Internet speeds have come a long way since the dawn of the internet. In the early ’90s, dial-up modems were the standard way of connecting to the internet, and speeds of over 1 Mbps were a dream, as you could only get a few kilobits per second. With the emergence of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) in the early 2000s, speeds reached theoretical connections of up to 100 Mbps, and the arrival of fiber optic internet in the early 2010s made the internet even faster.
For anyone who wants faster speeds, the conventional advice is to use a wired connection since Ethernet offers blazing-fast speeds compared to Wi-Fi, and that mattered greatly in the early days of broadband because speeds weren’t as fast as they are in the 2020s. So, back then, it made total sense that if you needed a stable connection for demanding tasks like streaming video or downloading large files, you had to use an Ethernet cable for your internet.
But with modern Wi-Fi standards capable of delivering gigabit speeds, it has become possible to not need your Ethernet cable every time you do an activity that requires a fast connection, like streaming movies and TV shows in 4K on Netflix. For most people and households, there’s no need to be plugged in all the time since Wi-Fi is more than enough for the vast majority of uses.
Modern Wi-Fi is faster than you think
Every few years, a new Wi-Fi standard is released, and each new version brings a couple of improvements to its predecessor. For instance, the Wi-Fi 7 standard improves speeds, reliability, and latency. When you look back, you can clearly see how things have progressed somewhat quickly, so we now have Wi-Fi connectivity that can deliver gigabit-level speeds.
For context, a Cat8 Ethernet cable can deliver theoretical maximum speeds of up to 40 Gbps. On the other hand, Wi-Fi 7 (the latest Wi-Fi standard released in 2023) has theoretical maximum speeds of up to 46 Gbps. The Wi-Fi 7 standard is fast, has a wider channel bandwidth, and low latency.
Thanks to how speedy the current generation is, the next major version, Wi-Fi 8, is said to be prioritizing consistency and reliability over raw speeds. Although the speeds we’ve listed are theoretical, and actual speeds are lower, improvements in such speeds still mean you get faster internet in the real world. For instance, Intel says you can get a maximum data rate of 5.8 Gbps on a laptop running Wi-Fi 7.
The few cases where Ethernet still makes sense
While Wi-Fi has improved a lot compared to when it first came out in the ’90s, it doesn’t spell doom for wired internet. Despite the current speedy nature of Wi-Fi, it still isn’t suitable for certain cases because it has some inherent weaknesses that aren’t associated with a wired connection. Ethernet is far better when it comes to reliability, as it’s capable of delivering consistent speeds, unlike Wi-Fi, which can fluctuate from time to time. A wired connection is also best for latency, as it’s known to have less latency than Wi-Fi.
Ethernet is also better than Wi-Fi when it comes to security, as you use a physical connection, unlike a wireless signal, which can be hacked. However, there are certain scenarios where you’ll be better off using a wired connection. For example, if you participate in competitive gaming or you stream videos online (like on Twitch or YouTube), you should use a wired connection since these two activities require consistent speeds and minimal latency.
That’s why it’s recommended to use Ethernet to connect your TV to the internet if you experience streaming issues, such as buffering. But if you’re just using your network for less demanding or speed-insensitive tasks like browsing through social media, there’s no point in using a wired connection when a Wi-Fi connection can suffice.
