The Best Home Alternatives to WiFi Wireless Networks

The problem, especially with Android based tablets, is that many of these adapters will not function unless the tablet manufacturers have included Ethernet capability into their version of the operating software.

Samsung, Acer, Lenovo, Toshiba and Sony tablets often have this issue and surprisingly the same can also be said for Windows 8 RT devices. In some cases this can be solved by hunting down a special driver or custom firmware but it’s very hit and miss.

Pros:
*Cheap
*Fast (make sure the adapter supports 1000 Gigabit Ethernet)

Cons:
*Poor compatibility
*Cables.. not ideal for portable devices

Conclusion

Clearly consumers have plenty of options to choose from and, interference concerns aside, our personal favourite is the HomePlug adapter; especially those with the dual-use of also being able to extend your wifi network. Do pay attention to size though and consider your needs carefully as some adapters, especially those that include a pass-through socket for other plugs, can be quite big. Likewise make sure to test and see if the adapter causes problems for your broadband or DAB radio and if it does then take it back.

At an extreme you could also fit some of your own Ethernet sockets around the home, just like they do in office blocks, although this does tend to require some basic DIY skills and access to the wall space between floors. It might be tricky but can still be worthwhile doing, especially if you don’t like the idea of leaving a secondary adapter plugged in.

In the future there could be even more options available and a number of teams are already developing technologies that can, for example, distribute a home network by using ordinary household LED lighting (here). But commercially viable products for such applications are still a few years away.

As a final tip we’d also recommend that you pay close attention to the quality of your Ethernet cable. Most networking kit comes with bog standard Category 5 cable (cat5), which is fine for the older 10BASE-T (10Mbps) and 100BASE-TX (100Mbps) standards but can run into problems with Gigabit (1000Mbps+) capable technologies.

It’s generally better to use the more modern cat5e cable for anything offering speeds of above 100Mbps and cat6 or cat6a is good if you want to stay future proofed for 1000Mbps (1000BASE-T) or faster technologies. Many consumers are not aware of this and may thus be missing out on some performance. Similarly it’s a good idea to buy a router that supports Gigabit Ethernet as this will be better able to cope with future demands.