WiFi or Wired?

uglymusicuglymusic
in Digital
After four or more years running my systems over WiFi, I've installed some PowerLine adapters so I can connect it all up over Ethernet.

Everything's surprisingly peachy. The track selection/starting new music time is now very quick and I have a suspicion that the overall SQ is better. Now, I haven't switched back to WiFi to compare, but the overall clarity and sense of ease in the big rig seem pretty obvious.

Anyone care to comment?

Comments

  • cj66cj66
    edited August 2018
    In theory I would assume a decent source would sound better over a wired network. Less conversion going on.
    Another advantage is no drop outs caused by the WiFi gremlins and greater bandwidth.
    Using PowerLine or similar can be prone to mains interference, depending on the supply, circuit integrity and other items on the same circuits.
    I've read of plenty of peeps having trouble due to one or more of the above, though sometimes simply avoiding circuits with fridges, pumps etc. can do the trick.
    In Spain we were fully wired but here it's all WiFi and far less reliable.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    I recently changed my media PC to wired. But simply due to avoid Netflix from occasionally glitching.
  • AntiCrapAntiCrap
    Dave I am am still in the stone age here and wet string is great, I can't here any piano,s cool.  o:)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    cj66 said:
    In theory I would assume a decent source would sound better over a wired network. Less conversion going on.
    Another advantage is no drop outs caused by the WiFi gremlins and greater bandwidth.
    Using PowerLine or similar can be prone to mains interference, depending on the supply, circuit integrity and other items on the same circuits.
    I've read of plenty of peeps having trouble due to one or more of the above, though sometimes simply avoiding circuits with fridges, pumps etc. can do the trick.
    In Spain we were fully wired but here it's all WiFi and far less reliable.

    Yes, the 'wifi sounds worse' theory makes sense, but I've never experienced it. I've used cabled Ethernet, PowerLine and wifi in different places and with different equipment.

    These days, I have a multi-channel, top-of-the-range consumer router which seldom, if at all, was the cause of dropouts and glitches - they've been down to broadband problems outside the house. But I have had the Raspberry Pis dropping off the network and having to be rebooted all too many times. I've also seen many, many more wifi networks springing up around me, all potentially interfering with my network. 

    So I've wanted to take as much off wifi as possible and just run mobile and devices without Ethernet wirelessly. Increasing the available bandwidth, if you will.

    I tend to think the mains interference thing is not as bad as many make out. My reasoning? Most UK (I can't speak for anywhere else) homes have two ring mains - one for the kitchen, and one for the rest of the house. And, unless you have, say, a freezer in a spare bedroom, all the main noise culprits should be on the kitchen ring main. The hifi is on the other. Luckily, that's the case here. 

  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    I recently changed my media PC to wired. But simply due to avoid Netflix from occasionally glitching.

    Makes sense. I guess you heard no improvements soundwise?
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    AntiCrap said:
    Dave I am am still in the stone age here and wet string is great, I can't here any piano,s cool.  o:)
    Dear Cro-Magnon Man

    So sorry you're still stuck in the Vinyl Age with only primitive tools of audio reproduction. One day advanced civilisation with all its benefits (and pianos, I'm afraid) may come to east London.  :D
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited August 2018
    uglymusic said:
    Docfoster said:
    I recently changed my media PC to wired. But simply due to avoid Netflix from occasionally glitching.

    Makes sense. I guess you heard no improvements soundwise?
    I haven’t really stretched it legs. Just watched a few films. But no, I can’t say I’ve noticed any sound improvements.

    But Netflix buffering is improved. I think also my using a wired connection means more WiFi bandwidth for everyone else in the house (who are either gaming or on YouTube).
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    uglymusic said:
    Docfoster said:
    I recently changed my media PC to wired. But simply due to avoid Netflix from occasionally glitching.

    Makes sense. I guess you heard no improvements soundwise?
    I haven’t really stretched it legs. Just watched a few films. But no, I can’t say I’ve noticed any sound improvements.

    But Netflix buffering is improved. I think also my using a wired connection means more WiFi bandwidth for everyone else in the house (who are either gaming or on YouTube).
    For a while, we had Netflix buffering and sometimes dropping entirely, but it turned out to be BT's poor maintenance of the connection atop a pole at the end of an adjacent garden. Maybe you should check you're getting the full speed from your broadband, or talk to your broadband provider. Ours was very helpful, just hampered by BT's policy of only looking for their problems after every bloody other possibility had been ruled out.

    You may gather I don't have a lot of time for BT ;-)
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