Wired networks: the alternative to wireless LANs

Wireless connections have their benefits: allowing laptop users to roam around the house whilst still connected to the Internet probably being the most significant. However, if you don’t own a laptop and only wish to conveniently network a series of desktops (or hard-wired laptops, i.e. connected by cable) in relatively-close proximity, what is the solution? Hard-wired local area networks (LANs) are more secure and more reliable than wireless networks, so if you don’t need to have a wireless “broadcast” throughout your home, why compromise?

Inconvenient wireless obstacles

Generally speaking, wired LANs are faster and more secure, as you’re not broadcasting anything, although passwords can be set up on wireless networks. See other Broadband Buddy articles on wireless networks for more advice on this. As for the speed of data transfer on wireless networks, a couple of factors come into play. In basic terms, the weaker an Internet connection is to begin with, the slower the rate of transfer will be to other computers on the network. That is, distance from the router itself (which can on average broadcast to as far as 30 metres away) - as well as amount of walls and floors between the router and your wireless card or aerial - will affect your Internet signal strength and thus your computer’s Internet download speed. By contrast, wired LANs are almost completely unaffected by distance, as long as you can run an Ethernet cable to reach your terminal computer being networked.

Benefits of a wired network

If you need to transfer a lot of data online (frequent large movie file downloading, or video streaming perhaps), wired networks are superior, as transfer speed is noticeably higher. Wired networks are also more secure, by using cables, instead of broadcasting the Internet signal through the air. Most companies and professional organisations stick to wired networks for security. Whereas it is convenient to use a router for both wired and wireless networks (wireless networks need a router to work), a wired network will work without a router if you only have a modem (a “hub” not allowing multiple connections). Such a network would simply require one computer to connect to the modem and then share its Internet connection with the other computers on the network. In addition, other computers on the network (which connect to the server computer rather than the modem, as modems only allow a single connection) can share files with the server computer by using the server computer as a communal access point.

A router is still a better option for a wired network, however, as it allows multiple connections (which a modem doesn’t). Connections to the router are made by “cat-5” or “Ethernet” cable – the standard cable type for broadband Internet. Of course, routers also have the added benefit of Internet broadcast capabilities for wireless networks that modems don't have, as an added option.

Wired LAN set-up

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are generally easier to set up than wired LANs. Whilst wireless networks require a router, once the router is acquired and plugged in your “network wizard” (PC) or “network assistant” (Mac) should guide you through the set-up process fairly smoothly. By contrast, a wired network is established by running a cable from the phone point to the modem, with another cable making a physical connection from the modem to the main (or “server”) computer. Each individual computer then connects via cable to the server computer. If you wish to share files, and not just an Internet connection, you will need to understand at least the basics of networking in order to enable terminal computers to view the main server computer.

If you require the freedom to use a laptop computer anywhere in the home, a wired network will not suit you. Instead, consider a wireless network, which still allows computers to hard-wire to the router. A wired LAN network offers higher security than a WLAN network, however, and provides a more reliable and consistent Internet connection. If distance isn’t an issue, and sharing an Internet connection across a small area will suffice, a wired network offers a reassuring solution.