What is Ethernet?

In plain English

Ethernet is simply a way of connecting your computer to the internet using a cable instead of Wi-Fi. You plug one end into your computer or laptop and the other into your router, and that wire carries your internet connection directly.

Think of it like the difference between a phone call on a landline versus a mobile in a patchy signal area. Wi-Fi sends your connection through the air, so it can wobble depending on walls, distance and how many things are using it. An Ethernet cable is a dedicated wire just for you, so the connection is steadier and usually faster. The cable itself is a bit like a chunky phone cable with a wider, clicky connector on each end.

Why it matters

For a home user, a wired Ethernet connection can be the difference between a video call that freezes and one that runs smoothly, or a TV programme that buffers versus one that just plays. If your desk is near the router, plugging in often gives you a noticeably more reliable connection than Wi-Fi for very little effort. For a small business, wiring up the computers that do the heavy lifting (the till, the booking system, the machine handling large files) means they are not fighting the whole office for a slice of the Wi-Fi, which keeps things steadier during a busy day.

What to do

• Look for the socket. Most desktop PCs and many laptops have a wider rectangular port (it looks like an oversized phone socket) for an Ethernet cable. If your laptop doesn't have one, a small, inexpensive USB adapter adds one.
• Just plug it in. Connect the cable from your computer to a spare numbered socket on the back of your router. Windows usually switches over on its own, no settings to fiddle with.
• Use it where it counts. It's ideal for a computer that stays in one place near the router. For a tablet or a phone you carry around, Wi-Fi still makes more sense.
• Don't worry about the numbers. Cables are labelled things like Cat5e or Cat6, but for everyday home and small-office use almost any modern Ethernet cable is perfectly fine.

How 365 Techies can help

If you'd like a hand getting a computer wired in for a steadier connection, we're a local family firm and happy to sort it for you, on-site or by talking you through it on the phone.

Related: Router · Modem · Bandwidth · IP address — or browse the full A–Z jargon buster.