Ethernet cable vs WiFi for streamer

@rodentdog and @jkauff

Thanks for replies

 

A big difference in my experience. I started out using wifi when I got my Bluesound Node 2i. After getting tired of it stopping every 30 seconds or so while a song was playing, I hooked up an ethernet cable. The difference was amazing, the music never stopped with the cable connected.

 

I would imagine that was a problem with wifi signal, not capacity or hardware. With a strong signal there would not have been that stopping.
I have ensured a signal of no worse than -45 dBm at my DAC, tv receiver, a/v server etc.

Glad to hear you now have non stop music

 

My daughter recently bought one of those mesh routers. This freed up an Apple router had been using. I think I'll set the old router up next to the streamer and see if that makes a difference.

 

A thought - as much as I like keeping things out of landfills, even the most recent Apple router is relatively ancient at this point and could probably be surpassed with a $20 generic. Which isn't to say you shouldn't try your plan with it, just something to be aware of if you still get the stuttering.

 

I have repurposed a couple of redundant routers to become extenders/repeaters
I always try to use 5 gig as, although it needs a little more care in device positioning, it is a far less congested frequency than 2.4 gig (used for just about every other wireless device)

 

what I was saying is that it completely invalidates the arguments used to justify audiophile ethernet gear, not that you should use it at home lol

 

I had the same experience. Cable only now.

 

Sorry elvisizer, me being dense d'oh

 

If the cable is available, it makes no sense to me not to use it.

 

Absolutely. Although there really should not be a problem using modern equipment for wireless, a hard-wired solution is cast iron

 

don't worry about it, we're all a little distracted right now!

 

A couple of comments.

1. I had an original Auralic Aries (femto) and now have an Aries G1. In neither case could I detect a quality difference between Ethernet and WiFi connections.

2. In the early comments I saw by Auralic's Xuanqian Wang, he said something to the effect that "an Ethernet connection could transfer noise to the streamer, so a Wifi connection has the potential of being better. (Emphasis added.) I can see how that could become their recommendation, as they have to say something to people who ask the question. Still, note that it's hardly a statement about what always happens; and see point 1.

I do not dispute the hypothesis that Ethernet could in theory induce additional noise into the circuitry. However, I haven't seen that play out in practice, at least not in my system.

I also don't dispute that a really stable Wifi connection is needed to ensure reliable streaming.

 

Sounds the same to me IMO so long as no data error issues such as WiFi too slow.

Some posts to consider:

MEASUREMENTS: Raspberry Pi 3 B+ as streamer - switching power supply, battery, WiFi, touchscreen noise??? (32GB RAM, MI: Fallout and The Beatles' 2018 "White Album")

MEASUREMENTS: On the value for ethernet "galvanic isolation"...

No significant difference from a measurement perspective. And you can see in the second post, in fact, if you're really picky, you can see a little bit of 60Hz noise when plugged into the ethernet in my case.

Would love to see evidence from listening tests or even better objective measurements if people claim to hear significant differences! I prefer ethernet for the reliability, not the sound, but happy to use WiFi so long as I know the signal strength is good.

 

Even if it's not available, we dug a trench to the garage system, 75', including going under a poured sidewalk. The sound quality and the lack of dropouts, even with a professional router was more than worth the effort.

 

Over 75 feet through at least two exterior walls? Most Wi-Fi would struggle
May I ask why you decided to trench?, seems a bit drastic. Had you tried easier (and probably cheaper) solutions such as extenders, powerline connectors (assuming same mains supply)

 

I admire the entirely inverse logic here. So a twisted pair cable, specifically designed for its improved RF noise rejection is worse than receiving the signal via an antenna, a device designed to receive RF?

Sounds like a big pile of steaming poo poo to me!

 

Hi Chilli

I don't think anybody on here has said that twisted pair is worse than Wi-Fi ? Did I miss something?

They should both do exactly the same if strong signal on Wifi

 

Wifi can be a bottleneck, especially if you have an older router. I have about 80 mbps download speed over ethernet from my router, but at best only 30 mbps over wifi, and there are places in my house where the wifi signal is so weak I'm only getting 7 mbps, and this is after I swapped out antennas on my router for high gain wifi antennas. It's about the signal strength, physical obstructions and electrical interference between the wifi router antenna and the device, etc. Wifi can work just fine, or not so well, depending on the bandwidth and the strength of signal.

 

yup. Wi-Fi has restrictions just as Ethernet cable has (length). That's why I have ensured a signal of no worse than -45 dBm at my DAC, tv receiver, a/v server.

Oh, and it is connectivity and error rate that counts, not speed. After all 7mbps would be plenty for an audio file

 

Well, I certainly have problems in the room where the wifi strength is only sufficient to deliver 7 mbps, not so much in the rooms more proximate to the router antennae where I can get 30 mpbs. I'm sure if I could measure the signal strength in the room where I'm getting the lowest bandwidth it would be pretty week. I really need some other solution for this room (in the meantime, I'm plugged into ethernet in my kitchen this morning, not for music's sake, just for checking my messages). Just downloaded an app to check, really weak -73 dBm signal in the far corner of my kitchen.

 

Try 'WiFi Monitor' at Android Play Store. Make sure it is the one by Alexander Kozyukov. It works very well for me

 

I am going to go get a new router today as we are switching providers (dumping AT&T which has more than a few times left us in the lurch with down speeds less than 10mbs for weeks on end) because my significant other wants to start teaching through Zoom. She tried it yesterday and with nothing else being used it was a near train wreck and the connection struggled.
For whatever reason AT&T is just the worst here, I was just wondering as long as I am getting a new router for the new service (Everywhere Wireless has a good track record around here, and requires clients to purchase their own router) should I get the new wifi 6 (I think that's it) type that is more expensive, or just get the older type?
Sales guy who seemed knowledgeable was pretty emphatic that it does offer improvement.

 

Sorry UK here, no experience

But beware sales guys. I had one try to tell sell me a £400 ($480) USB cable telling me that digital audio needed special 'audiophile' cables

 

Thanks. I'm actually running around my house this morning, making sure I have the ethernet set up in a couple of rooms and checking the wifi strength in others, in anticipation of moving my daughter and her boyfriend into the lower level of my suburban home and out of NYC and making sure I have enough access if everybody's is working from here and constantly on teleconferencing calls.