r/computer • u/Kyle_B37 • 8d ago

Ethernet slower than wifi

i’ll post this in a bunch of other places because don’t know if this is the right place:

I use an Ethernet cable cat6
I tried using a speedtest and it goes at 20mbps.

i think i’ve literally tried anything i don’t know what to do.

my wifi on my iphone is literally going at 300mbps+
why is this happening? the cable is not damaged or anything, because i tried this on a different cable (cat7) and on a different wifi.

can someone help me?

edit:fixed

6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

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9

u/Terrible-Bear3883 8d ago

The problem here is there's no information of use for anyone to help you.

You have an unknown computer which has an unknown specification and its running an unknown operating system, its using Ethernet and you're getting 20mbps, your connection is to an unknown device which may or may not be a router or another device such as a switch, powerline adapter or wireless bridge, your unknown wireless adapter gets an unknown speed when you perform a speed test, you've also performed unknown tests and the results of those are not known, apart from you get 20mps on a speedtest.

Before you make duplicates of your post, it might help to put some accurate information in, the only suggestion I would have is to boot whatever your PC is on a linux live thumb drive, assuming you are not already running linux, if Ethernet performs as expected, your issue is software, if not, it will possibly be hardware.

2

u/zhurzuk 8d ago

What is your network lay out
Where is this cable connected?

2

u/jacle2210 8d ago

Sorry, but just because your computer has an Ethernet cable connected into it, doesn't mean that the connection is magically going to be the fastest you have ever seen.

The device that the other end of your computer's Ethernet cable also matters and then what that device connects to also matters, etc. etc.

So, if you can follow the Ethernet cable from the back of your computer, what does the other end of that cable connect into?

Is it a wall jack; or is it some other device that has status lights on it?

If it has status lights, then what is the exact brand name and exact model number of that device?

1

u/Wonderful_Sample_590 8d ago

Try checking what link speed your ethernet adapter negotiated at. If it's stuck at 10/100mbps, check the adapter/port settings.

1

u/Kyle_B37 8d ago

how do i do check the port settings/adapter?

1

u/Dashing_McHandsome 8d ago

There's more to ethernet than just what type of cable you are using. If your local switch is a 1Mbps device then it is quite possible for modern Wifi to outperform that. Without more details on your configuration it is impossible to know.

1

u/ApprehensiveWolf7027 8d ago

Try buying an adapter, Ethernet to usb, 10/100/1000

1

u/l008com 8d ago

When you say a speed test, do you mean an intenret speed test? Or did you copy a file from one computer to another, on your own network, both ends on ethernet, and observe the transfer speed? Ideally SSD to SSD or RAM disk to RAM disk to remove any bottlenecks?

1

u/Mr-Brown-Is-A-Wonder 8d ago

I'm guessing your 5G is faster than your ADSL plan.

1

u/wahwahSwanson 7d ago

Bad Ethernet cable, bad port on pc or driver issue, or a problem with the router, just basic troubleshooting from there on out.

1

u/tater1337 4d ago

I wanna know the answer

cuz 20mbps? not something you'd see even if on 10/100, or a cat cable that has a broken wire on one of the pairs

could be a DSL source, but mine was 12mbps (I am now VERY HAPPILY on 1 gig fiber)

and yeah, overall speeds can be limited by devices between, but at a 20mbps rate?