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A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection.

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YouKnowIThatGuy
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A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection.

Consider this a public service announcement:

 

An Ethernet connection provides faster overall speed, less latency & is more secure - in terms of security & reliability of connection.

 

If you are using your connection for work, set up a work area & get wired up directly to the router.

 

I know it's cool & fashionable to be able to use a device on the toilet or in the garden, but for actual work and not playing some silly game on your phone or tablet - Wi-Fi just doesn't cut it. It's choppy and the speed/latency can go up and down dramatically.

 

And yes, I know that Wi-Fi is amazing for it's ability to have many, many connections to a router whilst your standard router only provides 4 Ethernet ports, but maybe, just maybe, that's why your connection is slow, hmm?

 

Who knows, little Johnny might have left his gaming laptop/PC on upstairs and it's downloading a 100GB game from the Steam library while he's at school and that's why you keep getting drop outs and slow speeds, hmm?

 

Also there's the issue of Wi-Fi interference in built up areas that can massively affect the connection.

Not everyone knows about channels. Or cares.

 

 

Case study: A friend in Germany was using the laptop provided by her company for work, on Wi-Fi, of course they implemented a VPN for business security and so she could access the sensitive data from her work. Even though she had fibre at 300 Mb/s she was still getting drop outs and her Zoom calls where choppy and would even disconnect. Built up area, lots of other Wi-Fi around.

 

She asked me for advice.

 

I told her to go to Saturn (local tech store) and buy a 5m Cat6 cable (€10) connect it directly to the router across the room and into the laptop.

 

Her work flow is now 100% effective and others in the Zoom call are amazed at her steady 30 fps HD camera quality.

 

Just saying.

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Edinburgh_wg
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection

I'm sorry but if it were a public service announcement, what you're saying here would have been checked and tested. Not just on one person in Germany. Plus, you can't make such assertions without knowing other users' equipment. 

You also need to move on with your views. Most devices are not fitted with ethernet ports these days. My laptop isn't. Neither is my phone. Google Chromecast etc. etc., all of which can do VPN. What do you propose users do in such cases? And what, have the cables trailing everywhere? It becomes a H&S issue, you know. 

There are lots of users out there, me including, that have successfully used WiFi and VPN over WiFi. So, while your advice is greatly appreciated, please don't generalise and make assumptions. Everyone's set-up is different and this forum is to help, rather than to provide advice that everyone knows about.

PS There were security concerns about Zoom 

 

 

YouKnowIThatGuy
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection

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Champnet
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection

Looking at the spec for Wi-Fi 7 most current problems should be sorted.....................

Anoush
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection

When I started working from home 2 years ago, I used my laptop on Wi-Fi from a Hub One and had no problems. I’ve since added a wireless mesh to provide better coverage over my house and it works wonders.

This is my personal Community Forum account to help out around these parts while I'm at home. If I'm posting from the 1st March 2020, this means I'm off-duty with no access to internal systems.
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Champnet
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection

Wireless mesh, bit expensive but that's the way to go.......

Baldrick1
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection


@YouKnowIThatGuy wrote:

Consider this a public service announcement:

An Ethernet connection provides faster overall speed, less latency & is more secure - in terms of security & reliability of connection.


It's hardly an earth shattering new discovery!

 

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YouKnowIThatGuy
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Re: A lot of your internet problems can be fixed by not using Wi-Fi but using an Ethernet connection

Apparently, for some people, it is.

 

They've been sold a fantasy of Wi-Fi being amazing, but in reality it's mostly garbage.