Wired vs Wi-Fi: How Big Is the Speed Difference?
Ethernet delivers 95–99% of your plan speed reliably because it uses a direct physical connection. Wi-Fi performance depends on distance, obstacles, the Wi-Fi standard your router supports, and how many devices are competing for bandwidth. Even in the same room, Wi-Fi typically delivers 70–90% of plan speed, dropping to 30–50% through multiple walls.
Real-World Wi-Fi Speeds by Standard
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n): theoretical 600 Mbps, real-world 50–150 Mbps. Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac): theoretical 3.5 Gbps, real-world 200–500 Mbps. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax): theoretical 9.6 Gbps, real-world 400–900 Mbps with better performance in crowded environments due to OFDMA. Wi-Fi 6E adds the 6 GHz band for less interference. Wi-Fi 7 promises multi-Gbps real-world speeds.
How Walls and Distance Affect Wi-Fi
Drywall walls reduce signal by about -3 dB (~30% loss). Brick walls cause -6 dB (~75% loss). Concrete and metal-reinforced walls cause -10 to -15 dB (70–97% loss). Each floor/ceiling can reduce signal by 50–90%. The 5 GHz band (used by Wi-Fi 5/6) degrades faster with distance than 2.4 GHz, but delivers higher speeds when close to the router.
When to Use Ethernet vs Wi-Fi
Use Ethernet for: gaming PCs (lower latency matters), desktop workstations, smart TVs streaming 4K, and NAS/server devices. Wi-Fi is fine for: laptops on video calls, smartphones, tablets, and smart home devices. A hybrid setup — Ethernet for stationary high-demand devices, Wi-Fi for mobile devices — gives the best of both worlds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Wired connections typically provide 5–20ms lower latency than Wi-Fi and near-zero packet loss, which matters more than raw speed for competitive gaming.
Close but not quite. Wi-Fi 6 can reach 500–900 Mbps in ideal conditions, while Gigabit Ethernet consistently delivers 940+ Mbps. Wi-Fi 7 closes the gap further.