The most crucial feature in a new home must be the internet. But now, people use wireless or Wi-Fi for the most part. So, the question arises, is it necessary to have an ethernet option in our house?
This question can be answered by some common issues we face daily and daily work. The issues that arise during online meetings or the buffering we face when we try to stream our favorite web series. So at times, the internet can play hide and seek with us. Thus, it is important to have an ethernet in our house.
So, today we will look at some facts that can provide us with the reasons and steps to have ethernet in our house. I’ve also breakdown the cost, advantages, disadvantages and many more that would help you to make the decision.
Why Should You Wire Your New House with Ethernet?
There are some advantages of having ethernet in your house. The advantages help in deciding whether ethernet is good or not. So the advantages can be explained in some points as follows:
# Problem of Wiring Later
This is the first and most crucial point. Wiring later can make you feel pain because there are lots of issues you’ll be facing. The installation technician will charge you more for planning, removing, or positioning other wires.
As the technicians charge hourly, they will have to spend more time installing the ethernet in a complete house, which will be a bit of complex work. Thus, they are going to charge you extra, and it will make you feel pain.
Later in this article, I’ve discussed more of their charges, which you can read below.
You may also have to spend money on equipment to hide the wires, and there is also a chance of damaging old wiring and other mess.
# Wired Connections Improve Internet Speed
Ethernet is the best bet if you have a big house with many walls. It will ensure you use the internet by sitting in one place without worrying about the walls.
It means that in wireless internet, the greater number of walls and barriers between the point of the internet and the hand-held or mobile device can affect the performance of the internet. It can reduce the internet speed in the case of Wi-Fi.
# More Reliable Connection
At times, the internet can be very villainous. The occasional moment when you require that extra speed for a bit of time can become a moment of sorrow. It means that the internet is unpredictable.
By today’s standards, Wi-Fi is the new king. To enhance its performance, you need a supporting system that keeps it efficient and stable.
It is where ethernet comes into play. To utilize it properly, you need to have a good quality internet service provider, router, and, most importantly, good quality cable. All of these can help you in improving the speed of your broadband. So it is one of the advantages of ethernet.
# Ethernet Cabling To Improve WIFI Range/Coverage
As we did see in the above point, that ethernet can be useful in increasing the stability of the Wi-Fi internet. The same is the case with Wi-Fi coverage or the extent to which it serves us. So, your Wi-Fi coverage will improve if you have a good quality ethernet.
So, if there are some corners of your house where the internet is blazing fast, then ethernet will help improve the situation. So, ethernet with a good router will do the trick.
# Ethernet Cabling Offers Greater Security
Now, if you are one of those who like to keep the data safe and internet surfing and internet bills secure and low, then ethernet will be the perfect assistant in this situation.
It is because if someone wants to access the ethernet in your house, then unlike Wi-Fi, you need to give them physical access to your ethernet. This protection is rare now, as everyone is switching to Wi-Fi for convenience.
# Ethernet Removes Unwanted EMFs From Your Home
There is also an increasing issue of unwanted EMFs around us. As more wireless devices appear in our surroundings, protecting our legacy or some heavy electronic devices from the ill effects of EMF becomes more crucial. It is because EMFs cannot affect devices with wires.
I have written a similar article about that topic, which you can read here about the health impact of radiation.
So, Is it Worth It To Wire a New House with Ethernet?
Old-school Internet users will love to keep a sturdy and trustworthy process, and then a house with ethernet will be a boon for such users. If you are a heavy internet user, you should wire your new house with ethernet as it will provide you with a better internet connection.
But, if your family doesn’t use that much Internet, then you can go with just WIFI only. But how can you identify heavy usage and normal usage? Here is some more information.
Ethernet should be your priority if someone does a lot of gaming, streaming, working for the office, and meetings from home.
But, if there is only small gaming, TV streaming, and normal Internet surfing in your family, then a standard WIFI connection is more than enough for you.
Which Ethernet Cable Should You Use for New House Wiring?
There are different types and categories of ethernet cables, and thus it is critical to choose the best one for your house; as I’ve already mentioned, it will charge a lot if you remove the poor old ethernet and set up a new one.
So, don’t worry; I will help you decide which ethernet cable to buy and which to avoid. So let’s see.
There are four popular categories of Ethernet cables: CAT 5, CAT 6, CAT 7, and CAT 8.
By market standards, Cat 6 is the optimum type of cable which you need to have in your house. But this cable also has some improvements in terms of technology. But, those cables with better technology will not be of much use in your house as they are costly and unnecessary.
I never recommend buying CAT 7 or CAT 8 because most of them are similar to CAT 6. It is believed that there are no such categories, but companies do fake marketing to sell their cables.
So always go for CAT 5 or CAT 6 ethernet cables; you’ll not have any issues with them.
How Much Does It Cost To Run Ethernet in a House?
The cost of running ethernet in your house depends on various factors. You need several items to run ethernet in your house: Ethernet Cable, Ethernet Wall jack, RJ45 Jack, Switch, Modem, and Router. [If you already have a modem, router & switch, you can save some bucks]. So it depends on you, but the important technician cost is discussed here.
Network Installation Technician cost is something that will make you feel pain. They charge hourly, and their hourly charge for a new house is around $50 to $100, depending on the complexity. So installing 500 feet of ethernet cables will take 7.5 to 10 hours, costing you approximately $400 to $800.
Let’s learn the calculation in detail:
| Cable Length | Installation Cost [approx.] |
|---|---|
| 500 foot | $400 to $800 |
| 1000 foot | $800 to $1600 |
| 2000 foot | $2000 to $4000 |
They will charge more per hour for an old house, where they have to remove old wires or work hard and install them.
Also, if the house is not complex to install the cable, it can save so much time; thus, you’ll save some extra bucks.
Although, I asked some technicians on Reddit, and they answered they can do the job relatively cheaply, so now it is up to you; if you can find a cheap local electrician, then it would be great for you.
Which is better, Ethernet or WIFI, for my house?
The answer to this question depends upon your needs. If you are happy with wireless Internet, then it is for you. But if you like to work in one place and do not care much about mobility, then ethernet is your kind.
If you work longer on your PC, play games, do streaming, work from home, and all lengthy stuff, then I’ll always recommend you to go with Ethernet cables rather than a WIFI connection.
WIFI is well enough for small daily mobile work like watching videos, surfing social media and websites, and playing small games.
Choose whether to use a wired ethernet or a wireless WIFI connection.
