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Ethernet cables can seem clunky with an extra wire connected to your PC or laptop, but it has a lot of advantages over a WiFi connection.
A cable physically connects your computer to the router and hardwires your computer to an internet connection, so you don't even need a password to access the internet.
Though nothing against WiFi is fast and convenient, a wired connection is just better for gaming.
For gaming, having an ethernet cable connected to your PC/laptop/console will give you many advantages. This article will explain why a cable is preferable to a wireless connection for gaming.
Reasons why ethernet is better than WiFi
1) Less latency
In online video games, when you're playing against other real players, you'll need to send and receive the data of every movement and action of every player, including your own, in a matter of milliseconds.
Latency, aka ping, is the total time it takes your device to send data to the game server and receive data back on your device, measured in milliseconds (ms).
Generally, anything under 100 ms is considered a good ping. Anything over 100 ms, and you'll notice lag and stuttering. With a cable connected to your gaming device, latency will be significantly reduced and you'll have a better gaming experience.
2) Ethernet is faster
It is a fact that a cabled connection is faster than WiFi, though it depends on your router and internet plan. For gaming, a faster internet connection is better as it will help the game transfer more data, keeping your game more stable.
Though ping has a bigger effect than internet speed in an online game, both can be improved through a cabled connection. A good internet speed for gaming is usually anything over 20 Mbps.
Ethernet connection will help decrease your download times as well. The faster the game is downloaded to your computer, the earlier you can play it.
3) More stable and reliable
In a WiFi connection, multiple problems can occur daily. When too many devices are connected to the router, your internet speed decreases, increasing latency. A cabled connection prioritizes your device and provides top speed and low latency at all times, making your game run smoothly without lag.
There is no need to worry about how far you are from the router. A cable can provide a stable and consistent connection of up to 100 feet in distance, whereas the WiFi connection barely works 30 feet away.
WiFi also works better with LoS (Line of Sight) on your device, and the signal is dropped with more walls along the way, which is not a problem for an ethernet connection.
4) Better security
A router that is encrypted with just a password is unsafe as it can be hacked through brute force or other methods, and as WiFi signals travel through the air, they can be intercepted, and attacks can be carried out remotely.
Ethernet needs to have a physical connection between the device and the router, and there is no way to hack it without a cable. You can disable the WiFi feature of the router and connect to it solely through a cable for more security.
5) Better LAN parties
For a LAN party to occur, everyone has to connect their devices to a single Local Area Network (LAN), which can be carried out through WiFi or by connecting all devices to a single router through Ethernet and joining the same server in-game.
Connecting in-game via cables removes any latency and makes the game incredibly smooth. Most esports tournaments where players sit beside each other are held through LAN and not online, including CS: GO, DOTA 2, and Valorant.
