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With more and more people using Wi-Fi more frequently, the lack of an Ethernet port is becoming less and less of an issue. But for those of you that are still sticking with wired connections, there are a few things you need to know. For instance, you might wonder what the difference is between Ethernet and 5GHz.
Ethernet and 5GHz refer to different kinds of internet connection. Ethernet is a network connecting to your devices through cable, and 5GHz is a frequency band of wireless internet. Both have advantages, yet in our current state of technology, Ethernet connection offers greater stability and speed.
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Is Ethernet a 5GHz?
Ethernet is not a 5GHz. Ethernet is a wired network and 5GHz is a wireless network. With Ethernet, you plug in the cable to your motherboard router and then to the device intended for connection.
With 5GHz, it runs a wireless internet signal from your router to your devices. You can connect by using a username and a password which will grant you access to the network.
5GHz is a frequency band of Wi-Fi. The other frequency band is 2.4GHz. Frequency bands are the ranges within the wireless diameter that are designed to carry the Wi-Fi connection. This is what you connect to when you log in to a Wi-Fi internet.
Wi-Fi routers will usually carry one or the other, however, you can also buy dual-band Wi-Fi. These are routers that support both frequency bands.
The benefits of dual-band routers are that they carry more speed in your connection and much more stability with a wider range.
Dual-band routers undoubtedly have a better performance than single-band.
Ethernet will always guarantee you a strong connection as it does not rely on these frequency bands for the internet. Your connection is running through the Ethernet cable which plugs straight into your device.
This means that you are always guaranteed a speedy and steady network connection, as you are not depending upon a wireless connection.
Wi-Fi can also give you a fast and stable network, but it depends on which devices you are connecting to and what your intention of connection is for. For example, if you are looking to stream in HD, watch movies, download large files and play high-resolution games, then Ethernet is better.
Yet if you are just looking for everyday use of the internet, then a Wi-Fi connection is most definitely sufficient.
Dual-band Wi-Fi, as mentioned above, can be on par with Ethernet when needing these higher demands in internet performance such as gaming in high resolution. Although, it is important to remember that the two are different and that Ethernet is not a 5GHz.
Is 5GHz Wi-Fi faster than Ethernet?
The speed comparison between 5GHz and Ethernet can largely depend upon altering factors. For example, 5GHz is faster than some Ethernet connections. Such as, 10mp/s and 100mp/s. However, 1Gb/s Ethernet can not be trumped by 5GHz in terms of speed. It just does not maintain the same performance.
With the modern and advanced Ethernet used today, 5GHz is rarely going to be the faster option. To be frank, Ethernet is always going to trump Wi-Fi in terms of speed and stability. Wi-Fi is more convenient than Ethernet though, and so you may choose this as the better option.
It is more convenient because you do not have to run cables from your router to your devices. You can connect from anywhere in your home with a 5GHz network.
Speed is a significant factor when looking at your internet setup and deciding which kind of connection you will need. As mentioned above, if you are looking to stream in HD and game with high resolution, yet you would like the convenience of a Wi-Fi set-up, then dual-band is the best option for you.
Otherwise, an Ethernet set-up is what you will need to support this.
Although Ethernet is, more likely, faster than 5GHz Wi-Fi, the technology we have today is improving steadily. It is improving at a rapid speed and so over the next few years, Wi-Fi connection may be as reliable, stable, and fast as an Ethernet network.
Within the past decade, Wi-Fi has become increasingly stronger. It can support an entire household’s internet connection and is fully sufficient for everyday use of the internet. Therefore, it may not be important to worry about which of the two is faster.
It depends largely upon what you need the internet for, to decide if the difference between 5GHz and Ethernet is significant to you. The differences are not so distinguishable that you need to worry if you are looking to just set up an internet connection in your home.
Should you use Ethernet or 5GHz?
The answer to this question depends largely on the use of the internet you are requiring. For example, if you are looking for everyday use of Wi-Fi within an average family home, then 5GHz Wi-Fi will be sufficient.
Yet, if you are looking to set up a gaming PC or desktop and require a constant, uninterrupted signal then you need to opt for an Ethernet connection.
Furthermore, if you are needing internet within an office space or for a larger area than a house, Ethernet is your best option. You do, though, have the option of dual-band Wi-Fi which uses both 2.5GHz and 5GHz frequencies for a stronger signal.
This covers much larger areas than regular Wi-Fi. It is a good middle point to land in if you do not require the super-fast speeds and download sizes of Ethernet, but you need something strong than a regular Wi-Fi network.
It is also important to consider the convenience of the two. For example, if you need to connect multiple devices to a network using Ethernet, then you will need to purchase what is called an Ethernet splitter. This will allow multiple devices to connect to an Ethernet network at any time.
Some people choose to have both an Ethernet connection set up and a Wi-Fi signal within their homes. This is usually for people who need to connect a desktop device to the internet, yet also have laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
It is more costly than opting for one or the other, however many homes do require both because of the volume of electrical devices owned nowadays.
Can 5G replace Ethernet?
When referring to 5GHz I am referring to the frequency band of a Wi-Fi network. As it stands, 5GHz can not replace Ethernet in terms of speed, reliability, and stability.
Having a device connected to Ethernet with a cable is always going to be more reliable than connecting to the 5GHz frequency Wi-Fi band.
With that, there is a new technology emerging that is cellular. This is called 5G. As in the 5th generation. The two are not to be confused as they relate to different things within the world of internet networks.
5GHz is a frequency transmitted through a Wi-Fi signal. And 5G carries an internet connection to devices from 5G cell towers.
The cellular 5G network is an extremely new technology, emerging in 2018. It is not yet developed enough to overtake Ethernet; however, predictions imply that in the next ten years we will see this happen. You can now install 5G hotspot boxes into your homes which work similarly to Wi-Fi routers.
They transmit a signal, and you connect using a username and password. They use the same technology as the ‘hotspot’ setting on any smartphone device.
Wireless internet connection is much more convenient than Ethernet. And so, if there is a wireless technology that can offer the same performance as Ethernet, the wireless network will supersede cable in homes and offices.
Like I said above, this will not happen for another ten-fifteen years as the technology is still developing.
However, once we reach that point, then Ethernet will be left behind as an option and wireless will take its place.
The benefits of this cellular 5G network will be huge. It will have the ability to reach even the most rural of areas. It will deliver more speed, coverage, and stability than other network setups we have ever had before.
Conclusion
When comparing Ethernet to a 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency, it is clear to see there are a few distinguishing factors that separate the two. These being the speed and uninterrupted stability of Ethernet, yet the convenience and flexibility of a wireless 5GHz connection.
Always take into consideration your internet needs before deciding between the two, and recognize that with some connection purposes, Wi-Fi may just not be as sufficient as Ethernet.