You can’t get by without a good internet connection in this day and age, whether it’s for work, communication, or just keeping up with your favorite TV show. A stable network will make your life easier in a million ways. What equipment do you need to get the best performance from your Ethernet setup?
Why Ethernet?
Wi-Fi may be convenient, but when it comes to moving data fast you really can’t beat a wired connection. The very best Wi-Fi peaks at 450 Mbps, if there’s no interference, nothing between you and the router, and nothing else connected to the network. Even a standard Ethernet connection will give you speeds of 1Gbps with no interference and far less latency: the network responds faster to commands from the connected devices. For streaming video, playing online games, or downloading and uploading large files like video and PowerPoints, Ethernet has a huge advantage.
Of course, Ethernet is limited by the length of your cables and the number of ports in your home or office. When most homes have multiple devices with internet connections, it becomes a challenge to get everything on the same network. Fortunately, there’s a solution.
Small Scale Extensions
With some fairly inexpensive equipment, it’s easy to extend a single Ethernet network throughout your home and get the most out of that wired connection. Ethernet extenders are a great quick fix for limited reach, and offer a variety of options to choose from.
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Ethernet over coax. A great option for single homes, Ethernet over coax (or EoC) extenders let your TV cable (a coax cable) carry Internet data. They’re among the easiest to set up, and a perfect solution for smart TVs and gaming consoles.
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Twisted pair extension. Twisted pair extensions use twisted copper cables to conduct a signal. They’re in general a higher quality and faster option, but using a twisted pair extender is more likely to require rewiring, since not many homes have twisted pair cables built in!
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Power over Ethernet. If you have limited outlets, or just like to minimize cords, this is the option for you. Ethernet extenders with PoE (power over Ethernet) get all the electricity they need through the data cables: no DC plugin required.
Wrapping Up
It’s nice to have the option of wireless Internet, but when you really need to get work done (or really need to see that movie) Ethernet is the way to go. Don’t let outlets and cables limit your computing power!
Need to do some comparison-shopping between Ethernet extenders, coax, twisted pair cable or other variations? Try Netsys Direct for a complete range of networking equipment and solutions.
