Wired ethernet should almost always be faster. Why is My Wi-Fi Speed Slower than Ethernet? Why You Really Want that Wired Connection discusses the many reasons, but the single most important is wireless signal strength, which can be easily impacted by both distance and interference.Įthernet speeds are most commonly 100 or 1000 megabits per second, and don’t suffer from the same problems that wireless connections do. However, maximum speeds are rarely realized. Some Wi-Fi protocols do support higher speeds in ideal conditions.Ĭommon Wi-Fi protocols have maximum speeds ranging from 54 to 600 megabits per second.Poor-quality or damaged cables can cause slowdowns.Older wired equipment can often be to blame.Wired connections are almost always faster than wireless.