@mk46
You need to be considering 'Link Speed' vs 'Data transfer speed'
Here's the response to your question from Gemini AI
Let's break down your understanding of data speed and clarify some points. You've got a good grasp of many concepts, but there are a few nuances to address.
Your Understanding and Corrections
"data is getting to my Plusnet Hub 2 at the specified c. 33 Mbps. I have fibre to cabinet and copper ADSL to the premises. This is the determining speed..."
Mostly Correct, with a small clarification: You have "Fibre to the Cabinet" (FTTC), which means the fibre goes to a street cabinet, and then the final leg to your home is via copper. This is called VDSL2 (Very-high-bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line 2), not ADSL. ADSL is an older, slower copper technology.
Yes, this is your internet connection speed and is the primary bottleneck for data from the internet reaching your Hub. Your Hub can't receive data from the internet faster than what your ISP delivers to it.
"...This is the determining speed since my Hub 2 broadcasts at a much higher speed, when near my laptop, c. 720 Mbps. (The hub uses the 802.ac standard so should be 1.3 Gbps so why is it not achieving that?)"
Correct about the bottleneck: Yes, your 33 Mbps internet speed is the bottleneck for internet traffic.
Why your Hub isn't reaching 1.3 Gbps:
Theoretical vs. Real-World Speeds: The 1.3 Gbps (or 1300 Mbps) for 802.11ac is a theoretical maximum under ideal laboratory conditions. Real-world speeds are always lower due to many factors.
Factors Affecting Wi-Fi Speed:
Antennas (MIMO): The "ac" standard uses multiple antennas (MIMO) to send and receive data simultaneously. Your Hub and laptop might not both have the maximum number of antennas (e.g., 3x3 for 1.3 Gbps). If your Hub is 2x2 and your laptop is 2x2, the maximum theoretical speed would be closer to 867 Mbps.
Channel Width: 802.11ac can use wider channels (80 MHz or even 160 MHz). Your Hub might be using 80 MHz, or channel interference might prevent it from utilizing wider channels effectively.
Interference: Other Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth devices, microwaves, and even cordless phones can interfere with your Wi-Fi signal.
Distance and Obstacles: The further you are from the Hub, and the more walls or furniture are in the way, the weaker the signal and thus slower the speed.
Other Devices: Other devices connected to your Wi-Fi can share the bandwidth.
Driver Issues: Sometimes, outdated network adapter drivers on your laptop can limit performance.
720 Mbps is a very good real-world speed for 802.11ac near the router.
"If I had fibre all the way, with speed at, say, 1Gbps, then the Hub would be the determining speed."
Correct: If your internet connection was 1 Gbps, then the limiting factor for internet speed would shift to your Wi-Fi (if using Wi-Fi) or the wired connection's capabilities. Your Hub's internal networking speeds (Wi-Fi and Ethernet) would then become the potential bottlenecks for traffic within your home network and from the internet.
"My laptop also has 802.ac so should be receiving data at the Hub speed."
Partially Correct: Your laptop can theoretically connect at speeds up to the Hub's capability (minus real-world losses), assuming your laptop's 802.11ac hardware is comparable. However, as explained above, "Hub speed" is not always its theoretical maximum. The connection speed (the 720 Mbps you see) is the negotiated speed between your laptop and the Hub, which is the maximum at which they can communicate.
"But I also have an ethernet cable cat5e connecting with my computer via a USB port through an adapter. Is that combination slower than wi-fi?"
Generally No, it should be faster (for internal network traffic, and potentially for internet if your internet speed was higher).
Cat5e Cable: A Cat5e cable is capable of 1 Gigabit per second (1 Gbps) full-duplex, meaning it can send and receive at 1 Gbps simultaneously.
USB 3.0 Port: Your USB 3.0 port (5 Gbps) is plenty fast enough to handle the 1 Gbps from the Ethernet adapter.
Uni Ethernet to USB Adapter: If this adapter is truly a "Gigabit Ethernet" adapter, it will support 1 Gbps.
The Hub's Ethernet Ports: Crucially, your Plusnet Hub 2 has Gigabit Ethernet ports. This means the Hub can transmit and receive data at 1 Gbps over its wired connections.
"The cable can transfer data at 1Gbps so that should make it faster then wi-fi if the Hub 2 can match the cable speed."
Yes, this is correct. Since your Hub 2 has Gigabit Ethernet ports, and your Cat5e cable, USB 3.0 port, and Gigabit Ethernet adapter all support 1 Gbps, your wired connection (Ethernet) should be faster and more stable than your Wi-Fi connection, especially for internal network transfers (e.g., copying files from a network drive) or if your internet speed were significantly higher than 33 Mbps.
Why Ethernet is generally preferred over Wi-Fi:
Stability: Less susceptible to interference.
Lower Latency: Faster response times, which is important for online gaming or video conferencing.
Consistent Speed: Less prone to fluctuations than Wi-Fi.
Answering Your General Questions:
Am I right in all said above?
Mostly, yes! You have a strong foundational understanding. The main clarifications are around the VDSL2 vs. ADSL, the reasons for real-world Wi-Fi speed discrepancies from theoretical maximums, and confirming that your wired setup should indeed be capable of 1 Gbps.
Why is the Hub broadcasting at a lower speed that 802.ac?
As explained above, 1.3 Gbps is a theoretical maximum. Real-world speeds are affected by:
The actual MIMO configuration (number of antennas) of both the Hub and your laptop.
Channel width usage.
Interference from other networks or devices.
Distance and obstacles.
Overhead from Wi-Fi protocols.
720 Mbps is a very good real-world speed for an 802.11ac connection in close proximity.
Should ethernet + usb 3.0 be faster than wi-fi?
Yes, it absolutely should be.
Your wired setup (Cat5e cable, Gigabit Ethernet adapter, USB 3.0 port, and your Hub's Gigabit Ethernet port) creates a 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps) pathway.
Your Wi-Fi, even at 720 Mbps, is slower than this 1000 Mbps wired connection.
Furthermore, the wired connection will be more stable and have lower latency than Wi-Fi.
In Summary:
Your internet connection (33 Mbps) is the bottleneck for data coming from the internet. Nothing on your local network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) will make internet data enter your laptop faster than this.
For data transfer within your home network (e.g., from a network-attached storage device or another computer on your network) or if you had a much faster internet connection:
Your wired Ethernet connection (via USB 3.0 adapter) is capable of 1 Gbps (1000 Mbps).
Your Wi-Fi connection is currently negotiating at around 720 Mbps.
Therefore, the wired connection should be significantly faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi for these scenarios.
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