability rate with my wireless network. When something gets disconnected for whatever reason(s) it's usually takes me 10 minutes to reset it. House is 2,500 sq. feet with the Roku and Tablo in the basement. The Tablo is plugged in to a signal extender.

 

[alarmguy]

WiFi, as well as cell phones, are non-ionizing radiation with an energy level (eV) lower than visible light. The only way to be hurt by it is for it to be pumped to ridiculous levels, like standing 2ft in front of a high powered antenna.

Yeah, well I do wonder, your statement is on current medical knowledge. Like cigarettes used to be.
It is a known fact that part of your brain is warmed up by "non-ionizing radiation" just like a microwave oven (which also uses non-ionizing radiation) warms food when using a cell phone, something visible light doesnt do.
So I dont know about the only way to be hurt by using a device over a period of decades or less. I dont think about it much but there is something to be said that I wouldn't want a cell phone or wifi device glued to my head 24 hours a day.

Its the same reason WiFi power is limited in routers. It has to be kept at a level that the federal government considers safe to be next too 24 hours a day, its why when you buy a router, you can end up with the same range as a well made $100 router when paying $350

(btw- just my thoughts, I do not give much thought to being exposed to Wifi though will admit I would not place a router on near the headboard of my master bedroom bed where I lay in front of it 8 hours a night.