2

So I got a new ASUS ZenBoon a month ago and I just got a USB to Ethernet adapter and wanted to test the connection speeds so I went to the SpeedTest website and did several tests with the adapter and via Wi-Fi and what surprised me is that the speeds were exactly the same for both USB to Ethernet (both thru 2.0 and 3.0) and Wireless.

I even went to SpeedTest on my PC — which is connected directly thru Ethernet without any USB adapters — and the speed was again exactly the same. I did the same tests with the Ethernet cables connected directly to the network without going through the router and I didn’t see any change.

All speeds are about 49 and 18 Mbps for download and upload respectively. So my question is, is there any substantial difference between Wi-Fi and USB to Ethernet specifically?

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4
  • Ethernet speed is nowadays usually 1000 Mbps, although it can be somewhat less if other devices on the network are active. In a few years there will be 10'000 Mbps Ethernet for home networks, but not yet.
  • USB 2.0 speeds are limited to 480 Mbps, so an USB 2.0 to Ethernet adapter has a maximum speed of 480 Mbps while an USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter is usually limited to 1000 Mbps.
  • WiFi speeds are all over the place, depending on the distance between the 2 WiFi devices (laptop and the access point, which in your case is probably the router), obstacles between them, the protocols supported by each device, the number of antennas, other WiFi activity on the same network, and Wifi activity on other nearby networks. Usually they are somewhere between 50 and 500 Mbps.

All of these are limiting the amount of data that can be transmitted to and from your router, which then routes your data to the internet.

  • Internet connection speed is what you pay your ISP for. This is usually somewhere between 10 and 500 Mbps, depending on the connection speed you ordered.
Improve this answer
3

Well, first things first. Speedtest.net tests the speed of the link between you and the world. Modern AC WiFi, Ethernet or USB to Ethernet connections do not bottleneck those connections. So that those 3 tests were the same were to be expected.

Now what you could test, is your local speed, this speed can go way faster! but is of no use unless you own a NAS Also, USB 2.0 or 3.0 does not influence the internet connection speed YOU get.

Since USB 2.0 has up to 480Mbits and USB 3.0 supports 4.8Gbits

Improve this answer
3
  • How do you test the local speed though?
    – Boyan Kushlev
    Feb 19, 2016 at 11:18
  • With 2 devices on your LAN, you can transfer files between those 2 (thats the best method i know :P )
    – Maarten
    Feb 19, 2016 at 11:20
  • I hope i answered your question!!
    – Maarten
    Feb 19, 2016 at 11:22

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .