Many people forget that prior to the mass propagation of Wi-Fi routers, the internet existed only through wired connections. The rise of Wi-Fi has mainly pushed the “old-school” wired connections to near obscurity, with people generally preferring the convenience of a wireless connection.
Stability was the primary reason for opting for wired connections—but the invention of Wi-Fi Mesh systems (using extenders and repeaters to cover “dead spots,” changed all that. Despite this, however, there are still situations where a wired connection will come in handy for your devices.
Setting up an internet connection can be tricky, but knowing a bit about your devices can help you determine which connection is better. To help you, listed here are a few of the most common devices in your home and whether a wireless or wired internet connection best suits it.
Laptops and Desktops
A majority of people do their browsing on their cellphones or tablets—which automatically point to heavy usage of Wi-Fi. People who still use laptops and desktops, however, still have the choice of opting for a wireless or wired connection.
Laptops, in general, have become highly optimized for Wi-Fi reception—making wireless connections the best choice for this. Desktops, on the other hand, are a different matter. Older computers are not wireless capable unless supplied with an external wireless device. Despite utilizing those, however, you won’t receive the full speed capabilities of your average laptop—which is why wired connections are the preference for desktops.
Gaming consoles
Gaming consoles generally work best with wireless connections—much like the laptops of today. This is, however, largely dependent on your average internet speed, number of people utilizing the internet bandwidth, as well as the internet requirement of your games. Gaming, in general, takes up quite a large bandwidth—so wired connections are the preference of those who have too many users hooked on the net. If you have the benefit of a fast internet speed with only a few other users connected to it, then wireless connections are fine.
Smart TVs and Media Players
Smart TVs and media players, much like gaming consoles, require fast speeds to run smoothly. Today’s servers and speeds, however, allow for more seamless streaming—which is why wireless connections are suitable for these devices. Take note, however, that if your house isn’t utilizing a Wi-Fi mesh, then these devices may not connect properly with the internet. Devices in isolated rooms from Wi-Fi routers don’t receive signals as well as those with unobstructed paths to the router, so use a mesh if you plan on connecting wirelessly.
Virtual/Voice AI Assistants
Virtual assistants, like Alexa or Google Home, have become widely abundant in today’s market. These devices require an internet connection to run smoothly—which is why it is capable of basic connectivity to Wi-Fi. Depending on where you place your device, Wi-Fi connections are enough to keep it running properly—unless, of course, there are too many obstructions between the router and the device. The best set-ups for your main devices are on wired connections, but these require a bit more effort to install.
Conclusion
Setting up internet connections can be quite tricky—while basic connections only require the pressing of a few buttons, the hardware and specs itself can be quite confusing. For this reason, getting the help of an IT specialist experienced in both wireless and wired connections is always the best course of action. Get in touch with us today and schedule your free consultation to see what services you need the most.
