Having a good Internet speed is essential to browse, download files, use streaming video platforms or play online. If there is a bad connection, all of this could be compromised. Now, why does the speed change so much when we go from Ethernet cable to Wi-Fi? We are going to talk about it in this article and we will give some tips so that you avoid, as far as possible, this happening.
Why when using Wi-Fi the speed drops
If you have come this far, it is because when you connect to the Wi-Fi you notice that the Internet speed drops considerably. Keep in mind that this is relatively normal. Wireless networks will always work somewhat but what if we use the network cable. They will have less speed and worse stability. However, sometimes this becomes more latent and you have to look at the exact cause.
coverage problem
The first clear reason is that the Wi-Fi coverage is not good. This will cause the speed to be very limited, both downloading and uploading, as well as possible cuts that make it very difficult to navigate normally. This is something that we are not going to experience if we use a network cable and for that reason we can see a sudden drop in speed.
This can happen for different reasons. The most common is that you are very far from the router. The signal will be weak and the speed will be limited. But you may also find yourself in an area with obstacles, such as walls, as well as appliances that can damage the wireless signal.
The network card is not working properly
If you see that there is something strange and the wireless connection should not be so bad, it may be because the network card is not working well. Especially if you use an internal card, it may be very limited and not offer a good speed, nor enough coverage to be able to connect.
But this could also affect the external card. For example, that the antenna is damaged or that you are connecting it to a USB 2.0 port when it supports 3.0 and this is how it will be able to offer maximum speed. Therefore, you must observe very well what card you are using and if there may be a problem.
You have a limited adapter
Another issue that you should keep in mind is that the network adapter may not allow more speed than what you get. In other words, it is possible that the coverage is optimal, that everything works fine, but that network card simply does not offer more speed due to its characteristics and not because of some error.
Keep in mind that Ethernet network cards usually work today without major problems up to 1 Gbps. However, this is not the case with Wi-Fi cards , as most are limited to speeds considerably below that figure. Therefore, if you have contracted a symmetrical 1 Gbps fiber optic rate, unless you have a modern and high-capacity Wi-Fi 6 card, you will not be able to opt for it.
You connect to a bad access point
It is common to use other alternative access points to the router. For example a Wi-Fi repeater or PLC devices. Now, the truth is that they will not always work correctly and we can also have problems. It may even happen that you connect by cable to some of them, such as the PLCs, and you get a higher speed than the wireless network.
It may also happen that the device you are connecting to cannot offer more speed. Therefore, even if you are next door and the coverage is optimal, you will not have the same speed as if you connect by cable or directly to the router.
What to do to improve the wireless connection
What can we do so that there is not such a significant loss of speed when using Wi-Fi? We are going to give a series of essential tips that you can put into practice on your devices and thus be able to navigate the wireless network in similar conditions to if you were connected through the Ethernet cable.
Use the correct band
Something essential that you must take into account in order to achieve adequate Wi-Fi Internet speed is to use the correct band. You can connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz . We can say that each of them is good in certain situations. The first is ideal if you are going to connect very far from the router, since it is less sensitive to distances and possible obstacles, although it will not offer much speed.
On the other hand, if you want the maximum speed you will have to connect to the 5 GHz band. Of course, in this case you will not be able to get very far from the access point and you must also take into account possible obstacles that may exist. Therefore, it is a matter of using one or the other according to your situation and thus squeeze the maximum speed.
Keep everything up to date
Of course, another important point is to have everything up to date . Here you must have the latest version of the operating system, but also the drivers of the network card. This is important to make the most of the available resources and to be able to correct possible problems that may arise.
In the case of Windows you have to go to Start, enter Device Manager, Network adapters and there select the corresponding card. You have to click with the second mouse button and hit Update driver . It is something that you should do periodically to ensure that you always have the latest version and avoid problems.
Use a stronger Wi-Fi card
Do you connect to the Internet wirelessly with a card built into the motherboard? It might work better for you if you switch to an external one, which you can plug into a USB port. In this way you can acquire one that is more powerful, that allows you to reach a higher maximum speed and also has greater coverage.
There are many options available. You must take into account the specifications of the card, such as the maximum speed of upload and download, the coverage or if it supports USB 3.0 to work better.
improve connection
Something else you can keep in mind is to try to improve the connection . Perhaps the coverage reaches you very weak and, although everything else works well, that limits the speed. What you can do is use a device that allows you to optimize the signal and that you can connect from further away and with higher quality.
You can make use of different devices. The most common is to use a Wi-Fi repeater. However, there are other alternatives such as Mesh systems or PLC devices. Any of these options will allow you to connect to the Internet with fewer interruptions and achieve optimal speed.
In short, if you see that the speed when connecting via Wi-Fi is much lower than when you connect via Ethernet cable, you should know that it happens for different reasons. However, as you have seen, you can take into account some tips to make it work as well as possible and thus avoid problems.
