Which is faster: cable or Wi-Fi? Let's get into the details.

The choice between wired and wireless internet connections is often a subject of debate. Some argue that cable connection (Ethernet) always faster and more stable, others - that modern Wi-Fi 6/6E It's just as fast, but it frees you from wires. But where's the truth? In this article, we'll explore how technical specifications, usage conditions, and even the design of your home affect your actual internet speed in both cases.

Arguing about the superiority of one method over another is pointless without taking into account the context. For example, Gigabit Ethernet In theory, it can provide speeds of up to 1 Gbps, but only if all network components (router, cable, network card) support this standard. Similarly, Wi-Fi 6 On paper, it promises speeds of up to 9.6 Gbps, but in practice, this figure is significantly reduced due to interference, distance, and the number of connected devices. We'll analyze not only the theoretical maximums but also real-world tests, and provide recommendations on when to choose one option over another.

It's important to understand that internet speed isn't just a number in a test. speedtest.netThis is also latency (ping), connection stability, and load tolerance (for example, during online gaming or 4K streaming). Therefore, it's important to compare cable and Wi-Fi holistically, not just based on one parameter.

Theoretical Maximums: Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi

Let's start with the "paper" specifications. Modern wired and wireless network standards are developing in parallel, but their capabilities differ significantly:

• 🔌 Ethernet (cable connection):
  • 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet): up to 100 Mbps (an outdated standard, but still found in budget routers).
  • 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet): up to 1 Gbps (the most common today).
  • 2.5G/5G/10GBASE-T: up to 10 Gbps (requires special cables) Cat 6a or Cat 7 and compatible equipment).
• 📶 Wi-Fi (wireless connection):
  • Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): up to 3.5 Gbit/s (under ideal conditions, in practice – up to 1 Gbit/s).
  • Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): up to 9.6 Gbps (theoretically, in reality – 2–3 Gbps when connected to a nearby router).
  • Wi-Fi 6E: up to 10 Gbps (due to the use of the 6 GHz range, but requires support from devices).

At first glance, Wi-Fi 6/6E seems to outperform even Gigabit Ethernet. But herein lies the main pitfall: The theoretical Wi-Fi speed is always shared between all connected devices., and also depends on distance, obstacles, and interference. Ethernet, on the other hand, provides dedicated bandwidth for each cable.

Real-World Speed ​​Tests: What Do the Measurements Show?

To understand how cable and wireless connections differ in practice, let's turn to independent tests. For example, in a study PCMag (2023) compared internet speed at a distance of 3 meters from the router ASUS RT-AX88U (Wi-Fi 6) with cable connection Cat 6:

As the table shows, even under ideal conditions (close to the router, no interference), Wi-Fi is 15-20% slower than cable, and significantly less stable. But what happens if you move 10 meters away or add a wall?

• 📉 At a distance of 10 meters with a plasterboard wall, the Wi-Fi 6 speed drops to 300–400 Mbps (compared to 940 Mbps for cable).
• 🧱 Concrete walls or metal structures can reduce Wi-Fi speeds by up to 50–100 Mbps, even if the router supports Wi-Fi 6E.
• 📡 In apartment buildings, interference from neighboring 2.4 GHz networks reduces speed to 20–50 Mbps.

Factors that affect Wi-Fi speed (but not cable)

While Ethernet is virtually immune to external influences (except perhaps physical damage to the cable), Wi-Fi depends on many factors. Here are the key ones:

• 📶 Frequency range:
  • 2.4 GHz: passes through walls better, but is overloaded (a lot of interference from other devices).
  • 5 GHz: less interference, but worse penetration through obstacles.
  • 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E): Clearest range, but short range.
• 🏠 Wall materials:
  • Drywall: minimal signal loss.
  • Brick/concrete: reduces speed by 50-70%.
  • Metal/mirrors: May completely block the signal.
• 📱 Number of connected devices: Each new device connected to the Wi-Fi network reduces the available bandwidth. For example, if a router provides 800 Mbps and four devices are connected, each device will receive approximately 200 Mbps.
• 🔋 Router power: Budget models (for example, TP-Link TL-WR840N) are physically unable to provide speeds above 300 Mbps, even if the provider provides 1 Gbps.

One more nuance: Wi-Fi operates in half-duplex mode (can either transmit or receive data at the same time), whereas Ethernet supports full-duplex (simultaneous transmission and reception). This means that for tasks where two-way communication is important (such as online gaming or video conferencing), cable will have an advantage.

Why is Wi-Fi 6E not always better than Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6E uses the 6 GHz band, which is less crowded, but has two drawbacks:

1. Short range (signal quickly fades at a distance of more than 5 meters).

2. Many devices (especially older smartphones and laptops) do not support 6 GHz.

Therefore, in larger apartments or offices, Wi-Fi 6E may be less versatile than Wi-Fi 6 at 5 GHz.

When can Wi-Fi be faster than cable?

Yes, such situations exist—but they're the exception rather than the rule. Here are some instances where a wireless connection can outperform a wired one:

1. Outdated cable or equipment. If you have a cable Cat 5 (maximum 100 Mbps) or a 100 Mbps network card, and the router supports Wi-Fi 6, then the speed over the air can be higher.
2. Poor quality of cable crimping. Incorrectly crimped RJ-45 A damaged cable or a damaged cable can reduce speed to 10–50 Mbps. In this case, even Wi-Fi 5 at 5 GHz will be faster.
3. Using Mesh systems. Modern mesh routers (for example, Google Nest Wi-Fi or TP-Link Deco) can provide a speed of 500–700 Mbps anywhere in the apartment, whereas it is not always possible to extend a cable to every corner.
4. USB adapters with limitations. If your PC is connected to the router via a USB-Wi-Fi adapter (for example, ASUS USB-AX56), it can support Wi-Fi 6 with speeds up to 1.8 Gbps, while the built-in network card is limited to 1 Gbps.

Also worth mentioning MU-MIMO technology Wi-Fi 6, which allows a router to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously. In theory, this increases overall network throughput, but only if all devices support the standard.

Latency (ping) and stability: why does it matter?

Download speed isn't the only criterion. For online gaming, video calls, or stock trading, speed is critical. latency (ping) — the time it takes for a data packet to reach the server and return. Here, a cable connection is the clear winner:

• 🎮 Online games: On Ethernet, ping is usually 1–5 ms, whereas via Wi-Fi - 10–50 ms (depending on network congestion). A 10ms difference can be critical in shooters or MOBAs.
• 📹 Streaming and video conferencing: When transmitting video over Wi-Fi, micro-stuttering may occur due to speed fluctuations. Ethernet ensures a stable bitrate.
• 💰 Exchange trading: For high-frequency trading, even 1ms of latency can be costly. Therefore, traders always use a wired connection.

Connection stability is equally important. For example, when downloading a large file over Wi-Fi, the speed can fluctuate between 500 Mbps and 50 Mbps due to interference, while over a cable it remains at 900–940 Mbps.

Run a ping test with 100 packets: ping -n 100 google.com

Look at the packet loss (should be 0%)

Check the response time variations (the variation should not exceed ±10 ms)

Compare results for Wi-Fi and Ethernet

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How to choose the optimal connection method?

There's no one-size-fits-all answer—it all depends on your goals and circumstances. Here are some recommendations for different scenarios:

If you have the opportunity, use both connection types in parallel:

• 🖥️ Stationary devices (PC, TV, game consoles) — via cable.
• 📱 Mobile gadgets (laptops, smartphones) — via Wi-Fi.

Internet Speed ​​Myths and Misconceptions

There are many myths surrounding the topic of "cable vs. Wi-Fi." Let's address the most common ones:

⚠️ Attention: If your ISP plan offers 100 Mbps, neither Wi-Fi 6 nor Gigabit Ethernet will make your internet faster. Speed ​​is limited by your plan, not your connection type.

• 🚫 Myth 1: "Wi-Fi 6 is always faster than Ethernet."

  Reality: Wi-Fi 6 is only faster under ideal conditions (close to the router, no interference) and when using compatible devices. In most cases, Ethernet is more stable.

• 🚫 Myth 2: "Cat 5e cable is sufficient for 1 Gbps."

  Reality: Cat 5e It supports 1 Gbps, but the speed drops at distances greater than 50 meters. For reliability, it's better to use Cat 6.

• 🚫 Myth 3: "5 GHz is always better than 2.4 GHz."

  Reality: 5 GHz is faster, but it's worse at penetrating walls. In larger homes, it's sometimes better to use both bands simultaneously (if the router supports it). band steering).

• 🚫 Myth 4: "Mesh systems solve all Wi-Fi problems."

  Reality: Mesh improves coverage, but doesn't increase speeds beyond those of your primary router. If you have a 100 Mbps plan, Mesh won't boost it to 500 Mbps.

The only case where Wi-Fi can be objectively better than cable is when using modern smartphones with Wi-Fi 6E support (for example, Samsung Galaxy S23 or iPhone 15 Pro), connected to a mesh system in a small apartment. In this scenario, wireless speeds can reach 800–900 Mbps, comparable to Ethernet without the need for wires.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Internet Speed

Why is my Wi-Fi speed lower than my cable speed, even when I'm standing next to the router?

This is normal. Even under ideal conditions, Wi-Fi speeds can drop by 10–20% due to:

• Encryption overhead (WPA3).
• Protocol limitations (half-duplex vs. full-duplex in Ethernet).
• Interference from other devices (even if you can't see them).

Additionally, many routers are unable to fully utilize the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 due to a weak processor.

Can a bad cable slow down your internet speed?

Yes, and very significantly. Here's what influences it:

• Cable Cat 5 limits speed to 100 Mbps.
• Damaged wires or poor crimping reduce the speed to 10–50 Mbps.
• Cable lengths longer than 100 meters (without an amplifier) ​​result in signal loss.

Check the cable with a tester or try replacing it with a new one. Cat 6.

How do I know if my device supports Wi-Fi 6?

Check the device specifications on the manufacturer's website or:

• On Windows: open Device Manager → Network Adapters and find the Wi-Fi module model. Google it.
• On Android: go to Settings → About phone → Software info → Wi-Fi status (on some models).
• On Mac: About This Mac → System Report → Network → Wi-Fi.

If the adapter name contains ax (For example, Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200), then Wi-Fi 6 is supported.

Should I buy a Wi-Fi 6E router if I don't have any devices that support it?

There's no point. Wi-Fi 6E isn't backwards compatible with older devices (they won't see the 6 GHz network). It's better to choose a router with Wi-Fi 6 (5 GHz), which will work with all devices but is also future-proof.

Exception: If you plan to update all your devices in the near future (for example, buy iPhone 16 and a laptop with Wi-Fi 6E).

Is it possible to use Wi-Fi and Ethernet at the same time on one device?

Technically yes, but it requires manual configuration and doesn't always result in a speed boost. Here are some options:

• Link Aggregation: Some routers (eg. ASUS RT-AX89X) allow you to combine Wi-Fi and Ethernet into one channel, but this only works with supported devices.
• Traffic splitting: On Windows/Linux, you can manually configure some traffic to go over Wi-Fi and some over cable (for example, games over Ethernet, and downloads over Wi-Fi).

For most users, it's easier to choose one connection type and optimize it.