Cable or Wi-Fi: Which Devices Really Should Be Wired, When Wireless Is Enough and How to Run Cable Neatly

Wi-Fi has become so familiar that many people can no longer see why you'd need a network cable. Laptops come without a network port, and TVs and set-top boxes invite you to join Wi-Fi when first switched on. But cable hasn't gone anywhere, and in many cases it works noticeably better. Let's look at where a wired connection wins, which devices should be wired, which are fine on Wi-Fi, and how to run a cable neatly.

Where cable is better

• Stability. No interference from neighbours' networks, walls, microwaves or other devices. Speed and latency barely change.
• Speed. A gigabit port reliably gives around 940 Mbit/s, while Wi-Fi in a real flat often gives a fraction of that, especially through walls.
• Latency. Cable adds a fraction of a millisecond and doesn't cause ping spikes — a decisive advantage for gaming and video calls.
• Taking load off Wi-Fi. Every device on a cable frees up airtime for phones and laptops.
• Security. Nobody can join a wired network from the other side of a wall.

Where Wi-Fi is better

• Mobility. Phones, tablets and laptops that move around the house.
• Simplicity. No cables to run.
• Good enough for most tasks. Websites, email, messengers and Full HD video usually work perfectly well on good Wi-Fi.

What to connect by cable

• A desktop computer — especially a gaming PC or a work machine handling large files.
• The TV and set-top box — for 4K video and IPTV, stability matters most.
• A games console — for low, stable ping.
• NAS and network storage — for copying speed and backups.
• CCTV cameras and the recorder — for stable recording, often with power over the cable (PoE).
• Office computers and the network printer — fewer faults and fewer "the internet's gone" calls.
• Mesh units and access points — a wired link between them dramatically improves all your Wi-Fi.
• A desk for video calls — if your work depends on them.

Which cable you need

Homes and offices use Cat5e or Cat6 twisted-pair cable. Cat5e supports gigabit over distances of up to 100 metres and suits most needs. Cat6 gives headroom for the future and better interference protection; for 2.5 and 10 Gbit/s over short distances, Cat6 and Cat6a are suitable. Quality matters: cheap copper-clad aluminium cable holds speed less well, and badly crimped connectors are a common reason a port runs at only 100 Mbit/s.

How to run it neatly

• Flat cable under the skirting board or under a rug — almost invisible.
• Trunking in the colour of the wall or skirting.
• Skirting boards with a built-in cable channel — the neatest option if you're renovating.
• Network sockets — during renovation, it's worth running cable in the walls to where the TV, computer and access points will go.
• Through floors and between storeys — along the staircase, in service voids or existing conduits.

If a cable can't be run

The alternatives are a mesh system with a good wireless link between units, powerline adapters over the electrical wiring, or, in apartment blocks, existing low-voltage conduits. Sometimes simply moving the router closer to the middle of the flat makes Wi-Fi good enough even for stationary devices.

Common cable problems

• The computer shows a 100 Mbit/s connection instead of 1 Gbit/s — a damaged or badly crimped cable, or an old switch.
• The connection drops from time to time — a cable crushed under a door or furniture, or a loose connector.
• The cable "doesn't work" after renovation — damaged during plastering, or the wires mixed up when the socket was connected.

What our technician does

1. Identifies which devices will benefit from a wired connection.
2. Plans the cable route so it's unobtrusive and out of the way.
3. Runs the cable and fits network sockets and connectors.
4. Tests every run for speed and integrity.
5. Connects your devices and installs a switch if needed.

A real example

An architect in Vake worked from home with large project files on network storage and often held video meetings. Everything was on Wi-Fi: copying a project took 20 minutes, and the sound kept dropping in meetings. Our technician ran flat cable under the skirting from the router to the desk and to the NAS, and connected the living-room TV with a short cable from a mesh unit. Copying projects now takes about two minutes, meetings no longer break up, and the Wi-Fi is freer for phones.

If several wired devices are in one room — say a TV, set-top box, games console and NAS around the TV unit — there's no need to run a separate cable to each from the router. One cable to that room and a small 5–8-port gigabit switch is enough. It's inexpensive, needs no setup and turns one network socket into several. For laptops without a network port there are USB Ethernet adapters, which at a desk are noticeably more stable than Wi-Fi.

A quick test tells you whether wiring is worth it: plug the device in with a temporary long cable for a day and compare.

Call a technician

If you need devices wired up or a network run neatly through your flat or office, we'll come to any district of Tbilisi around the clock. Learn more on our network cable installation, local network installation and Wi-Fi setup pages.