I recently switched networks and noticed something strange. My laptop's WiFi speed is hitting 270 Mbps, but when I connect via Ethernet, it's capped at 100 Mbps, even though I'm using the same Cat8 Ethernet cable that got me 270 Mbps on my old network. I don't have access to the new router, but I'm curious why the Ethernet connection is slower than the WiFi when generally, it should be the other way around. Can anyone help me figure this out?
3 Answers
It's important to know that WiFi speeds reported aren't the same as your internet connection speed. Just having a Cat8 cable won't guarantee fast speeds if your network hardware—like switches or routers—aren't up to par. What kind of internet plan are you paying for, and does the router support gigabit speeds? Also, you're testing with a device that was previously fast; is that desktop still capable of gigabit speeds? That could be part of the issue here.
Without access to the router, it's tough to diagnose this fully. If you're on Windows, check your network settings for the 'Aggregated link speed'. If it says 100/100 Mbps, that might be a hard cap due to limitations in the router or your connection itself. Sharing that info could point us in the right direction.
My system shows: Link speed (Receive/Transmit): 100/100 Mbps. Is that a big indicator of the issue?
Honestly, a lot of the hype around Cat7 and Cat8 cables is overblown. Cat5e and Cat6 are perfectly fine for most setups. If you're not experiencing the speeds you should, it's likely not just the cable causing issues; it could be something in your network configuration itself.
I hear you! A lot of people don't realize that just slapping a higher number on the cable doesn’t mean better performance. Sometimes, it's just marketing.
The desktop I'm using does support gigabit speeds, and it got 270 Mbps on my last router. It's just this new network that seems slower on Ethernet but fast on WiFi.