But with most mainstream routers only offering just four Ethernet ports - or sometimes fewer - the best network switches step in to fill the gap, giving you more ports to plug your wired devices into. For much more on this, see our how-to choose a gaming router feature.Ĭonversely, a good wired connection can cut out these and other shortcomings of an over-the-air signal, while providing faster speeds and a reliable, stable connection. Protocol compatibility, interference, signal-obliterating wall materials, or even poorly-designed radios and antennas can slow a speedy gigabit connection to a comparative crawl.
But a wireless connection introduces several variables.
