In today’s world, we feel the need to constantly be connected to the Internet. Whether we’re going on social media, checking emails, surfing websites, etc., we are constantly connected and looking for faster speeds. This has lead to great advances in wireless networks. Almost every building you enter has some sort of WiFi available, whether public or private. With the increasing power of these networks, we are asking the question: Do we need wires anymore? Can we go completely wireless? Although wireless networks have advanced greatly, wired connections are still better. Let’s talk about why.
Wired networks are faster. Although wireless speeds have increased substantially in the past years, they still do not compare to the speed of wired connections. The speed of wireless internet is usually enough for simple tasks and almost everything on a smartphone, but once you start using your computer for more complex tasks, such as transferring data or online gaming, you will notice the difference in speed by using a wired connection.
Wired networks are much more reliable than wireless. Wireless networks have to wait for a break in traffic before they can transmit, they have to deal with interference, and have the tendency to crash or become unavailable for a variety of different reasons. Their connection can be blocked by the floor or walls. Other devices can interfere with the signal. If you are in a part of the house far away from the router, there can even be black spots where WiFi does not reach. With a wired network, you are significantly less likely to face these issues.
Wired connections are much more secure than wireless networks. With an Ethernet cord, only those devices physically connected to the cord can access the information on the network. With WiFi, data is floating around in the air and can be intercepted by others using the network in the general area. Although most of the time there are security measures in place to protect your personal information on a wireless network, it is still not as safe as a wired connection.
Wireless networks have allowed us to make great advances in technology. Having access to the internet from nearly anywhere you wish has opened up the possibilities for what can be done on smartphones as well as other WiFi connected devices. As time goes on, we expect WiFi will continue to grow and advance.
To see the differences between wired and wireless network connections, or if you would like a network installed in your home, give us a call or set up a meeting!